Sacrificing Isaac

Thursday | 13 | OT | C

Vancouver, July 4, 2019
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The story of Abraham where Abraham offers his son Isaac as a sacrifice, as God had instructed, is one of the most dramatic stories in the entire Bible. This is not just a story. Child/human sacrifice was a common practise in the Canaanite religions during this period of Biblical history.
 
Only that Abraham’s sacrifice is in response to God asking for his son. And God says, “the son whom you love…and offer his as a sacrifice.” Isaac is the son of the promise, the son Abraham had in union with his legitimate wife, Sarah – after many years of praying for a child. The irony of the story is that after so many years of waiting for a child, the son Abraham and Sarah have by God’s very intervention, God asks Abraham to sacrifice his son.
 
It is one of the most outstanding acts of trust we have in the Scriptures. Abraham, a man of faith, demonstrates his faith, by this very concrete and dramatic act. By faith we are saved: well, faith is very concrete.

​While martyrdom means to offer your own life, which is radical love in itself, here in Genesis we have Abraham who is willing to sacrifice the life of his own beloved son. The greatest act of faith in the Old Testament.

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What is interesting is the young Isaac, perhaps an adolescent, asks only one question, “The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” The boy wonders about the sacrifice? “Where is the lamb?” Abraham’s reply: “God himself will provide the lamb.” Does this answer mean simply he did not want Isaac to know what was happening? Or, that Abraham hoped that God would indeed provide a lamb.
 
What is surprising is that Isaac does not struggle, “He bound his son Isaac, and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.” We don’t hear of Isaac trying to run away or even struggling as Abraham ties him. It’s as if Isaac either is offering himself in that sacrifice or he has trust in God there is some other lamb that will be sacrificed. The lamb will be offered, in another sacrifice, where Jesus, like Isaac, offers Himself, without any struggle; the unblemished lamb whom God the Father will indeed sacrifice, and Jesus who willingly offers Himself for us, as the perfect sacrifice, pleasing to God, to save us from our sins.
 
To bring us back to God to be united with Him for Everlasting Life, the Son of God is sacrificed.
 
Let us ask the Mother of God, to strengthen our faith, so we, too can make those small daily sacrifices, with a pure and loving heart, pleasing to God. Amen.