1

A THEOLOGICAL INTERPRETATION

OF GENESIS 22

Stephen D. Campbell

Durham University

The narrative account in Genesis 22 of Abraham’s near sacrifice of

his son Isaac is one of the most (in)famous passages in all of the

Old Testament. Many consider this text to reflect the great faith of

Abraham; God’s deplorable demands of his followers; or an

etiological account of how this particular mountain receives its

name.1

But how may Genesis 22 be interpreted well? Since this

text presents us with a perfect example of the difficulty of

achieving the “correct” interpretation of a given text, interpreting

this text well may be the best for which the interpreter can hope. In

the pages that follow, I will attempt to present the reader with a

fresh interpretation of Genesis 22 that closely addends to the text,

moves beyond purely descriptive objectives, wrestles with the

1 For the view that this narrative bespeaks the faithfulness of

Abraham see, Walter Brueggemann, Genesis (Interpretation;

Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1982),187; R.W.L. Moberly, The

Theology of the Book of Genesis (Cambridge: Cambridge, 2009);

for the view of God’s actions as unequivocally deplorable see

Jenny Diski, After These Things (Little: Brown, 2004); and for as

study of this text as an etiology see, most notably, Hermann

Gunkel, Genesis (trans. by Mark E. Biddle; Macon: Mercer, 1997),

237–239.

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questions that the text itself raises, and is motivated by theological

concerns. This process must begin by placing this text within the

Abrahamic narrative of Genesis.

Abraham Prior to Gen 22

In order to understand Genesis 22, it is vital to understand the

narrative context within which it is placed.2 This process must take

into account the life of Abraham up to this point in Genesis

especially as it relates to his relationship with YHWH. Only after

this preparatory stage may this complex chapter be addressed.

In Genesis 12, God calls on Abraham (then named Abram)

to leave his family in Haran and go to a land that God will show him.

God also promises to bless Abraham and to create through him a

great nation. The remainder of Genesis 12–14 depicts a general

instability in Abraham’s life; although he becomes wealthy he never

finds permanent settlement in the land nor does he have a child to

succeed him, apparently because of the barrenness of Sarah’s womb.

In Genesis 15 God renews the covenant with Abraham,

promising to give the land of Canaan to his descendants, to greatly

bless him, and to make him into a great nation. Thus, the reader

again sees the three part promise of land, seed, and blessing. Yet,

2 Brevard S. Childs, Biblical Theology of the Old and New

Testaments (London: SCM, 1992), 326; Moberly, 184–189;

Bruggemann, 185.

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despite the renewed promise of YHWH, a son is yet to be born and

the land is yet to be secured.

In Genesis 16 Sarah, fearing that she will never provide

Abraham with an heir, gives her maid Hagar to Abraham as a wife.

After Hagar conceives, Sarah feels despised in her maid’s eyes

(16:5). This can only be because Hagar provided a child for

Abraham when Sarah could not. It is clear from the text that Sarah

is jealous for her own status in the family, and that she acts as she

does in order to protect the inheritance for any children that she

might provide for Abraham in the future.

In Gen 17:1–14 God provides Abraham with the sign of

circumcision and again confirms his covenant promises, promising

to provide Abraham with an heir through Sarah. Indeed, God says,

“I will establish my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to

you at this time next year” (17:21). This text is important precisely

because of God’s specificity regarding the progeny. It would

otherwise be easy for Abraham to assume (and he does assume) that

Ishmael can serve as the promised heir. However, in these verses

God explicates that the promised heir must come from the womb of

Sarah, perhaps so that the heir would be provided through

supernatural means. Genesis 20 seems to support this understanding.

Abraham and Sarah journey southward to escape a famine and again

(see also 12:10–20) God prevents Sarah from having sexual contact

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with a man other than Abraham. This event indicates that God wants

to ensure that the promised child is without indubitably the

biological child of Abraham and Sarah. Taking these considerations

into account, the heir of Abraham will be born when God allows the

heir to be born.

