G-d Will Provide

Reading from Vayeira:
Genesis 22:1-24

We now come to one of the more confusing passages in the Old Testament: the story of G-d's call for Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. Later, as we shall see in readings in Deuteronomy (Deut. 12:31, Deut. 18:9-12), G-d specifically declares that child sacrifice (which was practiced in pagan rituals of the time) is detestable to Him (see also 2 Kings 16:3, Ps. 106:38 and Jer. 19:4-5). So how could the Most High G-d, whose character never changes, seem to condone child sacrifice in this instance?

I believe the solution to the puzzle is found in Abraham himself, and his response to G-d's request. First, remember in past accounts how Abraham had tried to "help" G-d or to work out G-d's plans in his own way. Whenever Abraham did that, the situation always ended up creating more problems than if he had just waited for G-d to act in His time and in His way. By this time in his life, it seems, Abraham had learned his lesson: G-d always has a plan, and G-d's way is always infinitely better than ours.

Second, look at Abraham's response to Isaac in verses 7-8. In verse 7, Isaac asks his father "where is the lamb for the burnt offering?" Abraham replies in verse 8 that G-d will provide the lamb. Now it may seem that Abraham is simply speaking out of wishful thinking, or perhaps trying to avoid alarming Isaac. However, I suspect it goes deeper than this. Abraham knew why he was bringing his son alone to the top of that mountain. Abraham could have told Isaac something cryptic, such as "you will see the sacrifice at the top of the mountain." After all, Abraham was bringing the sacrifice--Isaac. But instead, Abraham specifically states that G-d will provide the sacrifice. Abraham knew that Isaac was his promised heir, the covenant son through whom all G-d's promises to Abraham would be fulfilled. G-d had also demonstrated His care for and protection of Abraham time and time again. I believe that Abraham had finally come to the point in his faith that he trusted G-d completely.

Abraham trusted G-d to keep all His promises. Abraham trusted that G-d loved him and would continue to care for him rather than harm him. So even though this request to sacrifice his only son, the son he had waited all his life for, was so out of his realm of understanding, Abraham obeyed. He obeyed because he trusted that no matter what happened up there on that mountain, G-d would provide a way for him to come back down with Isaac.

This is precisely the lesson G-d wanted Abraham to internalize, as we see in verses 11-14:

11 But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”
12 He said, “Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”
13 Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took the ram and offered him up for a burnt offering in the place of his son.
14 Abraham called the name of that place The LORD Will Provide, as it is said to this day, “In the mount of the LORD it will be provided.”

G-d then declares that because Abraham withheld nothing from Him, not even his most beloved only son, G-d would multiply Abraham's blessings and bless all the nations of the earth through his descendants.

My prayer today is that even when life seems bleak, when circumstances are beyond my comprehension and it seems the L-rd is far off, I will trust in G-d - in His character and in His promises. May I walk in His ways even when my human intellect cannot understand them.

Next: Haftorah: 2 Kings 4:1-37


New American Standard Bible : 1995 update. 1995 (Ge 22:11–14). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.