Genesis Week 16 - Tested
This text is difficult on many levels. Human sacrifice was a common practice among the pagan gods of the land, but Abraham had come to believe that God was different. Additionally God had said that the promised blessing and nation was with Isaac specifically. Abraham had already let Ishmael go – now he was to not just let Isaac go live somewhere else, but to actually end his life? The Creator and True God of the Universe is different. He abhors the practices of the surrounding nations in their false worship of their false gods. The promise is with Isaac. These things are true, so something else must be going on here. All of scripture points us to Jesus – let us read this chapter with that in mind.
Prepare for this week's teaching by reading Genesis 22
