May the mumbling commence!
When you signed up to follow the
Lord, were you ready to make a most unthinkable sacrifice? I’m not sure Abraham knew what he was in
for. I’m not sure we are either. Read from Peterson’s The Message:
After all this, God tested Abraham. God said, “Abraham!”
“Yes?” answered Abraham.
“I’m listening.”
He said, “Take your
dear son Isaac whom
you love and go to the land of Moriah.
Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I’ll point out to you.”
Abraham got up early in the morning and saddled his
donkey. He took two of his young servants and his son
Isaac. He had split wood for the burnt
offering. He set out for the place God
had directed him. On the third day
he looked up and saw
the place in the distance. Abraham told his two young servants, “Stay
here with the donkey. The boy and I are
going over there to worship; then we’ll come back to you.”
Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and gave it to Isaac his son
to carry.
He carried the flint and the knife. The two of them went off together.
Isaac said to Abraham his father, “Father?”
“Yes,
my son.”
“We
have flint and wood, but where’s the sheep
for the burnt offering?”
Abraham said, “Son,
God will see to it
that there’s a sheep for the burnt
offering.” And they kept on walking together.
They arrived at the place to which God had directed him. Abraham built an altar. He laid out the wood. Then he tied up Isaac and laid him
on the wood.
Abraham reached out and took the
knife to kill his
son. (Genesis 22:1-10)
Now read the same passage from the
NIV translation:
Some time later God tested Abraham. He
said to him, "Abraham!"
"Here I am," he replied.
Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you
love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one
of the mountains I will tell you about."
Early the next morning Abraham got up and
saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac.
When he had cut
enough wood for the burnt offering, he set
out for the place God had told him about. On the third day
Abraham looked up
and saw the place in the distance. He
said to his servants, "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 took the wood for the burnt
offering and placed
it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the
fire and the knife.
As the two of them went on together, Isaac
spoke up and said to
his father Abraham, "Father?"
"Yes, my son?" Abraham replied.
"The fire and wood are
here," Isaac said, "but where is the lamb
for the burnt offering?"
Abraham answered, "God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my
son." And the
two of them went on together.
When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham
built an altar there and arranged the wood on
it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on
the altar, on top of the wood. Then
he reached out
his hand and took
the knife to slay his son. (Genesis 22:1-10)
Although there are some
differences, the NIV and Peterson’s work have the same Spirit and heart. The language has simply been updated a
bit. God was asking Abraham to sacrifice
someone he most loved, his son Isaac.
And, true to his practice, the very
next day set out early in the morning with a heavy heart. And Abraham did not get there the first day
either. Abraham, Isaac and the two
servants traveled for three days before arriving to the place God would show
them (hmm… that echoes the first call of Abram to go to the land that the Lord
would show him).
Imagine that: three
days to second guess and change your mind.
And Isaac knew that something was
up. Apparently this wasn’t the first
time they went to worship together before.
Isaac knew that something important was missing.
And Isaac also showed great faith. There’s no record of Isaac struggling. Both were ready to make the ultimate
sacrifice that foreshadows the sacrifice that God will make with his beloved
Son, Jesus.
What an amazing sacrifice of
love!
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
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