Genesis 22:1

Genesis 22:1 says, And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.  I believe that a more accurate translation would be that God tested Abraham's faith.  I do not believe that God tempts us to disobey, but that He may test our faith.  Satan is the one who tempts us to sin.  Verse two declares, And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.  God told Abraham to take Isaac to the mountains which God would direct him to and offer him as a sacrifice.  God called Isaac Abraham's only son and said He knew Abraham loved Isaac.  Abraham had waited years for God to fulfill His promise that Abraham would be the father of a great nation, and now God was asking him to sacrifice the son who would fulfill that promise.  We will likely never face so great of a test of our faith.  Verse three states, And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.  Abraham did not attempt to bargain with God, but he got up early the next day and brought two servants, Isaac, and the wood for the sacrifice to the place that God directed him.  Even if what God asks us to do seems to be impossible, we must obey Him.  Verse four adds, Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.  They had been traveling three days when Abraham saw the place afar off.  That was three days that Abraham had in which to falter in his faith.  It is hard to imagine what he must have been thinking and going through emotionally.  We, like Abraham, cannot allow our thoughts and emotions to come between God and us, but must always be steadfast in our faith.  Verse five says, And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.  Abraham left the two young men and the ass and went on with Isaac alone.  He may have not wanted to have anyone witness what he was going to do or he might not have wanted anyone near by to stop him.  Abraham may have still had faith that God would somehow spare Isaac, because he said they would return.  Whatever Abraham's thoughts, he was continuing to follow God's instructions.  We must do the same when we know that God is instructing us to do something, no matter how hard it may be.  Verse six declares, And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.  Isaac carried the wood and Abraham carried the fire and knife for the sacrifice.  Isaac was in effect helping prepare for what Abraham thought would be his sacrifice.   Even if what we are asked to do involves others close to us, we cannot disobey God's call to a certain action.  Verse seven adds, And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?  Isaac saw that something was missing.  Isaac asked Abraham where the sacrifice was.  Other people may sometimes question how we are going to accomplish what we know God is calling us to do, but we cannot allow that to stop us from doing it, even if they are family.  Verse eight states, And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.  Abraham told Isaac that God would provide the sacrifice.  We today must simply rely on God to provide what we need to accomplish His directions to us.  Verse nine concludes, And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.  Abraham prepared everything for the sacrifice, even Isaac.  We can only imagine what must have been going through both their thoughts at this time, but hopefully we will never experience such a situation.  Abraham remained true to his faith in and obedience to God, and so must we.