Transcript for Day 11: The Sacrifice of Isaac (2023)

Hi, I'm Father Mike Schmitz, and you're listening to the Bible in the ear podcast, where we encounter God's Word and live life through the lens of Scripture. The Bible in the ear podcast is brought to you by Ascension. Using the great adventure Bible timeline, we'll read all the way from Genesis to Revelation, discovering how the story of salvation unfolds and how we fit into that story today. This is day 11. So let's get started. Let's keep on moving. We're not started. We're cruising right now at day 11. We're going to be reading from Genesis chapter 22 and 23. Very famous story, but so, so powerful and so important for us as Christians. Genesis 22 and 23. We're also going to continue our walk with our friend Job, chapter 11 and 12, and we'll also be reading from Proverbs, chapter 2, verses 9 and 15. As always, I am reading from the revised standard version, Catholic edition of the Bible, I'm using the Great Adventure Bible from Ascension, and the reading plan that we're using is accessible to you. If you want, you can go to ascensionpress.com slash Bible in a year. Again, that's ascensionpress.com slash Bible in a year. You can also subscribe to this podcast by clicking subscribe and you can also sign up for our email list by texting the word Catholic Bible to the number three three seven seven seven. Again, that's Catholic Bible to three three seven seven seven as I said. Today, we're kicking off by looking at this and journeying with Abraham in his greatest test of his life. He's been tested so many times in his life, called by God to be faithful. And today, we have one of the greatest tests. And one of the most iconic tests that is going to echo not just in his life, but is going to echo down the generations, even to our lives today. So we begin. Genesis chapter 22 and 23. After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, Abraham. And he said, here am I. He said, take your son, you're only begotten son Isaac whom you love and go to the land of Mariah and offer him there as a burnt offering upon one of the mountains of which I shall tell you. So Abraham rose early in the morning, settled his donkey and took two of his young men with him and his son Isaac and he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. On the third day, Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place afar off that Abraham said to his young men, stay here with the donkey. I and the lad will go yonder and worship and come again to you. And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac's son and took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. And Isaac said to his father, Abraham, my father, and he said, here am I, my son. He said, Behold the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" Abraham said. God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son. So they went both of them together. When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar upon the wood. The Abraham put forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son, but the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, Abraham, Abraham. And he said, here are my. He said, do not lay your hand on the lad or do anything to him for now I know that you fear God. Seeing that you have not withheld your son, you're only begotten son from me. And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called the name of that place, the Lord will provide. As it is said to this day, on the Mount of the Lord, it shall be provided. In the angel of the Lord, called Abraham a second time from heaven and said, by myself, I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this. And if not with held your son, your only begotten son, I will indeed bless you. And I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven and as the sand, which is on the seashore, and your descendants shall possess the gates of their enemies. And by your descendants shall all the nations of the earth bless themselves because you have obeyed my voice. So Abraham returned to his young men and they arose and went together to Beershiba in Abraham 12th at Beershiba. Now, after these things, it was told Abraham, behold, Milka also has born children to your brother, Nehor, who's the first born, who's his brother, Kim Yul, the father of Aram, Kessed, Hado, Pil-Dash, Jidlaf, and Bethelul. Bethelul became the father of Rebecca. These eight Milka bore to Nehor, Abraham's brother, moreover, his concubine, whose name was Rheema, bore Tiba, Gaham, Tahash, Amaka. Sarah lived 127 years, these were the years of the life of Sarah. And Sarah died, a Karyath Arba, that is Hebron, in the land of Canaan. Abraham went into the mourn for Sarah and to weep for her, and Abraham rose up from before his dead, and said to the Hittites, I am a stranger, and a sojourner among you, gave me property among you for a burying place that I may bury my dead out of my sight. The Hittites answered Abraham. Here is my Lord. You are a mighty Prince among us. Bear your dead in the choices of our supplicers. None of us will withhold from you this supplicer or hindered you from burying your dead. Abraham rose and bowed to the Hittites, the people of the land. And he said to them, if you are willing that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me. And in treat for me, Ephron, the son of Zohar, that he