A Christian Response

Binding of Isaac

Peace be with you.

Epitome:
Abraham places unwavering trust in God to fulfil His divine promise through Isaac. He is neither driven by murderous intent nor was Isaac ever truly destined for sacrifice. Rather, Abraham, steadfast in faith, never believed that Isaac would perish.

Expression:
One of the most profoundly debated narratives in the Old Testament is the Binding of Isaac, recorded in the twenty-second chapter of Genesis. The passage begins with God issuing a command to Abraham:

"Then He said, 'Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.'" (22:2)

Without hesitation, Abraham rises early the following morning, saddles his donkey, and sets out with two of his servants and Isaac, preparing for the offering. He gathers the necessary wood and journeys to the place appointed by God. (22:3-4)

Upon arrival, Abraham instructs his servants: "Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you." (22:5)

This statement is of great significance. If Abraham had truly believed that Isaac was to be sacrificed, why would he declare that both of them would return? Some sceptics argue that this was a deception, much like Abraham's earlier statement concerning Sarah, whom he had called his sister. (12:13) However, this assertion fails to grasp the depth of Abraham's faith.

Abraham then places the wood upon Isaac's shoulders and, carrying the fire and the knife himself, proceeds to the designated place of sacrifice. As they walk together, Isaac notices the absence of a lamb and says to his father: "Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" (22:7)

To this, Abraham responds: "My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering." (22:8)

This response is no mere evasion nor is it an attempt to mislead Isaac. Rather, it is an unshaken declaration of faith. Throughout the narrative, we find a recurring theme—Abraham's conviction that Isaac will return with him. His words to his servants, his assurance to his son, and his actions all reveal a profound trust in God's promise.

To truly comprehend this passage, one must consider the broader context of Abraham's journey with God.

In chapter fifteen, long before Isaac's birth, Abraham—then called Abram—laments his childlessness: "Lord God, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus? . . . Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed a servant born in my house is my heir!" (15:2-3)

God reassures him with a divine promise: "This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir." (15:4) To emphasise the certainty of this covenant, God brings Abram outside and declares: "Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them . . . So shall your descendants be." (15:5)

Despite his old age, Abram believes, and in due time, God's promise is fulfilled. Yet, before Isaac's birth, Sarai, his wife, doubts. Believing herself incapable of bearing children, she persuades Abram to conceive an heir through Hagar, her maidservant, resulting in the birth of Ishmael. (16:1-4)

In chapter seventeen, God reaffirms His covenant, granting Abram a new name—Abraham, meaning "father of many nations"—and declaring that his true heir will come from Sarai, now renamed Sarah: "I will bless her and also give you a son by her; then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples shall be from her." (17:16)

The child of promise is to be named Isaac, and through him, the covenant will endure: "I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his descendants after him." (17:19)

Thus, Isaac is not merely a son; he is the fulfilment of God's covenant, the one through whom Abraham's descendants—more numerous than the stars—will arise.

In chapter twenty-one, Isaac is born, weaned, and begins to grow. Yet, at this point, he has neither wed nor borne children. The divine promise has not yet come to completion. With this understanding, the significance of Abraham's faith becomes clear.

When God commands Abraham to offer Isaac, it is not a call to destruction, but a test of trust. Abraham, knowing God's promise, does not waver. He tells his servants that both he and Isaac will return, and he assures his son that God will provide the lamb.

At the appointed place, Abraham builds an altar, arranges the wood, and binds Isaac upon it. As he reaches for the knife, the angel of the Lord intervenes, halting him:

"Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me." (22:12)

At that moment, Abraham lifts his eyes and beholds a ram caught in a thicket. This, indeed, is the provision of the Lord—the true offering in place of Isaac. In remembrance of this divine act, Abraham names the place "The-Lord-Will-Provide." (22:14)

This passage does not depict an act of murder, nor does it condone human sacrifice. Rather, it is a profound test of faith—not for God's sake, but for Abraham's.

The binding of Isaac serves as the ultimate testament to Abraham's trust in God. He does not doubt, he does not question; he believes with unwavering certainty that God will be true to His word. The promise made in the heavens will not be broken upon the earth.

This narrative foreshadows the ultimate act of divine provision—the sacrifice of Christ, the Lamb of God, given for the salvation of the world. Just as Abraham was willing to offer his beloved son, so too did God the Father give His only begotten Son. Yet where Isaac was spared, Christ bore the cross to fulfil the redemption of mankind.

To interpret this passage as an act of cruelty is to misunderstand its essence. Abraham never believed Isaac would die—he believed in the faithfulness of God. His words and actions reveal not deceit, but conviction.

Thus, the lesson of the binding of Isaac is not one of blind obedience, but of faith that surpasses understanding—a faith that trusts not in the seen, but in the unseen; not in the moment, but in the promise; not in man, but in God.