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Author Topic: Thoughts on Abraham's Sacrifice of Isaac?  (Read 5021 times)

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Wanda

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Thoughts on Abraham's Sacrifice of Isaac?
« on: April 28, 2021, 08:02:49 PM »

We all know of Abraham's faith and obediance to God, so much so, he was willing to sacrifice his only son. After reading the scriptural account in Genesis many times,  I questioned if Abraham truly believed he would be killing Isaac.  Wouldn't Abraham think God was breaking his covenant with him by asking him to do such a thing?  If so, how could Abraham trust God anymore, or was he obeying out of fear?  That sounds like many of the people in the churches today who worship God for no other reason than fearing him.

As a JW,  this was one of the accounts in scripture that people I met going door to door,  used to try and show God was diabolical in his actions with man. I couldn't see the different layers to this account at the time, so all I could offer was we must have faith even if we don't understand, because God's ways are not like our ways. That's true of course, but as I've come to see, God always gives us answers to why he does these things that seem wrong to us. Some have suggested Abraham might have thought God would have resurrected Isaac, but I'm not convinced that was the case, because Abraham had never witnessed such a thing.

These scriptures seem to suggest Abraham did not believe he would be sacrificing Isaac.

Genesis 22

5 He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.

Notice, Abraham tells the servants, WE will worship, and then WE will come back... Not we will go worship and I will come back. Then Isaac asked his father where is the lamb for the sacrifice?

8 Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.

And it was just as Abraham had told Isaac, God would supply the lamb...

We can also consider God would never ask Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, as child sacrifice is a detestable thing to him.

Leviticus 18:21

You shall not give any of your children to offer them to Molech, and so profane the name of your God: I am the Lord.

Deuteronomy 12:31

31 You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way, for every abominable thing that the Lord hates they have done for their gods, for they even burn their sons and their daughters in the fire to their gods.

This of course parallels the story of God's sacrifice of his son  Just as God provided the ram as the sacrifice for Isaac, he provided his son as a sacrifice for all mankind. Isaac was a type of Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God. He also was the only son of Abraham and Sarah, and was called Abraham's "only begotten son"

It's obvious it was God who made the ultimate sacrifice, and not something he would ever ask of us.. Perhaps I'm making too much of this, but I feel there is something more that I'm missing from this account, so if anyone has any additional thoughts I would welcome them.














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indianabob

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Re: Thoughts on Abraham's Sacrifice of Isaac?
« Reply #1 on: April 28, 2021, 10:32:23 PM »

Great question Wanda and worthy of discussion.
It is important that we get to know God's mind better.
I will ponder it and I too welcome comments.
Indiana Bob
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Joel

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Re: Thoughts on Abraham's Sacrifice of Isaac?
« Reply #2 on: April 29, 2021, 01:34:24 AM »

The Bible says "Faith comes by hearing the Word of God."
God spoke to Abraham and made him more than one promise. Hearing God speak the Word instilled belief or faith in Abraham.
 Abraham saw God keep his Word several times so there wasn't doubt that God would be true to his Word.
Abraham's faith grew with each experience he had during his lifetime walking with God.
Abraham was obedient, God provided the sacrifice.


Joel

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Musterseed

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Re: Thoughts on Abraham's Sacrifice of Isaac?
« Reply #3 on: April 29, 2021, 01:26:26 PM »

Hi Wanda, 💕

Gen.22:5...Then Abraham said to the young man, “ stay here with the young man,
I and the boy will go over there and worship and COME AGAIN TO YOU.”

Heb. 11:19...He ( Abraham) considered that God was able EVEN TO RAISE HIM ( Isaac)
from the dead from which FIGURATIVELY SPEAKING, he did receive him back.

God was testing Abraham and stopped the sacrifice, providing a ram instead.

Gen.22:11&12......But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven........
do not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him for now I know that you fear God
seeing that you have not withheld your son, your only son from me.

This is an awesome parable involving the two covenants, Hagar and Sarah,
Faith, and future prophecy and for our admonition.

Heb.11:8... By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place
that he was to receive as as inheritance and he went out NOT KNOWING where he was going.

