Genesis 22:1-19 = today’s text
 Genesis 22 provides one of reasons I believe the patriarchal
narratives are events that really occurred
 That they were not, as many scholars claim, made up by
some later writer creating a mythological history to justify
the existence of Israel
 Who makes up a “justifying” history in which all of the
forefathers and foremothers go against so many key values
and guidelines of their tribe/nation?
A Few Examples: Living against Torah values
#1
• Abram is married to his half-sister which is forbidden & leads to
excommunication in Lev. 18:9-11 and 20:17 (Renee last week)
• Sarah abuses and Abram sends away a slave wife with his child
– forbidden by Deut 21:14
• Jacob marries two sisters – forbidden Lev 18:18
• Jacob elevates a second wife above a first wife – forbidden Deut
24:3
• Jacob sets up stone pillars for worship (Gen 28:18,22; 35:14, 20 )
– forbidden Lev 26:1
A Few Examples: Living against Torah values
#2
• Judah has a child by his daughter-in-law – forbidden Lev. 18:15;
20:12
• Lot’s grandchildren are also Lot’s sons – incest – forbidden Lev
18:6
• Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – all 3 pre-empt the rights of their
firstborn son for a favorite son – forbidden - Deut 21:15-17
• TODAY – offering of Isaac to God/gods – forbidden in Lev. 18:21
and Deut 12:31; 18:10 and all following Jewish and Christian
history
Genesis 22:1-19 - as though you never heard
it before, and it is really happening
#1
1 After
these things God tested Abraham. He said to him,
"Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." 2 God said,
"Please,(Heb. - na)Take your son, your only son, Isaac, the
one you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him
there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I shall
show you." 3 So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled
his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his
son Isaac; he cut the wood for the burnt offering, and set out
and went to the place in the distance that God had shown
him.
Genesis 22:1-19 - as though you never heard
it before, and it is really happening #2
4
On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place far
away. 5 Then Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with
the donkey; the boy and I will go over there; we will worship,
and then we will come back to you." 6 Abraham took the
wood of the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac, and he
himself carried the fire and the knife. So the two of them
walked on together.
Genesis 22:1-19 - as though you never heard
it before, and it is really happening #3
7Isaac
said to his father Abraham, "Father!" And he said, "Here
I am, my son." He said, "The fire and the wood are here, but
where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" 8 Abraham said, "God
will provide the lamb for a burnt offering, my son." So the two
of them walked on together. 9 When they came to the place
that God had shown him, Abraham built an altar there and
laid the wood in order. He bound his son Isaac, and laid him
on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached
out his hand and took the knife to kill his son.
Genesis 22:1-19 - as though you never heard
it before, and it is really happening #4
11But
the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven, and
said, "Abraham, Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." 12 He
said, "Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him;
for now I know that you fear God, since you have not
withheld your son, your only son, from me." 13 And Abraham
looked up and saw a ram, caught in a thicket by its horns.
Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt
offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called that place
"The LORD will provide"; as it is said to this day, "On the
mount of the LORD it shall be provided."
Genesis 22:1-19 - as though you never heard
it before, and it is really happening #5
15
The angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from
heaven, 16 and said, "By myself I have sworn, says the LORD:
Because you have done this, and have not withheld your son, your
only son, 17 I will indeed bless you, and I will make your offspring
as numerous as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the
seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of their
enemies, 18 and by your offspring shall all the nations of the
earth gain blessing for themselves, because you have obeyed my
voice." 19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose
and went together to Beer-sheba; and Abraham lived at Beersheba.
WHO
ARE THE
VULNERABLE PERSONS
IN THIS ACCOUNT ?
SARAH – a very vulnerable person.
One of the uniformed, disregarded, lied to
• UNINFORMED?
• NOT EVEN CONSIDERED?
• DISREGARDED?
• LIED TO?
• Vulnerable to so much Pain!
Joy?!
ISAAC – unimaginably vulnerable #1
one of those
CAUGHT UP IN OTHER PEOPLE’S AGENDAS and CAUSES
- already his life was an experience of a very dominant mother
in his life;
-also one experiencing the “favored/gifted child” syndromes
-also leave guilt about how his older brother was treated and
abandoned because of him
- now fear for life?
