What do you think Yahweh feels in the moment when Abraham is just about to sacrifice Isaac?
Yahweh is saying, "I have it! I have the sacrifice! Thank you for believing in me! I will always have the sacrifice. You never have to carry that burden. I want you both to know that I love you. Never be afraid of what I ask, For I am trustworthy, dependable, always able and I love you so much. "
Often in life, we go through the journey of that mountain climb; the climb of faith. The testing is so that we can find, we can see, we can hear, we can know Yahweh's saving us. In that we come to know his great love for us. Sometimes in that climb, we learn understanding, forgiveness, the characteristics of Yahweh. I think those journeys become the foot path to faith. When I remember different climbs, I see Gods love and saving grace in my life.
Today, God is saying to me, if pain is still in the memory of some of those climbs, look again to see where I provided the sacrifice. Lord, help me to look again and see how you saved me and surrender the hurt to you. Amen
I want to believe that as Issac had committed to doing the MOST challenging (and confusing) thing that a person could EVER do, in monumental faith, Yahweh thought, “Well done good and faithful servant, but I have a better plan. So for now, there is deliverance in this moment, but the time will come when I will offer deliverance for an eternity of moments. The best part is, you won’t have to go through the agony of offering your son because I’ll be offering mine.”
Yes! This story is so powerful for me, because I'm devastated that Abraham would have to offer his son and kind of angry at God for asking it. And then God changes everything with the ram and I'm left devastated for HIM, knowing He really will give His son so we don't have to.
I'm drawn back to v.6--"without faith it is impossible to please God." How deeply pleased Yahweh must have been at Abraham's willingness to do what for any parent must be the unthinkable. The obedience of faith elicits the joy of the Father.
I’m going off-script here with an observation that I’m hoping someone more learned than I am can analyze. (Full disclosure: I haven’t listened to Holy Ghost Stories, as I’m not much of a podcast listener. Perhaps it covers this.) I went back in Genesis and read the account of Abraham sacrificing Isaac, and I notice he says in Genesis 22:5 to his men, “… WE will worship and return to you.” This coupled with what our Hebrews reading today says about him reasoning God could raise the dead indicates to me that Abraham maybe never believed God would actually make him sacrifice his son. Having seen the fuller picture, we of course understand the Son of God/sacrifice parallels, and I can also appreciate the fact that God is the one who holds the honor (?) of sacrificing his only son. But Abraham’s attitude to me just radiates faith. I think he deserves credit for his willingness to take his son up on that mountain, but after today I’m willing to believe he always knew Isaac was coming back down that mountain with him. I think maybe we don’t have a panicked Sarah scene or a mid-mountain meltdown because he just knew he was going to get to keep his son alive. The idea certainly makes the whole thing less uncomfortable and horrifying. Thoughts?
That’s right on! I do think Abraham thought he would have to kill Isaac. But YES I’m almost certain he deeply believed God would resurrect him. Great reading!
One, a self reflection. I've realized that in the past I've primarily experienced God's presence through other people. As a result, though, letting go of those people (as THEY respond to their calling) hurts like nothing I've experienced before (like I feel betrayal instead of just loss). It feels like I'm losing a part of God when they leave. That being said, I'm ALSO realizing that I needed to let them go so that the Kingdom can grow in new ways through their work AND so that I can grow in new ways and grow closer to Yahweh. And spoiler, HE is faithful. In ways I never even knew before.
Second, I think for Abraham, how giving up Isaac meant that he NOT ONLY GAINS Isaac back, but he also gains descendants too numerous to count. "Give, and it will be given to you" and "those who lose their life for my sake will gain it" and so on. I don't think I've ever connected those words of Jesus back to this story until today.
I’m reading Genesis 22… is it possible to read this without crying? Does He watch? Look away? Hold his breath? Yell? Exhale? Wet cheeks, shaking hands.
I think God felt like Jesus did with Mary and Martha. Jesus was moved and so He wept. Abraham was fully human and though he knew what he knew about God it didn’t erase the human experience of hurt and grief. Thank God for that. Obedience hurts at times. Though God knew what He was going to do and Abraham knew what He was capable of doing it didn’t erase the weight of this sacrifice. Grief and Glory both on site. Joy and Pain. Just my finite thoughts.
I struggle greatly with this passage. I always have. I’m going to listen to the recommended Holy Ghost episode. I really appreciate everyone’s comments here as I wrestle with this passage!
I think God feels a variety of emotions: Feels Abraham’s pain for what he has to do, proud that Abraham is willing to follow through and some excitement as He is watching knowing there is ram ready to take Isaac’s place.
