I've read this story many times and it still troubles me. The Lord asks Abraham to go up a mountain and offer his own son Isaac, whom he loves, as a sacrifice. Some other faiths of the ancient world did indeed practice human sacrifice, but God has never given Abraham any indication that this is part of their covenant together. In fact, God has repeatedly told Abraham that he will be the father of a multitude greater than the stars, which seems to directly contradict this command. Still, Abraham follows along, as though he fully believes he will have to do this awful thing.
There are a thousand ways to read this text. That tends to be the way with difficult Bible stories. In previous readings of this text, I always heard Abraham's response to Isaac, "God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt offering, my son," as one of the white lies we tell our kids...we say, "It'll be OK," when we're still not sure how. We say "you're safe," when we know that isn't as true as we wish it were. That's how I heard Abraham's response.
But just this morning, something else occurs to me: Abraham has a closer relationship--even friendship--with God, than almost any other person in the Bible. He has bargained with God. He has had God over for dinner. He and his wife have laughed with God. God has shown up and spoken to him directly, sometimes multiple times with the same message, almost as though God's finding an excuse just to call and talk. And through that whole time, God has stayed with one single message: you will have a son, and through your own son you will become the father of a great nation.
So just this morning, I'm wondering if Abraham truly in his heart believes what he's saying: "The Lord himself will provide the lamb." He won't make me do this. He's my friend. I know him. He'll blink. I'll play this game, but believe me, this is not the God I know.
This does not solve all the problems for me. Why would God even suggest such a thing, even if God knows Abraham will see through it? But it does give me insight into a relationship, and into Abraham's way of understanding God. This one situation does not sway his certainty that God provides. God has always provided. God will find a way to make this right.
It's very common that people I know, especially those who have left faith behind, will point to the most gruesome, cruel, racist, sexist, violent stories in the Bible and say, "Hey, nice God you've got there." Honestly, some days I'll read a story like Genesis 22 and I'll have to do another gut-check myself. But the thing is, what I strive for is a friendship with God that's similar to Abraham's: where I know God's character. And as a Christian, I believe God's character is revealed in its fullness in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. That's where I go when I want to know who God really is. And honestly, there are plenty of things in the Bible that seem "out of character" for the God I know. They don't seem to fit. Sometimes I don't know what to do with them. I still believe they're God's word, and I can still learn something from them, but if they don't seem like the God who would give God's own life for me on the cross, I go with the God I know rather than the one I don't.
Martin Luther said that the scriptures are a "manger for the Christ child." It's where we go to find Jesus. But we may also find what seems to be straw. If we have a friendship with God, as Abraham did, that's okay.
Prayer: God, help me know you as you truly are, and trust in your providing. Amen.
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