Loving Like Abraham Did (Genesis 22:2-12)

What would you give up for those you love?

When we fall in love with the person we end up marrying, we give up the freedom of being single.  That sacrifice is worth it to us.  When we have children, we give up our self-centeredness and raise them as Jesus commands us to.  That sacrifice is worth it to us.

When we follow the Lord, we give up sin.  That sacrifice is worth it to us.  But why do we decide it’s worth it?  Do we give up sin because the Lord blesses us, or do we give up sin because we love Him?

In today’s story in Genesis 22:2-12, we’ll see the difference.

² Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.”
³ Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. ⁴ On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 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.”
⁶ Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, ⁷ Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?”
“Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.
“The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”
⁸ Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.
⁹ When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. ¹⁰ Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. ¹¹ But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he replied.
¹² “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”  

Genesis 22:2-12, New International Version

As horrifying as child sacrifice is to us, it would not have been shocking to Abraham.  While it would have made Abraham upset, child sacrifice was a regular part of many of the pagan religions of Abraham’s time.  Without a doubt, the command to sacrifice Isaac would have been baffling to Abraham, considering the covenant from the Lord.

We can become preoccupied with the notion that the Lord would even issue such a command to Abraham.  Why would He do this?  Was this the only way to verify Abraham’s faithfulness?  How would the Lord Who loves us do such a thing?

However, doing so allows our emotions and limited understanding to overshadow the theological underpinnings of the text.

First, the Lord knows everything.  He already knew Abraham was faithful, and He knew Abraham would not need to sacrifice Isaac.

Second—and this is probably the most important part for our understanding—the Lord is not a human.  Our perspective does not limit Him.  He is over us and not equal to us.  His methods are not ours.  We are not His counselors, nor are we even capable of counseling Him.  There are plenty of things He does that don’t make sense from our perspective.  And that’s the way it is.

That said, Abraham learned some more powerful lessons in this event.  Abraham learned that the Lord will provide even when he doesn’t see how.  Abraham learned that he loved the Lord more than his own son. 

But the lessons weren’t just for Abraham.  It was for those who followed him.  These lessons were for those who would be told and read this story.  It is even for us.

It’s easy to see the Lord as a type of spiritual vending machine.  We want stuff.  We ask for stuff.  We pray for healing, miracles, and deliverance.  These are good things.  We’re told to pray for these things.

But the Lord wants us to love Him more than we love the blessings of the covenant.  This is the key lesson from this text.

The Lord calls us to love Him more than anything.  Anything.  Do you?  Is there anything you wouldn’t give up for the Lord?  If so, then you don’t love the Lord the way He calls us to love Him. Surrender again to His grace and love.  Love Him more than His blessings.  Love Him like Abraham did.