- What kind of father is Abraham?
- What kind of God does his father follow?
ISAAC – unimaginably vulnerable #2
-may have been positively impacted with outcome of this
event
– joy at being alive.
- had to have been terrified and traumatized with the process,
nightmares for life?
- becomes a fairly passive “father of Israel” (rarely initiates)
SO VULNERABLE to SO MUCH PAIN and CONFUSION! JOY?!
Abraham: WHEN THE GOD WE TRUST SEEMS
TO MAKE NO SENSE IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES
- Do you love Abraham, or hate him, or just shake your head for this
“act of faith and faithfulness?”
- WHY WOULD HE DO IT?
- NOT BECAUSE HE DOES NOT LOVE HIS CHILD AS MUCH AS WE DO!
“take your son, your only son, Isaac, the one you love” - perhaps
more than many parents did, do or can (Genesis 22:1-2)
WHY WOULD ABRAHAM DO IT?
#1
• Why? Not because
- Other people around him are sacrificing their children
• Why? Not because
- Mindless Obedience nor Terrifying Fear of Arguing with
God (neither have been his way of relating to YHWH)
• The PAIN & VULNERABILITY must be excruciating! God is
taking the gift that has made all the risks worthwhile to Abraham.
WHY WOULD ABRAHAM DO IT?
#2
SO VULNERABLE TO SO MUCH HURT!
• same voice as that he has staked his entire adult life on –
“go” to a place “I will show you” ”take” you family/son (12:1-3)
• -Only TRUST in a Deep Interpersonal Relationship allows
anyone to put all on the line in trusting the other person
• -Only TRUST that YHWH’s covenant-relationship with
Abraham is solid – so solid that YHWH would rather not
exist than not continue this relationship with Abraham (Gen
15) – would allow Abraham to lay all on the line to keep this
relationship intact.
WHY WOULD ABRAHAM DO IT?
#3
• Only the understanding that all other relationships and life
itself would lose their meaning if this relationship ends –
Giver gives the Gifts meaning.
• Only not being able to imagine life without this
relationship, without this trust, can possible move Abraham
• For better or worse, too much has been staked on this
relationship for Abraham to bail out now.
VULNERABILITY – RISK - FINALLY
ALLOWS A DEEPER RELATIONSHIP
• ABRAHAM’S VULNERABILITY & RISK FINALLY LEAD TO NEW JOY AND
TRUST for Abraham!
• AND, God is now ready to TRUST ABRAHAM and MOVE FORWARD in
God’s Plan to Create Israel and then to SAVE HUMANITY FROM ITSELF
THIS DOES NOT MEAN GOD
FEELS CLOSE DURING THIS VULNERABILITY!!!
• Hint of this “far away” feeling in author’s use of
“God/Elohim” in 22:1-10 instead of YHWH
• Only returns to “YHWH/LORD” in 22:11ff when Abraham’s
hand has been stilled by the voice from heaven
• Compare Jesus who mostly prayed to “Father,” but on the
cross when God does not feel close, prays “My God, My God,
why have you forsaken me.”
• Jesus, event was not stopped – joy is even later in event
QUESTION? As we have “lived through” this
event together
• DO YOU FIND GOD EXCITING & AWESOME? Does GOD
SEEM GOOD and JUST?
Or
• DO YOU FIND YOURSELF WANTING TO HATE GOD & SHY
FAR AWAY From this GOD of Abraham? DOES GOD SEEM
DEMONIC?
*It will depend on…
IT DEPENDS ON…WHETHER OR NOT (#1)
• GOD/LORD: Is the Most Vulnerable Person in this event &
in human history, or is beyond the risk, pain, and hurt.
• GOD/LORD: Is the most at risk Person in this event or not
• GOD/LORD: God is experiencing everything Abraham, Isaac,
and Sarah are and more!!!
DEPENDS ON…WHETHER OR NOT #2
*IF GOD IS NOT A “SUFFERING” and “HEART-BROKEN” GOD,
Also able to “BE PLEASED,” Able to “REJOICE,” fully-at-riskGod who is VULNERABLE TO ALL THAT WE HUMANS think, do,
and do not do
– then God is NOT GOOD!
