Isaac

Last week, we looked at the life of Abraham who was promised he would be the father of a mighty nation. While the promise hadn’t been fulfilled yet, we saw that nation begin through the birth of Abraham and Sarah's only son: Isaac. 

God asks Abraham to do something unthinkable with His only son Isaac- 

Genesis 22:2 | ​​“Take your son, your only son—yes, Isaac, whom you love so much—and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you.”

God had promised that Abraham’s many descendants would come through Isaac, and Abraham knew that God, the Promise Keeper, always keeps His promises. Like our theme verse says- 

Psalm 145:13b | The Lord always keeps his promises; he is gracious in all he does.

This faith allowed Abraham to obey God, laying his only son down on the altar for God. But before Abraham can act, God calls out to Abraham and provides a substitutionary sacrifice–

Genesis 22:13 | Then Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in a thicket. So he took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering in place of his son. 

Discussion

1. Read John 3:16. What does the love of the father and Jesus sacrifice mean to you? 

2. Has God ever asked you to do something extreme for Him? Explain your answer.  

3. What can we learn from Abraham and Isaac’s obedience to God? How can we apply it to our own lives?