In Genesis 21 three seminal events in the life of Abraham

take place. Together these three events harken back to the covenant

promises of land, seed, and blessing. First, the son whom YHWH

had promised is finally born. Second, after Isaac is weaned, Sarah,

seeing that her son is in danger of having to share his inheritance

with Ishmael, sends Hagar and her son away. This move protected

the family inheritance for Isaac, the chosen inheritor of Abraham.3

Third, Abraham makes a covenant with Abimelech, the Philistine,

to acquire a well at Beersheba. This covenant secures Abraham’s

place in Canaan. Water — as much then as today — is one of the

most important resources for life and civil stability. With this

covenant Abraham secures his descendants’ permanency in the

region.

These three events depict Abraham as having received a

taste of what God had promised. Moreover, these events created

3 Kristine Henriksen Garroway, Children in the Ancient Near

Eastern Household (Explorations in Ancient Near Eastern

Civilization 3; ed. by Grant Frame, Brent A. Strawn, and Niek

Veldhuis; Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns, 2014), 162–165.

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stability for Abraham and his descendants. However, they are

presented in a manner that points to human, rather than divine,

agency. Abraham and Sarah employ human means to secure their

son’s future just as they did when Abraham took Hagar as a wife in

order to have an heir. They are once again presented in this chapter

as trying to make God’s promises come to pass on their own terms.

Abraham is idolatrous of these promises. Thus, the reader can

understand the extreme nature of the Gen 22:1.

Vss. 1–2

Thus, the reader arrives at Genesis 22. The chapter simply begins by

disclosing that the events that follow occurred after these things.4

This phrase indicates that the events that follow are to be understood

as coming after the events that precede by an undisclosed portion of

time (cf. Gen 22:20; 39:7; 40:1). This phrase, however, serves the

additional function of indicating that the events that follow are

closely connected in some way to the events that precede.5 Thus,

having a thorough understanding of this chapter’s context within the

life of Abraham is vital.

4 Author’s own translations throughout. The relevant text of

Genesis 22 will appear in bold type face.

5 Claus Westermann, Genesis 12–36: A Commentary (Trans. by

John J. Scullion; London: SPCK, 1986), 356.

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And so, after the birth of the promised heir6 and the securing

of the heir’s inheritance (possessions and land) God tested

Abraham. The reader, like Abraham, learns that this test will be

trying. The test consists of merely one command: “Take now your

son, your only son whom you love, Isaac, and go with him to the

land of Moriah and sacrifice him there as a whole burnt offering

upon one of the mountains that I will disclose to you.” Thus the

task is given. And the stage is set for one of the most dramatic events

in the patriarchal narratives.

With regard to the location of Moriah very little is known.7

The text of 2 Chron 3:1 states that Solomon built the Temple upon

a mountain called Moriah. Although it is possible that this is the

same mountain that is envisaged here — an argument that has been

made by many — it is best not to identify the mountain with any

known mountain, for this would detract from an understanding of

the text that arises from reading it on its own terms. What is

important in the text is the naming of the mountain and the phrase

that results (vs. 14). Many of these concerns, if present in original

versions of this account, have been moved into the background.8 The

6 There is no mention of Isaac being a child of promise. However,

due to the wider context it is necessary to understand Isaac in these

terms Gerhard von Rad. Genesis (3d. ed. Old Testament Library;

London: SCM, 1972), 44.

7 Westermann, 357.

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truth is that we do not know where this mountain is and it is

evidently not important to the understanding of the text or else an

editor would have provided the reader with the information.

(Moberly thinks I need to take this naming more seriously).

Excursus 1: God Tested Abraham

How is the reader to understand the plain statement of verse 1? To

the modern reader, this statement of God testing Abraham is

difficult enough on its own terms. This difficulty often turns to

outrage over the content of the test. How can a loving God command

Abraham to kill his own son? And although Abraham makes no

protest, God understands the difficulty of what he is commanding.

