The BIG Test
Abraham’s faith in God was tested time and time again. But the BIG test of his faith happened after he and Sarah had received their son of promise, Isaac. In this next test, the test of all tests, God asked for Abraham to place that long-awaited promise on the altar. He was testing Abraham’s heart. For Abraham, this was a test of radical obedience as well as a test of trust. Would Abraham obey God and offer up his son of promise? Would Abraham trust God to make provision once again?
You see, Isaac represented provision. He was the provision of protection because Abraham was old, and he needed someone to protect him. Isaac represented the provision of prosperity because someone needed to tend to the herds as well as attend to the crops for the prosperity to continue. So, Isaac represented the provision of protection, prosperity, and promise for Abraham—the promise of the blessing that God would bless Abraham, and it would flow through him and bless the rest of the world. It was Abraham’s legacy. But God wanted Abraham to trust Him with it all—with the provision of EVERYTHING. God was asking for something BIG.
The BIG Offer
The story begins with a dramatic and unexpected command from God: “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 of which I shall tell you” (Genesis 22:2 ESV). This command is startling, not only because it asked for the life of Abraham’s beloved son, but also because it seemed to contradict the very promises God had made. Isaac was the child through whom the divine promise of a great nation was supposed to come to fruition. Yet, here God asked Abraham to surrender the promise itself. This would be a BIG offer from Abraham that required faith on a level probably few of us have ever had to exert.
Abraham’s response to this command is striking in its immediacy and resolve. Early the next morning, he set out for the region of Moriah, taking Isaac and two servants with him. The journey to the place of sacrifice was fraught with internal struggle, yet Abraham proceeded with unwavering determination. The journey is a metaphor for the arduous path of faith, illustrating that true obedience often requires us to walk through valleys of uncertainty and pain.
The Altar of Provision
Upon reaching the designated mountain, Abraham built an altar and arranged the wood. As he prepared to bind Isaac and place him on the altar, a profound moment unfolded. Isaac asked his father, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” (Genesis 22:7 ESV). Abraham’s response was a declaration of faith: “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son” (Genesis 22:8 ESV).
Abraham wasn’t merely stating a belief, but he was proclaiming something marvelous about God’s provision. It carried prophetic impetus regarding not only a lamb for Isaac but the Lamb of God for the world! Even in the face of a command that seemed to demand the very thing that was supposed to be the fulfillment of God’s promises, Abraham held fast to the conviction that God would provide what was needed, even if that meant the resurrection of his son afterward (see Hebrews 11:17–19).
The Divine Intervention
As Abraham raised the knife to sacrifice Isaac, an angel of the Lord intervened and stopped him, saying, “Do not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him” (Genesis 22:12 ESV). In that instant, Abraham’s faith was rewarded, and his obedience was affirmed. He was provided with a ram caught in a thicket to offer as a burnt offering instead of Isaac. This ram symbolizes the provision of God, coming at the precise moment of need, and it serves as a powerful reminder that God’s provision often appears in ways we do not expect.
The Significance of This Test
Of all the tests Abraham went through, this test was a profound exploration of faith, obedience, and divine provision. At its core, it challenges us to reflect on what it means to truly trust in God’s promises. Abraham’s willingness to offer Isaac on the altar is not just an act of obedience, but a deep, trusting response to the divine nature of God’s provision. It teaches us that faith involves surrendering not only our immediate desires and fears, but also our understanding of how God’s promises will be fulfilled.
The altar where Isaac was to be sacrificed becomes a symbol of God’s provision, illustrating that true faith requires us to place our most cherished possessions, dreams, and even our understanding of God’s promises on the altar. It is in this act of surrender that we often discover that God’s provision is not just a response to our needs but a profound revelation of His nature.
