-The binding of Isaac is narrated in Genesis 22. Abraham is called of God in a test to see if he would obey in giving up his only son to the LORD. Abraham was told to go to the land of Moriah (present day Jerusalem near the temple mount) and offer his son as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which God will tell him.
-Abraham obeyed the LORD and arose and went just as God had commanded with his son and two servants. They saddled a donkey with split wood, but stopped near within eye sight of the place he was to kill his son asking the servants to stay with the donkey there.
-Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on his son, Isaac, and he took the fire in his hand (either a torch like fire or perhaps coals of fire in a container) along with the knife he was to use. On the way Isaac questioned his father as to where they would get a lamb for the sacrifice. Abraham’s response was to the point and prophetic, “God will provide for Himself the Lamb for the burnt offering, my son (Genesis 22:8).” So they walked on together until they reached the place. It had been a three day journey to arrive there.
-At the place Abraham built the alter, arranged the wood, bound his son and laid him on the alter on top of the wood. Abraham stretched out his hand grabbing the knife to slay his son, but the angel of the LORD called to him at the last possible moment stopping him from the murder of his beloved son. The LORD told Abraham at this vital point to do nothing to him. It was then that the LORD knew that Abraham feared God more than anything else and would give up everything to please Him. The denotes the free choice of Abraham to obey His Master and it establishes the ultimate blessing that the LORD intended through his family line of greatly multiplied seed as the stars of the sky and sand of the seashore, which will bless all the nations of the earth (coming of the Messiah, Jesus).
-After the LORD’s word Abraham raised his eyes and found there was a ram caught in the thicket by his horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered him up for a burnt offering to the LORD in the place of his son. Abraham called this place “The LORD will provide,” as it is said to even modern times, “In the mount of the LORD it will be provided (Genesis 22:14).” Abraham had once again trusted the LORD with everything he had.
-Before any of this took place he had told his servants that he and the lad would return to them (Genesis 22:5). This statement demonstrated his total dependence on God to take care of the situation no matter how bleak it may have looked. Perhaps he was trusting God for a resurrection or maybe he knew that God would somehow prevent him from killing his son. On any account, he simply trusted the word of the LORD that Isaac would be the heir of the promise (Genesis 17:19; 21:12, Romans 4:13). Here is the biblical equation given here for us to apply: Fear of God + Trusting in Him + Obedience to Him = Blessings of the LORD.
-It is at this point that the angel returns a second time from heaven and blesses him with multiple blessings and promises because he had done this thing and did not withhold his only son.
-Abraham then returned with his boy and the young servant men to Beersheba and lived there. Here the narrative gives family information concerning his brother Nahor (Genesis 11:26) for the purpose of setting up Isaac’s marriage story with Rebekah.
Verse to Memorize: Genesis 22:12