Bible Study Online Article
We have now reached the point, to perhaps, Abraham's greatest faith test that God would put him through? "Abraham," God would call out to his servant. "Here I am," Abraham replied. God would instruct him: "Take your son your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a brunt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about." So early the next morning Abraham awoke and headed outside, in which he started to cut the wood that he would need for the brunt offering that God had instructed him about the other day. After he had cut enough wood for this task, Abraham would saddled his donkey. He took with him, two of his servants and his son Isaac and headed out towards the place that God had told him about. When Abraham had reached the third day during their journey, Abraham had looked up and saw the place that God had told him about at a great distance. "Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you," Abraham would tell the servants who had traveled with him. So Abraham and his son Isaac would continue to journey a short distance to the place that God had told Abraham about. Isaac would carry the wood that his father had cut for the brunt offering, while Abraham had carried the fire and the knife. "Father?" Isaac would call out. "Yes my son?" Abraham would replied. "The fire and wood is here, but where is the lamb for the brunt offering?" Isaac would ask his father. "God Himself will provide the lamb for the brunt offering, my son," Abraham responded. In the meantime, the two of them would finally reach the place that God had shown Abraham. It's at this point that Abraham would build an altar and began arranging the wood on it. Next he would bound his son Isaac and lay him on top of the wood that was on the altar. Now, I would like to point out at this time, for I believe that Isaac had allowed himself to be bound and went willing to the altar. We must understand, that Isaac at this time in his life would have been around twenty five years old. Oh, how much he loved his father, for he trusted Abraham so much so, that he willing allowed his father to place him on the altar. Then Abraham would proceed to bring forth the knife so that he could slay his son, just like God had ordered him to do. "Abraham! Abraham!" an angel of the Lord would quickly call out. "Here I am," Abraham would reply. "Do not lay a hand on the boy; 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," the angel would tell Abraham. Now although Abraham had two sons the other being Ishmael, Isaac was the promised seed that God had originally foretold to him. Ishmael came about, because of the impatience of Sarah to have her very own child, in which she convinces Abraham to go along with a different plan that was not of God. It's at this point that Abraham had looked up and saw a ram that had been caught by his horns in the thicket of bushes that were near by. So Abraham would go and retrieve the ram from the thicket of bushes. Next he would sacrifice the ram as a brunt offering, instead of his son Isaac. Because of this, Abraham would call that place -- The Lord will provide. And to this very day it's to be said, "On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided." "An angel of the Lord would call out to Abraham from the heavens for a second time and said, 'I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. "Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through you offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me." (Genesis 22:15-18) After this had happened, Abraham and Isaac would return back to their servants that were waiting for them and they headed back to Beersheba where Abraham stayed. Start at the Beginning: The Introduction of Abraham 16) Abimelech Angry with Abraham 18) Hagar & Ishmael - Sent Away 20) Abraham & The Well of Oath 21) <-CURRENT PAGE-> 25) Rebekah gets Permission to Leave 28) The Twelve Rulers of Ishmael  CrossDaily.com Web Search where you can VOTE FOR THIS SITE & other great ones. Christian search engine, directory & voting index. You'll find Bible, chat, churches, jobs, music, reviews, software, theology, & more. See the best sites!
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