Genesis 22—23: Ultimate Faith

Warming Up to God

Tell God about any pain you are suffering right now. Remember that James says trials develop perseverance. Ask God to purify your character while you endure.

• Tired. Mostly because I stayed up too late preparing the house for guests and thinking about what to wear to the Renaissance Festival tomorrow. Not smart, I know, but it used to be that I would have the time to do that earlier in the evening. But kids...whom I love dearly...but they suck up all the time that I used to have.
• Eyes hurt. I don't know why, but they are red, stinging, and gunk producing.
• Period. I'm a lady. Whoa, I'm a lady. 
• Issues with sister. I am having difficulty forgiving my sister. She and her husband are rather vain and mainly for this reason, I don't want to stay in her home again. They make me uncomfortable and I just never know when something I say or do is going to set off my over sensitive sister.
• Loving isn't always easy, in fact, loving the right way all the time is never easy. I know that my trials are small compared to what others face, and my greatest fear is what God is going to "do to me" to help me grow. But in this, my biggest trial, help me love my sister. No matter what. She is a lost soul, bound for hell. My issues with her seem small compared to that.

Discovering the Word

In God's command to Abraham, what phrases emphasize the magnitude and painfulness of this sacrifice (22:1-2)?

• "your only son"
• "whom you love"

What do the details of the narrative reveal about Abraham's response to this incredibly difficult situation (22:3-10)?

• He went immediately and he expected that his son would return with him. He went ahead with the terrible deed because he believed that God would protect his son.

How does God's provision for Abraham in 22:13-14 fulfill the confidence he expressed earlier (22:5, 8)?

• Again, Abraham knew that God would protect his son because God promised that Isaac would be his heir, so I am sure that he was relieved when God provided the sacrifice, but not surprised. 

When Abraham decides to bury Sarah among the Hittites, how do they react to his first request (23:1-6)?

• They want Abraham to bury Sarah in their tombs.

What steps does Abraham go through to observe the laws of the land (23:7-16)?

• Abraham wants to build his own tombs and he wants to own the land in which the tombs sit. So even when the land is offered up to him, he insists on paying the full price.

At the time of Sarah's death, she and Abraham had not seen the fulfillment of most of God's promises. How was her burial a silent testimony to their future fulfillment (23:17-19)?

• Abraham owned a little land, but his descendants would (or perhaps could) own it all.

Applying the Word

In 22:12 the Lord says, "Now I know that you fear God because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son." Based on Abraham's example, what do you think it means to fear God?

• Abraham put nothing before God. God came first.

Have you ever faced a situation in which obedience to God required you to give up someone or something you loved? Explain.

• I suppose theater could fall into this category. The theater is generally so Anti-God. It was incredibly difficult to thrive as a Christian there.

Responding in Prayer

Praise God for this foreshadowing of his ultimate act of sacrifice—the willful surrender of his Son's life to give us forgiveness and salvation.

• Thank you. I know we are all screwed without Jesus.