The story of God’s asking Abraham to sacrifice Isaac is a difficult one:

Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.” (Genesis 22.1 – 2, NASB)

The story is difficult, but there are lessons to be applied. First, Abraham responds like he always does in Genesis: immediately.

• Leave your father and go to the land I will show you:

So Abram went forth as the LORD had spoken to him… (Genesis 12.4, NASB)

• Circumcise all the males.

Then Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all the servants who were born in his house and all who were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham’s household, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the very same day, as God had said to him. (Genesis 17.23, NASB)

• Offer your son as a burnt offering.

So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him and Isaac his son; and he split wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. (Genesis 22.3, NASB)

Instant obedience. Abraham is good at that.

We also have a strong picture of Abraham’s faith:

Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go over there; and we will worship and return to you.” (Genesis 22.5, NASB)

WE will worship and return to you.

Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” And he said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” (Genesis 22.7, 8, NASB)

God will provide the lamb…and he did:

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. (Genesis 22.13, NASB)

And that’s the real lesson: God provides at the place of sacrifice:

And Abraham called the name of that place Yahweh Will Provide, as it is said this day, “In the mount of Yahweh it will be provided.” (Genesis 22.14, LSB)

And the story closes with affirmation of the promise…and a forecast of another day when another Father will indeed offer his one and only son as a sacrifice:

Then the angel of Yahweh called to Abraham a second time from heaven, and said, “By Myself I have sworn, declares Yahweh, because you have done this thing and have not spared your son, your only one, indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of his enemies. In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have listened to My voice.” (Genesis 22.15 – 18, LSB)

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3.16, NIV)