![]() His answer to Isaac is the hinge of the story, that “God will see to it.” And “the two of them walked on together,” a second time that intimate affection. So yes, I think Abraham has seen something-not all that God sees, but enough of what God sees for Abraham to come to his resolution. And then the tragic question: Where is the lamb?Īnd the answer, “God will see to it, my son.” The verb is the verb “to see” (ראה) again, but in a conjugation that means “provide”. Isaac says, “Poppa,” and he says, “Here I am, my son.” In Hebrew, “Avi,” and, “Hinneini b’ni,” an echo of God with Abraham, but affectionate. “So the two of them walked on together.” A picture of quiet affection. He loads the firewood on Isaac’s back and carries the knife and fire himself. After all, in a previous story he was called a prophet (with Abimelech). I think, because when he tells the servants to stay there and wait, he says, “we will return to you”-not “I” but “we.” Maybe he is tricking them in turn, but I think he has seen something, with maybe prophetic vision. What was he thinking those three days? The story keeps silence, but here’s a hint: “On the third day he looked up and saw the place far off.” Yes, “he looked up and saw,” a first time. Again he does the servants’ work, and saddles the donkey and cuts the firewood. And all the gods and goddesses of the empires were capricious, and tricked and played with human beings like toys, but wasn’t this God supposed to be different?Įarly in the morning, like Hagar had had to, Abraham sets out with Isaac and the servants. ![]() The gods of Abraham’s neighbors, the Canaanites, required them to roast their children in sacrifice. And then, “I want you to sacrifice and roast your son on a mountain I will show you.” Well, not “roast,” but that would be the result. God said, “Abraham,” and he said, “Here I am.” In Hebrew, Avraham, and Hinneini. “God tested Abraham.” Why? Why should God do that? Why the set-up-why did God play this trick on him, deceiving him? Does God test us this way? We know we are being tested all the time, by life, and we pray “lead us not into temptation,” but should we believe that God tests us like this? And there’s no getting around that part of it. ![]() But it’s rather how capricious God is, like God plays with us. She said not because the human experience is not true, for we often sacrifice our children, like when we go to war, and we claim God’s blessing. In its artful simplicity it captures the greatest issues of the human experience of God.īut on Tuesday Melody told me she hates the story. It’s one of the great stories in all religious literature. I love the story of the Binding of Isaac, and I was happy that it showed up in the lectionary for my last Sunday with you.
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