15.2.09
The Test
Then comes an intense episode that leaves no-one cold: God asks Abraham to offer Isaac as a sacrifice!
It seems it was a vision, in a dream, for it happens at night. The following morning, Abraham takes his son, Isaac, along with two servants with him to travel to the place indicated in the vision. During the three days it takes to reach the mountain, what is going through Abraham's mind?
Isaac was Abraham's favorite son! Isaac was the son through which God had promised Abraham his line would continue! Isaac was the son he and Sarah had waited for so long! God had promised a son and he eventually had given them a son! But now the same God was asking Abraham to sacrifice that son? Did it ever occur to Abraham to stop and ponder whether this command really was from God? Couldn't it be from another source? Could not it be a dream caused by his own fears of losing his beloved son?
Scholars and theologians have different opinions on the matter. Some point out that Abraham should have realized this was not a command from his God. Some argue that this command was from God but that Abraham should have said "No!" to this command and failed to do so.
Others see in this episode the most sublime faith and love a man can show his God! Abraham completely surrendered to his God's will because he trusts in him and in his Grace.
A part of me wants to believe God would never test anyone this way. Another part of me is deeply touched by such a faith, for I would never be able to have a faith so great I would be able to get rid of, even less harm, someone I love as much as Abraham must have loved his son...
Whatever the reason, Abraham is said to have kept walking towards the mountain and when they go there, he asked his two servants to wait, that he would be back soon. He took Isaac with him. He had left his wives and the rest of his household behind, now the servants were left behind. It was just him and his son and Isaac aptly asked: "It's just you and me, Father, what are we going to sacrifice?"
"The Lord will see to it!" replied Abraham.
What went through Isaac's head when his father tied him up on a rock and branded a knife to cut out his throat? What went through Abraham's mind as he was approaching the blade to his son's neck?
Then God reveals to Abraham that he is not to sacrifice Isaac. It was a test. The text tells us Abraham is blessed for not holding anything back from his God. He is blessed with a promise of a large posterity that will bless the entire world.
A ram is near them. Abraham sacrifices it to the Lord his God on this mountain. This will be the site of the Jerusalem Temple Solomon would much later build...
What happens next? How does Abraham feel when walking back home with his son? What did Sarah think? Did she ever know?
Will we ever comprehend such a test? Such a faith? Such a God even?
It seems it was a vision, in a dream, for it happens at night. The following morning, Abraham takes his son, Isaac, along with two servants with him to travel to the place indicated in the vision. During the three days it takes to reach the mountain, what is going through Abraham's mind?
Isaac was Abraham's favorite son! Isaac was the son through which God had promised Abraham his line would continue! Isaac was the son he and Sarah had waited for so long! God had promised a son and he eventually had given them a son! But now the same God was asking Abraham to sacrifice that son? Did it ever occur to Abraham to stop and ponder whether this command really was from God? Couldn't it be from another source? Could not it be a dream caused by his own fears of losing his beloved son?
Scholars and theologians have different opinions on the matter. Some point out that Abraham should have realized this was not a command from his God. Some argue that this command was from God but that Abraham should have said "No!" to this command and failed to do so.
Others see in this episode the most sublime faith and love a man can show his God! Abraham completely surrendered to his God's will because he trusts in him and in his Grace.
A part of me wants to believe God would never test anyone this way. Another part of me is deeply touched by such a faith, for I would never be able to have a faith so great I would be able to get rid of, even less harm, someone I love as much as Abraham must have loved his son...
Whatever the reason, Abraham is said to have kept walking towards the mountain and when they go there, he asked his two servants to wait, that he would be back soon. He took Isaac with him. He had left his wives and the rest of his household behind, now the servants were left behind. It was just him and his son and Isaac aptly asked: "It's just you and me, Father, what are we going to sacrifice?"
"The Lord will see to it!" replied Abraham.
What went through Isaac's head when his father tied him up on a rock and branded a knife to cut out his throat? What went through Abraham's mind as he was approaching the blade to his son's neck?Then God reveals to Abraham that he is not to sacrifice Isaac. It was a test. The text tells us Abraham is blessed for not holding anything back from his God. He is blessed with a promise of a large posterity that will bless the entire world.
A ram is near them. Abraham sacrifices it to the Lord his God on this mountain. This will be the site of the Jerusalem Temple Solomon would much later build...
What happens next? How does Abraham feel when walking back home with his son? What did Sarah think? Did she ever know?
Will we ever comprehend such a test? Such a faith? Such a God even?
# poster: Mormon(s) of another kind at 15:40 
