Genesis 22:1-14
What would you be willing to sacrifice? Think about your family, your country, your church family, or a stranger in need? In reality we sacrifice every day for our families and workplaces. We sacrifice what we’d rather do with our time and energy for the needs of our relationships such as child care or friends. Sometimes those sacrifices leave us uncomfortable or cost us a lot, other sacrifices bring joy, and some both. If we are to live beyond happiness and immediate gratifications for something far more joyful and meaningful, then we are on the path of all life and truth which is God.
Abraham gave up his homeland, security, and future. As he placed everything into God’s hands, trusting in a future he could only dream. His trust wasn’t something he just thought about as a good thing, his trust was a life and death proposition. Here’s the story from Genesis:
“After these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “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 that I shall show you.” So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him and his son Isaac; he cut the wood for the burnt offering and set out and went to the place in the distance that God had shown him. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place far away. Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the boy and I will go over there; we will worship, and then we will come back to you.” Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. And the two of them walked on together. Isaac said to his father Abraham, “Father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them walked on together. When they came to the place that God had shown him, Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” And Abraham looked up and saw a ram, caught in a thicket by its horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place “The Lord will provide,” as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.” Genesis 22:1-14 (NRSVUE)
The issue for the story is about radical obedience and trust to God. For us having God ask Abraham to sacrifice his son for God, now that seems horrific. Although our country often asks us to sacrifice people in times of conflict and war. Even so, this is a difficult topic.
Questions for Reflection:
- What kinds of sacrifice bring you joy? Serving those in need? Giving up sleep for child rearing? Giving financially to causes or to your community?
- What might you resent? How do you handle times that require sacrifice that’s hard such as chronic illnesses, losses, or relationships?
Prayer:
Almighty and everlasting God, as you created all life we know the cycles of nature are sacrifices for the greater life. Instill within us your Holy Spirit to do what we must. Bless us with your unconditional love that brings about meaning and joy. Amen.
[In the interest of the Way of Truth and Life I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention verse 19. This verse was not edited by the Priestly writers. Notice that four went in verse 3 but only three after. Isaac is mentioned going up but is not mentioned coming down. In an earlier version Isaac probably was sacrificed based on other writings that assume he was sacrificed. Before the 700’s BCE in Canaan (Israel), Phoenicia, and Northern African regions child sacrifices were common. Archeological evidence supports child sacrifice in temples around Jerusalem. Eventually as attested to in 2 Kings 16:3, Micah 6:7, Leviticus 20:2-5, especially 2 Kings 22-23 such child sacrifices (walking through fire) were seen as an abomination along with the other gods worshiped in the Temple (attested by the King Josiah’s reforms).
Also, in verse 2 “your only son, Isaac,” is not accurate as Abraham had many sons as one reads further in the scripture story. This extra information demonstrates the complexity of scripture and it’s editing process.
These issues represent a people struggling over centuries to trust (faith) the God of grace and love.]
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