How did Abraham know that God will provide a lamb (Genesis 22:8)?

Response

Abraham understood that God would provide a lamb. After years of developing a mature faith, Abraham learned to trust completely in God’s faithfulness. In Genesis 15:6, when God promised Abraham countless descendants, Abraham believed in God, and this faith was counted as righteousness. Initially, Abraham attempted to assist in fulfilling God’s promise by suggesting that Eliezer be his heir “And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.”, (Genesis 15:3), and by taking Hagar as his wife (Genesis 16). However, God’s plan was for Sarah to bear a son named Isaac “And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.”, (Genesis 17:19). Isaac would be the son of the covenant through whom God would fulfill His promises “But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.”, (Genesis 17:21).

As promised by God, Isaac was born (Genesis 21:1-2). Years later, God tested Abraham’s faith by instructing him to take Isaac to Mount Moriah and offer him as a sacrifice to the Lord “And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will te

All these events are recorded in the Bible, specifically in Genesis 22:2. This was a terrifying and solemn request, yet Abraham set out in the morning to carry out precisely what God had instructed him to do, as detailed in Genesis 22:3-6. While they were on their journey, Isaac noticed the absence of a lamb for the sacrifice and inquired about this peculiarity to his father, saying, “My father, here am I, my son. Behold the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” This conversation is found in Genesis 22:7. Abraham reassured his son that God would provide a lamb, stating, “My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering,” as mentioned in Genesis 22:8. Upon reaching the designated place, Abraham bound his son and was prepared to carry out the prescribed action of sacrificing Isaac, as described in Genesis 22:9-10.

The author of Hebrews provides insight into Abraham’s thoughts—how he could be willing to sacrifice his son and trust that God would provide a lamb. When God instructed Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, he believed that God could even raise the dead, “accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure,” as stated in Hebrews 11:19. God had assured Abraham that Isaac would be the son of the covenant, and through Isaac, God would establish a great nation, fulfilling the promises made to Abraham. The miraculous birth of Isaac was already a testament to God’s faithfulness.

In itself, Abraham had learned that God is faithful. Initially, Abraham simply exercised faith “And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.,” (Genesis 15:6), and God counted that to Abraham as righteousness (as He does with us when we believe in Him). However, part of growing in our relationship with God is increasing in confidence that He is able and willing to accomplish what He has said. Because Abraham had seen God’s faithfulness, when this uncharacteristic request of human sacrifice was made, Abraham trusted that God knew what He was doing. Abraham knew that, even despite this strange and awful request, God would provide and keep His word.

Before Abraham could bring the knife down to strike his son, the angel or messenger of the Lord called out to him from heaven, acknowledging that Abraham had passed the test and should not kill Isaac (Genesis 22:11-12). Of course, God never intended that Abraham would actually kill Isaac. He simply wanted to show Abraham that, no matter how impossible the circumstances, Abraham could trust God. As Abraham looked up, he saw a ram caught in a thicket nearby and offered the ram as a sacrifice instead of Isaac “And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.,” (Genesis 22:13). Abraham then acknowledged that God had provided for His word to be kept, and he named the place “Jehovah-Jireh,” which means “The Lord Will Provide” “And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.,” Facebook Comments