Why Did God Command Abraham To Sacrifice His Son When The Pagans Did The Same? | @shamounian

Why would God command Abraham to offer Isaac? Oh, a test of faith. But why?

Because in the picture of Abraham, Isaac is a picture of God the  Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Get ready. You're going to see how marvelous,  miraculous, and supernatural our Bible is.

And that even the Old Testament  points to Jesus Christ our Lord. Because it's supernatural. It is divine, historically accurate, and it is inspired by the true God who  is Triune: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Let's begin. Genesis 22. Now it happened after these things that God  tested Abraham and said to him, "Abraham.

" And he said, "Here I am. " Then He said, "Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go  forth to the land of Moriah. And offer him there as a burnt offering on  one of the mountains which I will tell you.

" So, number one, if you know anything about  pagan religions, both ancient and even in more recent history, we find something ironic  about these pagan, idolatrous religions. And what do we find? The need for human sacrifice,  particularly child sacrifice.

Sadly, today you still have  human sacrifice offered to Satan. It's called abortion when women murder  unborn children in the name of pro-choice. That's Satanism.

Why? You guys want me to go a little deep here? If you go back to Genesis 3,  you know what Satanism is.

Satanism isn't the worship of Satan. It's worshiping self. It's "do what thou will.

" Being your own God. That was the first lie of Satan. What do you think pro-choice is?

Pro-choice is "it's my body. " "I will do with my body as I deem fit. " "I'm my own God.

" "I determine my own destiny. " "And I'll do with my body whatever I want. " So the pagan demanded child sacrifice.

All right, now watch what  God says to the Israelites. Jeremiah 19:5. Talking about the Israelites, the Jews.

"And have built the high places of Baal to burn their sons in the fire as  burnt offerings to Baal. " That's what they would do. And archaeological discoveries  have confirmed this.

Google it. Archaeology has found bones of babies and found  sites in which child sacrifice was common. Archaeology has found it.

Bones and altars. Now, what is horrendous is this. This is how they would sacrifice a child.

You would have a statue with arms outstretched. They would heat up the statue to a burning point. And put the baby on the arms of the statue.

And the baby would be burnt to a crisp. Burned alive. That's how they did it.

So this is why God is disgusted. Look what He says here. "And I built the high places of Baal to burn their  sons in the fire as burnt offerings to Baal.

" "A thing which I never commanded or spoke  of, nor did it ever come upon my heart. " "I would not even dream of  telling you to do this. " Now focus here.

I want you to focus. So why is God then telling Abraham to do what  the pagan gods required of their devotees? Because He's going to flip this  pagan practice on its head.

He's going to inverse it. He's trying to teach him a lesson. What's the lesson that God is teaching him?

What God is going to teach Abraham is two things. Number one: I am not like the gods and  goddesses who require human sacrifice. I will never demand of you to  kill your children to appease me.

But number two: I'm going to do what the  gods and goddesses are not willing to do. And which I would never require of you. Instead of you offering your  son, I'm going to offer my Son.

My heart. My love for the salvation of the world. Something no god or goddess will ever do for you.

That's what He's teaching him. Everyone understand what He's teaching him here? He's teaching Abraham, "I'm not like them.

" "I am not like the gods and  goddesses of the nations. " "I do not require human sacrifice. " "I do not require human sacrifice.

" But still, I'm going to test you. How? "Abraham, are you willing to do for me what the pagans are willing to do for  their gods and goddesses?

" "The pagans love their gods and goddesses, who are demons, to the point they're  willing to sacrifice their children. " "Do you love me as much, if not more, than  the pagans love their gods and goddesses? " And the answer was yes.

But God then teaches him, "But I'm not like them. " "I don't need your son to be sacrificed. " "In point of fact, I'm going to use  you as a picture of what's to come.

" "And your willingness to offer up your only son, whom you love, is a picture  of me giving up my heart. " "My Son. " "With my Son voluntarily giving up His  life to show our love for the world.

" Get ready for the shocker. The shocker. Let's see who's going to catch it.

