Genesis 22:1-24

Satan tempts people to bring out their worst; God may test His beloved ones to bring out their best (1 Cor. 10:13; James 1:12-14). The people closest to God often find themselves in the midst of the biggest tests. But Christians must remember: God will only ask them to do what He will enable them to do.

22:2-4 | All people have three parts to their personality: intellect, emotions, and will. Each was included in this test as God sought to refine Abraham to a purer faith (James 1:1-5). When God commanded Abraham to offer his promised son as a burnt offering, Isaac was approximately 15. In this defining moment, God asked Abraham to talke all his future hopes - all that Abraham expected from the Lord according to His covenant - and surrender them on an altar. Although this instruction made no human sense, he did not argue or plead; he simply obeyed (Ps. 119:60).

22:2 | Moriah and Calvary (the place of Jesus’ crucifixion) are other namnes for the same place: the threshing floor that David purchased from Araunah (2 Sam. 24:21-25), north of the city of Jerusalem. This particular hill (not a mountain) was alos the site of both Hebrew temples.

22:4 | The phrase rose early in the morning, which was also used when God told Abraham to send Ishmael away (21:14), anticipates actions that were particularly difficult to accomplish. Abraham’s obedience was so complete that he split the wood for the burnt offering in advance, realizing that wood at the alter site might be scarce. Moriah was about 45 miles north of Beersheba, a three days’ journey at that time.

22:5 | The Hebrew term translated worship describes the specific act of a person bowing all the way to the ground. More important is the force of the verbs here: worship and will come back to you express great determination and faith. Abraham in effect told his servants: Once these acts of worship are complete, Isaac and I will return. Abraham had no precedent for believing God would somehow bring his son back to life after the offering (Heb. 11:17-19), for no one had ever seen a resurrection. Nevertheless, he trusted God to do the impossible, maybe because he had already seen God deliver the impossible through Isaac’s birth.

22:10-12 | Just as with Hagar and Ishmael in wilderness, God spoke at the very moment Abraham needed to hear from Him: just as he took the knife to slay Isaac. God did not want Abraham’s son to die; He wanted Abraham’s submission to Himself. When God said, Now I know that you fear God, He validated Abraham’s deep faith.

22:12 | In Hebrew, to fear God describes saving faith; it also indicates one who values God as God, in awe, wonder, and worship. In Scripture, fearing God takes priority over every other response to Him (Deut. 10:12, 20; Eccl. 12:13). This may be one reason God tests the faith of His servants (James 2:21-22).

22:13-18 | Abraham’s confidence that God would provide in 22:8 is rewarded here, for God honors those who honor Him. God reaffirmed His covenant to Abraham with the most steadfast of oaths.