In fact, the language of the text indicates that God is deliberately

making obedience difficult for Abraham: “take now your son, your

only son whom you love, Isaac.” However, God’s tests always

have obedience as their objective.9

It is perhaps best to understand this difficult text from two

perspectives, namely that of the narrator/reader (world behind/in

front of the text) and that of Abraham (world within the text). Each

perspective brings out different realities of the narrative.

8 Von Rad, 38.

9 Westermann, 356.

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On one hand, the reader’s experience of this event is quite

different than that of Abraham’s. The narrator clues the reader in

from the beginning that God tested Abraham. As a result of this

privileged information, the reader knows that God is up to

something that is unknown to Abraham. The reader may shutter at

the command of God, but as von Rad and Childs have pointed out,

the reader should know from the outset that Isaac will not ultimately

be sacrificed.10

On the other hand, Abraham has an entirely different

experience within the world of the narrative. He does not know the

end from the beginning. He is not informed that this is a test that he

can pass or fail. However, despite this ignorance, he obeys without

protest. There is no question that this was a difficult test for the

patriarch. As Davidson has pointed out, “When he set out from

Harran, Abraham had to leave his own country and kinsman (12:1)

and thus break his ties with the past; now he is asked to renounce his

son and thus break his ties with the future”.11

Both of these claims, that the reader/narrator knows that this

is a test and that Abraham is not disturbed by the command to

sacrifice his son, indicate that this narrative is not about child

10 Von Rad, 239; Childs, 327)

11 Robert Davidson, Genesis 12–50 (The Cambridge Bible

Commentary; ed. by P.R. Ackroyd, A.R.C. Leaney, and J.W.

Packer; Cambridge: Cambridge, 1979), 94.

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sacrifice. This tale is not about the scandal, prohibition, or history

of child sacrifice in Israel.12 The irony, of course, is that this

narrative is precisely about child sacrifice. However, by informing

the reader that this is a test and keeping Abraham silent, the narrator

uses a tale of child sacrifice to accomplish something entirely

different.

Vss. 3–8

So Abraham sets out in obedience to God. The narrator moves

directly from cause to effect. God commands, and Abraham obeys.

As Levenson has pointed out, “it surely and abundantly

demonstrates his putting obedience to God ahead of every possible

competitor” including the life of Isaac.13 Furthermore, Abraham

does not negotiate with God nor does he seem to include Sarah in

his plans. God commands, so Abraham rose early in the

morning to obey that command and goes to the place to which

God had told him.

12 The view that Gen 22 is scandalous is represented well by

Steven Satlzman, A Small Glimmer of Light: Reflections on the

Book of Genesis (Hoboken: Ktav, 1996); the view that this account

is about the prohibition of child sacrifice is represented well in

Garroway, 187; and the view that Gen 22 is somehow related to

the cultic history of Israel is represented well Gunkel; and

Westermann, 335.

13 Jon D. Levenson, The Death and Resurrection of the Beloved

Son: Transformation of Child Sacrifice in Judaism and

Christianity (New Haven: Yale, 1995), 126.

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The travelers finally arrive at the proper mountain on the

third day. The text simply says that he saw the place from a

distance, then Abraham said to his lads, “You remain here with

the donkey and I and the lad will go up there and we will

worship then we will return here to you.” Thus, the text indicates

that Abraham and Isaac set out immediately, without delay, up the

mountain.

Thus, they ascend the mountain; Abraham carries the fire,

and Isaac carries the wood. But Isaac notices that something is

missing. Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and he said, “My

father, behold the fire and the wood, but where is the sheep for

the burnt offering?” to which the Abraham replies, “My son, God

will provide for himself the sheep for the burnt offering.” The

answer seems to be satisfactory to Isaac because the two of them

walk united up the mountain.

