Abraham Sacrificing Isaac: God’s Blessing Is Hidden Behind This

[Bella2023]

The Bible tells the story of Abraham. When Abraham was one hundred years old, God gave him a son, Isaac. However, when Isaac had grown up, God commanded Abraham to offer him as a sacrifice. Yet when Abraham placed his only son on God’s altar and raised his knife ready to slay the boy, God stopped him. In fact, not only did God stop Abraham from sacrificing Isaac, but He also lavished Abraham with great blessings and made his descendants into a great nation.

Every time I used to read this story, I always had heartfelt admiration for Abraham, because I feel that he had great faith in God. He was able to submit to God’s plan and offer up his only son, whom he dearly loved, as a sacrifice. He thereby proved himself worthy of the title “father of faith.” However, what I didn’t understand was this: Why did God give Abraham a son when he was a hundred years old, and then command him to sacrifice the boy? What, ultimately, was God’s intention?

For a long time, I didn’t understand. It was only recently, when I read a text online, “God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself II,” that I understood that God’s work with Abraham holds deep meaning and also is imbued with God’s intention. Now I intend to make a written record of the insight that I received.

1. No Person or Thing Can Influence God’s Decision to Do Something

In the Bible, the Book of Genesis chapter 17, verses 15–17 says: “And God said to Abraham, As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. And I will bless her, and give you a son also of her: yes, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her. Then Abraham fell on his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born to him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?”

Chapter 17, verse 21 says: “But My covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear to you at this set time in the next year.”

Chapter 21, verses 2–3 says: “For Sarah conceived, and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. And Abraham called the name of his son that was born to him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac.”

When God told Abraham that He would give him a son, Abraham didn’t believe Him, thinking that he and his wife Sarah had already passed child-bearing age and couldn’t possibly have a child. Then to their surprise, in the second year, Sarah really did give birth to a son. Every time I read those verses of scripture, I always thought: If it had been me, I would have reacted the same way as Abraham.

“God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself II” explains it this way: “What man does or thinks, what man understands, the plans of man—none of this bears any relation to God. Everything proceeds according to God’s plan, in keeping with the times and stages set by God. Such is the principle of God’s work. God does not interfere in whatever man thinks or knows, yet neither does He forgo His plan or abandon His work just because man does not believe or understand. The facts are thus accomplished according to the plan and thoughts of God. This is precisely what we see in the Bible: God caused Isaac to be born at the time He had set. Do the facts prove that the behavior and conduct of man hindered the work of God? They did not hinder the work of God! Did man’s little faith in God, and his notions and imaginings about God affect God’s work? No, they did not! Not in the least! God’s management plan is unaffected by any man, matter, or environment. All that He resolves to do will be completed and accomplished on time and according to His plan, and His work cannot be interfered with by any man. God ignores certain aspects of man’s foolishness and ignorance, and even certain aspects of man’s resistance and notions toward Him, and He does the work that He must do regardless. This is God’s disposition, and it is a reflection of His omnipotence.”

After reading this passage, I understood: We humans do not understand God’s almightiness and sovereignty; our faith in God is insufficient. As such, when God’s words or God’s work doesn’t fit with our ideas, or exceeds our capacity to accept, then our attitudes become suspicious, and we think that God could not possibly accomplish that which He sets out to do. However, God is almighty—that which He sets out to achieve is not subject to the influence of any person or thing, and certainly He could never be hindered by any power that exists. It was then that I saw that God’s almightiness and wisdom are truly miraculous, truly unfathomable. God’s work exceeds human imagination; we have absolutely no way of comprehending it.
     

2. God Treasures and Loves People’s Sincerity; God Blesses Those Who Listen to His Words and Obey Him

The Bible says, “And He said, Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and get you into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will tell you of” (Genesis 22:2).

“And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar on the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son” (Genesis 22:9–10).

“And said, By Myself have I sworn, said Jehovah, for because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son: That in blessing I will bless you, and in multiplying I will multiply your seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is on the sea shore; and your seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in your seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because you have obeyed My voice” (Genesis 22:16–18).

From these scriptural passages we can see that when Jehovah God commanded Abraham to offer his son as a burnt offering, Abraham obeyed His command with complete obedience. However, in the end God didn’t ask Abraham to kill Isaac at all. Instead God promised He would make Abraham’s descendants a great nation. In the past, I hadn’t understood: Why did God ask Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, only to stop Abraham when he raised his knife to slay his son? Moreover, why did God then lavish blessings upon Abraham?

These two sections of the text, “God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself II,” say that: “When Abraham stretched forth his hand and took the knife to slay his son, were his actions seen by God? They were. The entire process—from the start, when God asked that Abraham sacrifice Isaac, to when Abraham actually raised his knife to slay his son—showed God the heart of Abraham, and regardless of his former foolishness, ignorance, and misunderstanding of God, at that time Abraham’s heart for God was true, and honest, and he truly was going to return Isaac, the son given to him by God, back to God. In him, God saw obedience, the very obedience that He desired.”

