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25 - Commentary on The Book of Genesis · Commentary on The Book of Genesis

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Chapter twenty two. We have here the famous story of Abraham's offering up his
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son Isaac, that is, his offering to offer him, which is justly
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looked upon as one of the wonders of the church. Here is numeral one
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the strange command which God gave to Abraham concerning it Verses one and two,
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Numeral two. Abraham's strange obedience to this command Verses three through ten, Numeral
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three. The strange issue of this trial number one. The sacrifice of Isaac
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was countermanded Verses eleven and twelve. Number two. Another sacrifice was provided verses
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thirteen and fourteen Number three. The covenant was renewed with Abraham hereupon Verses fifteen
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to nineteen. Lastly, an account of some of Abraham's relations Verses twenty and
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so on. Abraham commanded to offer Isaac b. C. Eighteen seventy two.
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And it came to pass after these things that God did tempt Abraham and
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said unto him, Abraham, and he said, behold here I am,
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And he said, take now thy son, thine only son, Isaac,
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whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah, and offer
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him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains, which I will
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tell thee of. Here is the trial of Abraham's faith, whether it continued
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so strong, so vigorous, so victorious, after a long settlement in communion
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with God, as it was at first when by it he left his country.
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Then it was made to appear that he loved God better than his father,
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now that he loved him better than his son. Observe here numeral one
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the time when Abraham was thus tried first one after these things, after all
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the other exercises he had had, all the hardships and difficulties he had gone
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through. Now perhaps he was beginning to think the storms had all blown over.
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But after all this encounter comes, which is sharper than any Yet.
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Note many former trials will not supersede nor secure us from the further trials.
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We have not yet put off the harness. First Kings twenty verse eleven.
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See Psalm thirty, verses six and seven, Numeral two. The author of
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the trial, God tempted him not to draw him to sin, so Satan
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tempts. If Abraham had sacrificed Isaac, he would not have sinned. His
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orders would have justified him. And worn him out, but to discover his
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graces, how strong they were, that they might be found to praise and
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honor and glory one Peter one seven. Thus God tempted Job that he might
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appear not only a good man, but a great man. God did tempt
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Abraham. He did lift up Abraham. So some read it as a scholar
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that improves well is lifted up when he is put into a higher form.
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Note strong faith is often exercised with strong trials and put upon hard services Numeral
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three. The trial itself, God appeared to him, as he had formerly
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done, called him by name Abraham, that name which had been given him
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in ratification of the promise. Abraham, like a good servant, readily answered,
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here am I what says my Lord? Unto his servant, probably he
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expected some renewed promise like those Chapter fifteen, verse one and Chapter seventeen,
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verse one. But to his great amazement, that which God has to say
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to him is, in short, Abraham, go kill thy son. And
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this command is given him in such aggravating language as makes the temptation abundantly more
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grievous. When God speaks Abraham, no doubt takes notice of every word and
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listens attentively to it. And every word here is a sword in his bones.
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The trial is stealed with trying phrases. Is it any pleasure to the
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Almighty that he should afflict No, it is not. Yet. When Abraham's
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faith is to be tried, God seems to take pleasure in the aggravation of
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the trial. Verse two. Observe number one the person to be offered.
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Subscript one, take thy son, not thy bullocks and thy lambs. How
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willingly would Abraham have parted with them by thousands to redeem Isaac? No,
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I will take make new bullock out of thy house Psalm fifty, Verse nine.
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I must have thy son, not thy servant. No, not the
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steward of thy house, that shall not serve the turn. I must have
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thy son. Jeptha, in pursuance of a vow offered a daughter. But
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Abraham must offer his son, in whom the family was to be built up.
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Lord, let it be an adopted son. No. Subscript two thy
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only son, thy only son by Sarah Ishmail was lately cast out to the
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grief of Abraham. And now Isaac only was left, and must he go
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too? Subscript two thy only son thy only son by Sarah. Ishmael was
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lately cast out to the grief of Abraham, and now Isaac only was left,
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and must he go too? Yes, Subscript three, take Isaac him
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by name, thy laughter, that son. Indeed, Chapter seventeen, verse
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nineteen. Not send for Ishmael back and offer him. No, it must
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be Isaac. But Lord, I love Isaac. He is to me is
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my own soul. Ishmael is not. And wilt thou take Isaac? Also?
