2007-03-17 16:50:47 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
To show Abraham that his own faith was stronger than his fear!
2007-03-17 16:55:30 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
For what it's worth, as Job found out: God doesn't trust men or angels....He got burned a couple of times AND men and women have to prove more than 'lip service' of their allegiance - sooner or later.
And Abraham had already had a lapse of faith - he slept with the handmaid and Ismael was born (which caused problems then and NOW).
God had to know that a human being had the faith and courage to sacrifice a beloved son OR God would not have sent Jesus into this world to be murdered. That knife above Issac had to be fully raised and the 'will' to go ahead and plunge it into the boy THERE - before the ram caught in the bush was disclosed. It is not a valid test if it doesn't go all the way; and the outcome has to be an 'unknown'. Therefore, God had to have placed a partition between Himself and Abraham. And watched, silently.
And I am sure the lad was scared out of his pants. It had to be a gut wrenching, fraught with ambivalence and fear situation; for both father and son. But, again, if Abraham had said.."Nope, I'll pass; I don't understand why you would want that and I am not going to do it"...THEN, no Jesus....As below; so above. Earth and men/women reflect to heaven and it works from the other side too. Praise and applause to Abram. He had already walked 3,300 miles to a new land, where he knew no one; and he and Sarah were very old, and he waited a bunch of years and nothing happened; so he did the best he could and bedded Haggai. And God was gentle with him, He sent two angels to re affirm, Sarah will concieve...hang in there.
May I invite you to meditate upon the planning and implementation of this brilliant scheme: to outwit the evil ones', to make atonement for egregious sins; and to re initiate eternal life. And He did it over several centuries !!!!!
He worked with numerous women and men to 'set the stage' for Jesus to be in the world, and for that evil goddamned empire to be able to 'at will' crucify a man --- just because they could. Did you know that crucifixion was meant only for slaves originally. The romans hated when 'their property' ran away...so, they'd catch the poor soul and crucify him at the gates of the city, to scare the other slaves into not running away.
Finally.....Abram did not murder his son...he lived and long and properous life. The issue was: Abram do you have the faith, courage, will and desire to follow me or don't you....Guess what?! That is the same issue today.
2007-03-18 00:17:33 · answer #2 · answered by Bill S 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To give Abraham faith. Yes, God did know Abraham's heart, but did Abraham really know God's. God provided the lamb.
2007-03-17 23:54:26 · answer #3 · answered by t2ensie 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The reason why is because this part of scripture is a picture of what God will eventually do to his only Son Jesus.
Through this event all nations on earth will be blessed because through Abraham will eventually come the Messiah. Through Abraham's seed God would multiply his descendents as the stars in heaven. This all foreshadows the spritual truths God would eventually carry out. Abraham is a picture of God the Father, Isaac is a symbolic picture of Jesus Christ. Through the death of Christ as the perfect sacrifice all nations on earth will be blessed. God would multiply Christ's followers (those who are born of God) as numerous as the stars in heaven. Throughout every tribe, nation, language and tongue God has his people, his true nation of Israel, the body of born again believers.
2007-03-18 00:08:58 · answer #4 · answered by Archangel 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Abraham had free will just like you. Abraham chose God's will over his own. God tested Abraham and Abraham passed the test. God said "I will provide myself the lamb", foretelling the coming of Christ. God made his covenant with Abraham and Jesus is the living embodiment of that promise.
2007-03-17 23:59:17 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Its the Free Will thing again. To see if he would obey. The story also "pre-figures" what God Himself would do for us later in giving up His Son, Jesus. Remember, when Isaac was released, Abraham told him that God Himself would provide the sacrafice and they found the ram caught in the brush. And so it was that God did indeed provide the sacrafice...for all of us in Jesus Christ.
There are many many stories in the OT that pre-figure what happens in the NT. Saint Augustine even once said that the New Testament is hidden in the Old and the Old Testament is revealed in the New.
2007-03-17 23:55:53 · answer #6 · answered by Augustine 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Even if he knows a persons heart it doesnt mean that he chooses to know what they will do. We all have free will, and even a person with a good heart makes mistakes, so maybe there was a cahnce Abraham wouldnt do it--but he did. But then again, thats what i think........^^
2007-03-17 23:56:23 · answer #7 · answered by Sayain 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes. However, Abraham didn't know his own heart. It was for our benefit as well, we can't know God unless He reveals Himself to us.
2007-03-18 00:00:09 · answer #8 · answered by HAND 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Abraham was a free moral agent,it was a test of faith.
2007-03-17 23:56:20 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Possibly, it was for Abraham's benefit...seeing God's faithfullness as his faith was given the ultimate test.
2007-03-17 23:58:46 · answer #10 · answered by bonsai bobby 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