The one and only thing that puts Abraham over is this chapter, his willingness to sacrifice his only son Isaac shows his commitment to God. God called out Abraham asking him to offer his son as a burnt offering and Abraham obeyed. Early next morning he loaded his donkey and took two of his servants to go up to the mountain to sacrifice his son.

While on the way he assured his confused son that God would provide the lamb required for the burnt offering. The two of them went up to the mountain alone and while Abraham was about to slay his son using his knife, the angel of the Lord called out from heaven saying

“Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.” – Genesis 22:12

Abraham saw a ram caught in a thicket and that ram replaced his son as the burnt offering. Just like that ram replaced Isaac on the alter, Jesus replaced all of us when he died for our transgressions. Perhaps this was the symbolic gesture that God was giving us through this example of a father sacrificing his son.

Questions Discussed in this Podcast –

V2: God says “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah.” Why only son? Isn’t Ishmael also his son?
V8: Abraham says “God himself will provide the lamb”, was this just to give an answer to Isaac or did he really believe, especially now as he is so close to performing the task?
V16: God says “because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you…”, why is this conditional?
God knows Abraham, his faith level and everything, then why test him?