Good Morning.
Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. (Genesis 22:9)
Isaac had carried the wood across his back to the top of the mountain knowing it would be used to fuel the fire for the sacrifice. Interestingly, the word translated as “wood” is actually the Hebrew word for “tree” or the “branch” of a tree. According to the text, Abraham bound him and lifted him up onto the “the wood” or “the tree.” By this time, Isaac would have understood that he was the intended sacrifice and, yet, he doesn’t resist his father. Apparently, he willingly complies with his father’s will. What makes this even more interesting is that the Bible never said this was a test for Isaac to determine if he would submit to Abraham — this was all a test for Abraham.
Even though he had pleaded on account of the righteous who were in Sodom, for Isaac he said not a word. Is it possible that he have seen this as pleading for himself? In Isaac, Abraham not only had a son but, in him, he saw the covenant, the promise and his purpose. Perhaps Abraham realized that the test was in order to demonstrate whether he was willing to give all to God including the promise. Consider that in times past he had sought to preserve his own life by telling others that Sarah was his sister. Did he finally realize that God was calling him to complete self-denial? In other words, God never required Isaac’s death — it was Abraham’s death to self that God was requiring.
Obviously, the Almighty requires the same of all who are His servants. We are to love Him with ALL of our heart, soul and strength. We are to take up our “tree” and follow the Messiah all the way which means we must all come to the place where we can sincerely say, “Not my will but yours be done.” It’s easier said than done but this is our calling — to die completely to ourselves that He may live in and through us.
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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