Genesis 22:1-14
Matthew 10:40-42
IT IS NOT DIFFICULT TO WELCOME A MESSAGE OF JOY OR GOOD TIDINGS, SUCH AS HOW MARY REACTED WHEN THE ANGEL GABRIEL INFORMED HER SHE WOULD BECOME PREGNANT AND GIVE BIRTH TO THE CHRIST CHILD, AND THAT HER COUSIN LONG BARREN WAS NOW PREGANT ALSO AND WOULD GIVE BIRTH TO A SON WHO GROW UP TO BE JOHN-THE-BAPTIST.
NEWS AND MESSAGES OF THIS NATURE OR ALWAYS WELL RECEIVED.
BUT WHO HERE AMONG US THIS MORNING IF ASKED BY GOD, OR ANY POWERFUL ENTITY TO GIVE UP WHAT IS MOST LOVED AND CHERISHED BY US COULD SUCH, WITHOUT QUESTIONING?
THIS IS WHAT WE READ IN THE GENESIS TEXT OF TODAY, ABRAHAM AND OLD MAN, WELL PAST HIS CHILDPRODUCING/BEARING YEARS HAS BEEN IN HIS LATTER YEARS GIVEN A SON, AN HEIR, IT IS UNIMAGINABLE HOW PRECIOUS HIS SON ISSAC WAS TO HIM AND SARAH, AND HE NOW HAS BEEN DIRECTED TO SACRIFICE HIM TO GOD.
GOD HAD A BIGGER PLAN, A MORE ELABORATE AND LARGER VISION FOR ABRAHAM & SARAH. IT WAS BEYOND WHAT THEY COULD SEE, OR ENVISION, IT WAS A BLESSING FOR ALL HUMANKIND. GOD HAD TOLD THEM THOUGH THEY HAD NO CHILDREN, THEY WOULD BE A BLESSING FOR AS MANY AS THERE ARE STARS AT NIGHT, OR SAND ON BEACHES. WE GATHERED HERE THIS MORING AND THE BILLION OTHER CHRISTIANS ARE THE FRUITS OF THAT BLESSING.
BUT FOR SUCH A BLESSING TO OCCUR, GOD WANTE NOT JUST FAITH, BUT A HEART, A SPIRIT OF GREAT OBEDIENCE, ONE WILLING TO GIVE UP WHAT SURELY WAS MOST PRECIOUS IF GOD ASKED, WHICH IS WHAT WE ENCOUNTER IN THIS GENESIS TEXT OF TODAY.
ONE OF THE OTHER STRIKING THINGS ABOUT THIS EVENT, IS THAT WE HEAR NOTHING FROM SARAH. SHE MUST HAVE HAD SOME SERIOUS AND CHALLENGING EMOTIONS AND THOUGHTS CONCERNING SUCH A REQUEST. AFTERALL SHE WAS RIDICULED BY HAGAR WHO HAD A CHILD FATHERED BY ABRAHAM, BUT ONCE SHE GAVE BIRH TO A SON FOR ABRAHAM, SHE HAD ABRAHAM DISPPATCH HAAGAR AND HER SON TO THE WILDERNESS.
IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT GOD INTERVENED TO ASSURE ABRAHAM THAT HAGAR AND HER SON ISHMAEL WOULD BE ALL RIGHT, AND TAKEN CARE OF, DO AS SARAH HAS DIRECTED YOU TO TURN HAGAR AND ISHMAEL OUT.
COULD OR WOULD YOU BE IN A POSITION TO “WELCOME SUCH A MESSAGE?”
IN THE ANCIENT WORLD IT WAS NOT UNHEARD OF THAT A MESSENGER DELIVERING BAD NEWS WOULD BE REFRESHED, FEED A NICE MEAL, THEN KILLED. THANKFULLY TODAY OUR OVERNIGHT FEDX MAIL DELIVERERS DON’T HAVE TO CONTENT WITH SUCH BARBARIC ACTS.
