Christ Light Connections: God tests Abraham’s Faith & A Wife for Isaac

The theme this week is Faith is being certain of what we do not see.

These two stories are the last ones in the Abraham narrative. We have seen a man called out of an idolatrous family, sent to a strange land, and given impossible promises. Abraham was like a yo-yo going back and forth between great signs of faithfulness to God and huge moral failures. Now in these last stories, we meet a man that has been seasoned by God’s continual steadfast mercy and love. Abraham shows that he now believes that God is completely trustworthy, even in the face of the impossible.

OT Set 1 6A

God Tests Abraham’s Faith — Genesis 21:1-6, Genesis 22:1-19

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Context

Chapter 22 is arguably one of the most important chapters in the entire book of Genesis. Embedded in the text is a foreshadowing of the passion of Christ. His suffering, death, and resurrection are prefigured in the actions of Abraham, Isaac, and the ram. The text is so rich with passion parallels, that I notice a new one each time I read it.

As I study this account with my children, I think they will have fun and learn more if I guide them to discover the prophecies rather than just telling them.

Big Themes

God tested Abraham (Genesis 22:1)

When I think of God testing anyone, I immediately get uncomfortable. Who likes taking tests? It gives me pause to consider that God would allow Abraham to suffer and agonize in the way he did. My initial feelings come from a misunderstanding of God’s purpose for testing Abraham and me.

God is not giving Abraham a pass/fail kind of test. He is not going to renege on any of his promises if Abraham does not perform. Rather, the experience of the test itself changes, molds, and forms Abraham’s faith so that he has a deeper understanding of who God is and of his plan for salvation,

Conversation Starters:

• How do the trials we face today test our faith?
• Parents, how has God tested you?
• Children, how has God tested you?

“Take your son, your only son, whom you love -Isaac- and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on the mountain I will show you. ” (Genesis 22:2)

Did any of you freak out the very first time you read or heard this? God is telling Abraham to do what? Since when is our God an instigator of child sacrifice? (Many of the religions of that time embraced this practice.) Perhaps, most importantly, if Isaac is dead, how will God fulfill his promise to Abraham?

By this point in Abraham’s life, his faith has been seasoned and developed by God. Although he had no idea that this was a test, and that he would not have to kill Isaac, he did know a lot about God’s character. God had already taught him to believe that he can overcome the impossible and that his promises would never be revoked. Abraham’s response was to obey God and to wait and see how God would resolve the contradictions.

Did you notice all the parallels to Jesus’ passion?

I just learned that Mount Moriah is where the temple was eventually built. Thousands of animals, that pointed forward to the ultimate sacrifice, Jesus, died upon its altar.

Conversation starter:

• As you study the story, name as many parallels to Christ’s Passion story as you can.

“Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Abraham answered, ‘God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.'” (Genesis 22:8)

Can you imagine being in either Abraham’s or Isaac sandals? While we do not know for sure what Abraham was thinking, we find more clues in the book of Hebrews. It says, “Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead.” (Hebrews 11:19)

Conversation starters:

• Why do you think Abraham drew the conclusion that God could raise the dead? (Think about the way in which God had fulfilled the promise he had made of a son to elderly Abraham and Sarah.)

“The Angel of the LORD called out from heaven.” (Genesis 22:11-12)

I think that it is noteworthy that the Angel of the LORD is the one who stopped Abraham. Although some commentators disagree, many believe that anytime the “Angel of the LORD” is mentioned in the Old Testament, it is the name for the pre-incarnate Christ, Jesus. It would be significant if Jesus was the one to stop the sacrifice. Jesus would one day be the sacrifice in place of Isaac!

“Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram.” (Genesis 22:13)

Not only did the Angel of the LORD stop Abraham, but a substitutionary sacrifice was provided.

Conversation Starter:

• Why did God provide a ram for Abraham and Isaac?
• How does this prefigure Christ?

Digging Deeper

The Seeds of Faith resource provides context and deeper connections. Their lesson also includes more chapters about God’s covenant with him.

In 40 Minutes in the Old Testament, two episodes cover the content.

• The commentary begins in the second half of Episode 31: God tells Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. The Gospel is everywhere in this narrative.
• Episode 32: More about the almost sacrifice of Isaac

OT Set 1 6B

A Wife for Isaac — Genesis 24:1-67, 25:5-8

Context

Sarah has died. Isaac is forty-years-old. It is finally time for him to get married! But, because Isaac is the bearer of the promised, not just any wife would do.

Big Themes

Swear by the LORD (Genesis 24:3)

Abraham sends out his servant with very specific instructions. Don’t pick for Isaac a Caananite wife and don’t send Isaac away from the promised land. Since Isaac was a child of the promise, Abraham wanted Isaac’s offspring to be from his family because they were also connected to the promise.

Conversation Starters:

• How should parents be involved in the choosing of spouses today?
• What attributes are most important in a good spouse?

The prayer of Abraham’s Servant (Genesis 24:12-14)

This prayer gives me chills. Abraham’s servant is bold and specific in how he would like God to answer his prayer. Most Christians today are not taught to be this specific with God. Instead, we are taught to say, “Your will be done.” I think the reason that this servant was able to make such a confident request was that he already knew what God’s will was regarding the lineage of the promised seed.

Conversation Starters:

• Can we pray as confidently and boldly as Abraham’s servant? Why or why not? (I don’t think there is necessarily a right or wrong answer here, just a lot to think about.)

“I’ll draw water for your camels too until they have had enough to drink.” (Genesis 24:19)

I just want to throw in the note that a camel can drink around 25 gallons of water and there were 10 camels. Go, Rebekah! She must have been tough.

The following verses show God’s immediate answer to the servant’s prayer. Sometimes, God makes us wait years for answers (such as Abraham’s wait for the birth of a son), sometimes, God can’t even wait for us to finish asking before he answers our prayers.

Conversation Starters:

• Think back on ways in which God has answered your prayers. Have his answers been slow or quick?

“So she [Rebekah] became his [Isaac’s] wife, and he loved her.” (Genesis 24:62-67) 

Who says that an arranged marriage can’t be romantic? Doesn’t your heart flutter just a bit with excitement when you read these verses? I appreciate the order of the events too. First, they are married. Second, Isaac loved her. This makes me ponder what love means in these verses. Their love does not begin with attraction and chemistry. Their love begins with their marriage commitment.

Conversation Starters:

• If biblical love is a commitment, how does that affect the way we love our spouses? Does the world agree? How does Satan lie to us?
• God’s relationship to the church is often described as a marriage. How do these verses teach us about God’s love for us?

Digging Deeper

The Seeds of Faith resource provides context and deeper connections about the marriage of Isaac and Rebekah.

In the 40 Minutes in the Old Testament Podcast,

• Episode 34 provides a lot of commentary on these strange cultural practices. Don’t listen to this episode with your kids unless you are very comfortable talking about male genitalia with them already.

Please share any questions, comments, or additional resources in the comment section below.