Genesis 22: Testing Faith

It’s one thing to believe God can give you a child in your old age. It’s another thing to trust God completely with that child. “Sometime later God tested Abraham’s faith” (v. 1). God tested Abraham’s faith by asking him to let go of the very thing he treasured most, his son Isaac. But asking Abraham to sacrifice his son seems creepy, right? Why did God make such an unreasonable request? The Canannites who lived in all around Abraham practiced child sacrifice to their fertility god, El. And God detested that practice. So God accomplished two purposes with this seemingly ungodlike request. He tested Abraham’s faith and discovered that he truly did “fear God” (v. 12). But God also showed his disdain for child sacrifice. Instead, God paved the way for a substitute sacrifice. And it appears Abraham expected God to do something like that. Abraham told Isaac: “God will provide a sheep for the burnt offering” (v. 8). Abraham didn’t know how God would provide. But he trusted God enough to let go. Faith lets go.