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Let’s pick up the story in verse 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”.

(Gen 22: 3)

The point here is simply that he obeyed, as a matter of fact, he obeyed immediately - there was no delay. No procrastination, the very next morning he gets up and leaves, taking wood for the burnt offering. Verse 4 says.

“On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance.”

(Gen 22: 4)

He was in Beersheba initially and he had travelled north for 3 days and gets to the region of what today is called Jerusalem. One commentator I read pointed out that this was a distance of more than 30 miles over hills or 45 miles around which is why it took over three days. The point is, he left the next morning, he didn’t plan and prepare for a week first, he did what God asked him, pretty much immediately. That’s important, he obeyed, and he obeyed immediately. He not only obeyed, but underneath that obedience was a desire to be obedient and faithful to God’s commands. 

“Abraham 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.”

(Gen 22: 5)

There are three verbs used in this passage go, worship, and return. Bible experts call these intensive verbs Meaning he was determined to go; he was determined to worship and he was determined that they would come back again. Many commentators talk about the faith of Abraham believed God could bring Isaac back from the dead if that is what was required. What an intensity of faith Abraham showed here. The New Testament confirms that this is exactly what was going here. In Hebrews Chapter 11 it tells us. 

“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.

(Hebrews 11: 17-19)

The Book of Hebrews explains what is going on in Genesis 22 is all about demonstrating faith, but what’s also going on in Genesis 22 is faith combined with works, and that’s the testing part of what is going on. Keep reading back in Genesis chapter 22.

“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, 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?” Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together. 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. And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son”.

(Genesis 22: 6-9)

Wow, he not only had faith, but he also had unwavering faith. He was going to do exactly what God said to do, believing that God was not going to take Isaac away from him, believing that God was going to bring both of them back down off the mountain. By the way this demonstrates that Isaac had faith also because he could have run away. So, both of them had faith. As suggested by many Bible experts, Abraham believed that if he did have to kill his son, God could and would resurrect him.

So far, we’ve seen two things. God gave Abraham a command, go sacrifice your son. Now we’ve seen the reaction of Abraham. He was willing to do it. The next thing that happens in this passage is God’s response to Abraham’s faith and obedience and we shall look at that in the next episode.