“To man, God does much that is incomprehensible and even unbelievable. When God wishes to orchestrate someone, this orchestration is often at odds with man’s notions and incomprehensible to him, yet it is precisely this dissonance and incomprehensibility that are God’s trial and test of man. Abraham, meanwhile, was able to demonstrate obedience to God within himself, which was the most fundamental condition of his being able to satisfy God’s requirement. … At the moment that Abraham lifted up his knife to slay Isaac, did God stop him? God did not let Abraham sacrifice Isaac, for God simply had no intention of taking Isaac’s life. Thus, God stopped Abraham just in time. For God, Abraham’s obedience had already passed the test, what he did was sufficient, and God had already seen the outcome of what He intended to do. Was this outcome satisfactory to God? It can be said that this outcome was satisfactory to God, that it was what God wanted, and was what God had longed to see. Is this true? Although, in different contexts, God uses different ways of testing each person, in Abraham God saw what He wanted, He saw that Abraham’s heart was true, and that his obedience was unconditional. It was precisely this ‘unconditional’ that God desired.”

After contemplating these two sections, I understood: What God wanted all along was for people to be sincere toward Him. God commanded Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, certainly not because He wanted Abraham to kill his son, but rather because He wanted to use this command to test Abraham, to see whether Abraham would truly trust in and obey God. Abraham’s son Isaac was given to him when he was one hundred years old, so we can imagine how much he loved him. We could even say that Abraham considered Isaac’s life more important than his own. Yet when God commanded Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, Abraham didn’t complain to God, nor did he ask Him to explain His reasons, even though his heart was aching. Abraham knew Isaac was a gift from God. If God now wanted him to make a sacrifice, Abraham knew he must obey. Thus without hesitation, Abraham took Isaac to the place where burnt offerings were made. He raised his knife ready to return Isaac to God. However, God could now see Abraham’s sincerity and obedience, so at that moment, He stopped him, gave him His blessings, and promised that his descendants would become a great nation. I saw in God’s blessing of and promise to Abraham that God treasures people’s sincerity. What God wants is for people to be able to come before Him without conditions, and worship and obey Him without demanding something in return.

[tim_from_pa]

Abraham believed that had he sacrificed Isaac that God would have to raise him again in order for all the promises of God through this same child of promise to be true - thus, Abraham had faith in what God promised him. So Abraham did not despise what would be passed down as the Birthright that later Esau did despise.  Since Hebrews 11 says they all died not having received the promises, the (very strong) implication is that God would resurrect people one day to enjoy the promises which are earthly promises of the coming Kingdom.

[Guest AFlameOfFire]

You can even see a picture of Christ in the similitude of Isaac

Gen 22:7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? 

The law having shadow

Gen 22:8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

And then in John,

John 1:36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lambof God!

Rom 8:2 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

[Guest AFlameOfFire]

I found a better one to Catch a picture of what God would do in Christ

Gen 2:22 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

Abraham went seeing before the place afar off

Gen 22:3 Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.

Gen 22:6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.

The scripture foreseeing

Gal 3:8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.

These seeing them afar off

Heb 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises , but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

The Son which is regarded as the only begotten Son (was that which was by promise) not the one after the flesh

Heb 11:17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,

Heb 11:18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:

Heb 11:19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

Acts 10:40 Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly;

Which was shown in a figure God shewed openly in Jesus Christ

Gal 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

Gen 17:19 And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.

Gal 3:29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Gen 22:3 Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.

Gen 22:6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.

Gen 22:7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?

This is where Abraham said to Isaac...

Gen 22:8 And Abraham said, My Son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

The law having shadow of the good things to come not the very image of things

John 1:36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!

Col 1:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

Romans 8:2 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

God used similitudes by the ministry of the prophets (and Abraham was a prophet) Hosea 12:10 & Genesis 20:7 Its awesome seeing a picture of what God was going to do before it come to pass in Jesus, the Lamb of God and the wood, the cross of Christ, and the knife, the circumcision of Christ and the fire he had come to kindle.

[farouk]

My mind went to Romans 8.32 also.......

[Anne2]

1 hour ago, tim_from_pa said:

Abraham believed that had he sacrificed Isaac that God would have to raise him again in order for all the promises of God through this same child of promise to be true - thus, Abraham had faith in what God promised him. So Abraham did not despise what would be passed down as the Birthright that later Esau did despise.  Since Hebrews 11 says they all died not having received the promises, the (very strong) implication is that God would resurrect people one day to enjoy the promises which are earthly promises of the coming Kingdom.

I don't know about earthly promises but the rest is spot on.

We see Genesis 15 and 17 the covenants

What does God say to Abraham in Genesis 15?

He is going to die

It is 4th generation, 400 years in the future in the future

Genesis 15:15  And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.
16  But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.
As you quoted Hebrews, Acts agrees

Acts 7:4  Then came he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell.
5  And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child.
6  And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil four hundred years.
 

So Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob All knew the promise to them would be after they were dead. I believe it is why God tested Abraham's faith.

