The Test
Text: Genesis 22
Core Idea: This story is not ultimately about the greatness of Abraham’s obedience, but the greatness of God’s love and provision. So, if you feel tested today, remember: the God who provided the Lamb will not fail to provide what you truly need. Then, let’s trust Him and rest in the love He has already proven at the cross.
INTRODUCTION
We’re going through the Book of Genesis – tracing how God’s plan of salvation began. And two weeks ago, we finally saw the moment Abraham had been waiting for – the birth of Isaac. Sarah’s words in Genesis 21:6-7 capture the joy she felt: “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me. Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children?” She was basically saying, “Who would’ve thought this was possible – a barren woman in her nineties would be nursing a child? Who would’ve thought God could take all those years of waiting and weave them into a testimony of grace?” And yet, that’s exactly what God did for her. But Genesis 21 isn’t only a chapter of joy – it’s also a chapter of deep pain. Because Isaac’s birth created tension with Ishmael, God instructed Abraham to send Ishmael away. That must have been agonizing for Abraham because Ishmael was still his son – a boy he deeply loved. Yet Abraham obeyed – entrusting Ishmael to God’s care. So, in one chapter, Abraham experienced overwhelming joy and heartbreaking loss. If you think about it, isn’t that how the Christian life often feels? God’s blessings don’t remove all hardships – sometimes they introduce new ones. His faithfulness often stretches us in unexpected ways. But just when we would expect life to get easier for Abraham (after all, the promise he had staked his whole life on has finally been fulfilled), God asks him to do something that seems to contradict everything God has said up to this point. I’ll be honest: this is a difficult passage. If you’ve ever read it and felt tension or discomfort, you’re not alone because what God asks Abraham to do is shocking. It makes no sense to us at first glance. And yet, if we slow down and let the Spirit speak to us, we’ll see that this is not the story of a cruel God demanding the impossible – but of a faithful God revealing something incredibly beautiful. So, with that in mind, please turn your Bibles to Genesis 22 – and let me read this for us.
1 Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. 2 Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love – Isaac – and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.” 3 Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. 4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5 He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.” 6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, 7 Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?” “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied. “The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” 8 Abraham answered, “God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together. 9 When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 11 But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. 12 “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” He said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from Me your son, your only son.” 13 Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.” 15 The angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven a second time 16 and said, “I swear by Myself, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, 18 and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed Me.” 19 Then Abraham returned to his servants, and they set off together for Beersheba. And Abraham stayed in Beersheba. 20 Some time later Abraham was told, “Milkah is also a mother; she has borne sons to your brother Nahor: 21 Uz the firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel (the father of Aram), 22 Kesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph and Bethuel.” 23 Bethuel became the father of Rebekah. Milkah bore these eight sons to Abraham’s brother Nahor. 24 His concubine, whose name was Reumah, also had sons: Tebah, Gaham, Tahash and Maakah. Amen. This is the Word of God for you today.
Let me share three things from this passage:
· GOD’S TEST
· ABRAHAM’S FAITH
· GOD’S PROVISION
1) GOD’S TEST
Verse 1: “Some time later God tested Abraham.” The author tells us right from the get-go that what you’re about to read is a test. God is not punishing Abraham. He’s not being cruel. No, this is a test – given by a wise and loving God to strengthen Abraham’s faith.” Kenneth Matthews said, “This frees the reader to concentrate on the interaction between Abraham and God rather than wrestle with the entangling perplexity of how God could resort to human sacrifice.” In other words, we don’t need to question God’s character. We don’t need to fear for Isaac’s safety. We just need to watch what God is going to do in Abraham’s heart. But, of course, Abraham didn’t know this – all he knew was that God was calling him to obey. God said in verse 2: “Take your son, your only son, whom you love – Isaac – and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.” Notice that God didn’t just say, “Take Isaac and sacrifice him.” No, He said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love, and sacrifice him as a burnt offering. And just so that there’s no misunderstanding, I’m not talking about Ishmael. I’m referring to Isaac.” Can you imagine how piercing those words would’ve been for him? I don’t know about you – but if I was in his shoes, I would’ve been confused, (Why is God asking me to do this?), resistant (God, there’s no way I can do this. Take me instead), or even angry (Why would You bless me only to take him away from me?). Now, Isaac was more than Abraham’s beloved child. He was the firstborn (which means he was the representative of the family’s identity and future), the covenant child through whom the nations would be blessed, and the child of promise through whom the Messiah would come. So, when God said, “Offer him,” He was essentially saying, “Abraham, give Me everything. Don’t hold back. Trust Me with everything you treasure.”