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All this is against me? Yea. Subscript four, that son whom
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thou lovest it was a trial of Abraham's love to God, and therefore it
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must be in a beloved son, And that string must be touched most upon.
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In the Hebrew it is expressed more emphatically, and I think might very
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well be read. Thus, take now that son of thine, that only
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one of thine whom thou lovest, that Isaac. God's command must overrule all
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these considerations. Number two the place in the land of Mariah three days journey
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off, so that he might have time to consider, And if he did
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it, must do it deliberately, that it might be a service the more
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reasonable and the more honorable. Number three, the manner offer him for a
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burnt offering. He must not only kill his son, but kill him as
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a sacrifice, Kill him devoutly, kill him by rule, kill him with
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all that pomp and ceremony, with all that sedateness and composure of mind with
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which he used to offer his burnt offerings. Abraham's obedience BC. Eighteen seventy
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two. And Abraham rose up early in the morning and saddled his ass,
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and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac's son, and
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claved the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up and went onto the
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place of which God had told him. Then on the third day Abraham lifted
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up his eyes and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said, unto
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his young men, abide he here with the ass, and I and the
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lad will go yonder and worship and come again to you. And Abraham took
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the wood of the burnt offering and laid it upon Isaac his son, and
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he took the fire in his hand and a knife, and they went,
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both of them together. And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said,
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my father. And he said, here am I my son. And
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he said, behold the fire in the wood, But where is the lamb
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for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, my son, God will provide
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himself a lamb for a burnt offering. So they went, both of them
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together, and they came to the place which God had told him of.
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And Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order, and bound
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Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And
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Abraham stretched forth his hand and took the knife to slay his son. We
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have here Abraham's obedience to this severe command being tried. He offered up Isaac
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Hebrews eleven seventeen. Observe Numeral one the difficulties which he broke through in this
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act of obedience. Much might have been objected against it, as Number one,
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it seemed directly against an antecedent law of God which prevents murder under a
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severe penalty Chapter nine, Verses five and six. Now can the unchangeable God
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contradict himself he hates robbery for burnt offering Isaiah sixty one, verse eight,
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cannot delight in murder for it? Number two, how would it consist with
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natural affection to his own son? It would be not only murder, but
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the worst of murders. Cannot Abraham be obedient, but must he be unnatural?
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If God insists upon a human sacrifice, is there none but Isaac to
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be the offering, and none but Abraham to be the offerer? Must the
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father of a faithful be the monster of all fathers? Number three. God
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gave him no reason for it. When Ishmael was to be cast out,
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a just cause was as signed, which satisfied Abraham. But here Isaac must
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die, and Abraham must kill him, And neither the one nor the other
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must know why or wherefore. If Isaac had been to die a martyr for
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the truth, or his life had been the ransom of some other life more
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precious, it would have been another matter. Or if he had died as
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a criminal, a rebel against God or his parents, as in the case
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of the idolater Deuteronomy thirteen, verses eight and nine, or the stubborn son
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Deuteronomy twenty one, verses eighteen and nineteen, it might have passed as a
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sacrifice to justice. But the case is not so. He is dutiful,
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obedient, hopeful son Lord. What profit is there in his blood? Number
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four? How would this consist with a promise. Was it not said that
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in Isaac shall thy seed be called? But what comes of that seed?
