Do you believe Abraham was asked to kill his son by God?

Question

Why or why not?
What God would ask that?

Answer 1

Now the fifth daughter on the twelfth night
Told the first father that things weren't right
My complexion she said is much too white
He said come here and step into the light he says hmmm you're right
Let me tell second mother this has been done
But the second mother was with the seventh son
And they were both out on Highway 61.

Answer 2

If you read the story of Abraham, you'd see that they guy exhibits ALL the symptoms of schizophrenia. (Hearing voices, hallucinations, etc.) In this day and age, if someone you knew had their son bound to a homemade altar, surrounded by wood readly to burn, knife in hand, and they told you that God told them to kill their son, you'd have them locked up. You would never, for one instant, believe that God actually DID tell the guy to kill his son. (Even if God DID retract at the last second and say that it was just a test.) Considering you wouldn't believe a guy you met now who told you that, then WHY would you believe some guy that made that claim that over 2000 years ago is any less insane?

Answer 3

Abraham knew God had a problem. He promised that through Isaac, all the earth will be blessed (ie Messiah will come from his seed). Abraham also knew that what he was doing was a prophetic model. This was detailed in Hebrews 11...

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,”

In answer to this, Abraham was POSITIVE that God would raise Isaac from the dead in order to fulfill the picture of the coming Messiah. This is why Abraham answered Isaac and said, "God will provide Himself a Lamb for the burnt offering." Hebrews 11 continues...

"...concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense."

However, God did not do it that way. Rather, He brought in a substitution. Abraham saw the picture, and named the place, "In the mount of the Lord, it shall be seen." Thousands of years later, on that very spot, it was seen. God gave His only Son to die for the sins of the world.

Answer 4

Isaac was Abraham's long term goal and a big dream come true..
God wanted to test his loyalty... In those days sons were very precious and it was important for God to check whether Abraham valued his son more than God who gave to him...

Answer 5

The event is clearly recorded in Genesis chapter 22.
The chapter begins:
1 Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!"
"Here I am," he replied.
2 Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about."

after Abraham passes the test God says:

" The angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven a second time and said, "I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me." "
Genesis 22:15-18

Here is what the author of the Letter to the Hebrews says about this event:

"By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned."Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death."
Hebrews 11:17-19

Answer 6

Perhaps it was God's way to tell us that human sacrifice is NEVER acceptable to God. Many of the surrounding cultures practiced human sacrifice, but this was God's way of telling His people that they could continue to sacrifice grains, oils, and little critters -- but NEVER a human being!
.

Answer 7

Abraham was being tested. He passed the test.

The son's name was Isaac, not anyone else.

Answer 8

If you hear a voice in your head telling you to harm someone, you are NOT communicating with god but your own memories inside.

Answer 9

Of course- it is mentioned in the Quran

The point of the story is not that people should sacrifice their children but that Ibrahim (Abraham) had waited years for a child - and when he finally got one he loved him alot - Allah (God) asked him to sacrifice his son as a test - the message is we should be willing to sacrifice even whats dearest to us (our wealth, time etc) for the sake of God

The Muslim festical of Eid ul Adha (one of the 2 major festivals in Islam) commemorates his sacrifice

From a translation of the Quran

[Yusufali 37:99] He (Abraham) said: "I will go to my Lord! He will surely guide me!
[Yusufali 37:100] "O my Lord! Grant me a righteous (son)!"
[Yusufali 37:101] So We gave him the good news of a boy ready to suffer and forbear.
[Yusufali 37:102] Then, when (the son) reached (the age of) (serious) work with him, he said: "O my son! I see in vision that I offer thee in sacrifice: Now see what is thy view!" (The son) said: "O my father! Do as thou art commanded: thou will find me, if Allah so wills one practising Patience and Constancy!"
[Yusufali 37:103] So when they had both submitted their wills (to Allah), and he had laid him prostrate on his forehead (for sacrifice),
[Yusufali 37:104] We called out to him "O Abraham!
[Yusufali 37:105] "Thou hast already fulfilled the vision!" - thus indeed do We reward those who do right.
[Yusufali 37:106] For this was obviously a trial-
[Yusufali 37:107] And We ransomed him with a momentous sacrifice:
[Yusufali 37:108] And We left (this blessing) for him among generations (to come) in later times:
[Yusufali 37:109] "Peace and salutation to Abraham!"
[Yusufali 37:110] Thus indeed do We reward those who do right.
[Yusufali 37:111] For he was one of our believing Servants.
[Yusufali 37:112] And We gave him the good news of Isaac - a prophet,- one of the Righteous.
[Yusufali 37:113] We blessed him and Isaac: but of their progeny are (some) that do right, and (some) that obviously do wrong, to their own souls

Answer 10

Sounds like something for a Jewish scholar. Any Jews out there tonight?