Lesson 19: Genesis 22

The story of Abraham revolves around the promise of an heir. God’s call of Abram included the promise of offspring; offspring that would become a great nation and that would ultimately bless all families of the earth (Genesis 12.1-3). The delay of the promised heir would test the faith of both Abraham and Sarah (Genesis 15.2-3; 16.1-4), but would also provide the opportunity for their faith to shine (cf. Genesis 15.6; Romans 4.18-21; Hebrews 11.11-12). Twenty five years after the promises were made, the promised heir was born (Genesis 21.5) and soon after it was finalized that ONLY Isaac could be the heir of Abraham (see Genesis 21.10-12). And then the Lord gave Abraham the supreme test of faith by commanding him to offer his “only son” (Genesis 22.2).

Notes From The Text:

• Vs. 1, this would not be the last time that God “tested” His people (see Deuteronomy 8.2; 1Peter 1.7). The test would be whether Abraham’s faith in God would prove greater than his personal affection and even common sense. “Satan tempts men to bring out the worst in them; God tests them to help bring out the best.” (James E. Smith).
• Vs. 2
  • “your only son Isaac” Ishmael is fully excluded from the fulfillment of God’s promises. Only Isaac can be the heir, there is no fall-back (see Genesis 21.10-12).
  • “whom you love” draws our attention to the magnitude of the sacrifice.
  • “the land of Moriah” according to 2Chronicles 3.1 this was where God halted the plague on Jerusalem and where Solomon built the temple.
• Vs. 3, we see again that Abraham does not delay to obey the Lord’s command (see Genesis 21.14).
• Vs. 5, Abraham’s faith is wonderfully encapsulated in the statement that both he and Isaac would “come again to you.” The Lord had promised that Abraham’s offspring would be called after Isaac (Genesis 21.12) and Abraham believed that God would keep His word, even if it required that God resurrect his son (Hebrews 11.17-19).
• Vs. 6, we do not know how old Isaac is at this point (Josephus says he was twenty five), but he was old enough to carry the wood for the offering.
• Vs. 8, while Abraham’s words that “God will provide” could be spoken in hope that the Lord would provide a substitute. However, the fact was that the Lord had “provided” Isaac (Genesis 17.19; 18.10).
• Vs. 12, “On the human side, the ultimate sacrifice is faced and willed; on the divine side, not a vestige of harm is permitted, and not a nuance of devotion is unnoticed (as the phrase thy son, thine only son, echoed from 2 and re-echoed in 16, makes clear).” (Derek Kidner)
• Vs. 13
  • The word for “looked” is the same word translated as “provide” in vss. 8,14.
  • The ram is a substitute offering (“a burnt offering instead of his son”). The sin offerings of Israel would also be “substitute” offerings (see Leviticus 1.4).
• Vs. 14, note again that the word for “provide” is also the same as “looked” in vs. 8. The ESV marginal reading of “the Lord will see” would also be fitting (see also Genesis 16.13). The Lord can and will provide because He is a God who sees!
• Vs. 16, “By myself I have sworn” see Hebrews 6.13-16.
• Vss. 17-18, while there would be a physical fulfillment in the nation of Israel, the main fulfillment of the promised blessings would be found in Christ (Galatians 3.7-9). The blessing that Abraham’s offspring would “possess the gate of his enemies” is new, and also finds its true fulfillment in Jesus (see Matthew 16.18).
• Vs. 18, note that the Lord’s blessings were secured with an oath because of Abraham’s obedience. Obedience was how it was shown that Abraham feared (reverenced/honored) the Lord (vs. 12). As James makes clear, Abraham’s obedience was how his faith was made complete (James 2.21-23).
• Vss. 20-24, Abraham hearing about his brother’s offspring sets the stage for when the patriarch wishes to find a bride for Isaac (Genesis 24.3-4).

Takeaways:

1. Foreshadowing calvary. While Abraham and his seed, Isaac, are at the center of the story, we must not forget that another seed promise was made long before Abraham’s day: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”” (Genesis 3:15, ESV) The seed of woman would be the very Son of God (Galatians 4.4) and the events of Genesis 22 would find their true fulfillment in God’s offering of His Son:
   • Isaac was Abraham’s “only son” (vss. 2,12); Jesus is the “only begotten Son” of God (John 3.16).
   • Abraham believed that God would raise Isaac from the dead (vs. 5; Hebrews 11.17-19); God did raise His Son from the dead (Acts 2.24).
   • Abraham laid the wood on Isaac (vs. 6); the cross was laid on Jesus (John 19.17).
   • Isaac demonstrated faith and submission to the will of his father (vss. 7-9); Jesus faithfully submitted to the will of His Father (Matthew 26.39).
   • God provided a substitute offering in place of Isaac (vs. 13); Jesus is the substitute sacrifice for us (Isaiah 53.6; Matthew 20.28; 26.28).
   • Abraham believed that the Lord would provide and He did (vss. 8,14)! Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s provision.
2. God’s people are tested. As we mentioned before, this would not be the last time that God tested His people (see Deuteronomy 8.2; 1Peter 1.6-7). Sometimes the testing comes in the form of trials (family opposition, discrimination, etc.). The test is to see if we trust God to see us through the trial. While God does not tempt us to do evil (see James 1.13), temptation can serve as a test (1Cor. 10.13) to see if we trust that what God offers is better. Note that God doesn’t allow us to be tested beyond what we can handle. That principle is illustrated in the life of Abraham; God did not present this test early on in their relationship. Abraham’s faith had to grow before it could face such a test. Abraham passed the test showing that he truly feared the Lord (vs. 12). Likewise, our testing should demonstrate the genuineness of our faith (1Peter 1.6-7).