Gen 22

Genesis 22 is the famous or infamous passage where God instructs Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac. One reaction to this is to be utterly freaked out by the thought sacrificing a child followed by an attempt to rationalize, ignore, edit, or otherwise run away from this great text. Another reaction is to point to this text as a picture or type of God sacrificing his own son. I agree that it is a beutiful type and foreshadowing.

I'm convinced that the heart of the meaning of Genesis 22 is the demonstration of the amazing faith of Abraham. I think it aids our understanding if we contrast Abraham with the Rich young man who came to Jesus (Matt 19:16-22). The young man wouldn't sell what he posessed and give it to the poor and follow Jesus. The Lord of Glory doesn't mince words. He doesn't beg for a half-hearted commitment. He gets right to the heart of the matter: What won't you give me young man? The young man walked away.

But not so with Abraham. All of God's promises to Abraham, and really his promises to the whole world, were embodied in Isaac. But abraham was willing to go to Moriah because, "he considered that God was able" (Heb 11). Abraham was willing to give his everything.

And what of us?

What aren't we willing to give to Jesus: an entertainment, a temptation, a friend, a relationship, a laugh, pride, face, worldy philosophies, a habit, an obsession, a dollar, a thousand dollars, all our dollars, a minute, an hour, a year, a life?

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field." (Matt 13:44)

"Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you." (Gen 22: 2)