Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Genesis 22:11

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Genesis 22:11. The angel of the Lord — The very person who was represented by this offering; the Lord Jesus, who calls himself Jehovah, Genesis 22:16, and on his own authority renews the promises of the covenant. HE was ever the great Mediator between God and man. See this point proved, Genesis 15:7.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

The offering of Isaac (22:1-19)

Although Abraham probably knew that certain peoples of the ancient world at times sacrificed children to the gods, he was no doubt shocked when God told him to sacrifice Isaac. It tested not only his obedience but also his faith, because once Isaac was dead, God could no longer fulfil his covenant promise of giving Isaac a multitude of descendants. A conflict existed between obedience to God’s command and faith in his promise. Nevertheless, Abraham obeyed, believing that God would provide the solution to this difficulty, even if it meant raising the sacrificed son back to life (22:1-8; cf. Hebrews 11:17-19).

Abraham passed God’s test: his obedience proved his faith. He did, in fact, sacrifice Isaac, though he did not kill him. God provided an innocent substitute, and Isaac’s life was given back, as it were, from the dead (9-14; cf. Hebrews 11:19; James 2:21-24). God pointed out how these events proved that obedience was the way to blessing. He then reassured Abraham of a multitude of descendants through Isaac (15-19).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

"And the angel of Jehovah called out of heaven, and said, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. And he said, Lay not thy hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him; for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, from me."

"The angel of Jehovah" "The angel of the Lord is the Lord himself, as the context shows (Genesis 22:11-12; Genesis 22:15-18; Genesis 18:2; Genesis 18:22; Genesis 19:1)."John T. Willis, op. cit., p. 293. Again and again, this glorious person appears throughout the Scriptures, as notably also in the visions of Zechariah.

"Abraham, Abraham" marks great urgency, or is an indication of some unusually significant event: "Jacob, Jacob" (Genesis 46:2), "Moses, Moses" (Exodus 3:4), "Samuel, Samuel" (1 Samuel 3:10), and "Saul, Saul" (Acts 9:5).

"Now I know" This, along with James' declaration that Abraham was justified" when he offered up Isaac" makes mandatory the conclusion that God's final approval of Abraham as the instrument of his purpose occurred right here. The truth that "God already knows everything" does not nullify this. The great corollary for all people is simply this: God tests every person who would receive eternal life. If God compelled Abraham to withstand such a test as this, how could it ever be imagined that God today saves people merely upon the glib assertion of their faith? The test for all people now was announced by Christ himself: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved" (Mark 16:16).

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

- Abraham Was Tested

2. מריה morı̂yâh, “Moriah”; Samaritan: מוראה môr'âh; “Septuagint,” ὑψηλή hupsēlē, Onkelos, “worship.” Some take the word to be a simple derivative, as the Septuagint and Onkelos, meaning “vision, high, worship.” It might mean “rebellious.” Others regard it as a compound of יה yâh, “Jah, a name of God,” and מראה mı̂r'eh, “shown,” מורה môreh, “teacher,” or מורא môrā', “fear.”

14. יראה yı̂r'ēh, “Jireh, will provide.”

16, נאם n^e'um, ῥῆμα rēma, “dictum, oracle; related: speak low.”

21. בוּז bûz, “Buz, scoffing.” קמוּאל q^emû'ēl, “Qemuel, gathered of God.”

22. חזו chăzô, “Chazo, vision.” פלדשׁ pı̂ldâsh, “Pildash, steelman? wanderer?” ידלף yı̂dlâp, “Jidlaph; related: trickle, weep.” בתוּאל b^etû'ēl, “Bethuel, dwelling of God.”

23. רבקה rı̂bqâh, “Ribqah, noose.”

24. ראוּמה re'ûmâh, “Reumah, exalted.” טבה ṭebach, “Tebach, slaughter.” גחם gacham, “Gacham, brand.” תחשׁ tachash, “Tachash, badger or seal.” <מעכה ma‛ăkâh, “Ma‘akah; related: press, crush.”

The grand crisis, the crowning event in the history of Abraham, now takes place. Every needful preparation has been made for it. He has been called to a high and singular destiny. With expectant acquiescence he has obeyed the call. By the delay in the fulfillment of the promise, he has been taught to believe in the Lord on his simple word. Hence, as one born again, he has been taken into covenant with God. He has been commanded to walk in holiness, and circumcised in token of his possessing the faith which purifieth the heart. He has become the intercessor and the prophet. And he has at length become the parent of the child of promise. He has now something of unspeakable worth, by which his spiritual character may be thoroughly tested. Since the hour in which he believed in the Lord, the features of his resemblance to God have been shining more and more through the darkness of his fallen nature - freedom of resolve, holiness of walk, interposing benevolence, and paternal affection. The last prepares the way for the highest point of moral likeness.

Verse 1-19

God tests Abraham’s unreserved obedience to his will. “The God.” The true, eternal, and only God, not any tempter to evil, such as the serpent or his own thoughts. “Tempted Abraham.” To tempt is originally to try, prove, put to the test. It belongs to the dignity of a moral being to be put to a moral probation. Such assaying of the will and conscience is worthy both of God the assayer, and of man the assayed. “Thine only one.” The only one born of Sarah, and heir of the promise. “Whom thou lovest.” An only child gathers round it all the affections of the parent’s heart. “The land of Moriah.” This term, though applied in 2 Chronicles 3:1 to the mount on which the temple of Solomon was built, is here the name of a country, containing, it may be, a range of mountains or other notable place to which it was especially appropriated. Its formation and meaning are very doubtful, and there is nothing in the context to lend us any aid in its explanation. It was evidently known to Abraham before he set out on his present journey. It is not to be identified with Moreh in Genesis 12:6, as the two names occur in the same document, and, being different in form, they naturally denote different things. Moreh is probably the name of a man. Moriah probably refers to some event that had occurred in the land, or some characteristic of its inhabitants. If a derivative, like בריה porı̂yâh, “fruitful,” it may mean the land of the rebellious, a name not inapposite to any district inhabited by the Kenaanites, who were disposed to rebellion themselves Genesis 14:4, or met with rebellion from the previous inhabitants. If a compound of the divine name, Jah, whatever be the other element, it affords an interesting trace of the manifestation and worship of the true God under the name of Jab at some antecedent period. The land of Moriah comprehended within its range the population to which Melkizedec ministered as priest.