So Abraham rose early in the  morning and saddled his donkey. And took two of his young men  with him and Isaac, his son. And he split wood for the burnt offering.

And arose and went to the place  of which God had told him. On the third day. .

. What day did he arrive? Oh my goodness, are you kidding me?

On the third day, Abraham lifted up his  eyes and saw the place from a distance. What day did they arrive? The third day.

What day did Abraham think he was  going to kill Isaac as a sacrifice? The third day. Coincidence?

Now watch how deep this gets. He lifted up his eyes and saw. Now Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with  the donkey while I and the boy go over there.

" "And we will worship and we will return to you. " Now the Hebrew is plural. Now guys, if you're listening and not  letting the demons distract you.

. . Abraham said to his servants, "Isaac  and I will return.

We will return. " The Hebrew is plural. But wait, guys.

Was Abraham lying? Abraham, what do you mean we're going to return? Here's what Hebrews 11:17-19 says.

Watch here. Watch Abraham's love for God, trust in God. He knew the God he worshiped and His character.

And he knew this God cannot lie. So he reasoned with himself. What did he reason?

Here it is: by faith, Abraham, when  he was tested, offered up Isaac. And he who had received the promises  was offering up his only son. To whom it was said, "In Isaac  your seed shall be called.

" Now here it is. God had sworn over and over again, "I'm going to  give you a son, not from Hagar, but from Sarah. " "And this son will be the heir of the promises.

" "And from his physical descendants  will your seed be reckoned. " And Abraham knew God cannot lie. And He's the God of the impossible.

Because when Sarah was 90  years old and Abraham was 100, she gave birth to Isaac against impossible odds. So Abraham saw the goodness of  God, the faithfulness of God. Though they waited, He came through.

In other words, Abraham  learned, "My God cannot lie. " And He's God Almighty. He's able to do what is humanly impossible.

And He's proven faithful to me. Because He gave me the son from Sarah. And this is the son through whom all  my descendants would be numbered.

But now He's asking me to kill my son. But my son is not married. He has no children.

But God swore to me and showed me His power. He gave me the son miraculously. And this is the son from whom all  my descendants will be numbered.

But now He's asking me to kill him. But God cannot lie. So what's going on?

Here's the answer. He considered that God is able  to raise people from the dead. From which, figuratively speaking,  he also received him back.

Do you understand what he was reasoning? Is it making sense? Is it sinking in?

You understand what he reasoned? Number one, he reasoned God cannot lie. God is faithful and He's proven Himself faithful.

Because He gave me the son  against impossible odds. And He will not lie to me. But Isaac has no sons.

So he reasoned, number two, "Ah, it's a test. " Since God is able to do the  impossible, He's Almighty. He can give life to the dead.

Therefore, if I do kill Isaac,  God cannot lie and will not lie. He hasn't failed me. He won't fail me.

That means Isaac will be resurrected to  life in order for God to prove faithful. This is why it says, figuratively,  he received Isaac back from the dead. What does that mean, figuratively?

As far as Abraham was concerned,  Isaac was as good as dead. So when God stopped him from killing him, it's as if  he received him back from the dead. Because he was as good as dead.

Now, if you're following the argument, what day  did Abraham receive Isaac back from the dead? The third day. You see how this is a picture of Christ?

So, like Jesus, Isaac was given  back to his father on the third day. Now you want me to go a little  deeper and blow your mind away? Other similarities between  Isaac and our Lord Jesus Christ?

All right, you ready? Watch here. Genesis 22:6.

Watch here. Then Abraham took the wood of the burnt  offering and put it on Isaac, his son. So who carried the wood, which  would be used to slay him?

Isaac. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together.

So Isaac carried the wood, which  would be used to execute him. Sound familiar? John 19:17.

They took Jesus therefore and  went out, bearing His own cross. So like Isaac, Christ carried the very  wood that would be used to execute Him, to the place called the Place of a Skull,  which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha. All right, now I'm going to come  back to verses 7 to 8 again, but let me read it now so  you can see the relevance.