My thoughts exactly. I also imagine God being excited for Abraham. God is proud of his faith AND I imagine He’s excited for Abraham to realize how far his faith extends. If Abraham had any niggling doubts about God he won’t anymore. His testing is complete. What a relief. What peace and assurance.
His testing is complete—yessss. It’s like we read in Hebrews 12—Jesus being able to die on the cross for the joy that was set before him. Being on the other side of testing is a very good thing.
Personally, I relate to this “what do I need to give up and have faith to receive back?” When it comes to my family. I’m a foster mom of a little boy. He’s 2. I think part of me has a disconnected feeling from him because my other two children were literally birthed from my body and share my DNA. I think I’m also hesitant to fully embrace him into our family because I’m afraid of how that could change our family. Will I regret it? Will it change the way our family looks forever? What kind of hurt will this decision cause me in the future? It doesn’t look like he will return to his parents unless they drastically change their way of life and willingness to work with the system in place to protect their children. Am I willing to adopt him if that’s the case? Lord, give me wisdom. Lord, give me a willing heart. Lord, help me to let go of anything but love. ❤️
Thank you for sharing this so vulnerably. I’ve been sitting with your story for a few hours and I love that you’ve been frank about the difficulties of taking this step. It will be expensive. It will be. But, you’re right, you’ll receive something beautiful back. I’m praying God will give you a vision of what your future might look like with one more son in the fold. God bless you!
Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.”
I like how God reminds Abraham that he knows how much Isaac means to him. Kinda like he’s giving him a hint that this isn’t the end for Isaac (since Abraham has already seen how good He is).
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.”
I like how Abraham is confident that he and the boy will go AND return.
God surely feels proud that Abraham trusted him so. And a little sick for the nerves and confusion of Isaac.
I’ve always had a mix of emotions over this account. I’ve imagined what Abraham must have felt as he cut the wood, loaded the donkey, walked each agonizing step to offer the son he loved to the Father he loved, and I’ve wondered what innocent, young Isaac must have thought when his loving father bound him, laid him on the altar, held a knife above him. Was he crying? Begging? Screaming in fear?
But today is the first time I’ve considered what God must have felt. I imagine all the things people have commented thus far. I also imagine that even though He knew He would stop Abraham that He ached for the pain He was causing him. Instruction for children can sometimes be painful for the teacher, especially when the lesson is a hard-learned one or a particularly demanding one.
I also like to imagine the joy God must have felt when He was able to “give back” to Abraham his most precious son and when He was able to quiet Isaac’s fears in the arms of his father Abraham.
I don’t know if I’ll make sense of my thoughts but thank you for yours! Beautifully illustrated a new understanding for me.
It’s like how we can only see the page we’re currently reading on. We read page 1, 2, 3, 4…10, but God already knows that on page 12 the plot will change. Regardless of what we read through. The battle cries, the blood, sweat, and tears, we have to read every page up until page 12 to understand. If we arrive there too early, if He were to just give us the cliff notes, it would not be the same. Every page matters. God could give Abraham every single verbal explanation to what’s happening (which is often what I want) and even then would it ever resonate the same way as the actions playing out in from of him? Probably not.
Then I’m reminded of Jesus on the cross. And God COULD have stopped it. Called ten thousand angels down a page early. Said “ok, close enough!” And yet. His story is perfect and thousands of generations tell a story of faith. I am so so thankful.
I think about the term "tested". A test is usually performed to see if something (or in this case someone) is going to work out. With this test Abraham exercises his free will and I think God has seen that Abraham is going to "work out" in His plan for Abraham. How pleased He must have been when Abraham trusted and had faith in Him. How pleased must He be when we trust and have faith ?
This was the daily devo I skimmed when I knew there was deeper waters here for me. The definition of test can mean to try, to examine. And when we let Him, God will examine EVERYTHING in our hearts.
The Greek definition also says test= “to inflict evils upon one in order to prove his character and the steadfastness of his faith” and I wonder if God doesn’t give us trials some times only so WE can see who we are. You don’t know what your made of, what you’ll stand on, until you have to.
This kind of test between Moses and Isaac would shape the rest of their story together as a family (mom too!) AND their perception of Yahweh. I find comfort in knowing the Lord may try me but will hold the whole story with such intention and care. Not to sink my ship, not to belittle me, but more of a “look at her go! I knew she could all along.”
Reading this portion of Hebrews 11 always tests my Momma heart. It’s so hard to comprehend being able to do this (as Abraham), and always wonder if I could. My son had cancer when he was 11 and went thru a year of treatment. (He’s fine). But during that season my prayers were always “please God, let him live; but if not, help me bear it.” But I could never give up and accept it fully that he might die. And yet I knew it. It’s a hard, hard thing - and all Mothers understand this.
What do you think Yahweh feels in the moment when Abraham is just about to sacrifice Isaac?
