All Scriptures are from The MessageAsk what do you remember about Abraham and Isaac many people immediately say “The Sacrifice” one of the most puzzling stories in the bible. Let’s begin with a quote from an online commentary:
The binding of Isaac is arguably the most perplexing passage in all of Hebrew Scripture. It has transfixed the best minds of history, from the ancient rabbinic commentators to Kierkegaard and beyond. In a religion devoted to ethics, people don't kill. With a G-d devoted to humanity, people are not commanded to kill. Yet both are contemplated in Genesis 22, when G-d commands Abraham to sacrifice his spiritual heir, the only son of his partner in monotheism, Sarah.
In reading and contemplating this story we are no more likely than those throughout history to make complete sense of it, but it is important to struggle with the questions it raises.
First some background – What preceeds God’s instruction to Abraham to sacrifice Issac?
Genesis 17:3-8 Then God said to him, "This is my covenant with you: You'll be the father of many nations… I'll make you a father of fathers—I'll make nations from you, kings will issue from you.
Genesis 18:11-12 Abraham and Sarah were old by this time, very old. Sarah was far past the age for having babies. Sarah laughed within herself… , "An old woman like me? Get pregnant? With this old man of a husband?
Genesis 21:1-4 God visited Sarah exactly as he said he would; God did to Sarah what he promised: Sarah became pregnant and gave Abraham a son in his old age, and at the very time God had set. Abraham named him Isaac.
• What was God’s promise to Abraham in Genesis 17? What would being a father of nations require in order to establish future generations?• What was Sarah’s reaction to the idea of having a son? How must she have felt when becoming pregnant?
• How must the couple have felt at the birth of Isaac? How must they have felt about a God who intervened on their behalf? Can you imagine the love that the couple felt for Isaac and the prominent place he played in their lives?
Let us look at the story of the sacrifice:
Genesis 22: 1 After all this, God tested Abraham. God said, "Abraham!" "Yes?" answered Abraham. "I'm listening."
2 He said, "Take your dear son Isaac whom you love and go to the land of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I'll point out to you."
2 He said, "Take your dear son Isaac whom you love and go to the land of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I'll point out to you."
Again from Rabbi Goldberg:
What did Abraham hear? Could he be certain it was G-d talking to him? Worse, if he was certain, how was to make sense of the command of G-d that contradicted all previous commands of G-d? On a human level, how could he proceed, and how did he proce
• How would you answer the questions Rabbi Goldberg raises? What other questions, doubts and feelings might have entered his mind? How might those around him have reacted if he carried out the act?
What did Abraham hear? Could he be certain it was G-d talking to him? Worse, if he was certain, how was to make sense of the command of G-d that contradicted all previous commands of G-d? On a human level, how could he proceed, and how did he proce
• How would you answer the questions Rabbi Goldberg raises? What other questions, doubts and feelings might have entered his mind? How might those around him have reacted if he carried out the act?
• Does this demand for human sacrifice fit your picture of God? What possible explanations are there for God issuing this command?
• Do you believe that God tests our faith intentionally to see if we really are true believers? Doesn’t God know how we will respond? How has your faith been tested during your life journey? Do you think that they came directly from God?
3-5 Abraham got up early in the morning and saddled his donkey. He took two of his young servants and his son Isaac. He had split wood for the burnt offering. He set out for the place God had directed him. On the third day he looked up and saw the place in the distance. Abraham told his two young servants, "Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I are going over there to worship; then we'll come back to you." 6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and gave it to Isaac his son to carry. He carried the flint and the knife. The two of them went off together.
3-5 Abraham got up early in the morning and saddled his donkey. He took two of his young servants and his son Isaac. He had split wood for the burnt offering. He set out for the place God had directed him. On the third day he looked up and saw the place in the distance. Abraham told his two young servants, "Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I are going over there to worship; then we'll come back to you." 6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and gave it to Isaac his son to carry. He carried the flint and the knife. The two of them went off together.
• How would you describe Abraham’s behavior/demeanor after hearing God? Did he protest or argue with God as he did in defending Sodom (Gen. 18:16-33)? How would you have reacted?
• How does Abraham seem to go about this task? Does there seem to be any emotion? Have you ever faced doing something incredibly difficult? Did you go about it like Abraham or some other way?
• We live in times of religious extremism and violence in the name of God; does Abraham's unquestioning obedience seem admirable in today’s context?
7 Isaac said to Abraham his father, "Father?"
"Yes, my son."
"We have flint and wood, but where's the sheep for the burnt offering?"
8 Abraham said, "Son, God will see to it that there's a sheep for the burnt offering." And they kept on walking together.
9-10 They arrived at the place to which God had directed him. Abraham built an altar. He laid out the wood. Then he tied up Isaac and laid him on the wood. Abraham reached out and took the knife to kill his son.
Where is God when all of this is going on, Abraham doesn’t seem to need anything but God’s initial words? What do you think keeps him going?
"Yes, my son."
"We have flint and wood, but where's the sheep for the burnt offering?"
8 Abraham said, "Son, God will see to it that there's a sheep for the burnt offering." And they kept on walking together.
9-10 They arrived at the place to which God had directed him. Abraham built an altar. He laid out the wood. Then he tied up Isaac and laid him on the wood. Abraham reached out and took the knife to kill his son.
Where is God when all of this is going on, Abraham doesn’t seem to need anything but God’s initial words? What do you think keeps him going?
• How do you imagine that Abraham and Isaac felt as the one was tied up and the other prepared to take his son’s life with a knife? Is it even describable?
• How do you feel about the story so far, who do you most relate to and why? Have there been times in your life when you might have had real connection with this story?
11 Just then an angel of God called to him out of Heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!"
"Yes, I'm listening."
12 "Don't lay a hand on that boy! Don't touch him! Now I know how fearlessly you fear God; you didn't hesitate to place your son, your dear son, on the altar for me." 13 Abraham looked up. He saw a ram caught by its horns in the thicket. Abraham took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.
14 Abraham named that place God-Yireh (God-Sees-to-It). That's where we get the saying, "On the mountain of God, he sees to it."
"Yes, I'm listening."
12 "Don't lay a hand on that boy! Don't touch him! Now I know how fearlessly you fear God; you didn't hesitate to place your son, your dear son, on the altar for me." 13 Abraham looked up. He saw a ram caught by its horns in the thicket. Abraham took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.
14 Abraham named that place God-Yireh (God-Sees-to-It). That's where we get the saying, "On the mountain of God, he sees to it."
• Do you think that Abraham might have believed that God would not let Isaac’s sacrifice take place?
• What is God’s reaction to Abraham’s obedience? Why do you think God might have felt that this test was necessary? Who benefits when we overcome some challenge to our faith, could this be an explanation? • How do you feel about the ending of the story? Does God’s intervention and the way in which it happened raise any questions for you? Are you satisfied that God “saw to it” as in the saying in verse 14?
• How do you think that Isaac felt about his father afterwards and how might Sarah have reacted when she heard about it? Does it say that we might pay a price for being faithful?
• What is your reaction to the story; does it impact your relationship with or understanding of God in any way?
Closing Litany
At present we see only puzzling reflections in a mirror, but one day we shall see face to face. My knowledge now is partial; then it will be whole, like God’s knowledge of me. Amen. I Corinthians 13:12
Next Week’s Lectionary Scriptures: Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67 or Zechariah 9:9-12, Psalm 45:10-17 or Psalm 145:8-14. Romans 7:15-25a, Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30
Next Week’s Lectionary Scriptures: Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67 or Zechariah 9:9-12, Psalm 45:10-17 or Psalm 145:8-14. Romans 7:15-25a, Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30
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