Then Isaac spoke to Abraham his father. Isaac spoke to Abraham his  father and said, "My father. " And he said, "Here I am, my son.

" And he said, "Behold, the fire and the wood,  but where's the lamb for the burnt offering? " Where's the lamb? We're going to get there.

And Abraham said, "God will provide for  Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son. Don't worry about  it. God's going to provide.

" So the two of them walked together. Then they came to the place  of which God had told him, and Abraham built the altar  there and arranged the wood. And bound his son Isaac and put him  on the altar on top of the wood.

Now watch here, we're going to go deep here. A lamb, right? Genesis 22:3-4.

Then Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw, behold, there was a ram after it had been  caught in the thicket by its horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it  up for a burnt offering in the place of his son. We're going to go very in-depth,  but I need you to listen.

And Abraham called the name of  that place Yahweh Will Provide, as it is said to this day, "In the  mount of Yahweh it will be provided. " Meaning, it is on this mountain  that God will eventually provide. And what was the mountain?

The mountain in Moriah. But here's the meat: where's the lamb? A ram is not a lamb.

A ram is a ram, and a lamb is a lamb. Now let me show you an image of a ram. You see it?

It has two horns. You understand, that's a ram. That's not a lamb.

Let me show you a lamb. That's a lamb. They're not the same.

God was going to provide a  lamb, but here He gave a ram. The connection with our Lord. All right, let's go back.

Caught in a thicket by its horns. A thicket is a thorn bush. What did they place on the head  of Jesus when they mocked Him?

They put a crown of thorns, saying,  "Behold, the King of the Jews. " So like the ram, Jesus' head was caught  in thorns, thorns symbolizing a crown they placed on His head, mocking Him,  saying, "Behold, the King of the Jews. " You understand?

But we got a problem, Houston. Houston, we got a problem. What’s the problem?

Abraham said God would provide Himself  a lamb, but He didn't give him a lamb. What did He give him? All right.

Then Isaac spoke to Abraham his  father and said, "My father. " And he said, "Here I am, my son. " And he said, "Behold, the fire and the wood,  but where's the lamb for the burnt offering?

" And Abraham said, "God will provide for Himself  the lamb for the burnt offering, my son. " So the two of them walked on together. Then Abraham lifted up his eyes, and he saw.

Behold, there was a ram. He didn't see a lamb. And the ram was sacrificed as the  burnt offering in place of his son.

Here it is. Here is the Lamb. Two thousand years later, on the next  day, he saw Jesus coming to him and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who  takes away the sin of the world.

" There He is. He came. Abraham was waiting for Him.

There is the Lamb of the Father. There is the Son of God. Now, you want to go a little deeper?

Let's go a little deeper. When Abraham was willing  to kill Isaac, watch this. The word of the Father, born  the King of angels, stops him.

And Abraham stretched out his hand  and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of Yahweh called to him from heaven. Notice who calls him: the angel.

Where? From heaven. Now let's go a little deep, brethren.

The last place that God needs an  agent to speak to Him is from heaven, because from heaven, God speaks. From heaven, it’s God's voice you hear audibly. Why is the angel speaking audibly from heaven?

It makes no sense unless the angel is God also. Now you're going to see the Father and the Son. Look what He says, though.

Get ready to be blown away. The angel is speaking. The angel of Yahweh called to him from  heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham.

" And he said, "Here I am. " He said, "Do not stretch out your hand  against the boy, and do nothing for him. Do nothing to him.

" Now watch, "For I know now that you fear God. " All right. "Since you have not withheld your  son, your only one, from Me.

" Who does the angel think He is? "I now know, Abraham, you  love Me more than your son, because you're willing to  sacrifice your son for Me. " Notice, He didn’t say, "For God.

" The angel speaks from heaven audibly, which  is the last place God needs an agent to speak. And the angel says, "You did  not withhold your son from Me. " He didn’t say, "From God.

