Topical Bible: Offerings: Human Sacrifices: Abraham

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The account of Abraham and the near-sacrifice of his son Isaac is one of the most profound narratives in the Bible, illustrating themes of faith, obedience, and divine provision. This event is recorded in Genesis 22 and is pivotal in understanding the nature of offerings and the character of God as revealed in the Scriptures.

Context and Narrative

Abraham, originally named Abram, is a central figure in the biblical narrative, known for his unwavering faith and obedience to God. In Genesis 12, God calls Abram to leave his homeland and promises to make him a great nation. Despite his advanced age and the barrenness of his wife Sarah, God promises Abraham a son, Isaac, through whom the covenant would be established.

In Genesis 22:1-2 , God tests Abraham's faith: "Some time later God tested Abraham and said to him, 'Abraham!' 'Here I am,' he replied. 'Take your son,' God said, '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.'"

The Test of Faith

The command to sacrifice Isaac is a profound test of Abraham's faith and obedience. Isaac is not only Abraham's beloved son but also the child of promise through whom God's covenant is to be fulfilled. The request seems to contradict God's earlier promises, yet Abraham's response is immediate and without question. Genesis 22:3 states, "So Abraham got up early the next morning, saddled his donkey, and took along two of his servants and his son Isaac."

As they journey to the designated place, Isaac inquires about the lamb for the burnt offering. Abraham's response in Genesis 22:8 is filled with faith: "God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." This statement foreshadows the provision that God will ultimately make.

Divine Intervention and Provision

Upon reaching the mountain, Abraham prepares to sacrifice Isaac, demonstrating his complete trust in God. At the critical moment, as Abraham raises the knife, the angel of the Lord intervenes. Genesis 22:11-12 records, "But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, 'Abraham, Abraham!' 'Here I am,' he replied. 'Do not lay a hand on the boy,' He said. 'Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from Me your son, your only son.'"

God provides a ram caught in a thicket as a substitute for Isaac, underscoring the principle of substitutionary sacrifice. Abraham names the place "The LORD Will Provide" (Genesis 22:14), a testament to God's provision and faithfulness.

Theological Significance

The near-sacrifice of Isaac is rich with theological implications. It prefigures the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, God's only Son, for the sins of humanity. The narrative highlights the concept of substitutionary atonement, a cornerstone of Christian theology. Furthermore, it underscores the importance of faith and obedience in the believer's relationship with God.

Abraham's willingness to sacrifice Isaac is a profound demonstration of his faith, as noted in Hebrews 11:17-19 : "By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac. He who had received the promises was ready to offer his one and only son, even though God had said to him, 'Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.' Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and in a sense, he did receive Isaac back from death."

Conclusion

The account of Abraham and Isaac remains a powerful testament to the nature of faith and the character of God. It serves as a reminder of God's provision and the ultimate sacrifice made through Jesus Christ, fulfilling the promise of redemption for all who believe.

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Genesis 22:1-19
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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Hebrews 11:17-19
By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
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Library

High Priest
... If the burnt sacrifices were of doves, the priest was to ... of sin and the priest should
eat these offerings at the ... to judge of the leprosy in the human body or ...
/.../conversion of a high priest into a christian worker/chapter iv high priest.htm

'The Love of Thine Espousals'
... of homage becomes a sad witness to human weakness and ... 19:6. Burnt-offerings and
peace-offerings differed mainly ... But these sacrifices, at the threshold of the ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/the love of thine espousals.htm

The Purification of the virgin and the Presentation in the Temple
... of the world, of a true human development of ... cases when a mother would offer several
sacrifices of purification ... price of the meat-and drink-offerings was fixed ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter vii the purification of.htm

Faustus Avows his Disbelief in the Old Testament and his Disregard ...
... no offering, as indeed reason teaches us that offerings cannot be ... stands in need
of nothing, the human mind is ... what God wished to teach us by these sacrifices. ...
/.../faustus avows his disbelief in.htm

His Past Work.
... And what human mind can estimate the wonderful results of His ... These sacrifices could
not take away sin ... In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sins Thou hadst no ...
//christianbookshelf.org/gaebelein/the work of christ/i his past work.htm

The Pioneer's Influence Upon a Nation's Ideals.
... prophets preserve the story of the sacrifices of Isaac ... I come before him with
burnt-offerings, With calves ... and obedience, or the needlessness of human sacrifice ...
/.../kent/the making of a nation/study v the pioneers influence.htm

First Sunday after Epiphany
... Their sacrifices are not silver and gold ... the service of the Jews in their works and
offerings, and of ... Indeed, human reason imagines it to be the evil, unfriendly ...
/.../luther/epistle sermons vol ii/first sunday after epiphany.htm

Christ Our High Priest.
... was high priest of that division of the human family to ... build their own altars and
offer their own sacrifices. ... The offerings made by the priests under the law ...
/.../xi christ our high priest.htm

Controversy
... He showed the error of trusting to human power for that transformation of ... his neighbor
as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.". ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/the desire of ages/chapter 66 controversy.htm

The Pentateuch.
... the head of one branch of the human race before ... is then written and solemnly ratified
by the blood of sacrifices. ... the law of priests, and the law of offerings. ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xix the pentateuch.htm