NL 402: Binding of Isaac - Genesis 21:1-3; 22:1-12

image: stained glass window at First Congregational Church of Crystal Lake, IL

September 19, 2021

Genesis 21:1-3; 22:1-14 

Initial Thoughts

Bible Study

  • Literary context

  • Abraham will be the father of nations whose descendants will outnumber the stars

  • Doesn’t have a baby (with Sarah) until very late in life

  • The name Isaac means “to laugh”

    • in response to the unexpected joy of childbirth

    • in response to Sarah’s doubting the “messengers” of God

  • The second son Abraham will sacrifice - and God will provide for

  • Kathryn Schifferdecker “There is a Yiddish folk tale that goes something like this: Why did God not send an angel to tell Abraham to sacrifice Isaac?Because God knew that no angel would take on such a task. Instead, the angels said, "If you want to command death, do it yourself.”

  • Parallels to Hagar and Ishmael

    • From verse 11 notes from The Hebrew Bible, by Robert Alter: “This is nearly identical with the calling-out to Hagar in 21:17. In fact, a whole configuration of parallels between the two stories is invoked. Each of Abraham’s sons is threatened with death in the wilderness, one in the presence of his mother, the other in the presence (and by the hand) of his father. In each case the angel intervenes at the critical moment, referring to the son fondly as ma’ar “lad.” At the center of the story, Abraham’s hand holds the knife, Hagar is enjoined to “hold her hand” (the literal meaning of the Hebrew) on the lad. In the end, each of the sons is promised to become progenitor of a great people, the threat to Abraham’s continuity having been averted.” (The Hebrew Bible, p 73)

  • Testing

    • v. 1 - Abraham is being tested

      • ancient and modern literature contains themes of testing:

      • Harry Potter and the Goblet of fire

      • Luke Skywalker in the Dagobah cave

      • Story of Job and Jonah

      • Labors of Hercules

      • Oedipus and the Sphinx

      • About any disney movie

    • How do we address issues of God testing us?

      • What does it mean to be tested by God and is this spiritually helpful or damaging?

      • “Now I know” - God has risked everything on Abraham and needs to know he is faithful

      • God is not omniscient- God does not know what Abraham will do

  • Sacrifice

    • Child sacrifice was part of other Ancient Near East traditions. Other Gods require child sacrifice- YAHWEH does not (see Lev. 18:20 and 20:2-5, Jer. 7:30-34, Ezekiel 20:31)

    • This is a story to explain the shift from human sacrifice to animal sacrifice

    • Carol Dempsey - connections between Isaac and Jesus

    • Clement of Alexandria made this connection and views Jesus as the new Isaac, but one whose sacrifice was carried through

      • both were “only sons”

      • Both carried the wood of their sacrifice (Isaac the firewood and Jesus the cross)

      • Theological focus is not on the death but on the resulting life: Isaac is spared, Jesus is raised

      • Ignores the historical context of sacrifice as well as the life and ministry of Jesus

    • Hebrews 11:17-19 - Abraham believed God could raise the dead

  • Obedience

    • Kierkegaard - three stages of faith development

      • Aesthetic - what feels good to me

      • Ethic - what is good for the community

      • Religious - what is good

      • Abraham has ascended to a higher level of faith

  • Faith

    • Are we willing to truth God  and place our future and our children’s future in God’s hands? How?

    • Many love the tune “Here I am Lord” when it calls us to go to seminary or help at a food pantry or be born again - but what about when God calls you to kill your child...that verse must have been left out of the song.

Thoughts and Questions

  • God does not demand child sacrifice

  • God does demand total devotion

    • What is total devotion to God? Love, grace and trust in God’s providence

  • What are we willing to sacrifice for God?

Year 4Eric FistlerGenesisComment