And offer him for a burnt-offering. - Abraham must have felt the outward inconsistency between the sacrifice of his son, and the promise that in him should his seed be called. But in the triumph of faith he accounted that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead. On no other principle can the prompt, mute, unquestioning obedience of Abraham be explained. Human sacrifice may have been not unknown; but this in no way met the special difficulty of the promise. The existence of such a custom might seem to have smoothed away the difficulty of a parent offering the sacrifice of a son. But the moral difficulty of human sacrifice is not so removed. The only solution of this, is what the ease itself actually presents; namely, the divine command. It is evident that the absolute Creator has by right entire control over his creatures. He is no doubt bound by his eternal rectitude to do no wrong to his moral creatures. But the creature in the present case has forfeited the life that was given, by sin. And, moreover, we cannot deny that the Almighty may, for a fit moral purpose, direct the sacrifice of a holy being, who should eventually receive a due recompense for such a degree of voluntary obedience. This takes away the moral difficulty, either as to God who commands, or Abraham who obeys. Without the divine command, it is needless to say that it was not lawful for Abraham to slay his son.

Upon one of the hills of which I will tell thee. - This form of expression dearly shows that Moriah was not at that time the name of the particular hill on which the sacrifice was to be offered. It was the general designation of the country in which was the range of hills on one of which the solemn transaction was to take place. “And Abraham rose up early in the morning.” There is no hesitation or lingering in the patriarch. If this has to be done, let it be done at once.

Genesis 22:4-10

The story is now told with exquisite simplicity. “On the third day.” From Beer-sheba to the Shalem of Melkizedec, near which this hill is supposed to have been, is about forty-five miles. If they proceeded fifteen miles on the first broken day, twenty on the second, and ten on the third, they would come within sight of the place early on the third day. “Lifted up his eyes.” It is scarcely necessary to remind the reader of the Bible that this phrase does not imply that the place was above his point of view. Lot lifted up his eyes and beheld all the vale of Jordan Genesis 13:10, which was considerably below the position of the observer. “And return unto you.” The intimation that he and the lad would return, may seem to have rested on a dim presentiment that God would restore Isaac to him even if sacrificed. But it is more in keeping with the earnestness of the whole transaction to regard it as a mere concealment of his purpose from his servants. “And he bound Isaac his son.” There is a wonderful pathos in the words his son, his father, introduced in the sacred style in this and similar narratives. Isaac, when the trying moment came, seems to have made no resistance to his father’s will. The binding was merely a sacrificial custom. He must have concluded that his father was in all this obeying the will of God, though he gave him only a distant hint that it was so. Abraham is thoroughly in earnest in the whole procedure.

Genesis 22:11-14

At this critical moment the angel of the Lord interposes to prevent the actual sacrifice. “Lay not thy hand upon the lad.” Here we have the evidence of a voice from heaven that God does not accept of human victims. Man is morally unclean, and therefore unfit for a sacrifice. He is, moreover, not in any sense a victim, but a doomed culprit, for whom the victim has to be provided. And for a typical sacrifice that cannot take away, but only shadow forth, the efficacious sacrifice, man is neither fit nor necessary. The lamb without blemish, that has no penal or protracted suffering, is sufficient for a symbol of the real atonement. The intention, therefore, in this case was enough, and that was now seen to be real. “Now I know that thou fearest God.” This was known to God antecedent to the event that demonstrated it. But the original “I have known” denotes an eventual knowing, a discovering by actual experiment; and this observable probation of Abraham was necessary for the judicial eye of God, who is to govern the world, and for the conscience of man, who is to be instructed by practice as well as principle. “Thou hast not withheld thy son from me.” This voluntary surrender of all that was dear to him, of all that he could in any sense call his own, forms the keystone of Abraham’s spiritual experience. He is henceforth a tried man.

Genesis 22:13-14

A ram behind. - For “behind” we have “one” in the Samaritan, the Septuagint, Onkelos, and some MSS. But neither a “single ram” nor a “certain ram” adds anything suitable to the sense. We therefore retain the received reading. The voice from heaven was heard from behind Abraham, who, on turning back and lifting up his eyes, saw the ram. This Abraham took and offered as a substitute for Isaac. Both in the intention and in the act he rises to a higher resemblance to God. He withholds not his only son in intent, and yet in fact he offers a substitute for his son. “Jehovah-jireh”, the Lord will provide, is a deeply significant name. He who provided the ram caught in the thicket will provide the really atoning victim of which the ram was the type. In this event we can imagine Abraham seeing the day of that pre-eminent seed who should in the fullness of time actually take away sin by the sacrifice of himself. “In the mount of the Lord he will be seen.” This proverb remained as a monument of this transaction in the time of the sacred writer. The mount of the Lord here means the very height of the trial into which he brings his saints. There he will certainly appear in due time for their deliverance.

Genesis 22:15-19

Abraham has arrived at the moral elevation of self-denial and resignation to the will of God, and that in its highest form. The angel of the Lord now confirms all his special promises to him with an oath, in their amplest terms. An oath with God is a solemn pledging of himself in all the unchangeableness of his faithfulness and truth, to the fulfillment of his promise. The multitude of his seed has a double parallel in the stars of heaven and the sands of the ocean. They are to possess the gate of their enemies; that is, to be masters and rulers of their cities and territories. The great promise, “and blessed in thy seed shall be all the nations of the earth,” was first given absolutely without reference to his character. Now it is confirmed to him as the man of proof, who is not only accepted as righteous, but proved to be actually righteous after the inward man; “because thou hast obeyed my voice” Genesis 26:5. The reflexive form of the verb signifying to bless is here employed, not to denote emphasis, but to intimate that the nations, in being blessed of God, are made willing to be so, and therefore bless themselves in Abraham’s seed. In hearing this transcendent blessing repeated on this momentous occasion, Abraham truly saw the day of the seed of the woman, the seed of Abraham, the Son of man. We contemplate him now with wonder as the man of God, manifested by the self-denying obedience of a regenerate nature, intrusted with the dignity of the patriarchate over a holy seed, and competent to the worthy discharge of all its spiritual functions.

With the nineteenth verse of this chapter may be said to close the main revelation of the third Bible given to mankind, to which the remainder of this book is only a needful appendix. It includes the two former Bibles or revelations - that of Adam and that of Noah; and it adds the special revelation of Abraham. The two former applied directly to the whole race; the latter directly to Abraham and his seed as the medium of an ultimate blessing to the whole race. The former revealed the mercy of God offered to all, which was the truth immediately necessary to be known; the latter reveals more definitely the seed through whom the blessings of mercy are to be conveyed to all, and delineates the leading stage in the spiritual life of a man of God. In the person of Abraham is unfolded that spiritual process by which the soul is drawn to God. He hears the call of God and comes to the decisive act of trusting in the revealed God of mercy and truth; on the ground of which act he is accounted as righteous. He then rises to the successive acts of walking with God, covenanting with him, communing and interceding with him, and at length withholding nothing that he has or holds dear from him. In all this we discern certain primary and essential characteristics of the man who is saved through acceptance of the mercy of God proclaimed to him in a primeval gospel. Faith in God Genesis 15:0, repentance toward him Genesis 16:0, and fellowship with him Genesis 18:0, are the three great turning-points of the soul’s returning life. They are built upon the effectual call of God Genesis 12:0, and culminate in unreserved resignation to him Genesis 22:0. With wonderful facility has the sacred record descended in this pattern of spiritual biography from the rational and accountable race to the individual and immortal soul, and traced the footsteps of its path to God.