Although Abraham’s answer seems to assuage Isaac’s

concerns, it indicates that Isaac does not yet understand what is

happening, for if Isaac knew of God’s command to his father he

would not have asked about the sheep. This short dialogue between

Abraham and Isaac also raises the challenge of whether Abraham’s

reply was motivated by faith or deception. On the one hand,

Abraham’s later binding of Isaac may indicate that Isaac was

struggling against Abraham, and thus deceiving Isaac here. On the

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other hand, God does provide a ram for the offering. In fact, the

theme of Abraham’s faith and God’s provision have a strong

presence in this narrative, so it is possible that Abraham spoke to

Isaac out of faith, expecting a sheep to be provided.

This in turn speaks volumes regarding the relationship

between the two main characters of this passage, namely God and

Abraham. Up to this point, the reader may think it is justified to

charge God with abuse and injustice. Abraham, however,

destabilizes this charge by obeying without protest and by trusting

God explicitly. Abraham ascends the mountain in quiet obedience

trusting that he and Isaac will return from the mountain together.

Vss. 9–14

Many commenters have noted the protracted journey to the

mountain (six verses).14 But once Abraham and Isaac reach the peak

of the mountain, the narrative speeds up significantly; within two

verses Abraham builds the alter, arranges the wood, binds Isaac,

places him upon the altar, takes the knife, and lifts his hands to slay

him. This rapid progression builds immense tension in the narrative;

it heightens the emotions in the text, and the reader is drawn into the

drama of this event, aghast at the thought that Abraham might slay

Isaac.

14 Gunkel, 234–235; von Rad, 240–241.

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However, just when the death of Isaac seems most certain,

the messenger of the YHWH reveals himself and stays the hand of

Abraham by calling from heaven and says, “Do not stretch out

your hand against the boy and do not do anything to him.” Thus

the Lord intervened at the opportune time. Abraham responds

immediately to the heavenly directive. It becomes clear that

Abraham had a deep confidence in having understood the

messenger. It might have been possible to claim that Abraham had

misunderstood God in vs. 1, if it were not for the messenger next

saying, “for now I know that you are a fearer of God since you

have not withheld your son, your only son from me.” Clearly

Abraham had correctly understood the divine directive in vs. 1. God

had clearly intended Abraham to ascend the mountain with the

purpose of performing a child sacrifice.

This last statement by the messenger is both a praise of

Abraham’s obedience as well as a disclosure to Abraham of the true

intent of this episode. Abraham has finally learned that this was a

test. He has learned too that he has passed the test.

As soon as the messenger stops speaking, Abraham raised

his eyes and looked, and behold, a ram was behind him caught

in a thicket. Without being given further instruction, Abraham

understood there to be a connection between the instruction of the

messenger and the provision of the ram, so he offered up the ram

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as a whole burnt offering instead of his son. A sacrifice had to be

made.15

For this reason, Abraham called the name of that place,

YHWH-Will-Provide. Many have argued that this is the original

climax and purpose of this narrative in its ancient form, while others

have chosen to downplay this element of the story.16 But Levenson

is certainly correct that if this narrative is an etiology of anything it

is an etiology of a saying, for the narrator next makes a remarkable

move.17 He turns the story directly onto his reader and notes that this

event in the life of Abraham is the reason it is said to this day, “On

the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.” The narrator

provides for his reader the basis for a statement that was evidently

common in the life of Israel at that time. But more than that, the

narrator tells the reader that this story is not about child sacrifice,

but about the nature and character of God as a provider. This

narrative comment tells the reader that the ‘moral’ of this story is

15 Westermann, 362.

16 For the opposing views see, on the one hand, Westermann, 364;

von Rad, 38; and Gunkel, 236; and on the other hand, Robert Alter,

Genesis: Translation and Commentary (London: W.W. Norton,

1996); Phyllis Tribble, “The Sacrifice of Sarah” in “Not in

Heaven”: Coherence and Complexity in Biblical Narrative (ed. by

J. P. Rosenblatt and J. C. Sitterson; Indianapolis: Indiana, 1991):

170–191.

17 Levenson, 122.

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more than God’s provision, but it is certainly not less than God’s

provision.

