May 8, 2025

DAILY BIBLE READING

Genesis 22 – The Sacrifice of Isaac

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Bible Text – Genesis 22 (KJV)

1 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.
2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.
3 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.
4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.
5 And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.
6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.
7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?
8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.
9 And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.
10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.
11 And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.
12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.
13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.
14 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.
15 And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,
16 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:
17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;
18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
19 So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba.
20 And it came to pass after these things, that it was told Abraham, saying, Behold, Milcah, she hath also born children unto thy brother Nahor;
21 Huz his firstborn, and Buz his brother, and Kemuel the father of Aram,
22 And Chesed, and Hazo, and Pildash, and Jidlaph, and Bethuel.
23 And Bethuel begat Rebekah: these eight Milcah did bear to Nahor, Abraham’s brother.
24 And his concubine, whose name was Reumah, she bare also Tebah, and Gaham, and Thahash, and Maachah.

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Introduction

Genesis 22 relates one of the most dramatic and theologically profound passages in Scripture. God tests Abraham’s faith by commanding him to sacrifice his beloved son Isaac. This narrative reveals deep truths about obedience, faith, and God’s provision.

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Commentary

Section 1: God’s Test (vv. 1–2)
God places Abraham in the ultimate trial of faith, calling obedience above emotion or human understanding.

Section 2: Abraham’s Obedience (vv. 3–8)
Without hesitation, Abraham prepares for the journey. The poignant dialogue between Isaac and his father highlights mutual trust and submission.

Section 3: The Sacrifice (vv. 9–10)
Abraham binds Isaac and raises the knife—his absolute trust in God’s command is on full display.

Section 4: Divine Intervention (vv. 11–13)
At the pivotal moment, God intervenes. Isaac is spared, and a ram provided serves as the burnt offering instead.

Section 5: Covenant Renewal (vv. 15–18)
For Abraham’s obedience, God reaffirms and expands His promise: descendants as numerous as stars and universal blessing through his line.

Section 6: Return and Genealogy (vv. 19–24)
Abraham reunites with his servants at Beersheba, and the chapter closes with a genealogy introducing Rebekah, Isaac’s future wife.

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Summary

Genesis 22 showcases Abraham’s unwavering obedience and God’s faithfulness under trial. The near-sacrifice of Isaac foreshadows the ultimate provision of Christ. Abraham emerges as the exemplar of faith that endures even the greatest test.

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Message for Today

• Testing Refines Faith: God’s trials are meant to strengthen, not destroy, our trust in Him.

• Obedience Over Understanding: True faith obeys even when God’s purposes transcend our comprehension.

• God Provides: Like the ram in the thicket (v. 13), He supplies what we need at the critical moment.

• “The Lord Will Provide” (v. 8): In our times of greatest sacrifice, remember God’s provision and faithfulness.

Source: https://fulfilleddesire.net/8-05-2025-genesis-chapter-22-believe-his-prophets/