The seed that was threatened to bruise the serpent’s head is here the seed that is promised to bless all the families of the earth. The threefold individuality in the essence of the one eternal Spirit, is adumbrated in the three men who visited the patriarch, and their personal and practical interest in the salvation of man is manifested, though the part appropriated to each in the work of grace be not yet apparent.

Meanwhile, contemporaneous with Abraham are to be seen men (Melkizedec, Abimelek) who live under the covenant of Noah, which was not abrogated by that of Abraham, but only helped forward by the specialities of the latter over the legal and moral difficulties in the way to its final and full accomplishment. That covenant, which was simply the expansion and continuation of the Adamic covenant, is still in force, and contains within its bosom the Abrahamic covenant in its culminating grandeur, as the soul that gives life and motion to its otherwise inanimate body.

Genesis 22:20-24

This family notice is inserted as a piece of contemporaneous history, to explain and prepare the way for the marriage of Isaac. “Milkah, she also,” in allusion to Sarah, who has borne Isaac. So far as we know, they may have been sisters, but they were at all events sisters-in-law. The only new persons belonging to our histoy are Bethuel and Rebekah. Uz, Aram, and Kesed are interesting, as they show that we are in the region of the Shemites, among whom these are ancestral names Genesis 10:23; Genesis 11:28. Buz may have been the ancestor of Elihu Jeremiah 25:23; Job 32:2. Maakah may have given rise to the tribes and land of Maakah Deuteronomy 3:14; 2 Samuel 10:6. The other names do not again occur. “And his concubine.” A concubine was a secondary wife, whose position was not considered disreputable in the East. Nahor, like Ishmael, had twelve sons, - eight by his wife, and four by his concubine.

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

11.And the angel of the Lord called unto him. The inward temptation had been already overcome, when Abraham intrepidly raised his hand to slay his son; and it was by the special grace of God that he obtained so signal a victory. But now Moses subjoins, that suddenly beyond all hope, his sorrow was changed into joy. Poets, in their fables, when affairs are desperate, introduce some god who, unexpectedly, appears at the critical juncture. It is possible that Satan, by figments of this kind, has endeavored to obscure the wonderful and stupendous interpositions of God, when he has unexpectedly appeared for the purpose of bringing assistance to his servants. This history ought certainly to be known and celebrated among all people; yet, by the subtlety of Satan, not only has the truth of God been adulterated and turned into a lie, but also distorted into materials for fable, in order to render it the more ridiculous. But it is our business, with earnest minds to consider how wonderfully God, in the very article of death, both recalled Isaac from death to life, and restored to Abraham his son, as one who had risen from the tomb. Moses also describes the voice of the angel, as having sounded out of heaven, to give assurance to Abraham that he had come from God, in order that he might withdraw his hand, under the direction of the same faith by which he had stretched it out. For, in a cause of such magnitude, it was not lawful for him either to undertake or to relinquish anything, except under the authority of God. Let us, therefore, learn from his example, by no means, to pursue what our carnal sense may declare to be, probably, our right course; but let God, by his sole will, prescribe to us our manner of acting and of ceasing to act. And truly Abraham does not charge God with inconstancy, because he considers that there had been just cause for the exercising of his faith.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Chapter 22

Now it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham ( Genesis 22:1 ),

Or tested Abraham or proved Abraham. "Let no man, when he is tempted, say that he is tempted of God: because God never tempts a man to do evil" ( James 1:13 ). Our enticements to evil come from our own flesh, the lust of our own flesh. God doesn't tempt you to do evil things. God does test us. Jesus went through great testings and He learned obedience through the things that He suffered.

We as Christians experience testings but the purpose of testings are manifold. There is not just a single purpose for a test, it isn't always just to make you fail, it's oftentimes to prove how much you do know, how far along you've come in your understanding, in your development.

Our scientists today have created many exotic materials for use in space. But these materials are subjected to all kinds of testing procedures. Now the purpose of these testing procedures isn't to destroy the material, but to prove whether or not the material will stand up in particular kinds of stresses. We want to prove the value of the material. And so the testing is to prove the worth, the value of the material. Will it stand up under stress, under strain, under heat, under cold, under pressure?

And so we are tested as Christians, not by evil from God. "Let no man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God" ( James 1:13 ). God tempted me to do an evil thing. Now God doesn't do that. I'm tempted to do an evil thing when my own lust is drawn away, I'm enticed. But God does bring me into many testings and God was testing Abraham, proving him. In this manner,

God said unto Abraham, He called him and said, Abraham: Abraham said, Here I am. And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah ( Genesis 22:1-2 );

This is the first time the word "love" is used in the Bible. And it's interesting it's not used of a mother's love for her children or a husband's love for his wife, but it's used of a father's love for his son as the greatest love, because we have a picture here of the love of the heavenly Father for His own only begotten Son, that relationship that exists between the father and his son. So "take now thy son, thine only son." Wait a minute, we've just sent Ishmael away. He was a son of Abraham through Hagar. God doesn't even recognize him. Why? Because Hagar was the product of the flesh and God does not recognize the works of the flesh.

Jesus said that "in that day, many were going to come saying, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in thy name and we healed in thy name and we cast out devils in thy name and did marvelous works in thy name? And Jesus said, I will say unto them, Depart from me, you workers of iniquity; I never knew you" ( Luke 13:27 ). They were works actually of the flesh, not really of the Spirit, directed and guided by the Spirit.

There are a lot of our works that we have done for God that are totally unrecognized by God because they are works of the flesh. The Bible says "in that day our works are going to be tried by fire to determine what sort they are" ( 1 Corinthians 3:13 ). And if your works will endure the fire, then you'll be rewarded for them. But much of our works are as wood, hay and stubble. They will be consumed in the fire. You're not going to get a reward for it because of the motivation behind it.

Jesus said, "Take heed to yourself and your righteousness that you do not your righteousness before men to be seen of men" ( Matthew 6:1 ). And so if the works that you're doing for "God" are really being done with the thought in your mind of recognition by men, they're going to know how spiritual I am, they'll know how wonderful I am, they're going to be saying, "Oh, isn't he great? Isn't that marvelous what he's doing and all?" And I'm doing them in such a way as it draws attention to myself and praise and glory unto me, Jesus said, "Hey, you've got your reward. Take heed to yourself and your righteousness that you do not your works before men to be seen of men." Don't let that be your motivation. So our-the motivation behind what I've done.