Gen. 12:2.... and I will make of you a great nation and I will bless you and make your name great
so that you will be a blessing,
Gen.12:3.....in you ,all the families of the earth shall be blessed. ( future)...(Gen.22:18, Psalm 105:9&6)

Why did Abraham believe God?

Gen.12:7,,, then the Lord appeared to Abram( our forefather according to the flesh Rom.4:1)
and said “ to your offspring, I will give this land,,so he built an altar to the Lord who had
appeared to him.

The Lord appeared to him.

Rom.4:20....no unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God but he grew strong
in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21,,,, fully convinced that God was able to do what He had
promised.    ( are we fully convinced?😃)

Gal.3:18... for if the inheritance comes by law, it no longer comes by promise but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

Heb.11:13 &16... but these all died in faith.... they desire a better country, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared for them a city.

Abrahams offspring are the children of promise.

There is so much more to this regarding faith. An excellent teaching is Rays audio By faith alone.

As for child sacrifice, well that opens up a huge study. But in The Towers Paper, Ray speaks
about spiritually sacrificing our children to this day and I’m sure we see it more and more every
day.

I agree with you Joel. God proved to Abraham his faithfulness as he does with us.

Yes I-bob,  we will do well to know more the mind of our Almighty God and Savior.
We are incredibly blessed here at BT. Thank God for His mercy and Grace.
God Bless you all.    In Christ❤️Pamela

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Wanda

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Re: Thoughts on Abraham's Sacrifice of Isaac?
« Reply #4 on: April 29, 2021, 06:46:13 PM »

Heb. 11:19...He ( Abraham) considered that God was able EVEN TO RAISE HIM ( Isaac)
from the dead from which FIGURATIVELY SPEAKING, he did receive him back.

Thanks Pamela! 💕

All of Hebrew 11 is benifitial for understanding the Kind of faith Abraham had.
And yes,  a parrable for sure.

It's clear Abraham trusted in God whole heartedly, and knew no matter the reason he was asking this terrible thing of him, the outcome would be a good one. As Joel pointed out, Abraham's faith was the result of God keeping promises to him, and his faith grew from his life experiences, just as ours does. God doesn't just demand faith from us,  like many in the churches believe. He first gives us reasons to trust in him. We don't have faith on our own.

2 Thessalonians 1:3. We thank God for the enlargement of faith because "God has allotted to each [his own] measure of faith"

Luke 17:5-10

5 The apostles said to the Lord,“Increase our faith!”

Our faith, belief and hope all come from God. Without him we can do nothing.


1 Peter 4:12-19 ESV

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. ...

Paul tells us: “God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength... (1 Corinthians 10:13).

13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. wGod is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

This was certainly true in Abraham's case. I can look back on my own trials and see this is true.

It all comes down to God receiving the glory in all things. No matter how hard our trials may be he will always be right there beside us helping us endure, and come out on the other side being  even closer to him.







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Musterseed

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Re: Thoughts on Abraham's Sacrifice of Isaac?
« Reply #5 on: April 29, 2021, 06:48:53 PM »

I said God proved to Abraham, but that’s not right.

I found this statement from Ray in the Rich man and Lazarus parable.

About faith.

In Abrahams case, the evidence  ( he and his wife’s old age) was a faith destroyer. There was nothing in the visible evidence that would have given anyone faith. Abrahams faith wasn’t in evidence but in God.
Children need proof, the mature live by faith.
The reason Abraham is in this parable, (Rich man and Lazarus ) is because Abraham is the father of the
faithful. Abraham believed God..

1 Corth. 4:7... Now what have you which you did not obtain? Now if you obtained it also ,why
are you boasting, as though not obtaining.

Rom. 11.20... By unbelief are they ( the Jews) broken out, yet you stand in faith.

From Ray,” Now listen to Paul’s admonition very carefully.

Rom. 12 4,, be not haughty but fear
God parts to each a measure of faith.

Ray,,, God gave Abraham that kind of faith.
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Musterseed

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Re: Thoughts on Abraham's Sacrifice of Isaac?
« Reply #6 on: April 29, 2021, 07:01:49 PM »

Ha, Ha, Wanda , we were typing at the same time.

Thank you for your posts. I love discussions on these amazing parables of the Bible.

