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"Do not lay your hand on the boy.."

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Genesis 22:12 "Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son."

I have to be very honest about the story surrounding this verse. It bugs me.  First God tells Abraham to take Isaac, his son, the one he'd been promised, Abraham's ONLY son born to him when he and his wife were very old, to a place on the mountain and offer him as a burnt sacrifice.  This is a very difficult request to understand and an even more difficult one to comply with! But let's not get into that.

After Abraham takes Isaac to the mountain, he ties him and places him on an altar that Isaac probably helped build for the sacrifice.  Abraham is ready, with knife in hand, to slay his son. At the last second, an ANGEL appears to tell Abraham not to harm the boy.  An Angel. Not God, but an angel. He personally told Abraham to sacrifice Isaac but sends an angel to tell him not to.......How did Abraham KNOW that the angel was from God? Why did God not think it important enough to tell Abraham Himself? I don't know.  Did I tell you this story bothers me?

Then we get to the part where the angel says that God now knows that Abraham would not even hold his son from him.  The angel says (speaking for God), "Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son."  God knows everything. He had to already know that Abraham would not withhold Isaac from God.

That being the case, what was the purpose for this event? I wonder if it was to prove something to Abraham. Abraham seemed to follow and obey God. There were times he didn't ask before he acted but when God spoke, Abraham listened. So what was the point of testing Abraham this way? Perhaps it was to illustrate what God was willing to do for us.  He sacrificed His son. We sympathize with this story. We experience heartache and confusion over the request to sacrifice Isaac.  Maybe this story was the way to get us to more closely understand and experience the pain of the sacrifice of Jesus.

I really really don't know why this happened, or why it was important enough to be in the Bible.  But it is there and we have to expect that it is there for a reason.  I am sure that if and when I am supposed to have a better understanding, the Holy Spirit will enlighten me.  Until then, I'll just be confused and astonished by it.

Holy Spirit, I do not understand the purpose of this test of Abraham. I do not understand how the relationship between father and son could not be harmed. I do not understand why you sent an Angel to deliver the "stop order" message that prevented Abraham from sacrificing his son. As much as I don't know, I do know that You will enlighten me when and if necessary for my development as Your child. Help me to be as obedient. Amen.
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  1. AnonymousAugust 24, 2010 at 2:09 PM

    Did Abraham put his son before God prior to God telling him to sacrifice Isaac? Had Abraham waited so long for a son that when he finally got Isaac did he lose his focus? I have no answers for you. Only more to add to the confusion. -DE

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