Much of what we do for "God", again in quotes, is really done for our own glory or honor or benefit or recognition. God does not recognize your works of the flesh. That means that a lot of people are going to be totally wiped out, as far as rewards go, for the motivation behind their works or service for God was all wrong.

Now it is tragic that so many times we are motivated by ministers to works of the flesh. I was in a conference in the denomination where I was once serving the Lord, where the supervisor came before the ministers and he said, "Now we know that motivating people through competition is carnal. But it's time we face the fact that the majority of the people we minister to are carnal, and thus we must use carnal motivation. And so we're going to have a great contest in which we want each of you pastors to challenge another pastor and his church to an attendance contest and get this competitive thing going". Put up a comparative kind of a graph on the platform and at ten o'clock, one church calls the other, "How many did you have this morning?" And you give the number and you put up their number, and then you put up your number and you get the people all stirred through competition to beat the other church.

And then one of his cronies by pre-arrangement stood up and said, "That's a tremendous idea but I make a motion that our whole division challenge another division to a contest". And another crony by pre-arrangement stood up and said, "Marvelous, I second the motion", whipping them into a frenzy. The superintendent said, "All in favor stand to your feet". And they all stood but me. And some of the other young ministers that I have been in some of the sidewalk seminars with, seeing me sit down sat down also.

So after the meeting the superintendent called me. And he began to talk to me about rebellion and cooperation and things of that nature. And I said to him, "Well, let me tell you that I am really in a quandary over this because when you introduced the whole concept of competition, you yourself admitted that it was carnal motivation but that we had to recognize that most of our people were carnal; and thus, we needed to use carnal motivation".

I said, "I don't think that I agree with that in principle. I don't think that we should come down to their level, but we should seek to stay on a higher level and lift them to a higher level of relationship where they don't need carnal motivation". But I said, 'The thing that bothered me even more than that is that then you went ahead, endorsed the motion of the competition between the districts, whipping these ministers into an activity through competition, thus you must assume that all of the ministers are also carnal". And I said, "I will admit that I am more carnal than I want to be, but God knows I don't want carnality. I want to be spiritual and walk after the Spirit".

And so we parted, and as I was praying over the thing saying, "God, I don't want to be a rebel and I don't want to be in that position of being classified a rebel. You know that I am not rebelling against You. You know that I'm seeking a spiritual walk and a spiritual life. I just want to walk with You, Lord". And the Lord spoke to my heart a very special way and He gave me the scripture, "And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved" ( Acts 2:47 ). I said, "Oh, thank You, Lord, that's all I need".

At the end of this contest period, we received an interesting telegram that said, "Congratulations, your church won first place in the Class A division" and come to a combined rally of the two districts and pick up a trophy and so forth. And take twenty minutes on the program to explain, you know, all that you did to motivate your people. And I had to write back to them and decline the trophy and decline the position and I said, "It would be embarrassing to bring a trophy" and the people never knew there was a contest going on. But "the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved." Naturally I couldn't stay with the denomination much longer.

But I will confess that I have been guilty of in the early ministry, in the early years of ministry of motivating people to carnal works, through carnality, dividing the church into the reds and the blues, giving away bicycles and giant lollipops and beach balls and the whole thing, you know, to try to motivate people to work for God through carnal motivation. But God does not recognize the works of our flesh; doesn't even acknowledge them.

"Take now thy son, thine only son, Isaac." God doesn't even recognize Ishmael, the work of the flesh. In another way, that's sort of a glorious thing that God doesn't recognize the works of my flesh. I am glad He doesn't. In my flesh I've done some pretty lousy things and I'm glad that God doesn't acknowledge those works of my flesh. "Take now thy son, thine only son." Of course, it brings us to the New Testament, "God so loved the world he gave his only begotten Son" ( John 3:16 ), and you can only understand the twenty-second chapter of Genesis as you compare it with the New Testament and God giving His only begotten Son.

Here Abraham is called to do what God later did in giving His Son, His only begotten Son as a sacrifice. And "take now thy son, thine only son, whom thou lovest, get thee into the land of Moriah"

and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went to the place which God had told him of ( Genesis 22:2-3 ).

Notice the repetition of the word "and." It is a form of Hebrew grammar known as polysyndeton which speaks of a continued deliberate action; in other words, no hesitation. Notice Abraham rose up early in the morning; the immediate obedience to God. There wasn't any hesitation. And the implication of this polysyndeton is that his actions now are deliberate and willful and continued. There is no stopping, no hesitation in obedience to the command of God.

And on the third day ( Genesis 22:4 )

Significant. "Third day,"

Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off ( Genesis 22:4 ).

For Isaac was dead in the mind of Abraham for these three days. And yet though he was dead in the mind of Abraham, somehow Abraham was believing in the resurrection. Now Paul said, "The gospel that I preach, how that Jesus died, according to the scriptures; and rose again the third day, according to the scriptures" ( 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 ). I can give you plenty of scriptures in the Old Testament that speak of the death of Jesus Christ. But where in the Old Testament do you find the Scriptures speaking of His being dead for three days and rising again? Here it is.

Now Abraham by faith offered Isaac as a sacrifice unto God believing that God would, if necessary, raise him from the dead to fulfill His promise, for God had said, "Through Isaac shall thy seed be called", Hebrews the eleventh chapter speaking of Abraham's faith in this test. You see, Abraham had a promise of God. The promise of God was this: "Through Isaac shall thy seed be called."

Now Isaac did not have any children yet. He was not married yet. But Abraham knew that God's word had to be fulfilled. He had that kind of confidence in the word of God. If God said it, God is going to do it. And having that confidence that God would keep His word, when God called upon him to make the sacrifice of his son, he knew that somehow Isaac would be raised from the dead, if necessary, because God's word had to be fulfilled, "through Isaac shall thy seed be called."

And so because of the promise that through Isaac his seed was to be called, he was obedient to the call of God to offer now his son, his only son Isaac as a burnt offering on the mountain that God would show him. And so he got together the altar, the wood and the materials for the altar and the servants, and they journeyed for three days until they came to the place that God showed to him.

And now again, in verse five, the use of this Hebrew grammar again, the polesintudon, the repetition of the "and."

And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you ( Genesis 22:5 ).

Now "will go yonder and worship, and come again." The two verbs are associated with the nouns "I and the lad" so that Abraham is saying, I and the lad are going to go, we're going to worship and we're going to come again. He's declaring that Isaac is going to come again with him. Isaac's coming back. "I and the lad are going to go and worship, and we'll come again." Confidence in the promise of God that through Isaac shall his seed be called.

And so notice verse six.