ALL THOUGH SCRIPTURE DOES SAY SOMETHING POSITIVE CONCERNING THE ROLE ANCIENT MESSENGERS PROVIDED;
“HOW BEAUTIFUL ON THE MOUNTAINS ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO BRING GOOD NEWS, WHO PROCLAM PEACE, WHO BRING GOOD TIDINGS…” (ISAIAH 52:7)
BUT RETURNING TO THE THEME AND QUESTION, CAN YOU “WELCOME A MESSAGE” FROM GOD, THAT ASK YOU TO GIVE SOMETHING YOU MOST LOVE, CHERISH, AND TREASURE.
THIS TEST OF FAITH STORY OF ABRAHAM READIED TO SARIFICE ISAAC, NAMED BY CHRISTIANS “THE SACRIFICE OF ISAAC” AND BY JEWS “THE AKEDAH” (MEANING THE “BINDING” OF ISAAC) HAS ENGENDERED HEATED DEBATE OVER THE CENTURIES. IS IT A STORY OF AN ABUSIVE GOD, A MISGUIDED ABRAHAM, RELIGIOUS VIOLENCE AT ITS WORST? OR IS IT A STORY OF FAITH AND OBEDIENCE?
AS I HAVE OFTEN STATED I FOLLOW THE LECTIONARY PRECISELY FOR AN OPPORTUNITY OF ENCOUNTERING AND ENGAGING JUST SUCH A CHALLENGING PERICOPE OF SCRIPTURE AS THIS. IT WOULD BE EASY TO IGNORE AND MOVE ON PAST THIS BIBLICAL ENCOUNTER AND PREACH FROM A MORE FRIENDLY LESS DIFFICULT TEXT.
BUT IN STRUGGLE, IN CHALLENGE, IN TIMES AND MOMENTS OF DIFFICULTY WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR GROWTH, FOR GARNERING MORE WISDOM, FOR STRENGTHING OUR FAITH. SOMEONE WROTE;
“FAITH IS SITTING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STORM OF YOUR LIFE AND STILL BEING ABLE TO CLOSE YOUR EYES AND PICTURE THE SUNNY SKIES ,STILL BEING ABLE TO FEEL THE BETTER DAYS COMING. DESPITE THE STORM ALL AROUND YOU, THAT;S FAITH.”
SOMETIMES ONES HAS TO SPEND TIME WITH THE WORD OF GOD. LET THE WORD OF GOD RESTON YOUR HEART, ON YOUR MIND, IN YOUR SPIRIT, DON’T TRY TO CONTROL IT, FLOW WITH IT, LET GO OF IT, ALLOW IT TO BE AN ACTIVE PRESENT PART OF BOTH WHO AND WHAT YOU ARE, A SON OR DAUGHTER OF GOD, CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD.
THE HARSHNESS AND DIFFICULTIES OF THIS CHILD SACRIFICE TEXT ARE EVER BEFORE US. TRYING TO GET AROUND THE DIFFICULTIES, MANY BIBLICAL SCHOLARS AND COMMENTATORS ARGUE THAT IT IS SIMPLY AN ETIOLOGICAL TALE ABOUT THE SHIFT FROM HUMAN SACRIFICE TO ANIMAL SACRIFICE. THIS SEEMS LIKELY.
IT IS CERTAINLY THE CASE THAT OTHER BIBLICAL TEXTS EXPRESSLY FORBID CHILD SACRIFICE (E.G. LEVITICUS 18:21; JEREMIAH 7:30-34; EZEKIEL 20:31). THE PRACTICE IS KNOWN IN THE CULTURES SURROUNDING ISRAEL AND MAY HAVE BEEN PRACTICED IN ISRAEL AS WELL (HENCE THE PROPHETIC CONDEMNATION OF IT).
