Genesis 22 Commentary
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Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. Vs 1 NIV
Yes, that is the right term. Testing. It was just a test but with huge implications. Child sacrifice is what Canaanites did. In fact later on this horrible practice would make them eligible for termination at the command of the LORD. AND this is what the LORD asked Abraham to do. It was a test. And the result is an acted parable in which the LORD wanted to clearly and strongly point out to Abraham that He (the LORD) was NEVER to be worshipped this was.
Like much of symbolic text, we have layers of meaning. One of them would be to show Abraham and the rest of mankind the generosity of God in eventually and finally giving us Jesus for our cleansing. The lamb was provided and killed instead of Isaac. The Lamb would be provided instead of you and me – several several generations later. The LORD is showing us quite early what would happen to the seed – the real seed.
Nahoh’s line is briefly mentioned towards the end of chapter 22 but I think we can guess the reason. It’s Rebekah. She was the mother of the patriarch Jacob and wife of Isaac. But more on that story later.
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