And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son ( Genesis 22:6 );

A picture of Christ who bore his own cross. They laid the cross upon Him and He bore His own cross. So he put the wood on Isaac and Isaac was carrying the wood. And it is at this point

he took the fire and the knife in his hand; and they journeyed both of them together. And Isaac broke the silence, he said to his father, Father: Abraham said, What do you want, son. And he said, Here's the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for the burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together ( Genesis 22:6-8 ).

What a beautiful prophecy; God will provide not for Himself a lamb, but God will provide Himself a lamb, for God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself. And here Abraham is prophesying the fact that God is going to provide Himself as a lamb for the burnt offering. A prophecy of Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh who was offered as a sacrifice for man's sins. So they journeyed both of them together.

Now don't let the term "lad" confuse you. This term "lad" is used for an unmarried man. Till you were married you were still a lad. So Isaac at this point was probably twenty-five, twenty-six years old. The word is translated actually young man in other places and it doesn't mean a little child of six or seven. Isaac could, at this time because of his age and physical maturity and because of the age of his father, who at this point was nearing a hundred and thirty; he could have overpowered Abraham. When Abraham decided, started to tie him and lay him on the altar, "Hey, what's going on here? Getting senile, dad". It's far enough. And he could have overpowered his dad, but he was obedient unto the call of God upon his father's life.

Submitting, even as Jesus could have escaped the cross. When Peter drew the sword and began to strike out against the soldiers and the servants that had come to take Jesus, Jesus said to Peter, "Put away thy sword, Peter. Don't you realize that at this moment I could call ten thousand angels to deliver Me?" One angel went through the camp of the Assyrians and wiped out one hundred and eighty-five thousand in one night. Imagine what ten thousand could do. But Jesus was obedient unto death, even the death of the cross, submitting to the will of the Father for He prayed, "Father, not my will, thy will be done" ( Luke 22:42 ). And thus submitting Himself to the will of the Father, even as Isaac was submitting unto the will of his father Abraham.

So interesting picture all the way through.

Abraham and they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built the altar there, and they laid the wood in order, and he bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. And the angel of the LORD called to him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here I am. And he said, Don't lay your hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that you fear God, seeing that you have not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and he looked, and behold behind him there was a ram caught in the thicket by his horns: and Abraham took the ram, and offered him for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. And Abraham called the name of the place Jehovahjireh ( Genesis 22:9-14 );

Or "Jehovah sees literally". It has come to be interpreted, "Jehovah provides" but literally in the Hebrew it is "Jehovah sees". But with God there is very little difference between vision and provision. God sees. Jesus said over and over, "I know thy works" ( Revelation 2:2 ). God sees. God sees your need. God sees your heart. God sees the problems that you're facing. God sees the tests you're going through. And because God sees, He provides. Jehovahjireh.

and it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen ( Genesis 22:14 ).

So they started saying, "In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen."

Mount Moriah, in Second Chronicles, the second chapter, "And so Solomon began to build the temple in Mount Moriah" ( 2 Chronicles 3:1 ). And so the place where the sacrifices were to be offered through the history of the nation is the same place where Abraham, the same mountain where Abraham was offering the sacrifice of his son. But the prophecy was, "the Lord will provide himself," and then, "in the mount of the Lord it shall be seen."

And so it is significant that when Jesus was crucified, they led Him out of the city to a place called Calvary or Golgotha, the place of the skull. And today if you go to Jerusalem and you stand there in the garden tomb, just above the Arab bus depot, and you look to the left there on the face of the mountain, you distinctly see the impression of the skull there on the mountain.

But standing there, look over to your right and look at the city wall near Herod's gate and you'll see that the wall has been built up over the mountain, over the bedrock. And that this valley where the bus stop is, is actually been quarried out. And that the mountain that you see on the right, on the walls where the walls of Jerusalem are built over, were actually once a continuation of this same mountain. And that the top of the mountain is to your left where the skull is.

Now going on the other side and following the topography, you see that this mountain slopes right on down to the temple mount, the place of the sacrifices or Mount Moriah. So really, the place of the crucifixion Golgotha was the top of Mount Moriah. There are several mountains around Jerusalem, Mount Zion, the Mount of Olives, Mount Escopas, but the most important was Mount Moriah. And Mount Moriah crested above the area where the skull is, the place where Jesus was crucified.

Abraham no doubt took Isaac to the top of the mountain, because usually when they would build their altars, they would build them right at the top of the mountain. And so at the very spot where Abraham built the altar in obedience to God, and he prophesied "God will provide himself a lamb," and the people picked it up and said, "In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen." Two thousand years later God provided Himself a lamb for a burnt offering. It was seen, for God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself. And in the very spot where Abraham built his altar, the cross of Christ was placed as God gave His only begotten Son because He loved the world.

And so we have that beautiful picture here in the Old Testament as Abraham was acting out a drama that would later on in history become a reality where God gave His only begotten Son that whosoever would believe in Him would not perish but have everlasting life.

And the angel of the LORD called to Abraham out of heaven the second time, And said, By myself ( Genesis 22:15-16 )

Now the angel of the Lord here is, of course, Jesus Christ, for He said, "By myself"

have I sworn, saith the LORD, [saith Jehovah] for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee ( Genesis 22:16-17 ),

Now in Hebrews tells us that God, because He cannot swear by any higher, has to swear by Himself. Now man when he takes an oath, he swears by something greater: By my mother's honor, I swear by God I will do it. We swear by something greater, but if God wants to make an oath that is very positive, who can He swear by? Nothing greater than God so He has to swear by Himself. And so the Lord swore by Himself in order to confirm the oath, to give force to it. "By myself have I sworn, saith Jehovah, for because you have done this thing, and not withheld thy son, thine only son. That in blessing I will bless thee,"

and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies ( Genesis 22:17 );

So God promised great posterity, "As the stars of heaven, as the sands of the sea." Now in both of them you have an innumerable multitude. And that's the idea. It's just numberless that are going to come from thee. You won't be able to number them or count them.

It is interesting that God relates two things: the stars of heaven, the sand of the sea. Now in those days, the scientists believed that there were six thousand one hundred and twenty-six stars. Now it's obvious there are many more sands of the sea than there are stars. So there were no doubt the critics in those days saying, "Look, you know, how foolish the Bible is. If God really knew, you know, what He was talking about, He wouldn't have said 'As the stars of the heaven and the sand of the sea' because you can't compare the two of those". We know there's only 6,126 stars but my, who can count the sands of the sea? And the critics were no doubt making fun of God's word in those days because He related the two together.

But then came the advent of the telescope and we found out that there were far more than the six thousand one hundred and twenty-six stars. In fact, it is now estimated in all the galaxies and so forth that there are ten to the twenty-fifth power stars in the universe. But also if you count the number of sands in a bucket or in a square foot and figure how many square feet there are in the earth, you find out there are about ten to the twenty-fifth power grains of sand upon the earth. So there is a close relationship between the number of stars in the heaven and the grains of sand upon the earth, ten to the twenty-fifth power. Now you can go ahead and count them if you want or you can take my word for it.