Yahweh is saying, "I have it! I have the sacrifice! Thank you for believing in me! I will always have the sacrifice. You never have to carry that burden. I want you both to know that I love you. Never be afraid of what I ask, For I am trustworthy, dependable, always able and I love you so much. "
Often in life, we go through the journey of that mountain climb; the climb of faith. The testing is so that we can find, we can see, we can hear, we can know Yahweh's saving us. In that we come to know his great love for us. Sometimes in that climb, we learn understanding, forgiveness, the characteristics of Yahweh. I think those journeys become the foot path to faith. When I remember different climbs, I see Gods love and saving grace in my life.
Today, God is saying to me, if pain is still in the memory of some of those climbs, look again to see where I provided the sacrifice. Lord, help me to look again and see how you saved me and surrender the hurt to you. Amen
I love this. I like the image of tests as footpaths. They lead somewhere.
Thank you, JL.
I want to believe that as Issac had committed to doing the MOST challenging (and confusing) thing that a person could EVER do, in monumental faith, Yahweh thought, “Well done good and faithful servant, but I have a better plan. So for now, there is deliverance in this moment, but the time will come when I will offer deliverance for an eternity of moments. The best part is, you won’t have to go through the agony of offering your son because I’ll be offering mine.”
That should say *Abraham😆
Yes! This story is so powerful for me, because I'm devastated that Abraham would have to offer his son and kind of angry at God for asking it. And then God changes everything with the ram and I'm left devastated for HIM, knowing He really will give His son so we don't have to.
I'm drawn back to v.6--"without faith it is impossible to please God." How deeply pleased Yahweh must have been at Abraham's willingness to do what for any parent must be the unthinkable. The obedience of faith elicits the joy of the Father.
I’m going off-script here with an observation that I’m hoping someone more learned than I am can analyze. (Full disclosure: I haven’t listened to Holy Ghost Stories, as I’m not much of a podcast listener. Perhaps it covers this.) I went back in Genesis and read the account of Abraham sacrificing Isaac, and I notice he says in Genesis 22:5 to his men, “… WE will worship and return to you.” This coupled with what our Hebrews reading today says about him reasoning God could raise the dead indicates to me that Abraham maybe never believed God would actually make him sacrifice his son. Having seen the fuller picture, we of course understand the Son of God/sacrifice parallels, and I can also appreciate the fact that God is the one who holds the honor (?) of sacrificing his only son. But Abraham’s attitude to me just radiates faith. I think he deserves credit for his willingness to take his son up on that mountain, but after today I’m willing to believe he always knew Isaac was coming back down that mountain with him. I think maybe we don’t have a panicked Sarah scene or a mid-mountain meltdown because he just knew he was going to get to keep his son alive. The idea certainly makes the whole thing less uncomfortable and horrifying. Thoughts?
That’s right on! I do think Abraham thought he would have to kill Isaac. But YES I’m almost certain he deeply believed God would resurrect him. Great reading!
A couple of thoughts...
One, a self reflection. I've realized that in the past I've primarily experienced God's presence through other people. As a result, though, letting go of those people (as THEY respond to their calling) hurts like nothing I've experienced before (like I feel betrayal instead of just loss). It feels like I'm losing a part of God when they leave. That being said, I'm ALSO realizing that I needed to let them go so that the Kingdom can grow in new ways through their work AND so that I can grow in new ways and grow closer to Yahweh. And spoiler, HE is faithful. In ways I never even knew before.
Second, I think for Abraham, how giving up Isaac meant that he NOT ONLY GAINS Isaac back, but he also gains descendants too numerous to count. "Give, and it will be given to you" and "those who lose their life for my sake will gain it" and so on. I don't think I've ever connected those words of Jesus back to this story until today.
I’m reading Genesis 22… is it possible to read this without crying? Does He watch? Look away? Hold his breath? Yell? Exhale? Wet cheeks, shaking hands.
That’s at least what I am picturing today.
Yep
I think God felt like Jesus did with Mary and Martha. Jesus was moved and so He wept. Abraham was fully human and though he knew what he knew about God it didn’t erase the human experience of hurt and grief. Thank God for that. Obedience hurts at times. Though God knew what He was going to do and Abraham knew what He was capable of doing it didn’t erase the weight of this sacrifice. Grief and Glory both on site. Joy and Pain. Just my finite thoughts.
I struggle greatly with this passage. I always have. I’m going to listen to the recommended Holy Ghost episode. I really appreciate everyone’s comments here as I wrestle with this passage!
I think God feels a variety of emotions: Feels Abraham’s pain for what he has to do, proud that Abraham is willing to follow through and some excitement as He is watching knowing there is ram ready to take Isaac’s place.