Yes , Abraham believed God and we believe.

We have the faith OF Jesus not In Jesus. Big difference.

This is a beautiful scripture.

For the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable.
For just as you at one time we’re disobedient to God
but now have received mercy shown to you, they also
now May receiVe mercy. For God has consigned all to
disobedience that He may have mercy on all.
O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge
of God ! How unsearchable are His judgements and how
inscrutable His Ways.   Rom. 11: 29-33. ❤️
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Dave in Tenn

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Re: Thoughts on Abraham's Sacrifice of Isaac?
« Reply #7 on: April 30, 2021, 01:18:36 AM »

Don't forget Isaac.  He was no bystander and minor character.
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Wanda

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Re: Thoughts on Abraham's Sacrifice of Isaac?
« Reply #8 on: April 30, 2021, 04:01:38 AM »

Thanks for your great contribution Pamela.

Hebrew 11

who pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Speaking  from my own experience. The key... Earnastly seeking God. I don't think It's enough to just believe in his existance. Abraham was one who earnestly desired to know the one true God, unlike his family,  who many worshiped false gods. From that earnest desire faith is born. At least that's where mine first began. Before that I don't think I had faith even the size of a mustered seed.  I struggled for many years believing there was no hope for me, because people in my church professed to have great faith. Once I began to earnestly want to know God everything changed.  But even the earnest seeking comes from God.

The fact is God chose Abraham and gave him everything he needed to succeed.

 I agree we should do more sharing like this. It has  certainly been spiritually uplifting for me.
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Wanda

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Re: Thoughts on Abraham's Sacrifice of Isaac?
« Reply #9 on: April 30, 2021, 04:04:02 AM »

Don't forget Isaac.  He was no bystander and minor character.

Thanks Dave,
I did consider Isaac's roll in this, being he was older than a boy. If Sarah died right after the event at the age of 127 Isaac would have been 37. He was certainly strong enough to fight Abraham off and save himself had he wanted too. It's more likely he assisted Abraham willingly. Abraham obeyed God and Isaac obeyed his father, just as Jesus obeyed his father.


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Dave in Tenn

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Re: Thoughts on Abraham's Sacrifice of Isaac?
« Reply #10 on: April 30, 2021, 12:01:51 PM »

The reason Abraham is in this parable, (Rich man and Lazarus ) is because Abraham is the father of the
faithful. Abraham believed God..


I think that makes "us" more like Isaac, if we are looking for ourselves in Scripture.  The scripture referenced in all of the above comments should help put that into further perspective.   
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Musterseed

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Re: Thoughts on Abraham's Sacrifice of Isaac?
« Reply #11 on: April 30, 2021, 07:51:54 PM »

I always pictured Isaac as a little boy but yes he would have been in his thirties.
Wow, does this mean that he, Isaac volunteered to be a sacrifice, as did Jesus, as do the elect.

This is amazing stuff. Isaac obeyed his father and carried the wood pile for his own sacrifice.
Is this a type of Jesus obeying His Father and carrying the cross for His sacrifice?

And the elect are admonished to obey, carry their cross and offer their bodies as
a living sacrifice. Am I on the right track?

Thanks Wanda , and Dave.
Isaac had total trust in his father Abraham. This makes me want to rejoice and cry at the same time.

God Bless you all.
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Wanda

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Re: Thoughts on Abraham's Sacrifice of Isaac?
« Reply #12 on: May 01, 2021, 04:54:55 AM »

I always pictured Isaac as a little boy but yes he would have been in his thirties.
Wow, does this mean that he, Isaac volunteered to be a sacrifice, as did Jesus, as do the elect.

This is amazing stuff. Isaac obeyed his father and carried the wood pile for his own sacrifice.
Is this a type of Jesus obeying His Father and carrying the cross for His sacrifice?

And the elect are admonished to obey, carry their cross and offer their bodies as
a living sacrifice. Am I on the right track?

Thanks Wanda , and Dave.
Isaac had total trust in his father Abraham. This makes me want to rejoice and cry at the same time.

God Bless you all.

Yes Pamela you're on the right track. And I agree it's amazing stuff. Your reaction sounds like me everytime I gain new understanding. 🙂
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