But what God was actually saying is that they'll not be counted. Now that is why David got in trouble when he decided to have a census. David numbered the people and the judgment of God came upon Israel because God said, "Hey, you're not going to be able to number them". But David decided he liked to know how many people were in His kingdom and so he took the census. And the judgment of God fell upon David for the taking of the census because God said, "They're going to be innumerable. You're not going to be able to number them".

So from the time of God's judgment upon David, the Jews refused to take census. In fact, what they have began to do was everybody had to put a temple shekel in and so they would count the shekels then. Everybody throw in the shekel, they count the shekels. They wouldn't count people. And the Orthodox Jew today still won't count people. You're at a party. You need the number for a game. They'll say, Not one, not two, not three, not four, not five; ways of getting around everything, I guess.

So Abraham returned unto his young men ( Genesis 22:19 ),

Wait a minute.

they rose up and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba ( Genesis 22:19 ).

Where was, where was Isaac? It says, Abraham returned to his young men and they rose up and went to Beersheba. But then what,-what about Isaac? Where's Isaac? It's interesting it doesn't say Isaac, does it? In fact, it's interesting that you're not going to read anymore about Isaac for awhile. And it's interesting that the next time you'll read about Isaac is when the servant is bringing his bride to him. He is out in the field meditating and he rises up and goes out to meet his bride. Even as Jesus after His sacrifice ascended into heaven and He's just waiting now for the Holy Spirit to bring His bride. And He's waiting actually, as the Bible said, until His enemies are made His footstool, until all things are brought in subjection, until the Holy Spirit brings His bride.

And so I'm sure that Isaac was with Abraham but it's interesting and significant that the Bible doesn't mention it. What the Bible doesn't say is quite often as important or significant as what the Bible does say.

For instance, in the book of Daniel, which we'll be studying starting Thursday night, you remember when Nebuchadnezzar built this great golden image and demanded everybody bow down and worship it. But the three Hebrew children refused to do so and they were brought in and thrown in the fiery furnace. Where was Daniel? Did Daniel bow down? I'm sure he didn't. Where was he? Bible doesn't say. It's silent.

Now that's very interesting because it calls them the three Hebrew children. Daniel is a type of the church and somehow he is missing when there is this great fiery furnace. He shows up afterwards. But the three Hebrew children are sealed and they go through it, even as God is going to seal Israel to take them through the Great Tribulation, but the church will be gone.

So Isaac, the type of Christ; gone after the sacrifice and doesn't appear again until the servant is bringing his bride. And he arises and goes forth to meet his bride as she comes.

So it came to pass after these things, that it was told Abraham, saying, Behold, Milcah, she hath also born children unto thy brother Nahor ( Genesis 22:20 );

And so they brought a message to Abraham telling him about his family back in the land and how that the various children, his brothers, the children that they had and the children of his brother's children.

Chapter 23

And so Sarah was a hundred and twenty-seven years old. And she died in Kirjatharba; the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah ( Genesis 23:1-2 ),

Now evidently Abraham had been away with the flocks or something when Sarah died and he wasn't at her side at her death, which is a sad thing indeed. He came to mourn,

and to weep for her. And he stood up from before his dead, and he spake to the sons of Heth, saying, I am a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession for a buryingplace with you, that I might bury my dead out of my sight ( Genesis 23:2-4 ).

Now Abraham didn't really possess anything. He was a stranger and a sojourner in the land of promise, knowing that God was going to someday give that land to him and to his descendants.

The children of Heth answered Abraham, saying unto him, Hear us, my lord: thou art a mighty prince among us: in the choice of our sepulchres bury thy dead; none of us will withhold from thee his sepulchre, that you may bury your dead ( Genesis 23:5-6 ).

So Abraham called the men together and he said, Look, I need a place to bury my dead. And they said, "Take your pick. All of our sepulchres, none of us will hold back from you and you can just use ours".

Abraham stood up, and he bowed himself to the people of the land, to the children of Heth. And he communed with them, saying, If it be in your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight; hear me, and entreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar, That he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he hath, which is in the end of his field; for as much money as it is worth and give it to me for a possession for a buryingplace among you ( Genesis 23:7-9 ).

And so he's asking now for a particular area and he's asking that they will entreat this man that he will sell or that he would give this area to Abraham.

Now Ephron was among the children of Heth ( Genesis 23:10 ):

And he was in the crowd that was there.

And so he answered Abraham in the audience of all the children, and he said, Nay, my lord, hear me: the field I will give to you, and the cave that is therein, I will give it to you; in the presence of the sons of my people I give it to you: to bury thy dead ( Genesis 23:10-11 ).

And so he gives a very generous offer, which is typical of the culture. In other words, the polite thing was to say, "Oh, I give it to you". But it would be extremely impolite for Abraham to take it. In other words, it was one of those things, you know, it's the way that they would deal and barter with each other; bow and they'd say, you know, "Oh", in the audience of all the people I give it to you. But it would be, oh, if Abraham took it then man, you know, flames and fire and all would come.

And so,

Abraham bowed himself before the people of the land. And he spake to Ephron in the audience of the people, and he is saying, But if you wilt give it, I pray, hear me: I will give thee money for the field; take it of me, and I will bury my dead there. So Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto him, My lord, hearken unto me: the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver; but what is that between us? You take and bury your dead ( Genesis 23:12-15 ).

Now four hundred shekels of silver is greatly overpriced. They always start off with a high price. And then they enter into this haggling where the guy offers a high price and you come back with about forty percent of what he offered and you expect to buy it for about fifty to sixty percent. But it's just like a game. They'll never give you the selling price for the first price. First price is always the sucker's price.

You go over there today, the same thing. They, if you don't haggle with them, they get disappointed, because it's just like a game. They love the haggling. It's just a part of their culture and you've got to say, "Ah, no, I don't want it, you know, at that price"; and you go to turn. "Wait a minute, wait, come back, come back. How much will you give me for it?" "Oh, I'll only give you fifty cents". That's not worth much. Oh, fifty cents, go away. That's terrible. Get out of here. You start to leave. "Come back, come back, come back. If I sell this to you for fifty cents, the business is going to be lost. I can't afford to. My grandfather owned this business and he gave it to my father, my father has given it to me. And now we're going to lose the business if I sell for fifty cents. Sixty-five". You know. And it's just a game with them. They love to haggle like that.

