In Genesis, Chapter 22, it says that God wanted to test Abraham in verse 1.
In verse 2, God told him to offer his son Isaac as a burnt offering, and where to go to do it. So, he packed up, got his son, and headed there.
There was no arguing with God. There was no lamenting and begging. He simply obeyed.
In verse 4, they came to a place that was near the site. You can see that he must have also taken his servants with him for support. He told them to stay where they were, because he and the boy had business to attend to, and he went the rest of the way alone with Isaac.
But, here is the kicker: In verse 5, he told them to stay with the ass that was carrying their supplies, and that he and the boy would go, and return when their business was finished.
You could say that it didn't even dawn on him that the boy would not be with him when he returned.
Abraham made Isaac carry the wood in verse 6. Just like Jesus carried the cross that he was to be sacrificed on. There was no argument. The boy was obedient, just like Jesus was.
Isaac was smart. He could see they had all the makings of an offering to God, but he didn't see the animal that was to be sacrificed. So, he finally let curiosity get the better of him and asked about it, in verse 7.
Abraham, like the dutiful servant of God he was, said, (in verse 8) "God will provide." You could say that he heard was God was telling him to do, he knew what he had to do, but not once did he believe that God would let Isaac fall to harm. After all, God made a promise.
In verses 9 and 10, Abraham prepares Isaac and is just about to stab the knife into him to slay him for the sacrifice when, in verse 11 God stops him.
In verse 12, God explains why. Abraham was obedient, even to the point of killing his own son in order to obey the word of God.
In all the other verses, God told Abraham that because he was so obedient, that his seed would bless all the earth. Many years later, Jesus was born, a descendent of Abraham, and through the blood of HIS sacrifice, the whole earth is blessed!
After that, Abraham went to Beersheba to live. A messenger came bringing tidings from his brother, Nahor, and told of the family that Nahor had. Later, Isaac would marry Nahor's grandaughter, Rebekah.
On a personal note, how many of you would find it easy to lay your own life down for the Lord? How many of you, those of you who say you would, would find it harder to lay down the life of your child? Abraham was truly heroic in his obedience!
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