BUT ARE THERE OTHER EASIER BETTER WAYS TO TEACH GOD’S ADHORANCE TO CHILD SACRIFICE THAN THIS? PERHAPS! BUT REMEMBER AND RECALL THAT GOD HAS RESERVED BY GOD’S VERY NATURE AND EXISTANCE A REALM AND PLACE OF BEING ABOVE AND BEYOND OURS SCRIPTURE INFORMS US OF THIS, WE READ IN ISAIAH; “FOR MY THOUGHTS ARE NOT YOUR THOUGHTS, NEITHER ARE YOUR WAYS MY WAYS,” DECLARES THE LORD. “AS THE HEAVENS ARE HIGER THAN THE EARTH, SO ARE MY WAYS HIGHER THAN YOUR WAYS AND MY THOUGHTS THAN YOUR THOUGHTS.” (ISAIAH 55:8-9)
DESPITE THIS RICH HISTORY OF INTERPRETATION, WELL-MEANING PEOPLE THROUGH THE CENTURIES, HORRIFIED BY THIS STORY, HAVE ATTEMPTED TO NEGATE IT IN VARIOUS WAYS. AND IT IS TRUE THAT IT CAN BE A DANGEROUS TEXT, ESPECIALLY IN AN ERA OF RELIGIOUS EXTREMISM SUCH AS NOW. ANYONE WHO PREACHES THIS STORY MUST EMPHATICALLY SAY THAT GOD DOES NOT DEMAND CHILD SACRIFICE; INDEED, THAT GOD ABHORS IT (AS EVIDENCED BY THE PROPHETS).
THE STORY NAMED BY WE CHRISTIANS “THE SACRIFICE OF ISAAC” AND BY JEWS “THE AKEDAH” (THE “BINDING” OF ISAAC) HAS ENGENDERED HEATED DEBATE OVER THE CENTURIES. IS IT A STORY OF AN ABUSIVE GOD, A MISGUIDED ABRAHAM, RELIGIOUS VIOLENCE AT ITS WORST? OR IS IT A STORY OF FAITH AND OBEDIENCE?
STILL, THERE IS A THEOLOGICAL DEPTH IN THIS STORY THAT SHOULD NOT BE PASSED OVER. THE NARRATIVE HAS GRIPPED THE RELIGIOUS IMAGINATION OF JEW AND CHRISTIAN ALIKE FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS.2 IT IS WORTH LOOKING AT ITS DETAILS.
“NOW I KNOW.” THIS STORY DOES NOT SUBSCRIBE TO LATER NOTIONS OF GOD’S PERFECT OMNISCIENCE. THIS IS A GENUINE TEST, AND ABRAHAM IS FREE TO DECIDE WHAT HE WILL DO. GOD NEITHER KNOWS NOR PRE-ORDAINS HOW ABRAHAM WILL RESPOND. READING THIS STORY WITH A HERMENEUTIC OF GENEROSITY, ONE COULD ARGUE THAT GOD IMPOSES THIS ONE-TIME TEST ON ABRAHAM BECAUSE GOD HAS RISKED THE WORLD’S SALVATION ON THE FAITH OF THIS MAN(CALLED THE FATHER OF OUR FAITH), AND GOD NEEDS TO KNOW IF HE IS INDEED FAITHFUL.
THIS IS WHERE ONE’S SACRIFICE GOES BEYOND ONE’S SELF, IT GOES BEYOND ONE’S LIFE AND IS MADE SO THAT OTHERS MIGHT BE BLESSED, ITS AN ACT IN YOUR LIFETIME, THAT BLESSES THOSE WHO COME AFTER YOU.
ABRAHAM AND HIS DESCENDANTS ARE THE MEANS BY WHICH GOD HAS CHOSEN TO BLESS THE WHOLE WORLD (GENESIS 12:3).
MOSES MADE A SACRIFICE FOR THE HEBREW PEOPLE, HE DID NOT LEAD INTO THE PROMISELAND, BUT HE LED THEM OUT OF SLAVERY AND BONDAGE OUT OF EGYPT, JEREMIAH DID NOT GET TO LIVE ON HIS FAMILIE’S LAND, BUT PREACHED RIGHTOUSNESS TO A PEOPLE NOT WANTING TO HEAR IT, THE PROPHET AMOS WHO ONLY WANTED TO TEND TO HIS ORCHARD AND HERDS, LEFT TO PREACH TRUTH AT THE KING’S TEMPLE, HE SACRIFICED, JESUS SACRIFICED, STEPHEN AS THE FIRST CHRISTIAN MARTYERED SACRIFIED HIS LIFE, PETER SACRIFICED HIS LIFE, MARY MAGDELINE, DIERITCH BONHOFFER, DR. MLKING, JR. ALL MADE SACRIFICES THAT BLESSED OTHERS BEYOND AND AFTER THEM. GOD PROVIDES, AS HE DOES FOR ABRAHAM AND ISAAC.
