The story of Abraham and Isaac is a difficult reading (Genesis 21). Why would God ask Abraham to offer up Isaac as a sacrifice? The Bible only hints at one reason, that it was a test of Abraham’s faith. This answer is not very satisfying, however, to most believer’s. After all, God knows every person’s heart does he not? He not only knows our heart, but he can harden hearts (as in the case of Pharaoh) and takes joy when we share his heart (as David did). I believe there are other, better reasons if only we start at the beginning.

In Genesis 17 we see Abraham going out in the heat of the day to welcome three strangers to his home, offering them water to wash with and to drink along with his hospitality. In hindsight, we know that one of the three visitors that day was Jesus -- before the incarnation to be sure but Jesus all the same. Over a meal the second member of the Trinity announced that Abraham and Sarah would have a son, a truth that Sarah scoffed at since she was in her early 90’s. Regardless of her lack of faith, it came to pass a short while later and Isaac was born.

In Genesis chapter 22, just after the near sacrifice of Isaac on the Mountain of God, Sarah dies. Interestingly, the Midrash Raba (a collection of Jewish interpretations of the Torah) links these two events, stating that when Sarah heard of Isaacs near death “her soul flew out of her” and she died. The Bible tells us that she was 127 at her death, which puts Isaac, Abraham’s only son, somewhere in his 30’s when the events of chapter 21 unfold. Not unlike God’s only son.

There are other similarities between Isaac and Jesus as well, besides their relative age and both being only sons, both were behaving in perfect obedience to their fathers. They each exhibited perfect trust as adult sons. Where they differed is in death. Isaac was spared, a substitution was sacrificed in his place not only that day on the mountain, but thousands of years later on a hill called the skull. Isaac was a foreshadow of what was to come. Jesus was the reality, the Messiah and savior of the world. The events were traumatic for both men. In Genesis 31.42 Isaac will refer to his father as “Pachad Itzhac” meaning “fear of Isaac”, and Jesus shortly before his death would wonder why his Father had forsaken him.

I believe the story of Abraham and Isaac serves as a picture of what was to come, of the ultimate sacrifice of God’s only son for the sins of the world. That alone would be reason enough for God’s request of Abraham. But I believe there is something more. It is an example of obedience and trust. Abraham perfectly obeyed his heavenly father in the task, Isaac perfectly trusted his earthly father’s actions. We should be so obedient, so trusting, of our Lord.

There is one more lesson we can learn from these events, and that is we will sometimes see the result of our sacrifices, but not always. On that day Abraham saw God provide another sacrifice, a reward for his obedience. Then there is Moses, who did not perfectly obey God’s instruction and was therefore kept from entering the Promised Land. Moses had been obedient in all his dealings with Pharaoh, in leading the people from slavery into the desert, of ruling over the people for 40 years, but let his anger get the better of him. He had sacrificed much, but never saw the fruits of his sacrifice on this side of eternity.

Our lives are not so different. Sometimes we receive gratitude or a good look at the results of our obedience, and sometimes we don’t. Whatever our fate we all receive the same call to obedience and trust. In 1887 AD John H. Sammis attended one of D.L. Moody’s evangelistic meetings. As was tradition, following the meeting was a time of discussion and an opportunity to receive Jesus. John stood and spoke his mind, clearly not well trained in in the Bible or Christian thinking, he said one thing that resonated with everyone in the room, “I'm not quite sure. But I'm going to trust, and I'm going to obey.” Later that year he would write one of what would be around 100 hymns during his lifetime, none of them perhaps as widely loved as this first:

When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,

What a glory He sheds on our way!

While we do His good will, He abides with us still,

And with all who will trust and obey.

Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,

But His smile quickly drives it away;

Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,

Can abide while we trust and obey.

Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,

But our toil He doth richly repay;

Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,

But is blessed if we trust and obey.

But we never can prove the delights of His love

Until all on the altar we lay;

For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,

Are for them who will trust and obey.

Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet,

Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;

What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;

Never fear, only trust and obey.

Refrain:

Trust and obey, for there’s no other way

To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.