My thoughts exactly. I also imagine God being excited for Abraham. God is proud of his faith AND I imagine He’s excited for Abraham to realize how far his faith extends. If Abraham had any niggling doubts about God he won’t anymore. His testing is complete. What a relief. What peace and assurance.
His testing is complete—yessss. It’s like we read in Hebrews 12—Jesus being able to die on the cross for the joy that was set before him. Being on the other side of testing is a very good thing.
Personally, I relate to this “what do I need to give up and have faith to receive back?” When it comes to my family. I’m a foster mom of a little boy. He’s 2. I think part of me has a disconnected feeling from him because my other two children were literally birthed from my body and share my DNA. I think I’m also hesitant to fully embrace him into our family because I’m afraid of how that could change our family. Will I regret it? Will it change the way our family looks forever? What kind of hurt will this decision cause me in the future? It doesn’t look like he will return to his parents unless they drastically change their way of life and willingness to work with the system in place to protect their children. Am I willing to adopt him if that’s the case? Lord, give me wisdom. Lord, give me a willing heart. Lord, help me to let go of anything but love. ❤️
Thank you for sharing this so vulnerably. I’ve been sitting with your story for a few hours and I love that you’ve been frank about the difficulties of taking this step. It will be expensive. It will be. But, you’re right, you’ll receive something beautiful back. I’m praying God will give you a vision of what your future might look like with one more son in the fold. God bless you!
Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.”
I like how God reminds Abraham that he knows how much Isaac means to him. Kinda like he’s giving him a hint that this isn’t the end for Isaac (since Abraham has already seen how good He is).
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.”
I like how Abraham is confident that he and the boy will go AND return.
God surely feels proud that Abraham trusted him so. And a little sick for the nerves and confusion of Isaac.
I’ve always had a mix of emotions over this account. I’ve imagined what Abraham must have felt as he cut the wood, loaded the donkey, walked each agonizing step to offer the son he loved to the Father he loved, and I’ve wondered what innocent, young Isaac must have thought when his loving father bound him, laid him on the altar, held a knife above him. Was he crying? Begging? Screaming in fear?
But today is the first time I’ve considered what God must have felt. I imagine all the things people have commented thus far. I also imagine that even though He knew He would stop Abraham that He ached for the pain He was causing him. Instruction for children can sometimes be painful for the teacher, especially when the lesson is a hard-learned one or a particularly demanding one.
I also like to imagine the joy God must have felt when He was able to “give back” to Abraham his most precious son and when He was able to quiet Isaac’s fears in the arms of his father Abraham.
I don’t know if I’ll make sense of my thoughts but thank you for yours! Beautifully illustrated a new understanding for me.
It’s like how we can only see the page we’re currently reading on. We read page 1, 2, 3, 4…10, but God already knows that on page 12 the plot will change. Regardless of what we read through. The battle cries, the blood, sweat, and tears, we have to read every page up until page 12 to understand. If we arrive there too early, if He were to just give us the cliff notes, it would not be the same. Every page matters. God could give Abraham every single verbal explanation to what’s happening (which is often what I want) and even then would it ever resonate the same way as the actions playing out in from of him? Probably not.
Then I’m reminded of Jesus on the cross. And God COULD have stopped it. Called ten thousand angels down a page early. Said “ok, close enough!” And yet. His story is perfect and thousands of generations tell a story of faith. I am so so thankful.
I think about the term "tested". A test is usually performed to see if something (or in this case someone) is going to work out. With this test Abraham exercises his free will and I think God has seen that Abraham is going to "work out" in His plan for Abraham. How pleased He must have been when Abraham trusted and had faith in Him. How pleased must He be when we trust and have faith ?
This was the daily devo I skimmed when I knew there was deeper waters here for me. The definition of test can mean to try, to examine. And when we let Him, God will examine EVERYTHING in our hearts.
The Greek definition also says test= “to inflict evils upon one in order to prove his character and the steadfastness of his faith” and I wonder if God doesn’t give us trials some times only so WE can see who we are. You don’t know what your made of, what you’ll stand on, until you have to.
This kind of test between Moses and Isaac would shape the rest of their story together as a family (mom too!) AND their perception of Yahweh. I find comfort in knowing the Lord may try me but will hold the whole story with such intention and care. Not to sink my ship, not to belittle me, but more of a “look at her go! I knew she could all along.”
Reading this portion of Hebrews 11 always tests my Momma heart. It’s so hard to comprehend being able to do this (as Abraham), and always wonder if I could. My son had cancer when he was 11 and went thru a year of treatment. (He’s fine). But during that season my prayers were always “please God, let him live; but if not, help me bear it.” But I could never give up and accept it fully that he might die. And yet I knew it. It’s a hard, hard thing - and all Mothers understand this.