George Ruheni, PhD.

 Isaac had to plead with the LORD. After Sarah’s death, Abraham married Keturah [Genesis 25:1]. Through her, he had six more sons. Then there was Isaac (born to Sarah) and Ishmael (born to Hagar). Therefore, Abraham fathered eight sons. However, only Isaac was the child of the covenant promise. This is why Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac. Isaac became the legal heir of Abraham’s possessions, his wealth, flocks, and authority, so that, the covenant blessing would continue through Isaac [Genesis 17:19–21]. Therefore, Isaac received, the covenant promises of God, the blessing of the land of Canaan, and the lineage through which the Messiah would come. And Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac. 6 But Abraham gave gifts to the sons of the concubines which Abraham had; and while he was still living he sent them eastward, away from Isaac his son, to the country of the east (Genesis 25:5-6). Nonetheless, Abraham still cared for His other sons, he gave them gifts and sent them eastwa...

  A Bride for Isaac God had promised Abraham that his descendants would inherit the land of Canaan, and Isaac, the “son of promise”, was the one through whom this covenant would continue. Because of this, Abraham insisted that Isaac must remain in Canaan. Isaac’s wife could come from Abraham’s relatives, but Isaac himself must not leave the land God had promised. So when Abraham sent his servant to find a wife for Isaac, he said firmly: “Do not take my son back there.”  Abraham did not want Isaac returning to Mesopotamia (Ur of the Chaldeans or Haran), even though Abraham’s relatives lived there. God had brought Abraham out of that land and promised Canaan instead. Returning would symbolically reverse God’s calling. Abraham believed God Himself would guide the servant, even sending an angel to ensure the right woman was found. But Abraham said to him, “Beware that you do not take my son back there. 7 The Lord God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land ...

God tests the faith of Abraham This was not a test designed to produce faith but to reveal faith. God had spent years shaping Abraham into a man who trusted Him completely. From the initial call to leave his homeland, to waiting decades for the promised son, to witnessing God’s faithfulness again and again, Abraham’s life had been a slow, divine apprenticeship in faith. Now came the moment of revelation. When God asked Abraham to offer Isaac, his beloved son, the very embodiment of God’s promise. Abraham obeyed. He did not argue or delay. His obedience demonstrated that his trust in God had matured beyond human reasoning or emotion. He believed that even if Isaac died, “ God was able to raise him up, even from the dead ” [Hebrews 11:19] Then He said, “Take now your son, your only 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.”  (Genesis 22:2). Abraham’s faith was no longer about unde...