SERIES A --- YHVH’S PIONEERS --- LESSON 17

YHVH WILL PROVIDE

ABRAHAM OFFERS ISAAC

From Genesis 22

One day YHVH arranged a test for Abraham, to see if he would trust and obey YHVH no matter what He asked him to do. [Abraham!] YHVH called. [I am here,] Abraham answered. [Take your only son Isaac, whom you love dearly, to the land of Moriah and offer him there as a burnt offering on the mountain I will show you,] Adonai said. Early the next morning Abraham saddled his donkey, split the wood for the burnt offering, and left for Moriah with Isaac and two servants. On the third day, Abraham saw Moriah from a distance. [Stay here with the donkey,] Abraham told the two young servants. [Isaac and I will go over there to worship and we will return.] Abraham put the wood for the fire on Isaac’s shoulders while he carried the torch and knife. Then the two of them set out together for Moriah. [My father,] said Isaac. [Yes, I am here,] Abraham answered. [I see the torch and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?] Isaac inquired. [YHVH Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son,] Abraham said. The two walked on together until they came to the place which YHVH had told him about. Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on top of the wood. Then he took the knife and prepared to kill Isaac with it. But as Abraham was ready to plunge the knife into Isaac, the Angel of Adonai called to him from heaven. [Abraham! Abraham!] the Angel called. [Here I am,] said Abraham. [Do not harm the lad,] the Angel said. [Now I know for sure that you trust YHVH completely, for you have not held back one thing in your life, not even your only son whom you love so much.] When Abraham looked up, he saw a ram caught in the thicket by its horns. He took the ram and offered it for a burnt offering instead of his son. Abraham called that place YHVH-Yireh, which meant [Adonai Will Provide.] It was still called that at the time this was written. Once again, the Angel of Adonai called from heaven. [I have sworn by Myself that because you have followed My Command exactly and did not withhold even your only son, I will bless you greatly and will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heavens and the sand of the seashore; and your descendants will conquer their enemies and will bless all the nations of the earth, for you have obeyed Me.] Then Abraham and Isaac returned to the two servants, and they travelled back to Beersheba. Abraham made his home there at Beersheba for a while. About that same time Abraham heard that his brother Nahor and his wife Milcah had eight sons. Their names were Uz, Buz, Kemuel the father of Aram, Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel, who became the father of Rebekah. Nahor had other children by his concubine Reumah. They were Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.

COMMENTARY

THE MOUNTAINS OF THE LAND

Human sacrifice, although sometimes practiced in Abraham’s day, was forbidden by YHVH. What must Abraham have thought when YHVH told him to sacrifice Isaac, the child through whom his descendants were to come? Abraham obeyed… expecting YHVH to somehow keep His promise. Then, at the place of sacrifice, YHVH did provide. A ram, caught by its horns in a thicket, was substituted on the altar for Isaac. From north to south, a range of mountains formed a backbone through the central part of Palestine. These mountains played an important part in the history of Israel. In time of war, the mountains became a natural defence. It was almost impossible, and certainly not effective, for chariots to be used in these mountains. Chariots were made for battle in the broad plains. The mountains mentioned in the Bible remain today as continuing landmarks, out-living man-made cities, towns and buildings. Names of mountains remain much the same throughout Bible history, and even until modern times. Foreign religions often crowned a mountain or hill with a pagan temple or shrine, dedicated to a heathen god. At low points in their history, Israelites joined their neighbours to worship these pagan gods in the mountains. In the days of the Hebrew kings, high places were erected where the Israelites went to sacrifice or worship YHVH. Perhaps Israelites and Canaanites wanted to take their worship as close to heaven as possible. YHVH often revealed Himself upon a mountain. He made His promise to Noah on Mount Ararat and confirmed Abraham’s faith in Him on Mount Moriah. Moses received the Law on Mount Sinai and Yeshua was transfigured on Mount Hermon or Mount Tabor. Thus, the mountains were vital to the people, in war, in worship, and in daily living.