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If this pregnant mud be broken off so soon? Number five, how should
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he ever look Sarah in the face again? With what face? Can he
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return to her and his family with the blood of Isaac sprinkled on his garments
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and staining all his raiment? Surely a bloody husband? Has thou been to
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me? Would Sarah say, as Exodus four, verses twenty five and twenty
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six, And it would be likely to alienate her affections forever, both from
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him and from his God. Number six, What would the Egyptians say,
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and the Canaanites and the Perizites who dwelt men in the land. It would
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be an eternal reproach to Abraham and to his altars. Welcome nature, if
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this be grace? These and many similar objections might have been made, but
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he was infallibly assured that it was indeed a command of God and not a
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delusion. This was sufficient to answer them all. Note God's commands must not
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be disputed, but obeyed. We must not consult with flesh and blood about
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them. Galatians one, verses fifteen and sixteen. But with a gracious obstinacy
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persists in our obedience to them Numeral two. The several steps of obedience,
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all which helped to magnify it and to show that he was guided by prudence
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and governed by faith in the whole transaction. Number one he rises early verse
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three. Probably the command was given in the visions of the night, and
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early the next morning he set himself about the execution of it, did not
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delay, did not demur, did not take time to deliberate, for the
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command was peremptory and would not admit a debate. Note those that do the
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will of God hardly will do it speedily. While we delay, time is
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lost and the heart hardened. Number two. He gets things ready for a
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sacrifice, and as if he himself had been a gibbeannight, it should seem
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with his own hands. He cleaves the wood for the burnt, offering that
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it might not be to seek when the sacrifice was to be offered. Spiritual
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sacrifices must thus be prepared for Number three. It is very probable that he
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said nothing about it to Sarah. This is a journey which she must know
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nothing of, lest she prevented. There is so much in our own hearts
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to hinder our progress and duty that we have need as much as may be,
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to keep out of the way of other hindrances. Number four, He
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carefully looked about him to discover the place appointed for the sacrifice to which God
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had promised by some sign to direct him. Probably the direction was given by
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an appearance of the divine glory in the place, some pillar of fire reaching
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from heaven to Earth, visible at a distance, and to which he pointed
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when he said verse five, we will go yonder where you see the light
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and worship. Number five. He left his servants at some distance off verse
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five, lest they should interpose and create him some disturbance in his strange oblation.
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For Isaac was no doubt the darling of the whole family. Thus,
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when Christ was entered upon his agony in the garden, he took only three
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of his disciples with him, and left the rest at the garden door.
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Note. It is our wisdom and duty, when we are going to worship
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God, to lay aside all those thoughts and cares which may divert us from
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the service, leave them at the bottom of the hill, that we may
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attend on the Lord without distraction. Number six, He obliged Isaac to carry
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the wood both to try his obedience in a smaller matter, first, that
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he might typify Christ, who carried his own cross, John nineteen, verse
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seventeen, while he himself, though he knew what he did, with a
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steady and undatted resolution, carried the fatal knife in fire. Verse six.
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Note, those that through grace are resolved upon the substance of any service or
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suffering for God must overlook the little circumstances which make it doubly difficult to flesh
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and blood Number seven without any ruffle or disorder. He talks it over with
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Isaac as if it had been but a common sacrifice that he was going to
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offer Verses seven and eight. Some point one. It was a very affecting
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question that Isaac asked him, as they were going together. My father said
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Isaac. It was a melting word which one would think would strike deeper into
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the breast of Abraham than his knife could into the breast of Isaac. He
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might have said, or thought, at least call me not thy father,
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who am now to be thy murderer? Can a father be so barbarous,
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so perfectly lost to all the tenderness of a father. Yet he keeps his
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temper and keep his countenance to admiration. He calmly waits for his son's question.
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And this is it. Behold the fire and the wood, But where
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is the lamb? See how expert Isaac was in the law and custom of
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sacrifices. This it is to be well catechized. Subscript one a trying question
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to Abraham. How could he endure to think that Isaac was himself the lamb?
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So it is, but Abraham as yet dares not tell him. So.
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Where God knows the faith to be armor of proof, he will laugh
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at the trial of the innocent job nine twenty three. Subscript two is a
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teaching question to us all that when we are going to worship God, we
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should seriously consider whether we have everything ready, especially the lamb for a burnt
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offering. Behold, the fire is ready, the spirit's assistance and God's acceptance.
