The Testing of Abraham

Real, Relational and Resolved

Introduction

• The Hebrew calendar – A time of testing

• Malkuyot – Sovereignty - Testing is real

• Zichronot – Remembering Testing is relational

• Shofarot – Testing is resolved

Hebrew Calendar

• Month of Ellul – preparation (30 days)

• Days of Awe – Tishri (10 days)

• This year – 5774• The first day of

Hannukah - Thursday, November 28, 2013

• See you on Thanksgivukkah!

• ‘The Day of Blowing’ (‘Yom Teruah’). • 30 days of month of Elul + the 10 High Holy Days• Rosh Ha Shanah – 2 days • 7 Days of Awe • Yom Kippur – 1 day

Rosh Hashanah

• Time to reflect• Time to pray• Time to repent• Time to be renewed

The Sound of the Shofar

“There are things that are important to us, so we speak about them. ..Other things that can only break out in a cry, in a scream, and then in silence…This is the sound of the shofar: The very core of our souls crying, "Father! Father!"”

Shofar notes

• TEKIAH – One long straight blast • SHEVARIM – Three medium wailing sounds • TERUAH – Nine staccato blasts• TEKIAH GEDOLAH - Prolonged, unbroken

Creation and Judgment

• On Rosh HaShanah Adam was created

• ‘Bereshit’ turned around is ‘Aleph b’Tishri

• Consequently it was concluded that humanity would be judged on the anniversary of His creation. (R. Eliezer)

The AKEDAH – Binding of Isaac

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1 Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!”

And he said, “Here I am.” 

Genesis 22:1• “After these things”• Hineni

– readiness – alertness – attentiveness– receptivity– responsiveness

• Also to Isaac (v7) and angel (v11)

• Only word spoken by Abraham

Context of Abraham’s test1. Creation of the world

2. Humanity in God’s image

3. Sin of Adam and Eve

4. Generations to Noah

5. Tower of Babel

6. Division of nations

7. Election of Israel – Genesis 12:1-4 – land, heir, people

10 tests of Abraham1. Leave home (12:1)2. Famine in Canaan (12:10)3. Sarah taken by Pharaoh (12:15)4. Battle/wealth of nine kings (14:14)5. Marry Hagar whilst Sarah childless (16:3)6. Circumcision when old (17:24)7. King of Gerar captures Sarah (20:2)8. Send Hagar away (21:12)9. Estranged from Ishmael (21:12)10. Sacrifice Isaac(22:2)

Testing is relational• Why does God need to

test Abraham?• Jewish tradition – to

prove Satan wrong• “Now I know” (22:12)• Faith confirmed• Character strengthened• Example given• James 1:2 Consider it

pure joy…

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2 Then He said, “Take now (please) your son, your only (yahid) son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I

shall tell you.” 

Testing is real

• Our greatest gifts can be our greatest temptations• What temptations/tests are we facing today?

The AKEDAH – Binding of Isaac

• 6 So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife, and the two of them went together. 7 But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” 

The AKEDAH – Binding of Isaac

• 7 Then he said, “Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 8 And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” So the two of them went together. 

• 9 Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. 

Testing is resolved

• Through God’s intervention

• “YHWH will provide”• Abraham and Isaac

receive God’s help• So do we

The AKEDAH – Binding of Isaac

• 10 And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 11 But the Angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” So he said, “Here I am.” 12 And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”  

Adonai Yireh13 Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns.

So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 And Abraham called the name of the place, The-LORD-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of the LORD it shall be provided.” 

The Greatest Test – Resurrection

• Abraham sacrificed Isaac

• Isaac’s ashes scattered• Angels send dew to

refresh• Isaac raised from dead• Studies Torah for 3

years at school of Eber

The Greatest Test

• Yeshua’s – birth– life– death– resurrection– return

• Myth or miracle?• Mad, bad or God?

Second Coming• We are called to live our

lives in expectancy of Yeshua’s Return:

• In a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. (I Cor. 15:52)

Conclusion

• If so, so what?• Testing – real,

relational, resolved• Through Yeshua’s

death and resurrection

• Say “Hineni” to Him

Rembrandt van Rijn, (1655) – Abraham's Sacrifice

Abraham and Isaac

• Rembrandt arranged the composition around the pivotal gesture of the father, who points to God with his upraised finger.

Caravaggio (1601-02) - The Sacrifice of Isaac

Alessandro Allori, 1601 – Sacrifice of Isaac

The Sacrifice of Isaac

• Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo  (Italian, Venice 1727–1804)

Further Tests of Faith

• Hagar and Ishmael sent away (21:9-21) • Covenant with Abimelech (21:22-34) • Abraham tested, the blessing reaffirmed

(22:1-24) • Sarah dies, Abraham buys land (23:1-20) • Wife for Isaac (24:1-67) • Death of Abraham (25:1-11)

(Abraham’s remarriage, sons sent away, Isaac blessed.)

A.   Command and Blessing (12:1-9)    

B.   Sarai as Sister (12:10-20)        

C.   Abram and Lot (13:1-14:16) - separation of land - rescue of Lot and family            

D.   Melchizedek meets Abram, blesses him (14:17-24)                

E.   Covenant Ceremony (15:1-21)                    

F.      Hagar and Ishmael (16:1-16)                

E’.   Covenant of Circumcision, new name (17:1-27)            

D’.   Three men (Lord) meet Abraham, give promise (18:1-21)        

C’.   Abraham and Lot (18:22-19:38) - Abraham pleads with God - rescue of Lot and family - Lot is debased    

B’.   Sarah as sister (20:1-18)

A’.   Birth of Isaac (21:1-8)

Abraham’s Call and Purpose

10 Tests of Abraham1. Leave home

2. Encounters famine. 3. The Egyptians capture  Sarah4. Battle of the four and five kings5. Marriage to Hagar .

6. Circumcision at advanced age.

7. The king of Gerar captures Sarah

8. Sends Hagar away after having a child with her.9.  Ishmael, becomes estranged.10.Offering of Isaac

Structure

The AKEDAH – Binding of Isaac

• 3 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 the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. 4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off. 5 And Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the lad [hana’ar] and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.” 

The AKEDAH – Binding of Isaac

• 6 So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife, and the two of them went together. 7 But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” 

The AKEDAH – Binding of Isaac

• 7 Then he said, “Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 8 And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” So the two of them went together. 

• 9 Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. 

The AKEDAH – Binding of Isaac

• 10 And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 11 But the Angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” So he said, “Here I am.” 12 And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”  

The AKEDAH – Binding of Isaac

• 13 Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 And Abraham called the name of the place, The-LORD-Will-Provide;[b

] as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of the LORD it shall be provided.” 

The AKEDAH – Binding of Isaac

• 15 Then the Angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time out of heaven, 16 and said: “By Myself I have sworn, says the LORD, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son

The AKEDAH – Binding of Isaac

• — 17 blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. 18 In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” 

Jon D. Levenson’s

• The near sacrifice and miraculous restoration of a beloved son is a central but largely overlooked theme in both Judaism and Christianity.

If so, so what?

• From God to LORD• From test to triumph• From fear to faith• From death to

resurrection