Day 11: The Sacrifice of Isaac

 Today's reading: Genesis 22-23, Job 11-12, and Proverbs 2:9-15.

I. Today's reading in Genesis begins with one of the most heart-wrenching episodes of Scripture: the sacrifice of Isaac. God commands Abraham to take his beloved son to Moriah and "offer him there as a burnt offering" (22:2). For a modern reader especially, this is just gobsmacking, as the Brits might say. In our minds, we have to wonder if Abraham feared that God was like the pagan deities of his time, which demanded child sacrifices to satiate them. Further, if Isaac is sacrificed, how will God fulfill His promises to make a great nation from Abraham's descendants (17:19-21)? Just on the personal level, Isaac was long anticipated by Abraham (not to mention Sarah), that he loved as even God Himself acknowledges (22:2). This has to be soul-crushing to Abraham, as it would be to just about any father who loves their children. Imagine also having to tell Sarah about all this!

Yet, it seems that this is the exact point of the test given by God. As the Ignatius Bible notes:

Abraham learns the lesson of trustful surrender to the Lord. As each stage of the process, more is asked of him than before, until all that Abraham holds dear is given over to God and nothing is held back. Each time he is summoned to sacrifice, he is asked to love the Creator more than his creatures and to esteem the divine Giver above his most precious gifts. Even when God's promises and credibility hang by a thread, the only acceptable course is to entrust ourselves to him in faith. (p. 86)

Further, Isaac is seen by Christians as prefiguring Christ. As the Ignatius Bible also notes:

Isaac is a type of Christ, for he was a son as Christ was a Son, and he carried the wood of his sacrifice just as the Lord bore the wood of the Cross... The Lord carried his Cross as Isaac carried the wood; the ram, caught by its horns in the thicket, prefigures Jesus crowned with thorns and then slain in sacrifice... (p. 84-85) 

Even so, I thank God that I have never been tested like this. Abraham may have thought that God would resurrect Isaac if necessary, but bravo to him for his strong faith. I confess that I'm too much of a "modern man," and my faith would have probably wavered from such a command.

The story ends today with the death of Sarah and her burial (23:19-20).

II. In Job, we find his friend Zophar gives one of the harshest rebukes so far, making one wonder what kind of "friends" he really has! The Ignatius Bible notes:

He thinks that Job, by declaring his innocence, is guilty of arrogant and foolish presumption, as if a man could outsmart his Maker by hiding his sin. Job is thus urged to repent and find restoration (11:13-20). Among other problems, Zophar overstates his accusations: Job may have questioned God's ways, but he never stooped to the level of mockery (11:3); also, Job is not aware of having committed serious wrongdoing, but he has never claimed to be absolutely pure in God's sight (11:4). (p. 798)

Job's reply shows that he isn't pleased with what his friends have been telling him, those in whom "wisdom will die with you" (12:2). Contrary to what Zophar has said, Job firmly acknowledges that God is sovereign over all (12:7-25). 

It is here that today's reading in Job ends.

I do like this gentle reminder from BIY Companion, Vol 1, for those left unsettled by today's readings in Genesis & Job:

The book of Job, too, reminds us of God's genuine care for us and that he is not our enemy. (p. 28)

III. In Proverbs, we are given another tiny morsel. With verses 9-15, the father continues giving advice to his son that "wisdom will come into your heart... [and] discretion will watch over you..."

That's it for today.