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The wood is ready. The instituted ordinances designed to kindle our affections,
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which, indeed without the spirit, are but like wood without fire. But
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the Spirit works by them. All things are now ready. But where is
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the lamb? Where is the heart is that ready to be offered up to
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God to ascend to him as a burnt offering. Subscript two, It was
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a very prudent answer which Abraham gave him, my son, God will provide
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himself a lamb. This was the language. Either sub point one of his
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obedience. We must offer the lamb which God is appointed now to be offered,
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thus giving him this general rule of submission to the divine will to prepare
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him for the application of it to himself very quickly, or sub point two
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of his faith. Whether he meant it so or not, this proved to
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be the meaning of it. A sacrifice was provided instead of Isaac. Thus,
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first Christ, the great sacrifice of atonement was God's providing. When none
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in heaven or Earth could have found a lamb for that burnt offering, God
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himself found the ransom Psalm eighty nine, verse twenty. Secondly, all our
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sacrifices of acknowledgment are God's providing. Two. It is he that prepares the
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heart Psalm ten, verse seventeen. The broken and contride spirit is a sacrifice
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of God Psalm fifty one, verse seventeen. Of his providing number eight with
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this same resolution and composedness of mind, after many thoughts of heart, he
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applies himself to the completing of the sacrifice Verses nine and ten. He goes
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on with a holy wilfulness, after many a weary step, and with a
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heavy heart, he arrives at length at the fatal place, builds the altar,
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an altar of earth, we may suppose, the saddest that he ever
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built, and he had built many A One lays the wood in order for
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his Isaac's funeral pile, and now tells him the amazing news, Isaac,
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thou art the lamb which God has provided. Isaac for aught that appears is
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as willing as Abraham. We do not find that he raised any objection against
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it, that he petitioned for his life, that he attempted to make his
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escape, much less that he struggled with his aged father, or made any
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resistance. Abraham does it, God will have it done, And Isaac has
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learnt to submit to both Abraham, no doubt, comforting him with the same
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hopes with which he himself, by faith was comforted. Yet it is necessary
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that a sacrifice be bound, the great sacrifice which in the folds of time
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was to be offered up must be bound, and therefore so must Isaac.
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But with what heart could tender Abraham tie those guiltless hands which perhaps had often
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been lifted up to ask his blessing and stretched out to embrace him, and
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were now the more straightly bound with the cords of love and duty. However
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it must be done. Having bound him, he lays him upon the altar
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and his hand upon the head of his sacrifice. And now we may suppose,
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with floods of tears, he gives and takes the final farewell of a
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parting kiss. Perhaps he takes another for Sarah from her dying son. This
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being done, he resolutely forgets the bowels of a father and puts on the
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awful gravity of a sacrificer. With fixed heart and an eye lifted up to
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heaven. He takes the knife and stretches out his hand to give a fatal
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cut to Isaac's throat. Be astonished, O Heavens at this, and wonder
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O Earth. Here is an act of faith and obedience which deserves to be
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a spectacle to God, angels and men. Abraham's darling, Sarah's laughter,
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the Church's hope, the air of promise lies ready to bleed and die by
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his own Father's hand, who never shrinks at the doing of it. Now,
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this obedience of Abraham in offering up Isaac is a lively representation subscript one
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of the love of God to us. In delivering up his only begotten son
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to suffer and die for us as a sacrifice, it pleased the Lord to
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bruise him. See Isaiah fifty three, verse ten, Zachari thirteen, verse
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seven. Abraham was obliged both in duty and gratitude to part with Isaac,
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and parted with him to a friend. But God was under no obligations to
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us, for we were enemies some point two of our duty to God in
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return for that love, we must tread in the steps of this faith of
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Abraham. God by his word calls us to part with all for Christ,
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all our sins, though they have been as a right hand or right eye,
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or in Isaac, all those things that our competitors and rivals with Christ,
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for the sovereignty of the heart Looke fourteen, verse twenty six. And
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we must cheerfully let them all go. God, by his providence, which
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is truly the voice of God, calls us to part with an Isaac.
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Sometimes and we must do it with a cheerful resignation and submission to His holy
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will. First Samuel three, verse eighteen. Isaac rescued b c. Eighteen
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seventy two. And the Angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven,
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and said Abraham, Abraham, And he said, here, my and
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he said, lay not thine hand upon the lad neither do thou anything unto
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him. For now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not
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withheld thy son, thine only son from me. And Abraham lifted up his
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eyes and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by
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his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered him up for
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a bert offering in this dead of his son. And Abraham called the name
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of that place Jehovah Jirah. As it is said to this day, in
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the mount of the Lord, it shall be seen. Hitherto this story has
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been very melancholy and seemed to hasten towards a most tragical period. But here
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the sky suddenly clears up, the sun breaks out, and a bright and
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pleasant scene opens. The same hand that had wounded and casts down here heals
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and lifts up, for though he caused grief, he will have compassion.
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The Angel of the Lord, that is God himself, the eternal Word,
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the Angel of the Covenant, who was to be the great redeemer and comforter,
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He interposed and gave a happy issue to this trial. Numer one.