Excursus 2: Abraham fears God

The narrative climax has come to an end and finds its resolution in

dialogue. After Abraham has demonstrated obedience to the

command of YHWH, the messenger of YHWH gives a single reason

for allowing Isaac to live, namely that Abraham has shown that he

fears God.

Despite the language of the text (lit., now I know that you

are a fearer of God), however, it is best not to enter into fruitless

questions of divine omniscience, for it is impossible to use human

language to depict the divine without anthropomorphizing the

ineffable qualities of God. Indeed, God’s knowledge of Abraham’s

fear of YHWH is not the primary focus of the text. Instead, the

messenger of YHWH is principally interested in the fact that

Abraham was willing to obey the command. Presumably,

undemonstrated fear is not what God desires. The test was whether

Abraham would demonstrate his fear of God.

The fact that Abraham passed the test is evident from the

messenger’s statement. In James 2:18–24, this fact is taken up by

the author to support his claim that faith and works are integrally

related. Speaking of the believer’s justification before human

onlookers, James uses Abraham’s act of obedience as his first

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illustration. Speaking of Abraham he says that “his faith was

working with his works and by his works his faith was completed.”

James understands this test as both requiring faith (faith is the NT

counterpart to the fear of God in the OT) and perfecting faith. In

other words, James sees faith and works as having a dialogical

relationship whereby faith leads to works which then confirm and

strengthen faith.

Excursus 3: YHWH-Will-Provide

With regard to the naming of the mountain, what is the significance

of this event? Many interpreters have taken for granted Gunkel’s

conclusion that this event is central to the narrative. As Gunkel

noted, the name that Abraham gives to the mountain is not a real

name but rather a subject/verb clause, and he theorized that this

narrative originally called the name of the place Jeruel for הירא +

היםאל . According to Gunkel, this account of Abraham was originally

intended to tell of the foundation of the cultic site at Jeruel. Von Rad

later argued that although this narrative contains strong elements

pertaining to tradition history as Gunkel had theorized, the canonical

text indicates that this element of the story had faded into the

background and lost its significance.18 Von Rad is correct, but the

18 Von Rad, 38.

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interpreter must not fail to recognize the importance of this naming

ceremony within the greater context of Abraham’s life.

As Abraham and Isaac were ascending the mountain

Abraham said with faith “God will provide for himself (ִיְרֶאה־ּלֹו)

the lamb for the whole burnt offering.”19 And once God did

provide an animal for the sacrifice, Abraham called the place

YHWH-Will-Provide (ְיהָוה ִיְרֶאה).20 This is immediately followed

by an editorial explanation that this event is the source of the phrase

“on the mountain of YHWH it will be provided (ֵיָרֶאה).”21 With

this narrative move, the reader is informed that this event was not

for Abraham’s benefit alone. Rather, this event speaks of the

character of God and has implications for each Israelite’s

relationship with him. Not only has the narrator demonstrated that

God provided for Abraham, but he has recontextualized this event

to argue for God’s providential care for all of Abraham’s

descendants.22

19 That this is likely a Qal, imperfect, 3rd masculine singular from

BDB indicates that this .ל־ with a direct object marked with ָרָאה

construction may mean “provide.” BDB, “219 ”ָרָאה.

20 As with vs. 8, this is a Qal, imperfect, 3rd masculine singular

from ָרָאה. Thus, “YHWH will see.” Context, moreover, indicates

that this refers to God seeing a need and providing. BDB, “ָרָאה”

219; Alter, 105).

21 This is most likely a Niphal imperfect 3rd masculine singular

from ָרָאה. Thus, “On the mountain of the Lord he will be seen,” or,

“On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”

17

Similarly, the author of Hebrews 11 understands Abraham’s

actions in the land of Moriah to be instructive for Christians. In Heb

11:19, the author argues that Abraham’s faith was rooted in his

belief that God could raise Isaac from the dead. Where might

Abraham have gotten this idea of resurrection? Romans 4:19

indicates a major figurative resurrection which had already taken

place in the life of Abraham, namely the birth of a son despite the

deadness (age related, νέκρωσις instead of στεῖρα) of Sarah’s womb.

