Genesis 22—23: Ultimate Faith
SUPPOSE GOD ASKED you to give up someone or something at the very center of your life—a loved one, your home, profession or plans for the future. How would you respond? In this study we walk with Abraham through such a valley of testing. He comes to the climax of his career as he faces a soul-shattering event. Abraham's experience can teach us how God provides for those who honor him with such faith and obedience.
Warming Up to God
Tell God about any pain you are suffering right now. Remember that James says trials develop perseverance. Ask God to purify your character while you endure.
Read Genesis 22—23. »
Discovering the Word
- In God's command to Abraham, what phrases emphasize the magnitude and painfulness of this sacrifice (22:1-2)?
- What do the details of the narrative reveal about Abraham's response to this incredibly difficult situation (22:3-10)?
- How does God's provision for Abraham in 22:13-14 fulfill the confidence he expressed earlier (22:5, 8)?
- When Abraham decides to bury Sarah among the Hittites, how do they react to his first request (23:1-6)?
- What steps does Abraham go through to observe the laws of the land (23:7-16)?
- At the time of Sarah's death, she and Abraham had not seen the fulfillment of most of God's promises. How was her burial a silent testimony to their future fulfillment (23:17-19)?
Applying the Word
- In 22:12 the Lord says, "Now I know that you fear God because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son." Based on Abraham's example, what do you think it means to fear God?
- Have you ever faced a situation in which obedience to God required you to give up someone or something you loved? Explain.
Responding in Prayer
Praise God for this foreshadowing of his ultimate act of sacrifice—the willful surrender of his Son's life to give us forgiveness and salvation.
For Further Study
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Genesis-Deuteronomy by John H. Walton and Victor H. Matthews