Peggy Roe
Genesis 22:1-14 (NRSV)

After these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 2 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.” 3 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.   . . .  6 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. 7 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?” 8 Abraham said, “God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them walked on together.

9 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. 10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill his son. 11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12 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.” 13 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. 14 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.”  (NRSV)

Reflection:

The story of Abraham and Isaac is not only one of the most popular stories in the Bible, but it is also one of the most powerful. There are several ways to interpret this historic scripture: first and foremost, it is a story of unwavering faith. Even though God makes the irrational request that Abraham sacrifice his only son Isaac, Abraham proceeds with uncompromising commitment to complete the task. Abraham responds with unquestioning faith to God’s request; Isaac also responds with unquestioning faith in Abraham’s intentions. Second, the story is an example of how human beings can use the gift of free will to obey their sovereign lord rather than bow to their own wishes. Surely Abraham could not imagine sacrificing his only son; nor would Isaac understand why he would be sacrificed instead of a lamb. Yet, both Abraham and Isaac bend their wills to that of a higher power.  Third, the story can clearly be understood by Christians as symbolic of God’s willingness to sacrifice his only son Jesus, and Jesus’s humble obedience and forbearance to do his father’s will, not his own (Luke 22:42).  Fourth, through its use of the response, “Here I am”– twice by Abraham to God’s call and once by Isaac to Abraham’s call – the passage reinforces the bending of wills and fealty to one’s father.  Finally, the verses reveal submission via obedience, as shown in the previous examples, as well as confidence that God will provide whatever is missing at the time of what acolytes such as we would define as a crisis.

“God will provide” is the lesson that grabbed my attention in this passage. When one considers the incursion of war in Ukraine, for example, one can only pray that God will provide a remedy to save the country. There is war; then there is hunger. On the global map, Somalia – located on the equator in Africa – is listed as the “hungriest” country in the world, with more than half the nation categorized as undernourished. What will God provide for these starving people? Besides war and hunger, there is sickness. Heart disease is the single greatest cause of death worldwide, whether in Budapest, Beijing, or Boston. How will God provide for the better health of individuals suffering from life-threatening cardiovascular conditions? 

Without “blaming the victim,” one could argue that people experiencing certain health issues could bend their wills like Abraham and Isaac and make better lifestyle choices – or suggest that God has provided physicians and medicines to abate the illness. The answers are not as simple when facing a starving nation or one besieged by an unjustified war. These examples of real-life crises require that we explore more deeply what the passage, “God will provide,” could mean. The people in Ukraine pray for peace; those in Somali pray for food; and globally, those with sickness pray for health. We do not know what God will provide for these suffering people, but we can learn from what God provided in the scripture:  He provided an alternative that kept Abraham from sinning while keeping the faith and remaining obedient to God. 

When we are beset by battles among family members, by starvation for love, or by the threat of illness, we will be strengthened, encouraged, and buoyed by keeping the faith that God will provide whatever we need. That is the lesson for me. 

Prayer:  

Dear Heavenly Father, You must often wonder how you could have created such an unruly bunch of children who continue to fall short of your expectations and rely on themselves instead of you.  Please give us the faith of Abraham and Isaac, knowing you will provide.  Amen.