And so Abraham is going through the old typical thing, you know, I will not take it but I want to buy it from you. Oh, it's worth four hundred shekels of silver but what's that between us? And suddenly, surprise, Abraham pulls out and rather than haggling, because of course it's the thing now of a place to bury his dead and all, he doesn't enter into the game. He just measures out the four hundred shekels of silver and he buys it at the inflated price. Everybody's disappointed. Abraham didn't get into the haggle but because of the death and the whole emotional thing, rather than haggling he pays the inflated value for the land in order that he might have the burying place for Sarah. And thus he buried Sarah in this cave there at Machpelah, which is in view of Mamre, where he was dwelling near Hebron.

Now there is one difficulty with this. According to the seventh chapter of Acts in the New Testament, as Stephen is rehearsing their history, he speaks of Joseph and Jacob being buried in the cave in Shechem that Abraham bought from Hamor. And so either Stephen didn't know the facts or made a mistake in the facts or a copyist made a mistake in the facts or what is probably correct is that not recorded. Abraham also bought a field in Shechem at an earlier or a later time from Hamor, also for a burying place. So that Abraham actually purchased two parcels; one in Shechem, the place where he first came, and now this parcel in Hebron, the cave of Machpelah where Sarah was buried. But it's nothing to lose your faith over. There's easy explanations.

Next week we get into the bride for Isaac, one of the most beautiful stories in the Bible as the servant goes into the far country to get a bride for his master's son and we see the beautiful sequel of the Holy Spirit in this world, drawing out a bride for the son of God, Jesus Christ. "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

14. The sacrifice of Isaac 22:1-19

In obedience to God’s command Abraham took his promised heir to Moriah to sacrifice him to the Lord. Because Abraham was willing to slay his uniquely begotten son God restrained him from killing Isaac and promised to bless him further for his obedience. Abraham memorialized the place as "the Lord will provide."

God called on Abraham to make five great sacrifices: his native country, his extended family, his nephew Lot, his son Ishmael, and his son Isaac. Each sacrifice involved something naturally dear to Abraham, but each resulted in greater blessings from God.

This incident also demonstrates the strong confidence that Abraham had in God at this time. He believed God was even able to raise Isaac from the dead (Hebrews 11:19). This is why he was willing to slay him. Jewish tradition refers to this chapter as the Akedah, from the Hebrew word wayya’aqod, translated "bound," in Genesis 22:9. [Note: See Mathews, Genesis 11:27-50:26, pp. 300-306.]

"With this chapter we reach the climax of the faith life of Abraham-the supreme test and the supreme victory." [Note: Leupold, 2:616. Cf. Wenham, Genesis 16-50, pp. 99, 112. This writer also noted parallels between chapters 21 and 22 on pp. 99-100.]

"The seventh crisis [I believe it is the eleventh] comes at a point in the narrative when we least expect it and is without question the greatest crisis of all. After all obstacles have seemingly been surmounted and all potential rivals eliminated, God now asks for Abraham’s only son whom he loves. The gracious intervention of God and the reaffirmation of the basic promise of 12.1-3 in 22.15-18 would seem to conclude the Abraham cycle at the moment when faith triumphs over the greatest obstacle of all, death." [Note: Helyer, pp. 84-85.]

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Isaac demonstrated his own faith clearly in this incident. He must have known what his father intended to do to him, yet he submitted willingly (Genesis 22:9).

"If Abraham displays faith that obeys, then Isaac displays faith that cooperates. If Isaac was strong and big enough to carry wood for a sacrifice, maybe he was strong and big enough to resist or subdue his father." [Note: Hamilton, The Book . . . Chapters 18-50, p. 110.]

The possibility of Isaac resisting may be why Abraham bound him on the altar.

"The sacrifice was already accomplished in his [Abraham’s] heart, and he had fully satisfied the requirements of God." [Note: Keil and Delitzsch, 1:250.]

"The test, instead of breaking him, brings him to the summit of his lifelong walk with God." [Note: Kidner, pp. 142-43. See Donald Campbell, "Passing the Test," Kindred Spirit 9:2 (Summer 1985):9-10.]

Abraham gained a greater appreciation of God as the One who will provide or look out for him (Yahweh-jireh, lit. "the Lord sees") as a result of this incident (Genesis 22:14). Also, the Lord confirmed His knowledge of Abraham (Genesis 22:12; cf. Genesis 18:21; Job 1:1; Job 1:8; Job 2:3).

"The story reaches its climax when Abraham demonstrated his loyalty (Genesis 22:12; Genesis 22:15-18) by obeying God’s command (cf. Genesis 26:5). God then elevated the patriarch to the status of a favored vassal who now possessed a ratified promise, comparable to the royal grants attested in the ancient Near East. God contextalized His self-revelation to Abraham (and to the readers of the narrative) within the relational, metaphorical framework of a covenant lord. Thus one should not be surprised to hear Him speak in ways that reflect the relational role He assumed within this metaphorical framework." [Note: Chisholm, "Anatomy of . . .," p. 13.]

Abraham’s sacrifice of the ram (Genesis 22:13), like Noah’s sacrifice after he left the ark (Genesis 8:18 to Genesis 9:17), expressed thanks and devotion to God and anticipated His benevolence toward future generations. This is the first explicit mention of the substitutionary sacrifice of one life for another in the Bible. God appeared again to Abraham (the ninth revelation) at the end of His test (Genesis 22:15). God swore by Himself to confirm His promises to Abraham (Genesis 22:16). God so swore only here in His dealings with the patriarchs. Moses referred to this oath later in Israel’s history (Genesis 24:7; Genesis 26:3; Genesis 50:24; Exodus 13:5; Exodus 13:11; Exodus 33:1; et al.; cf. Hebrews 6:13-14).

". . . the main point of Genesis 22:9-14 is not the doctrine of the Atonement. It is portraying an obedient servant worshipping God in faith at great cost, and in the end receiving God’s provision." [Note: Ross, "Genesis," p. 65.]

One writer suggested that Genesis 22:15-18 really ". . . describes the establishment of the covenant of circumcision first mentioned in Genesis 17." [Note: T. Desmond Alexander, "Genesis 22 and the Covenant of Circumcision," Journal for the Study of the Old Testament 25 (February 1983):17.] However the lack of reference to circumcision in the immediate context makes this interpretation tenuous.

For the first and last time in Genesis, the Lord swore an oath in His own name guaranteeing His promise (Genesis 22:16; cf. Hebrews 6:13-14). God thus reinforced, reemphasized, and extended the promise that He had given formerly (Genesis 12:1-3) because Abraham trusted and obeyed Him (Genesis 22:17-18).

"Here again God promised Abraham that he would become the recipient of the covenant blessings. The covenant was not based on obedience, nor was the perpetuity of the covenant based on obedience-but rather the reception of covenant blessings was conditioned on obedience. Remember, an unconditional covenant may have conditional blessings." [Note: Pentecost, Thy Kingdom . . ., pp. 66-67.]

