This is that horrible story of Abraham obeying God and going to sacrifice Isaac. I so identify with Isaac here. What was he thinking? He had no little obedience in this too. But in most ways he had no choice. To run away from his dad was sure death as well by wild beast, hunger, or perhaps from another tribal group who would instantly see him as an enemy.
OK, trying to be faithful here.
Abraham walks from Beersheba to Moriah to do the sacrifice. I was looking at a map and see when Beersheba is. Abraham was a nomadic shepherd. He has been moving around. Possibly the grass where he had been was eaten down. So they moved to new pastureland. Abraham has been moving southward towards the desert where there would be no grass at all.
Moriah comes up a lot. It is reputed to be where Moses saw the burning bush. And it is where David built the first temple, next to Jerusalem. We are told this is a three day walk from Beersheba. Looking at the map it seems a good walk up and down hills and valleys and fording mountain streams.
Why did God need to know if Abraham feared God? It says that after Abraham was willing to sacrifice the son of the promise that now God knew Abraham feared God. I just know I could never pass such a test! I guess that is one thing we see here, how truly faithful Abraham was, despite his other mistakes. Our willingness to obey God is an excellent measure of how much we fear him. All the talk in the world will not make up for obedience.
22:16-18 must be read carefully.
Genesis 22:16-18 ASV and said, By myself have I sworn, saith Jehovah, because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, (17) that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heavens, and as the sand which is upon the seashore. And thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies. (18) And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. Because thou hast obeyed my voice.
God promises by himself. No greater thing can be sworn by. Yet we should not do it. We are not God. We cannot control him. Only God can control himself.
First he promises that he will have many descendants and they will prosper. Secondly his seed shall bless the whole earth. This is singular and it is not limited to the Israelites. Why did they not ever figure that out?
Paul names the seed as Jesus - Galatians 3:16.
The two promises are God's response to Abraham's faithful, wholehearted, loving obedience.
As James points out faith without works in dead (2:21-24) We show we trust God by our obedience.
What are you willing to sacrifice to God? I suggest that you do not do it unless God calls you to it. And do not do it begrudgingly or you will resent God later. He doesn't need it and he is patient with us. He will make your heart ready.
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