¹⁷ By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son …

Stretching—that’s what this test was all about. Abraham’s faith was being stretched. God had promised him innumerable descendants and Isaac was the promised son, the beginning of God’s fulfillment of the promise, and now the Lord was saying to kill him! This is a challenge on at least two fronts, one for Abraham, but one for us today.

For us, this poses a moral dilemma. Nowhere else does the Scripture sanction human sacrifice (not withstanding Jephthah’s ridiculous vow in Judges 11:29ff.). In fact, Leviticus 8:21 and Deuteronomy 18:10-12 expressly forbid killing of human beings as an act of ritual worship. So how do we understand God’s command to Abraham, the action of which is highly lauded in our passage today?

First of all, this incident took place long before the Law was given (over 400 years earlier), so the prohibition against such activity had not yet been given. Second, God does at times call on humans to put others to death. The wars of Israel are a case in point, but so also, some may argue, is the implication of Romans 13:1-4 where government is given the power of capital punishment. Third, God retains the right to take life if He so desires, for all of life is His; He is the creator and can do with His creation as He wishes. Job recognized this after the whirlwind destroyed his children, “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21). So the Lord certainly was within His prerogatives to command Abraham to sacrifice his son.

But is this not extreme, to require such a thing of Abraham? Of course it was. But it is no more extreme than the many in Hebrews 11 who were put to death “by the sword” (vs. 37) or who suffered all kinds of hardships. Martyrdom is extreme! Yes, sometimes God calls on His people to be tested in the most stretching ways, testing our loyalty to God.

The ultimate test is this: Are there things in our lives more important than God? He continues to look for people who believe He is alive and working in this world and who dare to believe He is good and gracious, and will reward those who actively seek Him in their daily lives (see Hebrews 6:11). What is it today that stands in your way to a deeper walk of loyal faith in Christ? Is it a loved one that you have put before God? A possession? A status or reputation? A fear, anxiety? Put it aside, remove it, and follow God more loyally!

Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me… (Psalm 139:23–24)