Rom 8:22  For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
23  And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
24  For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
25  But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
 

 

[Guest AFlameOfFire]

1 hour ago, farouk said:

My mind went to Romans 8.32 also.......

I included it in my post, definately shows a Father giving his only son there, and Abraham knowing that God was going to provide the Lamb (which was His only Son after,  given them by promise) and not after the flesh (as through Hagar).

Edited October 21, 2023 by AFlameOfFire

[Stewardofthemystery]

10 hours ago, AFlameOfFire said:

I found a better one to Catch a picture of what God would do in Christ

Gen 2:22 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

Abraham went seeing before the place afar off

Gen 22:3 Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.

Gen 22:6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.

The scripture foreseeing

Gal 3:8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.

These seeing them afar off

Heb 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises , but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

The Son which is regarded as the only begotten Son (was that which was by promise) not the one after the flesh

Heb 11:17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,

Heb 11:18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:

Heb 11:19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

Acts 10:40 Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly;

Which was shown in a figure God shewed openly in Jesus Christ

Gal 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

Gen 17:19 And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.

Gal 3:29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Gen 22:3 Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.

Gen 22:6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.

Gen 22:7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?

This is where Abraham said to Isaac...

Gen 22:8 And Abraham said, My Son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

The law having shadow of the good things to come not the very image of things

John 1:36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!

Col 1:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

Romans 8:2 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

Good stuff!  God uses types and shadows many times in the scriptures.

10 hours ago, AFlameOfFire said:

God used similitudes by the ministry of the prophets (and Abraham was a prophet) Hosea 12:10 & Genesis 20:7 Its awesome seeing a picture of what God was going to do before it come to pass in Jesus, the Lamb of God and the wood, the cross of Christ, and the knife, the circumcision of Christ and the fire he had come to kindle.

God also uses the prophets and his children, even Jesus, to be for “signs”and for “wonders”as is written….

Isaiah 8:18

Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are “for signs and for wonders” in Israel from the Lord of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion.

 

Jonah was a sign…

 

Luke 11:29

And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet.

And even Jesus was for a sign….

Luke 11:30

For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, “so shall also the Son of man be”to this generation.”

 

Luke 2:34

And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against;

 

There are many other “signs” and “similitudes”shown in the law and prophets, too many for me to post in a short amount of time.

 

Peace

 

 

[tim_from_pa]

12 hours ago, Anne2 said:

I don't know about earthly promises but the rest is spot on.

We see Genesis 15 and 17 the covenants

What does God say to Abraham in Genesis 15?

He is going to die

It is 4th generation, 400 years in the future in the future

Genesis 15:15  And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.
16  But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.
As you quoted Hebrews, Acts agrees

Acts 7:4  Then came he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell.
5  And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child.
6  And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil four hundred years.
 

So Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob All knew the promise to them would be after they were dead. I believe it is why God tested Abraham's faith.

Rom 8:22  For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
23  And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
24  For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
25  But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
 

 

When people talk about covenants, it ultimately ends up being discussions about Mosaic Law vs New Covenant. Works of the Law vs grace, etc etc in other words salvation from our fallen state.  But there's more.  God wanted sons and a family manifested by many people, nations (which originated in family branches when one thinks about it) and a Kingdom over all.  Of course Satan is trying very hard to duplicate such a set-up which is why thrones and power have been fought over all through history.  Anyway, A Kingdom needs people (e.g. the promise of the birthright e.g. Genesis 48), a King (ruler, e.g. Genesis 49 and 2 Samuel 7), specific land (e.g. Genesis 13 and other similar passages) and righteous laws and the like (formally introduced later under Moses).  Notice that everything promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had to do with the workings of the Kingdom.  They knew the standards of righteousness but not formally a covenant (marriage) with His Offspring Israel until the time of Moses - notice it's after they leave Egypt when God called them out.  But the patriarchs looked for a heavenly city where righteousness would dwell, i.e. the way it all was supposed to have been.  Israel are the chosen people and means for the Lord to bring this about which will culminate in the Second Coming, the Kingdom here on Earth and ultimately a New Heaven and Earth. The Laws bring in the spiritual (righteous) component and demonstrates our very being as to what we are.  Citizens have to be righteous to be a part this Kingdom. This, of course, gets into a detailed side road I mentioned at first (law vs grace etc).  I'm looking at the big picture as to what it all means. But... all this works through faith and obedience to God.

[Guest AFlameOfFire]

17 hours ago, Stewardofthemystery said:

Good stuff!  God uses types and shadows many times in the scriptures.

God also uses the prophets and his children, even Jesus, to be for “signs”and for “wonders”as is written….

Isaiah 8:18

Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are “for signs and for wonders” in Israel from the Lord of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion.

 

Jonah was a sign…

 

Luke 11:29

And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet.

And even Jesus was for a sign….

Luke 11:30

For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, “so shall also the Son of man be”to this generation.”

 

Luke 2:34

And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against;

 

There are many other “signs” and “similitudes”shown in the law and prophets, too many for me to post in a short amount of time.

 

Peace

 

 

How did I miss this post? Great additions StewardOfTheMystery!