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Isaac is rescued Verses eleven and twelve. The command to offer him was intended
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only for trial, and it appeared upon trial that Abraham did indeed love God
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better than he loved Isaac. The end of the command was answered, and
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therefore the order is countermanded without any reflection at all upon the unchangeableness of the
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divine cod councils, lay not thy hand upon the lad note Number one.
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Our creature comforts are most likely to be continued to us when we are most
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willing to resign them up to God's will. Number two. God's time to
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help and relieve his people is when they are brought to the greatest extremity.
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The more eminent the danger is, and the nearer to be put into execution,
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the more wonderful and the more welcome is the deliverance. Numeral two.
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Abraham is not only approved, but applauded. He obtains an honorable testimony that
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he is righteous. Now I know that Thou Fearest God, God knew it
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before, But now Abraham had given a most memorable evidence of it, he
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needed to do no more. What he had done was sufficient to prove the
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religious regard he had to God and his authority. Note Number one. When
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God, by his providence, hinders the performance of our sincere intentions in his
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services, he graciously accepts the will for the deed and the honest endeavor,
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though it comes short of finishing. Number two. The best evidence of our
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fearing God is our being willing to serve and honor Him with that which is
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dearest to us, and to part with all to him or for him.
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Numeral three. Another sacrifice is provided instead of Isaac Verse thirteen. Now that
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the altar was built and the wood lad in order, it was necessary that
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something should be offered for Number one, God must be acknowledged with thankfulness for
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deliverance of Isaac, and the sooner the better, when here is an altar
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ready. Number two, Abraham's words must be made good. God will provide
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himself a lamb. God will not disappoint those expectations of his people, which
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are of his own raising. But according to their faith it is to them
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thou shalt decree a thing, and it shall be a stay ablished. Number
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three. Reference must be had to the promised Messiah, the Blessed Seed sub
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Point one. Christ was sacrificed in our stead as this Ram instead of Isaac,
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and his death was our discharge. Here I am said, he let
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these go their way sub Point two. Though that blessed Seed was lately promised
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and now typified by Isaac, yet the offering up of him should be suspended
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till the latter end of the world. And in the meantime, the sacrifice
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of beasts should be accepted, as this Ram was, as a pledge of
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that expiation which should one day be made by that great sacrifice. And it
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is observable that the temple, the place of sacrifice, was afterwards built upon
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this Mount Moriah second Chronicles three, Verse one, and Mount Calvary, where
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Christ was crucified, was not far off Numeral four. A new name is
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given to the place, to the honor of God, and for the encouragement
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of all believers to the end of the world cheerfully to trust in God.
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The way of obedience Jehovah Chyrah. The Lord will provide verse fourteen, probably
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alluding to what he had said first. Eight. God will provide himself a
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lamb. It was not owing to any contrivance of Abraham, nor was it
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in answer to his prayer, though he was a distinguished intercessor. But it
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was purely the Lord's doing. Let it be recorded for the generations to come.
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Number One, that the Lord will see, he will always have his
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eye upon his people in their straits and distresses, that he may come in
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with seasonable succor in the critical juncture. Number two, that he will be
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seen, be seen in the mount in the greatest perplexities of his people.
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He will not only manifest but magnify his wisdom, power and goodness in their
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deliverance. Where God sees and provides, he should be seen and praised.
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And perhaps it may refer to God manifest in the flesh. Abraham's blessing confirmed
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be c. Eighteen seventy two. And the Angel of the Lord called into
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Abraham out of heaven the second time, and said, by myself, I
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have sworn saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing and hast
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not withheld thy son, thine only son, that in blessing I will bless
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thee, and in multiplying, I will multiply thy seed as the stars of
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the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore. And
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thy seed shall possess the gait of his enemies, and in thy seed shall
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all the nations of the earth be blessed. Because thou hast obeyed thy voice,
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So Abraham returned unto his young man, and they rose up and went
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together to Beersheba. And Abraham dwelt at Beersheba. Abraham's obedience was graciously accepted.
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But this was not all. Here we have it recompensed abundantly recompensed.
