The Riddle of Isaac

Repeatedly God's Word prohibits child sacrifice (Leviticus 18:21; Jeremiah 18:21; etc.).  It is an abomination to God and what the pagan religions practice.  The paradox, tension and riddle within scripture is where God tells Abraham to bind his son and offer him as a sacrifice (Genesis 22).  How can God tell Abraham to sacrifice his son if it is morally wrong and goes against God's own commandments?

This biblical text may be one of the most misunderstood and scandalous texts in the Bible.  What people don't see spiritually is it is a riddle.  The riddle of Isaac.  The ancient Jewish rabbinic literature speaks of "the sacrifice of an innocent or righteous person will redeem the world."  We don't get the riddle or can wrap our brains around it because we think like Greek philosophers today and not like the ancient Hebrews.

What is the riddle of Issac?  It is Abraham's silence.  Abraham spoke out and argued with God over the destruction of Sodom but not about his own son?  The book of Hebrews says Abraham thought if he killed his son, God would raise him from the dead (ch.11:17-19).  That answers the first part of the riddle for Isaac but what about the part of child sacrifice being an abomination to God himself?  Why did Abraham not speak out concerning that?

Rabbinic Judaism has within their own writings a kind of resurrection of Isaac.  Every year this story is read during Rosh Hashanah.  They remember Jewish martyrs, they lament the persecution and suffering of God's people Israel.  They enter into the story and thank God for providing atonement so they can be at one with God.  Is Abraham an example of obedience and faith here or not?  The answer is yes and no.  Abraham succeeded in trusting God in faith and obeyed what God told him to do.  Abraham failed to question God or argue with God over the requirements of God's own word.

I love the rabbinic story of Akeda.  A father asks his son, "Why are you crying?  The boy replied in response to his father telling him the binding of Isaac story, "But what if the angel had come a moment too late?  The father answered, "Human beings are sometimes late but angels are never late."
The Jewish faith recognizes that Abraham raised the knife twice to Isaac.  The first time at his circumcision and the second when Isaac was an adult child and consented to his Father's request.

Abraham could say his silence was guaranteeing future generations that God would show compassion on the sons and daughters of Israel.  Job could say to Abraham but you should have questioned, demanded God to answer his own dilemma.  For the Christian, Isaac is a type of Christ and a foreshadowing of Christ's death and willing sacrifice on the cross for all people and for all time.

1.  Isaac is called Abraham's "only" son.  Jesus is called the only begotten son of God.

2.  Abraham and Isaac rode a donkey to Mt. Moriah.  Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem on the Sunday before his crucifixion.

3.  Isaac willing lay down his life (Gen.22:6) and Jesus willingly laid his life down on the cross (John 10:17-18)

4.  The Torah says Abraham and Isaac" walked on together" (Gen.22:6).  Jesus said, "The Father and I are one (John 10:30)

5.  The ram was caught in a thorny thicket (Gen.22:13).  Jesus wore a crown of thorns (Matt.27:29)

Each autumn in Judaism, the Isaac story is read and chanted out loud with the story of Elisha and the miraculous conception, death, and resurrection of the Shunamites's son.  Ancient Jewish Midrash has contained and withheld this seed idea of sacrifice linked to resurrection.  The Jerusalem Talmud says, "Since Isaac was redeemed, it is as though all Israel has been redeemed" (Tannit 1:4).