Genesis 22 tells the story of Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac at the Lord’s request.  A few points to note:  Isaac was, at that time, old enough to make a three-day wilderness journey with grown men (22:4).  He was also able to carry enough wood to burn a good fire to a place that was considered “afar” (22:4b, 6).  Abraham, in turn, was a number of years beyond 100 year’s old.

{Just an FYI, he was presumably under age 137, as that was his age at Sarah death (23:1), but clearly over 100, as that was his age at Isaac’s birth (21:5).  Abraham died at age 175 himself (25:7)}

While it is noted that Abraham “bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar,” if I’m picturing these guys, I kind of have some questions come to mind. 

IF Isaac was strong enough to make the journey and carry the wood, was he not strong enough to fight off his aged dad as he attempted to bind and kill him?

I think he was.

We really aren’t told tons and tons about Isaac and his choices.  The only story we really know is one that was often told of his dad too—he had his good-looking wife lie and say she was his sister instead of his wife.  And then, of course, when he was blind and old he was duped by his own kid into giving valuable stuff to people for whom it wasn’t intended. Can’t say there’s much too shady about Isaac in all that.

Abraham’s sacrifice story is pretty much always about Abraham.  This was his big faith moment, his line in the sand, his bold stand on God’s side. 

But there were two people at that altar.  How did Isaac fit?  If he was old enough, strong enough, to travel hard and carry much, if his ‘contender’ was a pretty old guy, what might we discern of him that he allowed himself to be bound and laid upon an altar with a knife above his heart?

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice.    Romans 12:1

He had to have let him do it. 

While Abraham was willing to offer his son, Isaac was willing to let him.  And that willingness had to have looked like laying down on an altar  and surrendering to the will of God as perceived by his godly dad.  (The binding was probably more for instinct or impulse concerns as much as anything.)

We too are called to lay our lives down, again and again every day climbing up on that altar of sacrifice, and willingly conceding to the will of God. 

I’m a visual person.  And when I close my eyes and watch the scene of this surrender take place, I confirm and solidify my own desire and conviction to give myself up there, to not fight against the will of the One who calls me to give it all.  Honestly, sometimes it looks like an altar that I climb up on to.  But as many times as not, it looks like this warm, welcoming, protective, and tender set of hands into which I lay myself.  Such is the nature of a life willingly sacrificed to their Father’s will. Such is the offering of an obedient child to their worthy Father.   

I don’t see how Isaac wasn’t complicit in this offering.  It wasn’t just Abraham who willingly gave.  Isaac surrendered himself to the offering and he couldn’t have fought too hard against it. 

May we do the same.  Every day.