There is no doubt that Abraham experienced firsthand the life giving

power of God.

In a similar fashion, God protected Hagar and the unborn

Ishmael in the wilderness when Hagar fled from Sarah (Genesis 16).

Hagar signifies the importance of this event by naming the place

where she sees the messenger of YHWH. First, in Gen 16:13 Hagar

calls the name of YHWH, You are a god of seeing (ֳרִאי).23 Then

Hagar calls the well where the messenger of YHWH found her the

Well of the Living One who sees me (ֹרִאי).24 Hagar then returns

home to Abraham as the messenger commanded.

22 S.R. Driver, The Book of Genesis (ed. by Walter Lock; London:

Methuen & Co., 1954, 219.

23 See, ֳרִאי, DCH vol. 7.

24 See, ְבֵאר ַלַחי ֹרִאי, DCH vol. 2.

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Both Hagar’s naming of the well and Abraham’s naming of

the mountain utilize the Hebrew root הרא (to see). In both cases,

Hagar and Abraham see the messenger of YHWH and are provided

for; both events develop an ambiguous relationship between

“vision” and “provision.” Moreover, both events reflect the belief

that God cares for his people and is moved by love to provide for

them; God sees the needs of his people and provides for their needs.

Therefore, once the greater context of the life of Abraham has been

considered, it is not unwarranted to conclude that he might indeed

have had the faith which the author of Hebrews ascribes to him.

Vss. 15–19

After the messenger of YHWH intervenes to preserve the life of

Isaac, he appears a second time. Whether or not these verses were

original is beyond the purview of this essay, but what is relevant is

the theological depth of these verses as well as their coherency to

the rest of Abraham’s life.

This section simply begins by stating that the messenger of

YHWH called to Abraham a second time from heaven. Within

the world of the text, the angel speaks once Abraham has offered up

the ram that was provided for the burnt offering. The picture

presented to the reader is that Abraham offers up the ram to YHWH,

who is moved to speak once again to Abraham. What he says this

time, however, is surprisingly old news to Abraham. God once again

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reiterates the promises that he has been making to Abraham since

Genesis 12. He once again promises to bless Abraham, to make him

into a great multitude, and to give his descendants a land. These are

the same promises that God had made before. On the one hand,

nothing has changed; the promises are the same. On the other hand,

everything has changed; Abraham now has experienced the reality

that God must bring these promises to pass because God’s character

demands it.

This second dialogue of the messenger is similar in content

to all of the previous covenant promises made by God to Abraham

(Gen 12:1–3, 15:12–21, 17:1–8); it contains the elements of land,

seed, and blessing. However, this reaffirmation of these covenant

promises crystalize their inviolable nature. This is the only

reiteration of the covenant where God swears by his own name; this

strengthens the covenant promise beyond any previous stage in

Abraham’s life.25 Indeed, the fact that these promises are reiterated

once again presents Abraham with two truths regarding the

promises.

On the one hand, Abraham is powerless to make these

promises come to pass. This truth brings into sharper focus the

actions of Abraham and Sarah in Genesis 21 by which they

25 John H. Walton, Genesis (The NIV Application Commentary;

ed. by Terry Muck; Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2001), 511–512.

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attempted to secure the land and the blessing for Isaac the promised

son. Against that canvas, the test of 22:1 informs Abraham that God

can take Isaac away with a single command.

On the other hand, God’s intervention says that he must

fulfill his promises. As von Rad argued, the most scandalous aspect

of this narrative is not that God commanded child sacrifice, but that

God’s character is at stake.26 God puts his own character on the line

and demonstrates that he must preserve the life of the promised son.

