And They Both Walked On Together

Throughout the Old and New Testaments, Abraham is credited for his righteousness and faith. He feared God so much so that he wasn't afraid or even hesitant to obey God at all costs. (And because he feared God out of reverence and trust, he did not fear Him out of trepidation.)

Abraham's sacrificial obedience to God is portrayed through the Biblical account of his willingness to offer his cherished and beloved son, Isaac, as a sacrifice to God. Such an act would have required Abraham to kill his son with his own hands, set his son's innocent body ablaze, and then stand by to watch his son's body burn. But God spoke to Abraham and commanded him to do it, so Abraham obeyed without question. (It is evident that, as Abraham grew older, he also grew in his knowledge of and relationship with God. And the more Abraham knew God, the more he trusted Him.) Just as Abraham was about to lower the knife in his hands, an angel of the Lord called to him from heaven to stop him from going through with what God had commanded him to do.

By commanding Abraham to sacrifice his son, God was testing Abraham to see if he would withhold his only son from Him; God was testing to see how much faith Abraham had in the character and promises of God. Did Abraham love his son more that God? No he did not! Did Abraham trust God completely? Yes he did! Otherwise Abraham wouldn't have obeyed God.

However, as I read this story again, I perceive another person's righteousness and faith — one that is often overlooked because it is overshadowed by his father's faith. You see, this story is really about three people: God, Abraham, and Isaac. Many times people praise Abraham for his faith, but fail to notice Isaac. Abraham was faced with the horror of killing his own son, but Isaac was faced with the horror of being killed by his own father. And yet there is no indication anywhere in the Bible that Isaac argued with or fought his father to prevent himself from being bound up, laid on top of the wood on the altar, and sacrificed to God. Let's be honest, most of us would have put up a tremendous fight or run for the hills, declaring our father insane! But that is not how Isaac is portrayed. In fact, when Isaac questions his father as to why they had no sheep for the burnt offering, Isaac accepts his father's explanation without further question, even though, where they were going, it would be next to impossible for them to find a stray sheep, let alone a perfect sheep, for them to sacrifice. But after this perplexing and awkward conversation between father and son, the Bible says the two of them "walked on together."

"Isaac turned to Abraham and said, 'Father?'

'Yes, my son?' Abraham replied.

'We have the fire and the wood,' the boy said,

'but where is the sheep for the burnt offering?'

'God will provide a sheep for the burnt offering,

my son,' Abraham answered.

And they both walked on together."

Genesis 22:7-8 (NLT)

Isaac was indeed a remarkable young man, because he too feared God, even at his tender age. (It wasn't until Abraham was very old that he was able to have complete and unwavering faith in God.) It is interesting to note that God blessed Isaac with 180 years of life — he was the longest living of the three patriarchs in the Old Testament. Why? Because Isaac showed great respect to both his earthly father and his Heavenly One. Remember God's promise?

"Honour your father and mother.

Then you will live a long, full life

in the land the Lord your God is giving you."

Exodus 20:12 (NLT)

Fear God. Trust Him and you will not be disappointed — your reward will be great!