0 - Bible Commentary | Karuna Sadan

Then He said, “Take now 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.” (Genesis 22:2)

First, notice that God told Abraham to take his only son, Isaac. Why did He say "only son" when, in fact, Abraham had another son called Ishmael? It is because God considered Isaac to be the promised "seed" through which the covenant He made with Abraham would be fulfilled.

So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. (Genesis 22:3)

Too often, we give to God what we want to give Him and not what He really wants. The Lord told Abraham to give Him Isaac and that’s what he did.

Notice, along with Isaac, there were two other young men. Abraham could have easily said, “Lord, you asked for one burnt offering, I am giving you two” I thank God, He did not do that but gave to God what the Lord wanted. Bottom line: Give to God what He asks for. It could be your time, your money, your forgiveness etc.

The greatest test is to lay down the blessing that God gave you in the first place. This is to make sure that the blessing never becomes more important than the blessor.

And Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.” (Genesis 22:5)

In true worship, there must be a separation from the ordinary. Sanctification means to be ‘set apart’. Abraham told the young men to stay there while they would go further and worship. Abraham was a true worshipper. During his lifetime Abraham built four altars.

And Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.” (Genesis 22:5)

When you are going through a test and all that is happening around you does not make sense, hold on to your confession of faith. This is what Abraham did. He said, “we will come back to you”

Then Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and laid it on [the shoulders of] Isaac his son, and he took the fire (the firepot) in his own hand, and a knife; and the two of them went on together. (Genesis 22:6)

This is a prophetic picture of Lord Jesus on His way to the cross of Calvary.

Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. (Genesis 22:9)

While the faith of Abraham must be commended the submission of Isaac to his father must also not be ignored. Imagine a 100 plus man tying up a young man to kill him. There was faith on Isaac's part also.

The Burnt Offering

The burnt offering is one of the oldest and most common offerings in history. It’s entirely possible that Abel’s offering in Genesis 4:4 was a burnt offering, although the first recorded instance is in Genesis 8:20 when Noah offers burnt offerings after the flood. God ordered Abraham to offer his son, Isaac, as a burnt offering in Genesis 22, and then provided a ram as a replacement.

A person could give a burnt offering at any time. It was a sacrifice of general atonement—an acknowledgment of the sin nature and a request for a renewed relationship with God. God also set times for the priests to give a burnt offering for the benefit of the Israelites as a whole, although the animals required for each sacrifice varied:

Every morning and evening (Exodus 29:38-42; Numbers 28:2)
Each Sabbath (Numbers 28:9-10)
The beginning of each month (Numbers 28:11)
At Passover (Numbers 28:19)
With the new grain/firstfruits offering at the Feast of Weeks (Numbers 28:27)
At the Feast of Trumpets/Rosh Hashanah (Numbers 29:1)
At the new moon (Numbers 29:6)

The ultimate fulfillment of the burnt offering is in Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. But most importantly, His sacrifice, once and for all time, atoned for our sins and restored our relationship with God.

And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. (Genesis 22:10)

Abraham reckoned, if God could give him a son when he was physically dead then God would raise his son also from the dead.

And He said, Do not lay your hand on the lad or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear and revere God since you have not held back from Me or begrudged giving Me your son, your only son. (Genesis 22:12)

When you are not afraid to lay down your blessing before the one who gave it to you in the first place, then it is known for sure that you fear and revere God. Too many people are afraid to lay down their blessing, give even a part of their blessing back to the Lord in the fear that they will lose it.

And Jesus answered and said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they marveled at Him. (Mark 2:17)

Lord Jesus was essentially saying that “Give to God what belongs to Him”

And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” (Genesis 22:12)

Your actions reveal the fear of God to the people around you. The way you behave reveals whether you really fear God or not

And Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide (Genesis 22:14)

You have to get in a position to receive His Provision. There is a place where the Lord will provide.

The place where Abraham was offering his burnt offering became the place of the LORD’s provision. In the same manner, the place of your burnt offering will become the place that God provides for you.

The same principles are in the New Testament.

For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account. Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God. And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:16-19)

Chapter 22