The Silent Sacrifice: Isaac and the Altar on Mount Moriah
The account of Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac (Genesis 22:1-19) is one of the most powerful and challenging narratives in scripture. It is the ultimate test of faith, demonstrating the absolute priority of obedience to God over even the most cherished divine promise.
1. The Divine Command: The Trial of Obedience (Genesis 22:1-3)
After decades of waiting, Abraham had finally received his promised son, Isaac, through whom the covenant was to be fulfilled. God’s command to Abraham was therefore the greatest trial imaginable, directly challenging the means by which the promise was to continue:
“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.”
— Genesis 22:2 (KJV)
Abraham’s response was immediate and silent obedience. He rose early the next morning, saddled his ass, and took the necessary supplies, setting out without debate or delay. This instant obedience is the key demonstration of his faith.
2. The Journey: Trust Under Question (Genesis 22:4-8)
The three-day journey to Mount Moriah amplified the emotional weight of the task. On the third day, the location was visible. Abraham left the servants behind, telling them:
“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.” (Genesis 22:5, KJV).
This phrase, “and come again to you,” is a powerful testament to Abraham’s unwavering belief that God would either prevent the sacrifice or raise Isaac from the dead, fulfilling the promise regardless of the physical act.
When Isaac, carrying the wood for his own sacrifice, questioned his father about the missing lamb, Abraham offered a profound declaration of faith:
“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? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.”
— Genesis 22:7-8 (KJV)
3. The Intervention: The Substitute and the Oath (Genesis 22:9-14)
Upon reaching the place, Abraham built the altar, bound Isaac, and laid him upon the wood. Just as he lifted the knife, the angel of the LORD intervened, preventing the sacrifice:
“And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. 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.” (Genesis 22:11-12, KJV).
The test was passed. The requirement was not the death of the son, but the willingness to obey and the demonstration of God’s priority in Abraham’s heart.
The Prophetic Hotspot: Jehovah-jireh
Abraham then saw a ram caught in a nearby thicket, which he offered instead of his son. Abraham called the name of the place Jehovah-jireh (or, “The LORD will see, or provide”):
“And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.”
— Genesis 22:14 (KJV)
This entire event is a foundational Prophetic Hotspot, foreshadowing God’s ultimate sacrifice of His own “only begotten Son” on a mountain in the same region (Jerusalem). The substitute ram foreshadowed Christ, the Lamb of God provided by the Father.
The Return Question: The Confidence of God’s Provision
The Lord’s Return will judge the Earth based on the faithfulness of the covenant. How does Abraham’s demonstrated willingness to surrender the dearest thing in his life, coupled with his absolute faith that God would still “come again” and provide the “lamb” in the eleventh hour, serve as the ultimate model for the faithful to hold fast to the divine promise, knowing that the returning Lord is the fulfillment of “Jehovah-jireh”?
The story of Isaac’s binding provides a profound answer to The Return Question: absolute obedience is the highest form of faith. Abraham demonstrated that genuine trust does not require seeing the provision beforehand, only knowing the character of the Provider. Those awaiting TheLordsReturn.com must hold fast to the promise, assured that when the test is complete, the Lord will have already provided the perfect Lamb to bring about the eternal covenant and resurrection.