Abraham would have agreed with Job in 14:1, “Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble.” Abraham faced seven major tests and the last was the hardest. Abraham is possibly 137 years old. Sarah in Genesis 23:1 is 127 years old and Abraham is ten years older (Gen. 17:17).
1. The test of salvation in Genesis 12:1 passed.
“The Lord had said” back in Ur when Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness (Gen. 15:6). Faith is necessary for salvation (Acts 16:30).
2. The test of God’s will in Genesis 12:10 failed.
God’s promises were in relation to “the land” in 12:1-2. Abraham “went down into Egypt” and out of God’s will because he left “the land.”
3. The test of Separation in Genesis 13:7 passed.
Lot was a negative influence in Abraham’s life who needed to be separated from.
4. The test of Patience in Genesis 16 failed.
God promised a seed in 12:7 and ten years later (Gen 16:3) Abraham takes matters into his own hands.
5. The test of Intercession in Genesis 18 passed.
Abraham interceded and God spared Lot in Genesis 19:29. Paul intercedes for the lost in Romans 10:1.
6. The test of Discretion in Genesis 20 failed.
This was a repeat sin from 20 years before in Genesis 12:13. This sin is also repeated by his son Isaac in 26:7.
7. The test of Obedience in Genesis 22 PASSED.
This test is similar to the test in Genesis 12:1-3. Abraham was commanded to leave his country and his family. Abraham obeyed.
I. The Test of Love (Genesis 22:1-2)
A. God commanded Abraham to sacrifice his most loved person. First time “love” is mention in Scripture.
B. Isaac was Abraham’s “burnt offering” which was completely consumed on the altar in Leviticus 1:9.
II. The Obedience of Love (Genesis 22:3-10)
A. Abraham “rose up early.” The first thing Abraham did was obey God.
B. Abraham was patient (Gen 22:4). This was a long three day trip because Abraham knew the future.
C. Abraham worshiped God (22:5).
Worship is synonymous with sacrifice. As Psalm 29:1-2 expresses. Abraham was not killing his son like the Canaanites which God forbad in Leviticus 18:21, Abraham was giving his son to God in worship.
D. Abraham experienced God’s provision in the test (22:6-8).
God has promised us a way of escape in 1 Corinthians 10:13-14.
E. Abraham followed through with his obedience (22:9-10).
James refers to Genesis 22 and emphasised Abraham’s works in James 2:21 and James also refers to Genesis 15:6 and emphasised Abraham’s faith as does Paul in Romans 4:3.
III. The Approval of Love (Genesis 22:11-14)
A. God declared his approval (22:11-12). “Similarly, Paul wrote that God “did not spare [ephesiasto] His own Son, but gave [delivered] Him up for us all” (Rom. 8:32). A form of the same Greek word is used of Abraham in the Septuagint: “Thou hast not spared [epheiso] thy beloved son.” (Gen. 22:12). (BKC). “As we observe the pain of Abraham as he took Isaac to Mount Moriah, we are given a glimpse of the heart of God the Father as He sent His Son to the cross. The perspective is not drawn out in the gospels as fully as it is in Genesis.” (Herbert Wolf, An Introduction to the Old Testament Pentateuch (Chicago: Chicago, 1991), 118.
B. God provided Abraham’s need in Genesis 22:13-14. Abraham praises God for his provision. “Abraham gained a greater appreciation of God as the One who will provide or look out for him (Yahweh-jireh, lit. “the Lord sees”) as a result of this incident” (Thomas Constable in Netbible). When God sees a need he supplies that need.