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1Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 2Then 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.”

:whyMelt: Can you imagine!? He lived to be about 100 before this kid was born, a miracle child to him and his at the time 90 year old wife. He and his wife both laughed upon hearing God tell them they would have a son in their old age, and they literally names him laughter (Isaac). So much joy they have from this inconceivable blessing, and suddenly God tells him: "GO SACRIFICE YOUR SON ON A MOUNTAIN". And he obeys. Abraham took his most treasured and only heir to his fortune and obeyed God. The amount of faith to listen when called to the most diffucult thing humanly imaginable is why Abraham was rewarded in the first place. This was a true test of faith, a foreshadowing of what was to come (Christ), and the beginning of salvation through faith. The faith of Abraham to obey and trust in God—to know that He will make it right, that He knows better, that He is Lord, that He wants what is best for us, and to trust in Him absolutely in spite of how dark and impossible anything else may seem. Abraham demonstrates this perfect faith.

3 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 the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. 4Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off. 5And Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.”

The two of them arrive at the spot and venture up leaving the servants behind. They continue up the mountain, Isaac carrying the wood (foreshadowing of Christ and the cross?) and Abraham carrying the knife and torch for the fire.

7But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!”And he said, “Here I am, my son.” Then he said, “Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb [or goat] for a burnt offering? 8And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” So the two of them went together.

I can picture this interaction in my head with my own and it almost brings me to tears thinking about it. I seldom cry, but this hits hard. Fathers will know what I mean. The pure innocent love and admiration for Dad, while he carries this unbelievably heavy burden.

9Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. 10And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 11But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” So he said, “Here I am.” 12And He said, “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.”

He passed the test. God wanted him to show his absolute faith and he did.

13Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son.

As verse 8 said, "God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” Isaac sees the absolute faith of his father and at the same time hears the voice of The Lord talking to his dad, and also seeing a glimpse of the fullness of faith and what it accomplishes. I wonder if the walk back down was awkward, or if all of this was overwhelming for Isaac. It must have been a jarring thing to experience.

RT: https://poa.st/objects/9880ff24-e655-4f6f-9f29-906a30d93d2c