The promises which God made to Abraham in Genesis 12 are now

more, not less, secure than ever. It has been demonstrated through

this test that Abraham is unable to bring the promises to completion,

and that God is unable to revoke his promises. Abraham is able to

descend the mountain with a stronger faith in the promises of God

than when he ascended.

Vss. 20–24

After this event, Abraham hears that his extended family has

significantly grown in size. Abraham’s family, however, remains

small and seemingly insignificant. His family is not now as

numerous as the stars in heaven or as the sand on the seashore (15:5;

22:17). Thus, these five verses indicate that the promises of God,

although certain, may not come about overnight; even though

26 Von Rad, 244; Childs, 334.

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Abraham descended the mountain with greater certainty in the

promises of God, he must continue to wait.

Additionally, these verses serve to introduce the reader to

this extended portion of Abraham’s family which will appear in the

narrative of chapter 24 when Rebekah (22:23; 24:15) is choses as

the wife for Isaac. The narrator then, introduces the reader to the

next matriarch in the line who will replace Sarah who dies in chapter

23.

Abraham after this event

This event, however, is not the end of Abraham’s life. It has already

been stated that one of the narrative purposes of the genealogical

account of vss. 20–24 is to introduce the reader to Rebekah who will

later become the bride of Isaac. This genealogy in fact functions as

the bridge from God’s test of Abraham to the protracted account of

Abraham’s servant going to the city of Nahor to choose a wife for

Isaac from Abraham’s relatives.

However, in between the genealogy which concludes

chapter 22 and the journey of the servant to find a wife for Isaac is

the death of Sarah and the purchase of the burial cave at Machpelah.

This chapter appears to be an aside to the narrative flow from Gen

22:24 to Gen 24:1. However, there is no question that the events of

this chapter are important to the larger narrative of Genesis; not only

is Sarah buried in this cave but also Abraham, Isaac, Rebekah,

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Jacob, and Leah (Gen 25:9; 49:31; 50:13). Thus, the cave at

Machpelah serves not only a practical purpose, but becomes one

more inheritance for the generations that follow.

Synthesis

Now that the parts have been interpreted within their context and

key principles have been explored, it is time to ask the questions that

really matters, “so what?” What is the relevance of this narrative for

the contemporary Christian? What does this narrative demonstrate

about the character of God and the believer’s relationship with him?

For those within the believing community, these are the questions

that really matter. Based on the interpretation of the text above, there

are at least three truths that show this text to be enduringly relevant

for believers.

First, YHWH is a God who allows his servants to experience

trials. Just as God allowed his own son to experience intense trials

in the Garden of Gethsemane which ultimately led down a “road out

into Godforsakenness.”27 The road, however, does not end in

Godforsakenness. No, the believer, when facing the trials of this life

shares the company of all believers — and God’s own son Jesus —

who have faced trials before. Second, not only does this narrative

speak of the reality of trials, but it demonstrates, through the

27 Von Rad, 244; see also Moberly, 198–199.

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example of Abraham, the nature of true faith. Abraham

demonstrated that he had faith as he lived in obedience to God

through the trials of the mountain. The faith that Abraham

demonstrated is exemplary precisely because of the challenges that

he faced. But third, this narrative also displays —perhaps

surprisingly to the modern reader — the faithfulness of God, for this

episode shows that God’s choice of Abraham is not arbitrary.28 God

chose Abraham and his descendants after him. God’s command

required faith, but God not only provided Abraham with the faith

that he needed to ascend the mountain, but provided him with

reassurance that enabled Abraham to descend the mountain with

greater faith. For Jews, this narrative results in greater confidence in

the promises of God. The fact that God chose Israel and allowed

Isaac to live causes Israel to have full assurance in the promises of

God.29 This is no less true of Christians either, for we too may say

that we have been redeemed by the blood of another; we have been

chosen in the beloved; we are of the seed of Abraham. And although

we may be waiting for God’s promises to come to pass, all of God’s

promises are “yes” in Christ Jesus (2 Cor 1:20).

28 Levenson, 139.

29 Levenson, 140.

24

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