Topical Bible: Faith in the offering up of Isaac

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The account of Abraham's faith in the offering up of Isaac is a profound narrative found in Genesis 22:1-19. This event is pivotal in understanding the nature of faith and obedience in the life of a believer. It is often cited as a supreme example of trust in God's promises and commands, even when they seem to contradict human understanding.

Biblical Context

The account begins with God testing Abraham, saying, "Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah. Offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will show you" (Genesis 22:2). This command is striking, as Isaac was the child of promise, through whom God had assured Abraham that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars (Genesis 15:5).

Abraham's Obedience

Abraham's response is immediate and without hesitation. Early the next morning, he sets out with Isaac and two servants, demonstrating his unwavering obedience. The journey to Moriah takes three days, during which Abraham must grapple with the gravity of God's command. Yet, his faith remains steadfast, as evidenced by his words to the servants: "Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you" (Genesis 22:5). This statement reflects Abraham's belief that both he and Isaac would return, indicating his trust in God's ability to fulfill His promises, even if it required raising Isaac from the dead (Hebrews 11:19).

The Act of Sacrifice

Upon reaching the designated place, Abraham builds an altar and arranges the wood. He binds Isaac and lays him on the altar, ready to sacrifice his beloved son. At the critical moment, as Abraham raises the knife, the Angel of the Lord intervenes, saying, "Do not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your only son from Me" (Genesis 22:12). This divine intervention underscores the test's purpose: to reveal the depth of Abraham's faith and reverence for God.

Provision and Promise

In place of Isaac, God provides a ram caught in a thicket, which Abraham offers as a burnt offering. This substitutionary sacrifice prefigures the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). Following the sacrifice, God reaffirms His covenant with Abraham, promising to bless him and multiply his descendants as the stars of heaven and the sand on the seashore (Genesis 22:17).

Theological Significance

The offering up of Isaac is a profound testament to the nature of faith. It illustrates the principle that true faith involves complete trust and obedience to God, even when His commands defy human logic. Abraham's willingness to sacrifice Isaac demonstrates his belief in God's faithfulness and power to fulfill His promises. This narrative is a cornerstone for understanding the relationship between faith and works, as highlighted in James 2:21-22: "Was not our father Abraham justified by what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith was working with his actions, and his faith was perfected by what he did" .

Legacy of Faith

Abraham's faith in the offering up of Isaac has left an indelible mark on the Judeo-Christian tradition. It serves as an enduring example of the kind of faith that God desires from His people—a faith that trusts in His promises, obeys His commands, and relies on His provision. This narrative continues to inspire believers to live lives of faith and obedience, confident in the knowledge that God is faithful to His word.

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Genesis 22:1-10
And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said to him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.
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Romans 4:18-21
Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall your seed be.
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Hebrews 11:8-19
By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing where he went.
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Library

Abraham's Offering up his Son Isaac
... ghastly; but for God to say, "take now thy son, and offer him up for a burnt-offering,"
one would imagine, was enough to stagger the strongest faith. ...
/.../selected sermons of george whitefield/abrahams offering up his son.htm

Of Abraham's Obedience and Faith, which were Proved by the ...
... "By faith," he says ... place of sacrifice the wood on which he was to be offered up,
just as ... was forbidden to smite him, who was that ram by the offering of which ...
/.../augustine/city of god/chapter 32 of abrahams obedience and.htm

The Faith of Abraham.
... By faith Abraham, being tried, offered up Isaac: yea, he that had gladly received
the promises was offering up his only-begotten son; even he to whom it was ...
/.../the expositors bible the epistle to the hebrews/chapter xi the faith of.htm

Submission and Deliverance; Or, Abraham Offering up his Son. Gen. ...
... LM Submission and deliverance; or, Abraham offering up his son. Gen.22:6, etc. ... Give
up your comforts to the Lord; ... Thy faith is known, thy love is tried. ...
/.../the psalms and hymns of isaac watts/hymn 129 submission and deliverance.htm

Abraham's Obedience
... James, "shew me thy faith without thy works," if thou canst, "and I will shew thee
my faith by my works," as Abraham did by offering up Isaac his son. Oh! ...
/.../kingsley/twenty-five village sermons/sermon xiii abrahams obedience.htm

The Story of Abraham and Isaac
... or, as we would say, how great was Abraham's faith in God ... Isaac, if Isaac should
be killed as an offering; unless indeed God should raise him up from the ...
/.../marshall/the wonder book of bible stories/the story of abraham and.htm

Faith Tested and Crowned
... horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering
in the ... I. A life of faith and self-denial has usually its sharpest trials at ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/faith tested and crowned.htm

Its Evidence
... Abraham had been justified many years before (Gen.15:6); the offering up of Isaac
(Gen.22) was the open attestation of his faith and the manifestation of the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pink/the doctrine of justification/9 its evidence.htm

Home Dedication.
... God; and though the parent shrunk from the deed, yet the faith of the ... and Isaac his
son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/philips/the christian home/chapter x home dedication.htm

The Gift that Brings all Gifts
... for want of some smaller ones to follow it up. ... a man standing in a market-place offering
sovereigns for ... Take Him by humble faith in His sacrifice and Spirit ...
/.../romans corinthians to ii corinthians chap v/the gift that brings all.htm