Now, was God being harsh or unreasonable? No – because this was a test. And we understand that the nature of a test is to reveal something, not destroy it. For example, scientists test medicines to reveal their effectiveness. Teachers test students to reveal learning and growth. Engineers stress-test buildings to reveal their strength. Coaches test athletes to reveal their endurance and readiness. Gold is tested by fire to reveal its purity. Tests don’t ruin – they refine. Tests don’t weaken – they strengthen. Tests don’t tear down – they prepare for something greater. In the same way, when God tested Abraham, He wasn’t trying to break him but strengthening the very faith He planted in Abraham’s heart. In fact, we see this pattern in other parts of Scripture as well. Psalm 66:10: “For you, God, tested us; You refined us like silver.” And Job 23:10: “When He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.” Testing is not a sign of God’s abandonment – it’s a sign of His investment. God tests us because He loves us too much to leave us unchanged. And this is where things could feel more personal because some of you may be in a season of testing right now. God may be testing your patience through a difficult family situation, testing your obedience through a command that feels costly, testing your trust in the midst of your uncertainty, testing your humility through conflict or criticism, or testing your endurance through a long season of waiting. Friends, if God is testing you, it’s not because He’s angry with you. It tells us that He’s at work in you. Here’s the thing: He’s not looking for perfect performance but deeper dependence. So, even if you stumble, He will carry you. Even if you fail the test, He won’t cast you away. Testing is not God saying, “Prove yourself” – it’s God saying, “Trust Me.” And no – God will never ask you to sacrifice your child. But He will absolutely test your heart. And sometimes His tests involve surrendering something we treasure more than Him: our plans, control, security, comfort, reputation, a relationship, a secret sin, a dream, or simply our own way. We don’t know if Abraham idolized Isaac or not – the text doesn’t say. But God’s tests often reveal what we cling to most. Then, let me ask you: What is God testing in your life today? What might you be holding too tightly? Are you interpreting testing as punishment or preparation? Are you willing to trust His heart even when His command feels confusing? Brothers and sisters, remember: God’s tests are not meant to destroy faith but to deepen it. He tests us because He loves us.
2) ABRAHAM’S FAITH
The extraordinary faith of Abraham is on full display in verse 3: “Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey.” He didn’t delay or try to negotiate. He obeyed not because he felt ready or understood what God was doing, but because he trusted the God who never failed him. Now, this doesn’t mean that he felt nothing. Any parent can imagine the pain of that night. It must have shattered him – and yet, he didn’t allow his emotions to become a barrier to obedience. He didn’t wait for his emotions to calm down. He simply took the next step by heading toward the region God called him to go. The truth is that this is where many of us often struggle. We delay obedience because we feel anxious, scared, or because we want more clarity. But faith is not the absence of emotion – faith is trusting God despite emotion. Tim Keller said, “Obedience is trust in action.” Faith is not an abstract idea. Living by faith means obedience – taking the next step forward even if you’re trembling in fear, even if you don’t have all the answers, because you’re clinging to the One who is sovereignly in control over all things. Now, verse 4 tells us that they traveled for three days. It could be that Isaac may have been filled with excitement – having to go on a trip with his dad. But not for Abraham. Each step would’ve felt incredibly heavy. He must have spent those three days thinking, grieving, and waiting for God to speak again – only to hear nothing back. But Abraham continued to walk forward – believing that the God who gave Isaac would somehow keep His promise through Isaac. When they reached the mountain, Abraham said to his servants in verse 5: “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.” Notice he didn’t say, “I will return.” He said, “We will return.” How could he say that? Hebrews 11:17-19 explains it this way: “By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, ‘It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.’ Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death.” There had never been a resurrection up to this point in biblical history – and yet Abraham still believed the impossible because he knew that God was powerful beyond imagination. He didn’t know how it was going to happen – but if God could enable Sarah to give birth in her nineties, anything was possible for God, even raising someone from the grave. All that to say, Abraham trusted God’s character above his circumstances.