THE GOD/LORD of GENESIS
 HAS BEEN GRIEVING THE CHOICES MADE BY HUMANS FOR
MANY GENERATIONS
 HAS MANY REASONS TO DOUBT WHETHER ABRAHAM IS
GOING TO COME THROUGH in THEIR RELATIONSHIP
-runs from the land -causes trouble for Pharaoh & Abimelech
– impregnates Hagar to please Sarah - lets Sarah abuse Hagar
- laughs and tries to hide it when God says he will have a son
- Will God’s best shot (Abraham) be enough?
THE GOD OF ABRAHAM & OF JESUS
• IS A GOD WHO KNOWS ALL DEEP RELATIONSHIPS ARE FULL
OF RISKS, POTENTIAL FOR HEART-BREAK, and POTENTIAL
FOR UNIMAGINABLE JOY! WILLING TO EXPERIENCE IT ALL
• A GOD WHO “GRIEVES” and “WEEPS” with a BROKEN HEART
• A GOD WHO EXCLAIMS: “MY CHILD HAS COME HOME:
LET’S START THE PARTY!” Joy and Delight
THE GOD OF ABRAHAM & OF JESUS #2
• A GOD WHO WONDERS – will I ever find a human I can trust
to work to bless the world as I want to bless the world?
• A GOD WHO says to ABRAHAM – “PLEASE, take your son ,
the one you love”
• A GOD WHO says:
-to ABRAHAM AFTER KNIFE – “NOW I KNOW” our relationship
means as MUCH TO YOU as it DOES TO ME!
-To JESUS AFTER EXECUTION: “YOU ARE MY BELOVED SON,
TODAY I ENTHRONE YOU”
EXPLORE “NOW I KNOW” – Gen 22:12
• Kye’s sermon – 1 Corinthians 8:3 but anyone who loves God is
known by God.
• SUDDENLY – Years of teaching “know” in Bible means not just
intellectual knowing, but EXPERIENCIAL KNOWING!!
• I FACED – believe that we can experience (know God)! God/us?
• SUDDENLY HEARD Biblical Claims:
-“Anyone who loves GOD is being experienced by God” (1 Cor 8:3)
-“Now I have experienced that you reverence God (no matter the
risk)” Gen 22:12 - A HUGE SIGH OF RELIEF BY GOD! JOY!
BEGAN TO POP UP OFTEN IN BIBLE
• 1 Cor 13:12 - 12For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then
we will see face to face. Now I experience (know) God only
in part; then I will experience (know God) fully, even as I
have been fully experienced (known by God).
• John 10:14-15 - 14I am the good shepherd. I experience
(know) my own and my own experience (know) me, 15just
as the Father experiences (knows) me and I experience
(know) the Father. (That is why) I lay down my life for the
sheep.
BIT BY BIT
• SLOWLY TRANSFORMING MY DAILY LIFE – “God experiences”
me-you-us day by day, choice by choice, act by act, thought
by thought
• I, Who have never been particularly motivated by “you
ought” or “you are expected to”
REALIZING – BIT by BIT
Every choice, act, thought…
• Can Please and Delight God – just like in my other
relationships. GOD EXPERIENCES EACH OF THEM!
• Can Hurt and Disappoint God – just like in my other
relationships. GOD EXPERIENCES EACH OF THEM!
• God is as Vulnerable and at risk to my daily choices, acts,
thoughts - my attempts to be faithful or not
• Just as I am Vulnerable and at Risk in my attempts to be
faithful and Trust God day by day
COMMUNION PRAYER:
for me, you, our Fellowship, human race
• GOD HOW CAN YOU DARE TO BE SO AT RISK in CARING,
EXPERIENCING VULNERABLITY - to me, - to these brothers
and sisters, - to us as a Fellowship, - to us humans?
• Help us remember that YOU are EXPERIENCING our choices,
actions, thoughts, with great joys and great hurts! That we
can hurt you. That we can please you and bring you great
joy!
• Please (na), Don’t Give Up on Us Lord