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
The binding of Isaac
Fear and Trembling by Soren Kierkegaard
“Here I am Lord” - sing that this Sunday
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?
Opening music: Misirlou, One Man 90 Instruments by Joe Penna/MysteryGuitarMan at MIM
Closing Song by Bryan Odeen