After the rest stop, the small caravan continued on the journey. Little by little, they made their way toward the land of Moriah, it wouldn’t be long now. As the sunset at the end of the second day, the group pitched their tents. As the evening before, the old man wandered off a distance to pray and meditate on the strange task before him. Could he dare deny God anything?
The old man’s son looked across the desert from the entrance of his tent. He saw the outline of his father in the light of the moon. This night, he did not join him. He had the feeling that his father wanted to be alone with his thoughts.
On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place afar off (Gen 22:4) He turned to watch his two servants who were following close behind him. As they got closer, he lifted up his hand for them to stop. There was a shallow well beside the road. Abraham pointed to the well. The servants went over to refresh themselves and their beasts also.
Abraham proceeded to untie the bundle of firewood from the back of his donkey. He also took out the iron and flint to start the fire. He then walked over to where his two servants were watering their donkeys. He walked slowly, pondering his mission. A test, could it indeed be another test of his faith?
“Stay here with the donkey,” Abraham said to his young men, “the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you” (Gen 22:5) Abraham thought about the words which just proceeded from his mouth. WE will come back to you? Indeed WE?
So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son, and he took the fire in his hand, and the knife and the two of them went together. (Gen 22:6)
Slowly, both father and son ascended the small mountain called Moriah. Abraham led the way and his son Isaac followed close behind. When they neared the top of Moriah, Isaac looked around. He had a puzzling look on his face as if something were missing. He finally revealed his thoughts to Abraham his father.
“My father” and he said, “Here I am my son”. Then Isaac responded;
“Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” (Gen 22:7)
Abraham looked at his son, his eyes filled with love and compassion. He loved his boy but he also loved God. Could he dare deny the creator of life, a life that he himself created?
Then Abraham said;
“My son, God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering”.
So, the two of them went together. Then they came to the place of which God had told them. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. (Gen 22:8, 9)
Isaac looked up at his father with tears in his eyes. He could hardly believe what was happening. The lamb for the sacrifice, the lamb, he, Isaac, would be the lamb. A human lamb? How could such a sacrifice be?
“Father,” said Isaac quietly, “how can the God of the universe, of all creation, the creator of all that is good want a human sacrifice? Does he not detest such practices?”
Abraham, with tears in his eyes, looked down at his son who was bound with rope, laying on the wood. What words could he say to his son, the chosen son of the covenant?
“Yes, my son,” said Abraham, his voice cracking, “God does indeed detest such practices,
But still, I must trust him in all things”
“Is there nothing you can refuse him, father?”
“nothing” replied Abraham with tears flowing from his eyes.
“Go ahead then father” replied Isaac, “I am ready to be the sacrifice he demands of you”. Abraham slowly nodded.
“I love you son”
“I love you too, father” replied Isaac.
And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the Angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said;
“Abraham, Abraham” so he said
“Here I am” and he said
“Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now, I know that you fear
God since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” (Gen 22:11-12)
“Thank you, LORD,” whispered Abraham, “Thank you”.
Isaac opened his eyes and looked up at his father. Both were smiling now. Both had passed the test. A test of obedience, a test of faith, a test of courage.
“All is good now son,” said Abraham, “God did not really intend for you to be the sacrifice”
Abraham sat Isaac upon the wood. He then cut the ropes that bound Isaac hands and feet. As Isaac got down from the stone altar, he looked at something moving in some bushes behind his father.
“Father, look behind you, there’s something moving.”
Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So, Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up for a burnt
offering instead of his son. (Gen 22:13)
Father and son stood there by the altar of stone. The body of the perfect ram was bloodied and bursting with bright, orange flames. Soon it was just a charred skeleton completely consumed by the flames.
“This was a lesson about faith my son,” said Abraham as he held his son by his side.
“God had intended all along that this ram be the sacrifice that would take your place on the pile of wood. He wanted to see if I was willing to offer you up my son”
“Would you…. would you have brought the knife down upon me father… really?” asked Isaac, looking up deep into his father’s eyes.
“Yes, son” replied Abraham, “I would have, and the LORD knowest all thoughts and all deeds even beforehand. Thus he prepared the ram for the burnt offering. Can you understand that my son?”
“Yes, father” replied Isaac, meditating on what his father had just said, “I think so.”
“Now,” said Abraham, “Let’s go back down and return home. I believe your mother is awaiting our return.”
As father and son started back down the mountain, Isaac looked back one more time at the altar and the ram, which was now only a small pile of smoldering ashes.
“Only the future will reveal the true meaning of this lesson today son,” said Abraham embracing his son Isaac.
And Abraham called the name of the place, The LORD-will-provide, as it is said to this day. In the mount of the LORD, it shall be provided. (Gen 22:14)
As father and son stood there that day upon the summit of the LORD’s mountain, they heard the voice of the Angel of God calling out a second time from heaven saying:
“By myself, I have sworn, says the LORD because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son; blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore, and your descendants shall possess the gate of your enemies. In your seed, all the nations of the earth shall be blessed because you have obeyed my voice.” (Gen 22:15-18)
Father and son smiled at each other. “Blessed be the LORD,” said Abraham lifting up his hands toward heaven. “Blessed be his Holy Name” replied Isaac also lifting up his hands toward heaven.
