Abraham Obeys God Without Question
Carrying a knife, a torch, some rope and the wood for the fire, father and son set off for the top of the hill. Not knowing what part he would have in the sacrifice, Isaac began to wonder what was to be offered.
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On the third day of their journey,
they sighted the mountain where Abraham was to sacrifice Isaac.
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"We have the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?" he asked his father. (Verse 7)
"God will provide the lamb, my son," Abraham replied. (Verse 8)
When they reached the top of the hill, Abraham chose a brushy spot where the servants below couldn't see what would take place.
"Bring stones for the altar," Abraham said, and together they built up a flat pile of rocks large enough for a person to lie on. Abraham then arranged the wood on the stone altar.
At this point the Bible doesn't state in detail what happened next. It simply tells that Abraham bound Isaac and put him on the altar. (Verse 9) Very likely Abraham told Isaac at the last moment that he, Isaac, was to be the sacrifice.
With his son lying helpless on the altar, Abraham picked up the sharp knife with which to slay his son. Isaac stared in sudden, shocking alarm at the white knuckles of his father's hand as it lifted the knife. Then he tore his gaze from the point of the knife to the sad face of a father who felt that within seconds the son he loved so much would be dead. Abraham would have chosen to take his own life, but that wasn't what God had told him to do. Abraham knew that one can't do better than obey the Creator, no matter how difficult it may be.
Isaac Rescued
Abraham tensed his arm for the blow. At that instant a strong, clear voice called out his name. He crouched motionless and listened.
"Do not harm Isaac," the voice spoke. "Because you have been willing to give up your son, I know that you fear me!" (Gen. 22:10-12)
Abraham knew that God was speaking to him through an angel. He tearfully fell to his knees, overcome with joy and thankfulness because God hadn't required him to take his son's life. When at last he looked up, he saw a ram thrashing about in nearby brush. The ram's horns were locked so tightly in a bush that it was trapped. Abraham realized that here was an animal for the sacrifice in place of Isaac. (Verse 13)
Isaac, too, was very thankful as his father slashed the ropes that bound him. They then prepared the ram and offered it to God.
Perhaps one might think that it was cruel of God to cause Abraham to almost slay Isaac. God is never cruel. He is always loving and merciful. Sometimes He gives some very hard tests to those who choose to obey Him. This is to prove obedience or wisdom, just as sometimes school teachers or parents give tests to find out how much is being learned.
In Abraham's case it proved that Abraham loved his Creator more than any other thing or person, including his son. The proof was good for Abraham and a good example for millions who would later read of this event. It also pointed to a time two thousand years later when God Himself would be willing to give His only son, Jesus, to be killed because of all the evil things done by man.
But there's more to the story.
Abraham and his family didn't stay long enough in one place to mingle with idol-worshippers.
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Abraham's Descendants Promised Prosperity
Before Abraham and Isaac started back down the hill, the angel spoke again to Abraham.
"Because you have been willing to give up your son for me," promised God, speaking through an angel, "I will indeed bless you. Your descendants will be as many as the stars of the heavens and as the sands of the seashore. They shall be able to conquer their enemies. All the nations of the world shall seek to be as prosperous as those who descend from you. All this will happen because you have obeyed me!"
Those who have come down from Abraham are today numbered in the hundreds of millions, but most of them have no knowledge of who they are and the real reason why they are so prosperous.
After Abraham and Isaac had returned to where the two servants were waiting, they set out to go back to Beersheba.
Later, Abraham moved to Hebron in the southern part of the land of Canaan. There Sarah died at the age of one hundred and twenty-seven years. This mother of many millions of people now living around the world was buried in a cave in a field belonging to Abraham.