Head Scratchers
It's Easter week. For some reason I was reminded of this hilarious clip from Family Guy on the Abraham/Isaac story which is highlighted below:
There is no question about it, the Bible leaves us with some real head scratchers. (SIDE NOTE: I love in movies when they say the name of the movie in the actual movie.) But I've included the phrase "head scratchers" in this post because this story with Abraham being called by God to sacrifice his son Isaac definitely causes us to pause and ask, "What is that all about?"
Here's the short recap of the story from the book of Hebrews. In the book of Hebrews, chapter 11 is often referred to as the "Hall of Fame of Faith." Regarding Abraham's faith, the writer says:
[17] By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son (Hebrews 11:17).
Okay, so we see here that God is testing Abraham, and Abraham responds by offering up Isaac.
WHOA!
Abraham and his wife Sarah were barren. They could not have a child. More importantly, and relevant to their culture, they would not have an heir.
God had promised Abraham that he would have offspring, and miraculously, Sarah gave birth to Isaac. Isaac is a miracle child to Abraham and Sarah. He is their beloved son. And now God asks him to offer Isaac as a sacrifice? Um, God that's a real head scratcher. Here's the scene from Genesis:
Genesis 22:1–18
After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Take 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.” So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.
When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called the name of that place, “The LORD will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided.”
And the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.” (ESV)
Abraham says to his young men with him. "I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you." This is where we see Abraham's faith in action. He believes that Isaac will be spared, because he says that he and the boy will both come down from the mountain.
Not only had God promised Abraham that he would have this miracle child, Isaac. God had promised Abraham that through his offspring all nations would be blessed:
Genesis 15:5
And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” (ESV)
Abraham's faith told him that God would fulfill His promises. Again we see Abraham's faith in action when he says to Isaac, "God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering." Abraham is trusting in God's intercession. Again the writer of Hebrews enlightens us:
Hebrews 11:19
[Abraham] considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.
This is where we again have to remember that this is a head scratcher of a story in the Bible, because we have to consider Isaac's perspective. Some have said that Isaac at the time of this scene is a grown man, so in Isaac we also see a man of faith, submitting himself to his father's will. Isaac trusts his that his father knows what he is doing. We can't know that for sure, but it's interesting.
We do know that Isaac was bound and laying on the top of the altar, with his father Abraham's knife ready to slaughter his beloved son. Abraham must've been in turmoil, and yet his faith in God called on him to proceed. He trusted that "God himself would provide the lamb." And God did provide.
God sees that Abraham would not withhold his only son. Waves of relief and joy must've flooded over Abraham and Isaac. Then the LORD is given the name Jehovah Jireh, "The Lord will provide."
We have this scene as a head scratcher because God was going to have this father kill his beloved son. However, this scene only confirms Abraham's faith. Abraham's actions show his trust in God, even when called to give up the thing he loves the most. Abraham's faith called him to believe, and it also called him to act.
Isaac was spared. Abraham's beloved son was spared that day, for God himself provided a ram to be slaughtered for the sacrifice.
Then, many years later, there was another mountain in view, and another sacrifice was to be provided. This "lamb of God" would be the sacrifice to take away the sins of the world. God had spared Abraham's son, but would He spare His own Son?
In Luke 22:39–46, Jesus is praying on the Mount of Olives.
And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.” (ESV)
On the mount of the LORD it will be provided. It's Easter week.
Here on the mountain we see Jesus praying that he would not be the sacrifice to take away the sins of the world. He is asking in prayer, "Daddy, daddy, are you going to provide a lamb for the offering?"
The stress and turmoil and agony is so much that Christ's sweat becomes drops of blood.
"Daddy, daddy, are you going to let this cup pass from me? Is there another way?"
Jesus knows that he is the sacrifice. He knows what must be done in order for sinners to be atoned for and forgiven. Jesus says in some of the most beautiful words ever spoken, "Nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done."
Jesus sets his face to die for sinners, right there on the mountain. God himself has to give up his Beloved Son. How deep the Father's love for us! How vast beyond all measure! The real head scratcher is that Jesus was willing to lay down his life for us lowly sinners. The real head scratcher is that God the Father willed his Son to die for our sins.
In Jesus Christ, the Lord has provided. God has made the way for sinners to be reconciled to Himself, adopted as children and heirs into His family. We are called to respond the way Abraham did, with faith. God has promised to forgive everyone who believes in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of their sins and the fulfillment of all his promises. Easter is coming. We are again reminded that the resurrected Christ means God has made the way for all time into His presence.
The cross looms large during Easter week, but it should also loom large every day of the year. It reminds us of the head-scratching love of God."but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8 ESV)"
Have you experienced God's love in Christ? Do you trust Him?
Are you acting upon that faith? Are you showing God's love to others?
May this Easter season bring you closer to Christ, or maybe even bring you to Christ for the first time in your life! May your actions in faith be blessed, and may God reveal His immeasurable love to you! AMEN.
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