“For God so loved the world, that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him, shall not perish, but have eternal life.”
My favorite story in the Bible is the story of Abraham and Isaac. Abraham and his wife, Sarah, could not have kids, but God blessed them when they were very old with a son by the name of Issac. One day, God asks Abraham to take Isaac up to the mountain of Moriah to offer him as a living sacrifice. There is much speculation on how old Isaac was when he went up the mountain with his dad. Isaac carried the wood up the mountain for the sacrifice so he probably was not a small boy. Some say Isaac was a teenager and some even say he could have been as old as thirty-seven. My sons are 21 and 33, so of course they come to my mind when I read this story.
Once Abraham and Isaac get to the top of the mountain, Isaac is laid on the altar covered in wood. Abraham draws his knife, and just as he is about to sacrifice his only son, an angel calls down from Heaven and tells Abraham to stop and not go through with the sacrifice. Abraham sees that nearby there is a ram caught by its horns in a thicket. God provided a way for that ram to be the ultimate sacrifice that day. The relief that Abraham and Issac must have felt; Inconceivable.
There is a lot to unpack when it comes to this story.
Abraham’s obedience to God was made clear. I think of the anguish Abraham must have felt to be asked to sacrifice Isaac. The son that he and Sarah had waited until their old age for. I can feel Abraham’s heart breaking with each step.
In 2025 this would be seen as crazy and most likely my sons would say to my husband, “we’re out!” But thousands of years ago times were different and sacrifices were made left and right. People made bold choices to follow God and they also believed in miracles more than we do in the times that we are living in now. I read that Abraham believed that when he sacrificed Issac, God would bring him back to life. So, Abraham was hoping for his own miracle that day.
Then I think about Issac. I see him going up the mountain with his dad, making the connection that there is no animal to be seen and that ultimately he was to be the living sacrifice. With each step he knows that the wood he carries is for himself but his love for Abraham takes him up the mountain anyway. Seeing as he was older, he probably laid himself on the altar so that his aging father wouldn’t have to do it. Issac could have refused to go up that mountain but his desire to please his dad was greater than pleasing himself.
To me, this is the point of the story. Abraham was being obedient to his Heavenly Father and Isaac was being obedient to his earthly father. God spared Issac that day but 2,000 years later He would sacrifice Jesus, His only son, as a burnt offering so that you and I could be saved. Let it sink in. God loves us that much!