Bible Study Online Article

In the last article we read about the oath that Abraham and Abimelech had made after their two camps had a fallen out.

Abimelech's camp would in fact, take a water-well that the two camps were sharing by force.

This would leave Abraham extremely angry, and this concerned Abimelech, for he knew that Abraham was highly favored by God.

Be that as it may, the two would eventually make amends by doing an oath at a place that would now be known as "Beersheba the Well of the Oath".

However, we now move forward and we find ourselves at perhaps, Abraham's greatest faith test that God would put him through. God begins this by calling out to Abraham. And after hearing the voice of the Lord Abraham answers: "Here I am".

It would be at this time that God would give Abraham some very important instructions: "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 and it would be at this time that 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 saddle his donkey. After doing this, Abraham took with him, two 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, He 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 those who had traveled with him.

So it would be at this time that Abraham and his son Isaac would continue to journey by themselves 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.

But something would seem strange to Isaac: "Father?" Isaac called out. "Yes my son?" Abraham replied. "The fire and wood is here, but where is the lamb for the brunt offering?" Isaac asked his father. "God Himself will provide the lamb for the brunt offering, my son," Abraham told him.

In the meantime the two of them would finally reach the place that God had told Abraham about. And 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 when it comes to Isaac. Personally I believe that Isaac had allowed himself to be bound and went willingly to the altar. We must understand that Isaac at this time in his life would have been around twenty-five years old. This could easily make one wonder about how much he loved his father, for he trusted his father so-much-so that he willingly allowed his father to place him on the altar as a sacrifice.

Then Abraham would proceed to bring forth the knife so that he could slay his very own son just like God had ordered him to do. But it would be at this time that an angel of the Lord would call out to him: "Abraham! Abraham!" After hearing this Abraham replied: "Here I am!" Then the angel of the Lord spoke to him saying: "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".

Now keep in mind that although Abraham had two sons, with the other being Ishmael, Isaac was the "promised seed" that God had originally foretold to him. Ishmael came about, because of the impatience and faithlessness of Sarah, when it came to her being able to have her very own child. Because of this, she convinces Abraham to go along with a different plan that was not of God.

However, 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 located 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."

Next we find that God would swear (make an oath) by Himself, when it comes to Him blessing Abraham's seed:

"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.

The Introduction of Abraham

**YOUR CURRENT BIBLE STUDY ONLINE SERIES WOULD BE HERE**

The Birth of Esau & Jacob

Jacob - The Path of Uncertainty

Jacob - Wrestles with God

Joseph the Favorite Son

Joseph the Overseer of Egypt

The Unveiling of Joseph

16) Abimelech Angry with Abraham

17) The Birth of Isaac

18) Hagar & Ishmael - Sent Away

19) Ishmael the Great Nation

20) Abraham & The Well of Oath

21) <-CURRENT PAGE->

22) The Death of Sarah

23) Eliezer of Damascus

24) The Discovery of Rebekah

25) Rebekah gets Permission to Leave

26) Isaac meets Rebekah

27) The Last Years of Abraham

28) The Twelve Rulers of Ishmael

29) The Birth of Esau & Jacob