Was the story of Abraham and Isaac about blind faith or was Abraham testing God?

Question

On whether or not He accepted pagan rituals and human sacrifice?

Answer 1

Abraham was considered a 'righteous man' and a 'friend' of God. The whole story of Abraham and Isaak is a Foreshadow of things to come. I think God wanted Abraham to know just how he was going to feel when he sent his son down to earth to die. I don't think God was testing him so much as trying to get Abraham to understand him.
This is just an logical guess, not a fact.

Answer 2

God was testing Abraham's faith and love for him, by finding out if he would even be willing to kill his son for him. And when God determined that Abraham loved him more than he loved his son, and would have willingly sacrificed him, he stayed his hand, and provided a more suitable offering nearby, I think it was a ram. Something I always wondered about, is whether there was a time when human sacrifice was a normal and accepted practice back then, and maybe the story is about that point where the people determined that human sacrifice was no longer necessary, and an animal would do just as well.

Answer 3

God was testing Abraham, for some reason. Remember, before this occurred, God promised Abraham that his seed would be multiplied greatly. Isaac was the only child Abraham and Sarah had. Abraham had faith that God would provide another sacrifice or would raise Isaac from the dead. Either way, Abraham was just doing what God told him to do and trusting that God knew what He was doing.

Answer 4

The term " blind faith" is not a Bible term nor is it even a Christian term. It is a term made up by those who do not believe in it to try to discredit it. Faith is not blind, it is based upon the principles of God's Word and is as reliable as God himself. According to the Bible the story about Abraham and Isaac was God testing Abraham.

Are you aware that the place at Abraham sacrificed Isaac is the exact same spot where Jesus was crucified on mount Moriah. If you do not believe in God how did that happen?

Answer 5

The story of Abraham and Isaac was about FAITH - Abraham's faith in God that He would provide.

God was testing Abraham's faith - not Abraham testing God.

Man must not test God...

Answer 6

It wasn't blind faith at all. He had complete faith in God, so when God had told him to take his son on the mountain to be sacrificed to him, Abraham did as he was told, but God stopped him because he knew that Abraham would do anything for God, even if he didn't know the outcome.

Answer 7

Abraham was NOT testing God! He believed he was doing as God wanted him to. God promised him he'd be the father of many nations through Isaac. He did not know HOW it would happen if he sacrificed Isaac, but his faith in God and His promise had him do as God asked. I'd say it was more God testing Abraham than the other way around.

Abraham had his "Ishmael" through lack of faith in God's promise. He and Sarai were trying to get God's promise "in the flesh" and "Ishmael" was the result. Abraham knew what it was to reap the consequences of lack of faith.

His actions with Abraham were pure faith..and he passed.

Answer 8

I don't think that there was anything blind about Abraham's faith. I think that he had a very strong sense of who God is and just what exactly their relationship was. If Abraham had a strong enough faith and relationship to "tempt God" isn't it also possible that he knew that he didn't need to? One should never, and should never need to tempt God. He is the only one who loves you more than anyone you will ever know!!

Answer 9

It wasn't about blind faith, or about Abraham testing God...
God tested Abraham! He knew that the Lord had given him a promise about his son, and he belived that even if he did kill him, that God would raise him from the dead!

By faith Abraham, when he was tried offered up Isaac; and he that had recieved the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, that in Isaac shall thy seed be called: Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from whence also he recieved him in a figure. Hebrews 11:17-19

Answer 10

Gen. 22:5 says: "And Abraham said to his young men, 'Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go yonder; and we will worship and return to you.'" Abraham was ready to sacrifice his son and he expected the Lord to resurrect Isaac. This is what it says in Heb. 11:19, "He considered that God is able to raise men even from the dead; from which he also received him back as a type." So, God knew that Abraham was completely trusting in the Lord. Why then did God still need to test in Abraham?

Gen. 22 is full of types and representations of the gospel. The Son, Isaac, is offered on wood, on a hill after a three day journey. Jesus, the Son, was offered on wood, on a hill, and was in the grave for three days. In fact, Jesus said in John 8:56, "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad." The day that Jesus is speaking of is the day of Christ's sacrificial death.
God ordained that the gospel be revealed in the Old Testament just as it says in Amos 3:7, "Surely the Lord God does nothing unless He reveals His secret counsel to His servants the prophets."

God is doing two things: First, God is revealing the gospel in hidden form. Second, God is speaking for Abraham's benefit; that is, it was Abraham who needed to hear that God was acknowledging that Abraham feared Him.
The act of sacrificing Isaac was important prophetically. But it was also important to us as a testimony of faithfulness to God.