The Greatest Test of Abraham
Off to Moriah (1-10)
In sending his firstborn son out with nothing, Abraham had sacrificed him like a sacrificial goat. Years later, Abraham was called upon to sacrifice his son of promise, as well (1). Abraham was to take his second son to the land of Moriah and offer him on one of the mountains Yahweh would show Abraham.
As it ended up, Abraham took him to Jerusalem, to a mountain just above the city where Melchizedek was priest and king, about a 40-mile journey from where he was living. The site where Abraham offered Isaac was the very site where Solomon built his Temple. On that mountain, Abraham took his son to offer him as a burnt offering to Yahweh (2).
According to Josephus, Isaac was 25 when God put his father Abraham to the test. This meant both men had to be in agreement about the sacrifice taking place three days after they were to leave home.
Abraham, as was his custom, loaded up the next day. He cut wood and saddled up all necessary provisions for a sacrifice and headed out to the place God had directed him (3).
On the third day, the mountain came into view, so Abraham broke camp, leaving his servants behind with their possessions and the donkey, while Abraham and his son headed off to worship on Mt. Moriah (4-5). The wood essential for sacrifice was placed on Isaac’s back, and Abraham took in his hand the fire and a knife. Willingly, Isaac accompanied his father (6). As they walked toward Jerusalem, it hit Isaac that they had everything for a sacrifice except the sacrifice, so Isaac asked his father if he had forgotten the lamb (7). Abraham said, “God will provide Himself the lamb”—a better way to translate this might be, “God sees the lamb He has provided for the sacrifice.” Isaac seemed satisfied with the answer and moved on with his father (8).
Eventually, they arrived at the place they had seen at some distance. Abraham took some stones from around the area and built an altar. He then laid the wood on the altar and bound a willing Isaac to it (9). Abraham then took his knife and reached it to the heavens to take his son’s life, who was giving it willingly to his father, and they together were giving their all to God (10).
The Test Ended (11-14)
Right then the test ended, for the Angel of Yahweh called to Abraham twice until he had Abraham’s attention. Abraham responded, “Here I am,” and then was told not to do anything to Isaac. Abraham would know from that moment on that even his own son did not trump Yahweh as exclusive and ultimate in Abraham's heart. The test was not for God but for Abraham, who came to realize, through the grace of Yahweh, that there was nothing and no one who rivaled God in his life (11-12).
At that moment, Abraham saw a ram caught in a thicket by his horns and realized God had provided an offering in his son's place. This moment in Genesis is a foundational moment, for it would set the stage for the truth of God's provision of a substitutionary sacrifice, or a sacrifice that would take the place of humans who needed to become a sacrifice themselves (13).
It should be noted here that Abraham believed if he were to have killed and offered his son Isaac to God, then Isaac would have been raised from the dead (Hebrews 11:19). No doubt Abraham’s faith was communicated to his approximately 25-year-old son, who also believed he would be raised and willingly allowed his father to bind him to the altar, just as Jesus gave up His life willingly, and as God calls upon every follower to give up her or his life.
Abraham called the name of the mountain, “The Lord will provide,” which came to be called, “On the mount of the Lord, it shall be provided.” This would come to mean to all followers of Yahweh, “When we come to the highest point of faith in Yahweh, the Lord always provides” (14).
Yahweh Recounts the Covenant (15-19)
The voice of the Lord came to Abraham a second time (15). While on the mountain sacrificing the substitutionary ram, Yahweh recounted, in a fresh way, His covenant with Abraham:
Abraham would be blessed.
Abraham's offspring would be made up of legacy children multiplied like stars and of earthly children multiplied like the sand.
Abraham's offspring would possess the gates of their enemies.
Abraham's offspring would be a blessing to all the nations of the earth (16-18).
The confirmation came because Abraham would not allow anything to be more important to him than Yahweh.
Abraham went back to his camp and returned home to Beersheba (19).
News from Relatives (20-24)
When Abraham returned home, a messenger came from Haran, giving a report of his brother’s history. Remember, Abraham’s brother had traveled as far as Haran with the family and Terah and then decided to remain in Haran by the Euphrates River, as Abraham left with Lot for the Promised Land. Nahor, Abraham's brother, had a wife named Milcah and a concubine named Reumah. These women produced 12 sons, eight by his wife and four by his concubine (20-24). It stuck in Abraham’s mind that Bethuel, one of Nahor’s sons, gave birth to a woman named Rebekah.
Yahweh the Savior
Psalm 21 is also a “Royal Psalm.” Psalm 20 is a Psalm prepared to be sung during the sacrifice, as an intercession for an upcoming battle. Psalm 21 was written as a Psalm of thanks for victories already granted in battle.
Like Psalm 20, this Psalm consists of two verses with a concluding chorus of praise:
Thanksgiving for past victory (1-7)
Expectation for future victory (8-12)
Praise for Yahweh's strength in victory (13)
Purpose: To show us how to pray when God has given us victory so we will remind ourselves that past victory comes from the Lord, as will future victories.