According to Isaac

Genesis 22: 1-13 (ESV)

After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 2 He said, “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.” 3 So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. …6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. 7 And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 8 Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.

9 When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. 11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son.

We know about Abraham’s faith, how he believed God, and how he was willing to sacrifice even the son that God had promised him. I’ve heard many messages about this, and they have helped me have a right perspective about the things God has promised me. But this was a test for Isaac, too. Surely this deeply challenged his heart, testing both his understanding of God and his relationship with his father.

Isaac was the long-awaited, precious son that God had promised. He walked with his father, and enjoyed Abraham’s favor and companionship. He had seen his father’s faithfulness to God and love for him. On this day they were walking together. All was harmonious. Isaac had not disappointed Abraham or offended him, yet the tone of the day was different somehow. What was happening? There was something threatening in the atmosphere. All of a sudden things were turning sour. What was happening? The father did not warn him in advance. He hadn’t said a word about it.

Perhaps Isaac sensed the seriousness in the father’s demeanor, but he didn’t know why. “Why would Father become so distant and serious? What did I do? Just a few days ago, I was enjoying laughter with Father and his loving embrace. He provided everything I needed. I loved being near him, and I know he loved being near me. What has happened? He’s not saying anything.”

Eventually the horrible truth became obvious.

We do not know how old Isaac was when this took place. Bible scholars place his age anywhere from his teens to his late thirties. Whatever his age, we know that he was one hundred years old younger than his father; he was the promised son born to Abraham in his old age. He has had quite a bit less experience with God than his father has had, so this experience is going to be very valuable for him. But so many younger believers will not “share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 2:3, ESV). When the going gets tough, they will try to escape from hardships that God has ordained for their good. Older believers watch and understand and hurt because the decisions they insist on will surely harm them. The immature believer, though, cannot always see the truth that undergoing hardships can bring them great victory and progress in the Lord.

Isaac was different. He did not resist when this trouble came. He did not resist when questions arose in his mind about the heart of his father toward him. Disappointment and heartache assailed him, suggesting that the father wasn’t as good as he had thought. But just as Jesus did, he continued on and trusted his father and let the father bind him as a sacrifice.

So now it is obvious. Isaac is bound. He asks what we all ask: “What am I doing in bondage? The Father has always delivered me and defended me, not bound me.” Our questions abound: “I’m a child of God. I have walked closely with Him. I have given up everything to follow Him. I’ve known such favor from Him. So why am I battling anxiety? How is it that I’m dealing with a difficult marriage? Why am I struggling financially? Why is my calling perpetually delayed?”

Oh, but it’s true! The Father has bound you. Yes, it was the Father. It wasn’t that church leader or that family member or that boss or that former friend. While bound, you look around you as Isaac did. He saw his father moving about, getting the implements of sacrifice in order. He has the knife. He has the lit torch ready. He has piled up the wood. We, like Isaac, see it clearly: “Okay. This is really happening. There is no doubt now. The Father is trying to kill me.”

Isaac was silent. Oh, that we would submit to the faithful blows of the Father. Oh, that we would let Him kill our self-sufficiency, our vain plans, and crooked heart postures. When the blade is raised, we finally understand that we are not immune to such dealings. We can finally let the crosses of our lives kill off the flesh. Finally, we determine within ourselves that we will stay submitted to the Father for as long as this trial takes. We even begin to see how the Lord is using our trials help us and find joy in the fruit that they bring.

James 1: 2-4 (CSB) Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.

1 Peter 4:19 (CSB) So then, let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust themselves to a faithful Creator while doing what is good.

Oh, but while the blade is yet raised, and we trustingly await the blow, then the Father says, “Hold it! I’ll have My Son complete this work so you won’t have to.” We go forward in wonder, with a fresh understanding of our former fate as a sinner and of the marvelous work Jesus did as our substitute. And we, like Him, are alive from the dead! Glory to God forever!!