CHAPTER 22
. OFFERING
ISAAC.
1. God did tempt Abraham—not
incite to sin (James 1:13), but
try, prove—give occasion for the development of his faith (James 1:13).
and he said, . . . Here I
am—ready at a moment's warning for God's service.
2. Take now thy son, c.—Every
circumstance mentioned was calculated to give a deeper stab to the
parental bosom. To lose his only son, and by an act of his own hand,
too!—what a host of conflicting feelings must the order have
raised! But he heard and obeyed without a murmur (Galatians 1:16
Luke 14:26).
3. Abraham rose . . . early,
&c.—That there might be no appearance of delay or reluctance on
his part, he made every preparation for the sacrifice before setting
out—the materials, the knife, and the servants to convey them. From
Beer-sheba to Moriah, a journey of two days, he had the painful
secret pent up in his bosom. So distant a place must have been chosen
for some important reason. It is generally thought that this was one
the hills of Jerusalem, on which the Great Sacrifice was afterwards
offered.
4. on the third day Abraham lifted
up his eyes, c.—Leaving the servants at the foot [], the father and son ascended the hill, the one bearing the
knife, and the other the wood for consuming the sacrifice []. But there was no victim and to the question so naturally
put by Isaac [Genesis 22:7], Abraham
contented himself by replying, "My son, God will provide himself
a lamb for a burnt offering." It has been supposed that the
design of this extraordinary transaction was to show him, by action
instead of words, the way in which all the families of the earth
should be blessed; and that in his answer to Isaac, he anticipated
some substitution. It is more likely that his words were spoken
evasively to his son in ignorance of the issue, yet in unbounded
confidence that that son, though sacrificed, would, in some
miraculous way, be restored (Genesis 22:7).
9. Abraham built an altar,
c.—Had not the patriarch been sustained by the full consciousness
of acting in obedience to God's will, the effort would have been too
great for human endurance and had not Isaac, then upwards of twenty
years of age displayed equal faith in submitting, this great trial
could not have gone through.
11, 12. the angel . . . called,
c.—The sacrifice was virtually offered—the intention, the purpose
to do it, was shown in all sincerity and fulness. The Omniscient
witness likewise declared His acceptance in the highest terms of
approval and the apostle speaks of it as actually made (Hebrews 11:17;
James 2:21).
13-19. Abraham lifted up his eyes .
. . and behold . . . a ram, &c.—No method was more
admirably calculated to give the patriarch a distinct idea of the
purpose of grace than this scenic representation: and hence our
Lord's allusion to it (John 8:56).
CHAPTER 22
. OFFERING ISAAC.
1. God did tempt Abraham—not incite to sin (James 1:13), but try, prove—give occasion for the development of his faith (James 1:13).
and he said, . . . Here I am—ready at a moment's warning for God's service.
2. Take now thy son, c.—Every circumstance mentioned was calculated to give a deeper stab to the parental bosom. To lose his only son, and by an act of his own hand, too!—what a host of conflicting feelings must the order have raised! But he heard and obeyed without a murmur (Galatians 1:16 Luke 14:26).
3. Abraham rose . . . early, &c.—That there might be no appearance of delay or reluctance on his part, he made every preparation for the sacrifice before setting out—the materials, the knife, and the servants to convey them. From Beer-sheba to Moriah, a journey of two days, he had the painful secret pent up in his bosom. So distant a place must have been chosen for some important reason. It is generally thought that this was one the hills of Jerusalem, on which the Great Sacrifice was afterwards offered.
4. on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, c.—Leaving the servants at the foot [], the father and son ascended the hill, the one bearing the knife, and the other the wood for consuming the sacrifice []. But there was no victim and to the question so naturally put by Isaac [Genesis 22:7], Abraham contented himself by replying, "My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering." It has been supposed that the design of this extraordinary transaction was to show him, by action instead of words, the way in which all the families of the earth should be blessed; and that in his answer to Isaac, he anticipated some substitution. It is more likely that his words were spoken evasively to his son in ignorance of the issue, yet in unbounded confidence that that son, though sacrificed, would, in some miraculous way, be restored (Genesis 22:7).
9. Abraham built an altar, c.—Had not the patriarch been sustained by the full consciousness of acting in obedience to God's will, the effort would have been too great for human endurance and had not Isaac, then upwards of twenty years of age displayed equal faith in submitting, this great trial could not have gone through.
11, 12. the angel . . . called, c.—The sacrifice was virtually offered—the intention, the purpose to do it, was shown in all sincerity and fulness. The Omniscient witness likewise declared His acceptance in the highest terms of approval and the apostle speaks of it as actually made (Hebrews 11:17; James 2:21).
13-19. Abraham lifted up his eyes . . . and behold . . . a ram, &c.—No method was more admirably calculated to give the patriarch a distinct idea of the purpose of grace than this scenic representation: and hence our Lord's allusion to it (John 8:56).