Genesis 22 & 23

CHAPTER 22:

       After all that God had promised Abraham and then delivered unto him, the Lord now asks of Abraham something that seems directly contrary and out of character for everything that we know of God and His covenant with Abraham to this point. Verse 1 of this chapter uses the word “tempt”, but it doesn’t mean what we typically think of when we read that word in scripture. God cannot tempt mankind to sin. He is incapable of that because He is perfect. (James 1:13) Instead, what that word means in this context is “prove” or “test”. God was about to test Abraham’s faith, as He has done with all of His children from the beginning, and even today with you and me. (James 1:2-4, 1 Peter 1:6-7) God commands Abraham to take Isaac, his only son whom he loved, and travel to the land of Moriah. Once there, Abraham is to offer up Isaac as a blood sacrifice. (v.2)
       The first point of interest about this verse is the name of Moriah. 2 Chronicles 3:1 tells us that Solomon built the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem hundreds of years later on that same mountain where Abraham would soon build his altar upon which to sacrifice Isaac. It’s also the same location where King David “…prepared the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite…”, according to that same verse. This particular land and region has been of significance to God ever since He first called Abraham to leave Ur of the Chaldees and be the father of a chosen people. This same land, which was promised to the nation of Israel after their exodus from Egypt; where King David and King Solomon reigned during the blessed years of Israel’s obedience and prosperity; where the temple will one day be rebuilt again; where God will one day gather again His chosen people; and from which Jesus Christ will reign for a thousand years here on earth; has been preserved by God for all of human history, despite all the heathen nations which have possessed – and even now attempt to possess – it. Of all the geographical regions on earth, this specific land of Canaan where Abraham currently dwells is as special to God as Abraham’s seed would soon be.
         The second point of interest is verse 3. There is absolutely no reaction from Abraham except immediate obedience. He rises early in the morning, saddles his donkey, cuts the wood necessary for the sacrifice, and then sets out with Isaac and two of his servants. There is no protest from Abraham, no questioning of God’s command, not even a delay of one or two days while he thinks carefully about God’s directive. There isn’t even a discussion with Sarah, which tells us that she, too, had faith as strong as Abraham’s. Both of them simply, completely obeyed. For all of their weaknesses and faults displayed in the previous chapters, Abraham and Sarah had come to understand God’s perfect will for them, and that even in a matter such as this, He was in control. He had a plan.
 
         Verses 4-8: After 3 days of travel Abraham sees the mountain in the distance, and he tells his servants to wait here. Notice the wording of that last sentence in verse 5: “…I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.” Abraham’s faith in God was so great that he knew for certain that Isaac would be returning with him. Hebrews 11:17-19 tells us why Abraham was so sure of this. He knew that God could resurrect his only son from whom God had promised Abraham would come the chosen nation. Abraham knew God’s character well enough by now to know that He could not contradict himself. If He had made a promise and a covenant with Abraham, then He could not go back on His word. To do so would prove that He wasn’t God.
       Therefore, Abraham knew, one way or another, he and Isaac would be returning together. He didn’t know any of the specifics, but that didn’t matter. His response to Isaac’s question in verse 7, “…where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”, is a perfect summation of Abraham’s faith. “My son, God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering.” It was that simple.
 
        Verses 9-10: Abraham and Isaac arrive at the designated spot, and Abraham builds the altar. He then binds Isaac and lays the boy on the altar. Abraham draws his knife and prepares to slay his only son.
       Take note of Isaac’s trust and faith in his father. He doesn’t fight, doesn’t struggle, doesn’t try to run away. Just as Abraham simply and completely trusts and obeys God, so Isaac simply and completely trusts and obeys Abraham. This is evidence that Abraham has taught his son well. Isaac believes and trusts in God because Abraham has passed onto him all that he has learned of God and His special covenant with Abraham.
 
         Verses 11-14: The angel of the Lord calls out to Abraham, telling him not to kill Isaac. As we know from other references in the OT where this title is used, as well as the wording of verse 12, this is Jesus Himself speaking to Abraham. “I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.” Abraham had passed God’s test of his faith and obedience, and God was well pleased. The whole point of this test was for Abraham to prove to God that God had first place in Abraham’s life. Absolute trust, faith and obedience to God was more important to Abraham than anything else in his life, even the life of his only son.
        Abraham at this point turns to see a ram caught by his horns in a nearby thicket, and he offers up the animal in a burnt sacrifice in place of Isaac. Furthermore, Abraham names this place Jehovah-jireh, which means “God will provide”.
 
       Verses 15-18: Jesus then speaks again to Abraham when the sacrifice is done. “By Myself I have sworn, saith the Lord…” is a powerful statement. God can swear upon His own name and upon Himself because He is God! He is immutable, unchanging and eternal. He has no beginning and no end. He is Alpha and Omega, He has always been and always shall be. And because He is perfect, He cannot go back on His word. Therefore, when He swears by Himself, Abraham can be assured that God will do what He has promised!
          Because Abraham obeyed without question and with absolute faith and trust, God promises to bless him and to multiply his seed upon the earth. Abraham’s seed would “…possess the gate of his enemies…” (v.17) and all the nations of the earth would be blessed through them “…because thou hast obeyed my voice,” says the Lord.
 
        Verses 19-24: This chapter closes with a bit of genealogy. We learn that Abraham’s brother, Nahor, had eight sons, one of whom – Bethuel – is the father of Rebecca. Nahor also had four more children from his concubine, Reumah.

CHAPTER 23:

          Sarah is a hundred and twenty-seven years old when she dies in Kirjath-arba (Hebron). After a period of mourning, Abraham goes to the sons of Heth, who are the inhabitants of this region of Canaan, and he asks to purchase from them a suitable burial site for Sarah. The reason for this is because he is a “…stranger and a sojourner…” in this land. (v.4)
        Heth, as you’ll recall from Genesis 10:15, was the firstborn of Sidon who was the son of Canaan, who was the son of Ham. Furthermore, Genesis 15:20 lists the Hittites as one of the people groups whom God tells Abraham is currently living in the land that He has promised to Abraham and his seed. The Hittites are the descendants of Heth, and in the nearly seventy-five years that Abraham and all his house have been dwelling in Canaan, he has become a “might prince” among all the peoples of this land. (v.6) This is part of God’s blessing to Abraham for his faith and obedience.
        The rest of this short chapter is a dialogue of negotiation between Abraham and Ephron, one of the Hittite leaders. In the presence of the other important men of the city (v.10), the two of them agree on a price of 400 shekels of silver for the field and the cave which is to be the sepulcher for Sarah and the rest of Abraham’s family later on. (Genesis 49:29-32) The name of that land is Machpelah, and it became the burial site for Sarah, Abraham, Isaac, Rebecca, Leah and Jacob. (Rachel is the only notable absence from that list, but that is because she was buried on the outskirts of Bethlehem. (Genesis 35:19).