Now, from verse 6, the author slows down the story so we can feel the weightiness of the moment. You could picture Abraham taking the wood and placing them on Isaac, him reaching for the fire and the knife, and the two of them climbing the mountain side by side. And in verse 7, we’re given the opportunity to overhear the conversation that took place between them: “Father?” “Yes, my son?” “The fire and wood are here, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” “God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” When Isaac asked that heartbreaking question, Abraham didn’t panic. He didn’t deflect. He didn’t rebuke. He simply highlighted the faithful provision of God. Parents, this is a beautiful reminder that when your children come to you with questions, you don’t need to have all the perfect answers. Just point them to God – remind them of His power, wisdom, faithfulness, holiness, and love. Don’t miss out on the privilege and the responsibility that God has given you to disciple your children. The truth is that you’re not going to get a whole lot of time with them – which means the time you get to spend with them now is a God-given opportunity that you may not get back later. Then, be faithful to the call that God has given you – walk side by side with them and lead them to the Lord – because who knows? God may use you to cultivate faith in your children. I think that’s what happened with Isaac. Let me explain. Verse 9: “When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.” Isaac was likely a young man at this point – which means that he would’ve been strong enough to overpower and outrun Abraham, who was well over a hundred years old. And yet he humbly submitted. Why? Because he trusted the God that his father trusted in. He must have clung to the words that Abraham had shared before: “God will provide.” So, in this sense, Isaac was already beginning to reflect the very faith he had seen in his father. Now, when we get to verse 10, it almost feels like things were happening in slow motion: “He reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.” This shows that Abraham had fully surrendered to the Lord. He wasn’t holding anything back from God. He was willing to lose the very thing he loved most because he believed that God could do the impossible – that God would make a way even when there seemed to be no way. Now, let me be very clear: The point is not to imitate the extremity of Abraham’s obedience – but imitate the posture of his faith. Here’s what I mean: This is a unique moment in redemptive history – which means that God is not telling us to go and sacrifice our children. Of course not. Instead, He’s simply inviting us to trust Him when the path is unclear, to obey even when emotions run high, to walk step by step into the unknown, to hold all things with open hands, and to rest in the character of God, not the clarity of circumstances. That is what it means to imitate the posture of Abraham’s faith. Then, let me ask you: Where is God calling you to obey even without having all the details? What step of faith have you been avoiding because it feels too costly, because it feels inconvenient? Brothers and sisters, what feels impossible for you is not impossible for God. He can restore broken marriages, soften hardened hearts, free people from addictions, and heal a wound that feels beyond repair. Do you believe this? Abraham obeyed because he believed God could raise the dead – then believing that God still does the impossible, trust and obey Him today. Don’t ignore the prompting of the Holy Spirit.
3) GOD’S PROVISION
Just as Abraham lifted the knife, a voice called out to him from heaven – verse 11: “Abraham! Abraham! Do not lay a hand on the boy. Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from Me your son, your only son.” At the exact moment Abraham needed Him, God intervened. God stopped Abraham from going further because He never wanted Isaac’s death – He wanted Abraham’s heart. Verse 13: “Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns.” Can you imagine the relief Abraham must have felt – the praises he would’ve lifted to God? “Thank you for Your provision, God! You’re truly faithful through and through!” So, Abraham offered the ram in the place of his son. Then, Abraham named the mountain: “The Lord Will Provide.” He didn’t call it “The Lord Tested Me” or “The Lord Scared Me” or “The Lord Demanded Too Much.” No, he wanted to remember this mountain as the place where God provided a substitute. In fact, this idea of substitution became the foundation of the entire sacrificial system in the OT. For example, in Exodus, a lamb was killed, and its blood was put on the doorpost so that the judgment of God would pass over the Israelites. In Leviticus, animals were killed as substitutes for sinners. On the Day of Atonement, a goat carried the people’s sins away. All that to say, each sacrifice reminded the Israelites of the same truth: “A substitute has taken your place.” Derek Kidner writes: “Abraham and Isaac walk down the mountain arm in arm, because a ram walked up the mountain in their place.” The heart of God is not to take from His people, but to give to His people – give us what we truly need.
