And when God asks to sacrifice the son?

by Ana Julia Luiz·February 22, 2022·2 min read

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Let’s start by defining, what is the son in this case? When we talk about the son, we talk about what has real value to you and me, something we feel we couldn’t live without.

Imagine that there comes a day when the Lord comes and asks you for your son, that is, He asks you to deliver something that you love very much. What would you do at that moment?

Abraham and Isaac

There is a well-known biblical story, reported in Genesis from chapter 18 to 22, that talks about this.

The story begins with a promise: even though Abraham was old, the Lord promised that he would have a son. This child was the long-awaited Isaac. Sara, his wife, was elderly and past childbearing age. However, the Word of God never fails and Sarah became pregnant even in her old age, giving birth to the child of promise.

The Bible reports that after some time, when Isaac was a grown child, God asked Abraham to give his son as a sacrifice. In obedience, the next day, Abraham prepares wood for the burnt offering and proceeds to the place God had indicated.

Would you dare to do this? Honestly I don’t think I would. But Abraham did. And what is interesting is the faith he shows, because before going up to the mountain with Isaac, he says to the servants who accompanied him on the journey:

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.”
Genesis 22:5

It is beautiful to think of the faith that Abraham displayed. His statement is surprising because Abraham knew about the promise and what God planned to do through his son, but at the same time he knew that God had asked him to sacrifice him. Did he believe that even if Isaac was sacrificed, he could return from the ashes? The fact is, regardless of what God could do, Abraham needed to entrust the future to the Lord’s care.

Our Isaac

We all know how this biblical story unfolds: Abraham puts his son on the altar and before he even started what had to be done, the Lord stopped him, providing the lamb.

But what about us? How do we act in this situation? After all, what would you do if the Lord asked you to hand over your Isaac?

It’s a difficult decision and often this Isaac is something you’ve worked hard to have, to achieve. It could be a ministry, a business, something that only you know how important it is. What do you do? Do you surrender it to the Lord?

Abraham showed great faith and obedience in bringing his son to sacrifice and this is an example we have to set for ourselves, however difficult it may be.

God bless you,
Ana.