" In other words, the angel is saying, "You  proved that you love Me more than your son, and you're willing to sacrifice your son for Me. " Who does this angel think He is? That's the Father and the Son.

Look, Jesus is the Angel who becomes flesh. I've proven that you fear God, meaning the Father, and you did not withhold your  son from Me, meaning the Son. Here’s the Father and the Son, and  it's the Son speaking to Abraham.

But wait, it goes a little deeper. Genesis 22:15-18. Afterward, notice again who's speaking.

Then the angel of Yahweh called to  Abraham a second time from heaven. So He's in heaven, God's throne. Look what He says.

Now He speaks of Yahweh in the  third person, but also of Himself. And said, "By Myself I have  sworn, declares Yahweh, because you have done this thing and  have not spared your son, your only son. " "Indeed, I will greatly bless you,  and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and  as the sand which is on the seashore.

" "And your seed shall possess  the gate of His enemies. " "And in your seed, all the nations  of the earth shall be blessed, because you've listened to My voice. " Now let me show you Jesus confirming this is one  of the times that Abraham saw the coming of Jesus.

Here you go. So Jesus is confirming two things. Abraham saw Me face to face, but  Abraham also saw My coming to save.

John 8:56. "Your father Abraham rejoiced to  see My day. He saw it and was glad.

" Abraham saw Me when I came to  him, but he also saw Me coming, coming in the future, because  he saw Me, the Lamb of God. That's what the picture of  Abraham and Isaac is all about. It's the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Now here's where it gets a little more amazing. Let’s go back here. Genesis 22:2-14.

Watch here. He was to sacrifice him on one of  the mountains of Moriah, right? Moriah, on the mountains, and he found it.

Now look what he says about that place. And Abraham called the name of that place. What place?

The mountain of Moriah. What did he call it? Look what he called it.

And Abraham called the name of  that place Yahweh Will Provide. As it is said to this day, "In the  mount of Yahweh, it will be provided. " Now guys, you want to see what's shocking?

Centuries later, Solomon built the temple of God  where sacrifice would be offered on this mountain. 2 Chronicles 3:1. Then Solomon began to build the house  of Yahweh in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where Yahweh had appeared to his father David at the place that David had prepared on the  threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

You see how it all marvelously ties in? The very mountain where Abraham offered Isaac  is the very mountain where the temple was built. And that temple is a picture of  Christ's physical body because His body is the temple that He raised immortal.

So the temple is a picture of  Christ who would sacrifice Himself. Now the final point that’s going to blow you away. Does everyone see that Abraham and Isaac  become a picture of the Father and the Son?

Right? Abraham and Isaac are a  picture of the Father and Son. Now here’s how you’re going to know Jesus is God .

You want another line of  proof that Jesus must be God? Okay, what do I mean? When Abraham offered Isaac, did he offer  someone of inferior value to himself, or did he offer someone of equal value to him?

Meaning Isaac was fully human, truly human. He was just as human as Abraham,  equal to Abraham in value, worth, and essence in the sight of God,  and a co-heir with Abraham, right? All right.

If we believe Arians like Greg Stafford,  who is filled with his father, the devil, the dragon—we pray he repents—Abraham outdid God. Why? Abraham did not offer to God a  creature of inferior value to himself.

He offered God his very heart, his  son, equal to him in nature and value. Whereas, according to Stafford and Unitarians, the Father offered the world something  infinitely inferior and less than Himself. In other words, Abraham showed  greater love than God because he was willing to offer his very heart, equal to him.

Whereas the Father didn’t offer  Himself or something equal to Him but a creature infinitely less than Him. But since the Trinity is true, when  the Father offered Jesus and Jesus volunteered, the Father didn’t give  you something infinitely less than Him. He gave you the One person who is equal to Him.

Fully God, like Him, same nature as Him,  equal in dignity, value, essence, and glory. So He gave you His equal, the One  who is fully God, of infinite value, of the same value and worth as the  Father, not something infinitely less. Just like Abraham gave to God his  equal, of the same value and nature.

Only the Trinity makes sense of this.