Genesis 21:33 – 22:12

After Abraham had made a covenant with God in Beer-Sheeba as EL-OLAM (Lord, the Everlasting God), God decided to test him. He knew that the most precious thing Abraham cherished in his life was Isaac and wanted him to prove, that even if Isaac was taken away, Abraham would still carry on his everlasting relationship with God.

God instructed him to take Isaac to Mt. Moriah and offer him as a burnt offering upon one of the mountains. When they came to the place which God had told them, Abraham built an altar there, laid the wood in order and bound his son to lay him on the altar. When God was convinced that Abraham was willing to offer his precious son Isaac without any compunction, He restrained Abraham from slaying him.

Any reader of the Bible would arrive at the question – How could Abraham decide to kill the apple of his eye at God’s command without any hesitation?

The author in his letter to the Hebrews writes that Abraham offered Isaac because he believed that God had the power to resurrect Isaac even if he sacrificed him (Hebrews 11:17-19).

This faith stemmed from Abraham’s previous experience, that God who brought back the dead reproductive organs of Sarah and himself to life by blessing them with Isaac, would also be able to bring back the life of Isaac even if he was dead.

Thought for the day: Abraham did not do the works of faith but had a faith that worked!