So Abraham and Isaac returned to the servants who were awaiting them at the foot of the Mount of God and went together to Beersheba, and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba. (Gen 22:19)
The old man’s son looked across the desert from the entrance of his tent. He saw the outline of his father in the light of the moon. This night, he did not join him. He had the feeling that his father wanted to be alone with his thoughts.
On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place afar off (Gen 22:4) He turned to watch his two servants who were following close behind him. As they got closer, he lifted up his hand for them to stop. There was a shallow well beside the road. Abraham pointed to the well. The servants went over to refresh themselves and their beasts also.
Abraham proceeded to untie the bundle of firewood from the back of his donkey. He also took out the iron and flint to start the fire. He then walked over to where his two servants were watering their donkeys. He walked slowly, pondering his mission. A test, could it indeed be another test of his faith?
“Stay here with the donkey,” Abraham said to his young men, “the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you” (Gen 22:5) Abraham thought about the words which just proceeded from his mouth. WE will come back to you? Indeed WE?
So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son, and he took the fire in his hand, and the knife and the two of them went together. (Gen 22:6)
Slowly, both father and son ascended the small mountain called Moriah. Abraham led the way and his son Isaac followed close behind. When they neared the top of Moriah, Isaac looked around. He had a puzzling look on his face as if something were missing. He finally revealed his thoughts to Abraham his father.
“My father” and he said, “Here I am my son”. Then Isaac responded;
“Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” (Gen 22:7)
Abraham looked at his son, his eyes filled with love and compassion. He loved his boy but he also loved God. Could he dare deny the creator of life, a life that he himself created?
Then Abraham said;
“My son, God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering”.
So, the two of them went together. Then they came to the place of which God had told them. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. (Gen 22:8, 9)
Isaac looked up at his father with tears in his eyes. He could hardly believe what was happening. The lamb for the sacrifice, the lamb, he, Isaac, would be the lamb. A human lamb? How could such a sacrifice be?
“Father,” said Isaac quietly, “how can the God of the universe, of all creation, the creator of all that is good want a human sacrifice? Does he not detest such practices?”
Abraham, with tears in his eyes, looked down at his son who was bound with rope, laying on the wood. What words could he say to his son, the chosen son of the covenant?
“Yes, my son,” said Abraham, his voice cracking, “God does indeed detest such practices,
But still, I must trust him in all things”
“Is there nothing you can refuse him, father?”
“nothing” replied Abraham with tears flowing from his eyes.
“Go ahead then father” replied Isaac, “I am ready to be the sacrifice he demands of you”. Abraham slowly nodded.
“I love you son”
“I love you too, father” replied Isaac.
And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the Angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said;
“Abraham, Abraham” so he said
“Here I am” and he said
“Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now, I know that you fear
God since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” (Gen 22:11-12)
“Thank you, LORD,” whispered Abraham, “Thank you”.
Isaac opened his eyes and looked up at his father. Both were smiling now. Both had passed the test. A test of obedience, a test of faith, a test of courage.
“All is good now son,” said Abraham, “God did not really intend for you to be the sacrifice”
Abraham sat Isaac upon the wood. He then cut the ropes that bound Isaac hands and feet. As Isaac got down from the stone altar, he looked at something moving in some bushes behind his father.
“Father, look behind you, there’s something moving.”
Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So, Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up for a burnt
offering instead of his son. (Gen 22:13)
Father and son stood there by the altar of stone. The body of the perfect ram was bloodied and bursting with bright, orange flames. Soon it was just a charred skeleton completely consumed by the flames.
“This was a lesson about faith my son,” said Abraham as he held his son by his side.
“God had intended all along that this ram be the sacrifice that would take your place on the pile of wood. He wanted to see if I was willing to offer you up my son”
“Would you…. would you have brought the knife down upon me father… really?” asked Isaac, looking up deep into his father’s eyes.
“Yes, son” replied Abraham, “I would have, and the LORD knowest all thoughts and all deeds even beforehand. Thus he prepared the ram for the burnt offering. Can you understand that my son?”
“Yes, father” replied Isaac, meditating on what his father had just said, “I think so.”
“Now,” said Abraham, “Let’s go back down and return home. I believe your mother is awaiting our return.”
As father and son started back down the mountain, Isaac looked back one more time at the altar and the ram, which was now only a small pile of smoldering ashes.
“Only the future will reveal the true meaning of this lesson today son,” said Abraham embracing his son Isaac.
And Abraham called the name of the place, The LORD-will-provide, as it is said to this day. In the mount of the LORD, it shall be provided. (Gen 22:14)
As father and son stood there that day upon the summit of the LORD’s mountain, they heard the voice of the Angel of God calling out a second time from heaven saying:
“By myself, I have sworn, says the LORD because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son; blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore, and your descendants shall possess the gate of your enemies. In your seed, all the nations of the earth shall be blessed because you have obeyed my voice.” (Gen 22:15-18)
Father and son smiled at each other. “Blessed be the LORD,” said Abraham lifting up his hands toward heaven. “Blessed be his Holy Name” replied Isaac also lifting up his hands toward heaven.
So Abraham and Isaac returned to the servants who were awaiting them at the foot of the Mount of God and went together to Beersheba, and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba. (Gen 22:19)