Now, after the sacrifice, God reaffirmed His covenant promise not as payment for Abraham’s obedience, but as reassurance. Verse 16: “Because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed Me.” Here, God wasn’t saying, “Abraham, you did something for Me, so now I owe you.” No, Abraham was already justified, already chosen, and already blessed long before this moment. Then, God was basically saying, “Your obedience shows that My grace is truly alive in you – so I’ll also reaffirm My promise to you as well.” In fact, that’s what that short genealogy at the end of this chapter is about. At first glance, it may seem a bit irrelevant to the story – but this was God’s way of saying, “I’m already preparing the next chapter of the covenant story.” Look at verse 23. There’s a name that may be familiar to you – Rebekah. Who’s Rebekah? Isaac’s future wife – which we’ll read about in Chapter 24. In other words, while Abraham was on the mountain arranging the wood to build the altar, God was quietly arranging Isaac’s future behind the scenes. And that’s exactly what God does for us today. While we’re carrying our concerns up the mountain, God is already preparing the next step. For example, sometimes He prepares the people we’ll need. Long before a crisis hits, God is already placing the right people around you – those who will pray for you, speak truth to you, lift you up, and support you when you feel overwhelmed. You didn’t plan those friendships. You didn’t foresee how essential they would become. But God did. Other times, He prepares the path we’ll walk on. He may open doors we never expected – but He may also close doors we desperately wanted to walk through. It feels like disappointment at the time, but later we realize that what looked like a setback was actually God’s protection. God also prepares our hearts. The trials, delays, failures, and detours of our past were not wasted. He uses painful seasons to grow compassion, uses waiting to deepen dependence, and uses brokenness to produce humility. You may not have understood those seasons when you were in them, but looking back, you can see that God was shaping you for something you couldn’t see yet. And like Abraham discovering the ram caught in the thicket, God often provides many things long before we know we even need them. He’ll strengthen you with a Scripture passage just before a temptation comes. He’ll remind you of His promises the day before you receive hard news. This is who our God is – a God who goes before us, who works behind the scenes, who arranges the details we cannot see, and who sovereignly orchestrates every step for our good and His glory. We may not be aware of it at the moment, but God is always paving the way for His people – providing everything we need.
In fact, He provided the most important thing – the ultimate Lamb of God who substituted His place with us so that we would be forgiven of our sins, be made righteous before God, and be adopted as children of God. Every part of this story points to Jesus. We cannot read this story without thinking about the day of Jesus’ crucifixion because on that day, God the Father also took His Son, His one and only Son whom He dearly loved, on a journey to a mountain. And just like Isaac, wood was laid on this Son’s back. The Son trusted the Father and submitted to His will. And as He was nailed upon that wooden cross, a knife was raised – but there was no voice that intervened. The knife pierced through the body of this Son as a substitute for us so that the wrath of God would be satisfied and so that we would be set free. He allowed the knife of judgment to fall on Jesus so that it would never fall on you. If Abraham was sitting at the foot of the cross, I think he would’ve echoed God’s own words from verse 12: “Now I know that You love me because You have not withheld from me Your Son, Your only Son.” And that should be our cry today as well. If you ever doubt God’s love for you, look at the cross. There’s no greater evidence that God will provide everything we need, for on the cross, He gave what’s most precious to Him to make us precious to Him.
CONCLUSION
Lighthouse family, this story is not ultimately about the greatness of Abraham’s obedience, but the greatness of God’s love and provision. So, if you feel tested today, remember: the God who provided the Lamb will not fail to provide what you truly need. Then, let’s trust Him and rest in the love He has already proven at the cross.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1) When you hear that God “tests” His people, what emotions or thoughts immediately come to mind – and why? How does this passage reshape your view of God’s testing? What would it look like to trust and obey when His command or timing feels confusing?
2) Where in your life might God be inviting you to surrender something – not to harm you, but to heal and refine you?
3) Abraham obeyed “early the next morning.” What keeps us from responding quickly to God – fear, confusion, discomfort, desire for clarity? What is one area of obedience you’ve been delaying today – hoping to feel more ready, more certain, or more emotionally settled?
4) Was there a moment in your life when God provided just the right thing at the right time? How does knowing that God is already preparing future chapters (like preparing Rebekah) comfort you in your current season? Where have you been trying to provide for yourself instead of trusting God to provide?
