GENESIS CHAPTER 22

OBSERVATION STAGE

The purpose of the observation stage is to maintain focus on the text at hand within the normative rules of language, context and logic which limits the observer to the content offered by the book of Genesis. This will serve to avoid going on unnecessary tangents elsewhere; and more importantly, it will provide the framework for a proper and objective comparison with passages located elsewhere in Scripture.

Remember that something elsewhere may be true, but in the text at hand it may not be in view.

Note that in Gen 22 Abraham obeys God and goes up to the mountain to sacrifice Isaac. God provides a sacrificial Ram. Abraham is then commended by the Angel of the LORD for his great faithfulness. Notice that God has moved Abraham to this faithfulness all along - throughout Abraham's failures and successes. God provided Isaac in the first place as a miracle birth. Out of gratitude and trust Abraham obey's God's command to sacrifice Isaac with an understanding that Isaac would be resurrected from the dead by God so that God could make good on His promise of salvation and everlasting life through Isaac. This event of faithfulness made Abraham's name great - a fulfillment of one of God's promises to Abraham.