What did this represent in the Bible?

Question

Heb 11:17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, as good as offered up Isaac, and the man that had gladly received the promises attempted to offer up [his] only-begotten [son], 18 although it had been said to him: “What will be called ‘your seed’ will be through Isaac.” 19 But he reckoned that God was able to raise him up even from the dead; and from there he did receive him also in an illustrative way.

Answer 1

it prefigures the agonizing sacrifice that YHWH/Jehovah would later have to endure when He offered His firstborn of creation, His only-begotten Son Yhshua/Jesus for faithful mankind who choose to obey His Kingdom rule over satan's idea of mankind's self-rule

agape!

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Answer 2

Abraham was a man of unusual faith, he was well-acquainted with the name of God even though Jehovah had not at that time revealed the full significance of His name. Exodus 6: 2,3.
The supreme test of Abraham's faith came about when his son Isaac was 25 years old. In obedience to Jehovah's instructions, Abraham took Isaac and traveled N from Beer-sheba at the Negeb to Mt. Moriah, directly N of Salem. There he built an altar and prepared to offer up Isaac, "For He Reckoned That God Was Able to Raise Him Up Even From the Dead." At the last moment Jehovah stopped him, and provided a ram as a substitute for Isaac. This Implicit Faith backed up by Complete Obedience Moved Jehovah to Reinforce his covenant with Abraham with a sworn oath, a special legal guarantee Genesis 22: 1- 18; Hebrews 6: 13 - 18; Hebrews 11: 17 - 19
Isaac, in his early manhood, proved his faith and obedience to Jehovah by allowing himself to be bound hand and foot and placed atop the altar for sacrifice. Genesis 17: 10 - 14, 23 - 27 Genesis 16: 13; and 24: 2 - 56

Answer 3

Like many Bible events, it has both a "present" and a "future" application.

At the time of Abraham, human sacrifice was the standard. Every culture practiced it. By preventing Abraham from completing the sacrifice of Isaac, God used a very dramatic event to drive home the point that he did NOT require the sacrfice of children. And you will not find it practiced again by the Jewish religion in the rest of the Bible. Apparently it was an effective method of stopping that practice.

But it was more than that. It was a forshadowing of what God himself would one day do in the sacrificing of his own son. In fact, it would be on the very same mountain (Moriah, later called Calvary). And done in the belief that his son, if sacrificed, would be raised again from the dead. Apparently that was effective also, as the results of it have changed the whole world for the better ever since.

Answer 4

This passage is found in the chapter of Hebrews, which tells us of men and women who believed God. In this particular case, we see a man who believed God's promise of raising up a people through his son Isaac. However, God told Abraham to offer up Isaac as a sacrifice. Abraham believed God so much for the promise that he figured that God would have to raise Isaac from the dead in order to fulfill His promise.

Abraham received Isaac "in an illustrative way." That is, we too must believe that we will be part of a great host of people who will praise God and experience an eternity of joy -- after death. God promised eternal life to all who put their trust in His Son. Do we believe that death will defeat that promise? Or will we be strong in our trials, even on our deathbed, and trust that God will keep His promise by raising us up from the dead?

Answer 5

Prophetic vision of offering a son for the atonement of sin. That through faith one must be willing to sacrifice anything for God, but God does not ask the impossible or unreasonable. That with faith one is justified. That Isaac would not perish because he would be the father of a great people, just as God's son would be the pioneer of a great race of people by the resurrection of the dead.

Answer 6

I think it represented the absolute faith Abraham and Isaac BOTH had in Jehovah. Isaac was apparently not a child, but a young man, and could have easily chosen to not submit; to overpower his father and not be sacrificed. Instead, he submitted to not only his earthly father, but to his faith in his Heavenly Father, and both were honored by having their bloodline father the 'nations'.

Answer 7

Abraham loved Jehovah so much that he held nothing back from Him. Even the son he had waited for, for 100 years was God's if He wanted him. He knew and trusted Jehovah knowing Jehovah would give him another son and God's promise of the seed coming through Abraham would be accomplished because God said so.
He as much as offered up Issac...because he was told to and was obedient totally to Jehovah.

Answer 8

The willingness to give his only illustrates total trust in God Almighty.

And of course what many people miss is:

God trusts that we to will accept His son that He gave to us who did return for a short time after his murder.

Christians are Jesus's seed so to speak.

Answer 9

I would think that the story impresses upon the people of the time that God was a single almighty force (as opposed to the polytheistic ways of the time. Abraham was the one since the ancient Egyptians to introduce monotheistic beliefs.

Answer 10

It means, as i understand, that Abraham had FAITH. He did not understand the reasons why God would take his only son. And even though it hurt Abraham greatly, his faith was strong enough to beliave that his God knew better than he.

Not sure but didnt God return his son to him as a reward for his obediance. If thats the case God can play some nasty mind games