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Before he stirred from the place, probably while the Ram he had sacrificed was
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yet burning, God sent him this gracious message, renewed and ratified his covenant
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with him. All covenants were made by sacrifice, so was this by the
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typical sacrifices of Isaac and the Ram. Very high expressions of God's favor to
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Abraham are employed in this confirmation of the covenant with him, expressions exceeding any
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he had yet been blessed with. Note extraordinary services shall be crowned with extraordinary
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honors and comforts and favors. In the promise, though not yet performed,
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ought to be accounted real and valuable recompenses observe. Number one. God is
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pleased to make the mention of Abraham's obedience as the consideration of the covenant,
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and he speaks of it with an encomium, because thou hast done this thing
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and is not withheld by son thine only son verse sixteen. He lays a
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strong emphasis on this, and verse eighteen praises it as an act of obedience.
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In it, thou hast obeyed my voice, and to obey is better
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than sacrifice. Not that this was proportionable consideration, but God graciously put this
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honor upon that by which Abraham had honored him. Number two. God now
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confirmed the promise with an oath. It was said and sealed before, but
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now it is sworn by myself. I have sworn, for he could swear
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by no greater Hebrews six, verse thirteen. Thus he interposed himself by an
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oath, as the apostle expresses it Hebrews six, verse seventeen. He did
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to speak with reverence even upon his own life and being upon it as I
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live, that by all those immutable things in which it was impossible for God
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to lie, he and his might have strong consolation. Note if we exercise
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faith, God will encourage it. Improve the promises, and God will ratify
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them. Number three. The particular promise here is that of a numerous offspring
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multiplying. I will multiply thee verse seventeen. Note those that are willing to
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part with anything for God shall have it made up to them with unspeakable advantage.
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Abraham has but one son, and is willing to part with that one
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in obedience to God. Well said God, thou shalt be recompensed with thousands
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and millions. What a figure does the sea of Abraham make in history?
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How numerous, how illustrious were his known descendants, who to this day triumph
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in this that they have Abraham to their father. Thus he received a thousandfold
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in this life Matthew nineteen, verse twenty nine. Number four. The promise
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doubtless points at the Messiah and the grace of the Gospel. This is the
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oath sworn to our father Abraham, which Zacharias refers to Luke von verse seventy
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three in following, And so here is a promise sub point one of the
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great blessing of the Spirit. In blessing, I will bless thee, namely
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with that best of blessings, the gift of the Holy Ghost. The promise
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of the Spirit was that blessing of Abraham, which was to come upon the
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Gentiles through Jesus Christ. Galatians three, verse fourteen, s point two of
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the increase of the Church, that believers his spiritual seed should be numerous as
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the stars of heaven. Sub point three of spiritual victories. Thy seed shall
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possess the gait of his enemies. Believers by their faith overcome the world and
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triumph over all the powers of darkness, and are more than conquerors. Probably
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Zacharis refers to this part of the oath Luke one, verse seventy four,
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that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve
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him without fear. But the crown of all is the last promise sub point
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four of the incarnation of Christ in thy seed one particular person that shall descend
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from THEE. For he speaks not of many, but of one, as
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the apostle observes. Glatians three verse sixteen, shall all the nations of the
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earth be blessed, or shall bless themselves, as the phrase is Isaiah sixty
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five, verse sixteen. In him all may be happy if they will,
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and all that belonged to Him shall be so, and shall think themselves so.
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Christ is the great blessing of the world. Abraham was ready to give
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up his son for a sacrifice to the honor of God. And on that
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occasion God promised to give his son a sacrifice for the salvation of man.
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And it came to pass after these things that was told Abraham, saying,
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behold, Milka, she hath also born children unto thy brother Nahor. Huzz
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is first born, and Buzz his brother, and Kemule, the father of
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Aram. And she said, and hazo In Pildash and Chidlep, and Bethuel,
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and bethiuell beget Rebecca. These eight Milka did bear to Nahor, Abraham's
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brother, and as concubine, who was named Rhuma. She bare also Tiba
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Gaham, thehash and Mayaka. This is recorded here first to show that though
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Abraham saw his own family highly dignified with peculiar privileges, admitted to covet it
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and blessed with the entail of the promise. Yet he did not look with
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contempt and disdain upon his relations, but was glad to hear of the increase
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and prosperity of their families. Number two to make way for the following story
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of the marriage of Isaac to Rebecca, a daughter of the family. End
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of chapter twenty two.