I was watching a TV program with my children. Abraham’s almost-sacrifice of Isaac was the topic. As I was watching I noticed that it showed Abraham in tears and struggling with the command of sacrificing his son. His hand went in the air and started to fall with anguish on his face and painful cries to heaven before an angel stopped it. As viewers, we are supposed to sympathize with Abraham and how he was obedient even though the command was hard for him to carry out. This is a LIE. Make no mistake the event actually happened but the way it happened on the TV was not scripture. It is important that we get this straight. Nowhere in the Biblical account do you see Abraham struggling with his decision to obey God. Let’s be good Bereans (Acts 17:11) and examine what scripture says.
1. Genesis 22:3 says “Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey and took two young men with, and Isaac his son; and split the wood for burnt offering, and arose and went to the place that God had told him.” Abraham got up in the morning and DIRECTLY went to carrying out God’s will. There was NO delay.
2. Genesis 22:4 states that it was not until the third day the He found the place where God wanted him to make his sacrifice. It took three days! This shows us that there was a VIGILANCE to carry out God’s word. He did not cease looking when he did not find the mountain God wanted him to go to. He did not give up! He was sent to offer up his son and he did not look for a way to worm out of it saying, “Oh well I’ve been on the road for days, sorry God I couldn’t find where you want me to be.”
3. Genesis 22:5 states that when he saw the place from A FAR OFF that he immediately told his servants to stay there and he and Isaac headed off. Again there is NO HESITATION. There is something else here, why leave the servants. They were apart of the covenant as well. One reason that is possible (though not spelled out in scripture) is that if the servants went with him they may have tried to talk him out of it. He wanted no interference with carrying out God’s will.
4. Let’s notice something else in verse 5, he told them to stay there and wait because “WE will return to you”. Was Abraham lying?! He was going to sacrifice his son right! How could they both return?! Hebrews 11:17-19 tells us that he did not lie. By FAITH Abraham offered his son, knowing that God could raise Isaac from the dead and God’s promise would be fulfilled. Because God is NOT a liar, no matter our flesh tries to dictate.
5. Finally, what does this tell us about sacrifice in general? It says clearly this: obedience is more important to God than sacrifice. His hand was stopped before the sacrifice happened, because it was his obedience and faith that was being tested. Remember, Saul’s sacrifice that he performed instead of waiting for Samuel. Saul thought he was giving God glory even though he was superceding God’s command. And what did Samuel say we he got there, “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams” (1 Samuel 15:22) We are to come to God on His terms, not ours. Christ made our sacrifice! And totally sufficient it was! Its obedience that the Lord wants from us.
I think the issue of where Abraham’s heart was, is too often understated. He had FAITH in God that all things are possible and when he was given a command, he did it. And in his obedience God is glorified and a foreshadowing of how God would give his own son and NOT stay His own hand by letting Him do what we could not is given. As a result we are Abraham’s adopted seed. We are heirs with Christ and get to worship the thrice-holy God in His presence without worry of His wrath, because we are undeservingly clothed with the righteousness of Christ. This is the gospel. Christ’s life, death on the cross and resurrection. He completed what Abraham, Adam, you and I not only, are not allowed to do but could not do.
Remember what Christ said in one his “hard sayings” we like to gloss over: "If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple.” (Luke 14:26) In comparison to our Love for God everything else must be loss. Everything. Why is this hard for us? Because there are times, when we don’t believe. When faith in our eyes and own logic is greater than faith in God. As a result we disobey and seek our own way. My prayer is that our will, will be torn down. Oh Lord, help us to be quick, direct, vigilant, and faithful in our obedience, as Abraham was and help us to do all out of a sincere love for You. Amen.
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