Abraham’s "seed" (Genesis 22:18) refers not only to Isaac but also to Messiah (cf. Galatians 3:16).

Abraham then returned to the well he had purchased at Beersheba and lived there (Genesis 22:19).

Moses probably preserved the details of this story because this test involved the future of God’s promised seed, Isaac, and, therefore, the faithfulness of God. He probably did so also because this incident illustrates God’s feelings in giving His Son as the Lamb of God (cf. John 1:29; John 3:16). Other themes in this chapter include testing and obedience, the relationship between God and man, and the relationship between father and son. [Note: John Lawlor developed these other themes in "The Test of Abraham: Genesis 22:11-19," Grace Theological Journal 1:1 (Spring 1980):19-35.]

Every time Abraham made a sacrifice for God the Lord responded by giving Abraham more.

1.    Abraham left his homeland; God gave him a new one.

2.    Abraham left his extended family; God gave him a much larger family.

3.    Abraham offered the best of the land to Lot; God gave him more land.

4.    Abraham gave up the King of Sodom’s reward; God gave Abraham more wealth.

5.    Abraham gave up Ishmael; God made Ishmael the father of a multitude of Abraham’s posterity.

6.    Abraham was willing to give up Isaac; God allowed him to live and through him gave Abraham numerous seed.

In each case God gave Abraham a deeper relationship with Himself as well as more material prosperity. Note the closeness of this fellowship in Abraham’s response to God’s revelations: "Here I am" (Genesis 22:1; Genesis 22:11).

God has not promised Christians great physical blessings (cf. 2 Timothy 3:2), but whenever we make a sacrifice for Him He gives us a deeper relationship with Himself at least (cf. John 15:14). For this reason we should not fear making personal sacrifices for God.

Note too that what God called Abraham to give back to Him was something that He had provided for Abraham supernaturally in faithfulness to His promise. Sometimes God tests our faith by asking us to give back to Him what He has supernaturally and faithfully provided, not just what He has provided through regular channels.

This test of Abraham’s faith is the climax of his personal history. It is the last major incident in the record of his life.

". . . God does not demand a literal human sacrifice from His worshippers, but the spiritual sacrifice of an unconditional denial of the natural life, even to submission to death itself." [Note: Keil and Delitzsch, 1:252.]

The faithful believer will surrender to God whatever He may ask trusting in God’s promise of provision and blessing.

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

And the Angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven,.... Not a created angel, but the eternal one, the Son of God, who perhaps appeared in an human form, and spoke with an articulate voice, as be frequently did; for that this was a divine Person is clear from his swearing by himself, and renewing the promise unto Abraham,

Genesis 22:16:

and said, Abraham, Abraham; the repeating his name denotes haste to prevent the slaughter of his son, which was just upon the point of doing, and in which Abraham was not dilatory, but ready to make quick dispatch; and therefore with the greater eagerness and vehemency the angel calls him by name, and doubles it, to raise a quick and immediate attention to him, which it did:

and he said, here [am] I: ready to hearken to what shall be said, and to obey what should be ordered, Genesis 22:16- :.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      11 And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.   12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.   13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.   14 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.

      Hitherto this story has been very melancholy, and seemed to hasten towards a most tragical period; but here the sky suddenly clears up, the sun breaks out, and a bright and pleasant scene opens. The same hand that had wounded and cast down here heals and lifts up; for, though he cause grief, he will have compassion. The angel of the Lord, that is, God himself, the eternal Word, the angel of the covenant, who was to be the great Redeemer and comforter, he interposed, and gave a happy issue to this trial.

      I. Isaac is rescued, Genesis 22:11; Genesis 22:12. The command to offer him was intended only for trial, and it appearing, upon trial, that Abraham did indeed love God better than he loved Isaac, the end of the command was answered; and therefore the order is countermanded, without any reflection at all upon the unchangeableness of the divine counsels: Lay not thy hand upon the lad. Note, 1. Our creature-comforts are most likely to be continued to us when we are most likely to be continued to us when we are most willing to resign them up to God's will. 2. God's time to help and relieve his people is when they are brought to the greatest extremity. The more imminent the danger is, and the nearer to be put in execution, the more wonderful and the more welcome is the deliverance.

      II. Abraham is not only approved, but applauded. He obtains an honourable testimony that he is righteous: Now know I that thou fearest God. God knew it before, but now Abraham had given a most memorable evidence of it. He needed do no more; what he had done was sufficient to prove the religious regard he had to God and his authority. Note, 1. When God, by his providence, hinders the performance of our sincere intentions in his services, he graciously accepts the will for the deed, and the honest endeavour, though it come short of finishing. 2. The best evidence of our fearing God is our being willing of serve and honour him with that which is dearest to us, and to part with all to him or for him.

      III. Another sacrifice is provided instead of Isaac, Genesis 22:13; Genesis 22:13. Now that the altar was built, and the wood laid in order, it was necessary that something should be offered. For, 1. God must be acknowledged with thankfulness for the deliverance of Isaac; and the sooner the better, when here is an altar ready. 2. Abraham's words must be made good: God will provide himself a lamb. God will not disappoint those expectations of his people which are of his own raising; but according to their faith it is to them. Thou shalt decree a thing, and it shall be established. 3. Reference must be had to the promised Messiah, the blessed seed. (1.) Christ was sacrificed in our stead, as this ram instead of Isaac, and his death was our discharge. "Here am I (said he,) let these go their way." (2.) Though that blessed seed was lately promised, and now typified by Isaac, yet the offering of him up should be suspended till the latter end of the world: and in the mean time the sacrifice of beasts should be accepted, as this ram was, as a pledge of that expiation which should one day be made by that great sacrifice. And it is observable that the temple, the place of sacrifice, was afterwards built upon this mount Moriah (2 Chronicles 3:1); and mount Calvary, where Christ was crucified, was not far off.

      IV. A new name is given to the place, to the honour of God, and for the encouragement of all believers, to the end of the world, cheerfully to trust in God in the way of obedience: Jehovah-jireh, The Lord will provide (Genesis 22:14; Genesis 22:14), probably alluding to what he had said (Genesis 22:8; Genesis 22:8), God will provide himself a lamb. It was not owing to any contrivance of Abraham, nor was it in answer to his prayer, though he was a distinguished intercessor; but it was purely the Lord's doing. Let it be recorded for the generations to come, 1. That the Lord will see; he will always have his eye upon his people in their straits and distresses, that he may come in with seasonable succour in the critical juncture. 2. That he will be seen, be seen in the mount, in the greatest perplexities of his people. He will not only manifest, but magnify, his wisdom, power, and goodness, in their deliverance. Where God sees and provides, he should be seen and praised. And, perhaps, it may refer to God manifest in the flesh.