GOD PROVIDES A RAM TO TAKE THE PLACE OF THE BELOVED SON. “SO, ABRAHAM CALLED THAT PLACE ‘THE LORD WILL PROVIDE’; AS IT IS SAID TO THIS DAY, ‘ON THE MOUNT OF THE LORD IT SHALL BE PROVIDED’” (22:14). MUCH MORE COULD BE SAID, OF COURSE. THIS IS A VERY DIFFICULT STORY; THERE’S NO GETTING AROUND IT
THE STORY OF THE AKEDAH MAKES A CLAIM ON US: ALL THAT WE HAVE, EVEN OUR OWN LIVES AND THOSE OF THE ONES MOST DEAR TO US, BELONG ULTIMATELY TO GOD, WHO GAVE THEM TO US IN THE FIRST PLACE.
THE STORY OF THE AKEDAH ASSURES US THAT GOD WILL PROVIDE, THAT GOD WILL BE PRESENT. AND, OF COURSE, AS GENERATIONS OF CHRISTIAN INTERPRETERS HAVE SEEN, IT FORESHADOWS THE STORY THAT FORMS THE FOUNDATION OF CHRISTIAN FAITH – THE STORY OF THE DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF CHRIST JESUS, THE BELOVED SON,5 SON OF ABRAHAM, SON OF DAVID, SON OF GOD. FOR ALL THESE REASONS AND MORE, THIS IS A STORY WORTH PREACHING, WORTH GETTING INTO, SPENDING TIME WITH.
SO, WELCOMING THE MESSAGE, AND OR WELCOMING THE CALL! WELCOMING THE MESSAGE CAN BE SUMARIZED AS THE DAILY OR WEEKLY NEWS-FLASH, WHAT CURRENT EVENT OR OCASSION DO I PREPARE AND RESPOND WTH IN A FAITFUL MANNER? WELCOMING THE CALL IS MUCH DEEPER, ITS ABOUT THE TOTALITY OF YOUR BEING, NOTHING IS BEYOND OR OUTSIDE OF GOD.
WE HAVE NO LIFE, NO EXISTANCE OUTSIDE OF THE CREATION CREATED LOVE OF GOD: GENESIS TELLS US; “THEN GOD SAID, “LET US MAKE THEM IN OUR IMAGE, AFTER OUR LIKENESS. AND LET THEM HAVE DOMINION…ON THE EARTH. SO, GOD CREATED MAN IN IN GOD’S OWN IMAGE, IN THE IMAGE OF GOD, GOD CREATED THEM; BOTH MALE AND FEMALE, GOD CREATED THEM.” (GENESIS 126-27)
THE PSALMIST TELLS US CONCERNING WHOSE AND WHAT WE ARE;
For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
SO, IN CLOSING, LET ME ASK EACH OF YOU. CAN YOU WECOME A MESSAGE FROM GOD THAT GIFTED AND GAVE YOU LIFE, EVEN IF THAT MESSAGE TROUBLES YOU, DISRUPTS YOU, MAKES YOU UNCOMFORTABLE?
TO TRULLY DO THE WORK OF GOD YOU’RE GOING TO BE MADE UNCOMFORTABLE, YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE SACRIFICES, ARE YOU WILLING, ARE YOU READY, WILL YOU TAKE UP YOUR CROSS, IT WANT BE THE ONE CHRIST OUR LORD WAS NAILED TO, BUT IT WILL BE SLIGHTLY UNCOMFORTABLE, IT WILL BE ACKWARD, BUT CAN YOU WELCOME THE MESSAGE TO FOLLOW CHRIST JESUS?
AMEN
AND
“THEN MOSES CRIED OUT TO THE LORD, “WHAT AM I TO DO WITH THESE PEOPLE? THEY ARE ALMOST READY TO STONE ME.” (EXODUS 17:4)