may give me the cave of Mach Palah which he owns, which is at the end of his field. for the full price let him give it to me in your presence as a possession for a burying place. Now, Ephron was sitting among the hittites, and Ephron the hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the hittites of all who went in at the gate of his city. No, my Lord, hear me. I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. In the presence of the sons of my people, I give it to you very your dead. The Abraham bowed down before the people of the land, and he said to Ephron, in the hearing of the people in the land, But if you will, hear me. I will give the price of the field, except it from me that I may bury my dead there." Ephraim answered Abraham. I lured, listened to me. A piece of land worth 400 chuckles of silver. What is that between you and me? Bear with your dead. Abraham agreed with Ephron, and Abraham weighed out for Ephron, the silver which he had named in the hearing of the Hittites, for hundreds, shekels of silver, according to the weight's current among the merchants. So in the field of Ephron, in Macpala, which is to the east of Memra, The field with a cave, which was in it, and all the trees that were in the field, throughout its whole area, was made over to Abraham as a possession in the presence of the Hittites, before all who went in at the gate of his city. After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife, in the cave of the field of Mach Pala, east of Mamma, that is Hebron, in the land of Canaan. The field and the cave that is in it were made over to Abraham as a possession for a bearing place by the Hittites. Job chapter 11 and 12. Then so far the name of Thight answered. Should the multitude of words go unanswered? And a man full of talk be vindicated? Should your babbles silence men and when you mock shall no one shame you? For you say, my doctrine is pure and I am cleaning God's eyes, but oh, that God would speak and open His lip to you, and that He would tell you of the secrets of wisdom. For He is manifold and understanding. No, then, that God exacts of you less than your guilt deserves. Can you find out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limit of the Almighty? It is higher than heaven. What can you do? Deeper than shale. What can you know? Its measure is longer than the earth and broader than the sea. If he passes through and impresons and calls to judgment, who can hinder him? For he knows worthless men, when he sees iniquity, will he not consider it? But a stupid man will get understanding when a wild donkey's cult is born a man. If you set your heart a right, you will stretch out your hands towards him. If an equity is in your hand, put it far away and let not wickedness dwell in your tense. Surely then you will lift up your face without blemish, you will be secure and will not fear. You will forget your misery. You'll remember it is as waters that have passed away and your life will be brighter than noon day. It's darkness will be like the morning. And you will have confidence. Because there is hope, you will be protected and take your rest in safety. You will lie down, and none will make you afraid. Many will treat your favor, but the eyes of the wicked will fail. All way of escape will be lost to them, and their hope is to breed their last. than Joe Bansard. No doubt you are the people and wisdom will die with you. But I have understanding as well as you. I'm not inferior to you. Who does not know such things as these? I'm a laughing stock to my friends. I who called upon God and he answered me a just and plainless man and a laughing stock. In the thought of one who is at ease, there is contempt from his fortune, it is ready for those whose feet slip. The tens of the robbers are at peace, those who provoke God or secure, who bring their God in their hand. But ask the beasts and they will teach you the birds of the air and they will tell you or the plants of the earth and they will teach you and the fish of the sea will declare to you who among all does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this. In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind does not the ear try words as the palate taste food wisdom is with the aged and understanding in length of days. with God our wisdom and light. He has counsel and understanding. If he tears down, none can rebuild. If he shuts a man in, none can open. If he withholds the waters, they dry up. If he sends them out, they overwhelm the land. With him our strength and wisdom, the deceived and the deceiver are his. He leads counselors away stripped, and judges he makes fools. He looses the bonds of kings and binds the waste cloth on their loings. He leads priests away stripped and overthrows the mighty. He deprives of speech, those who are trusted and takes away the discernment of the elders. He pours contempt on princes and looses the belt of the strong. He uncoversed the deeps out of darkness and brings deep darkness to light. He makes nations great and he destroys them. He enlarges nations and he leads them away. He takes away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth and makes them wander in a pathless waste. They grow up in the darkness without light and he makes them stagger like a drunken man. Proverbs 2 verses 9 through 15. Then you will understand righteousness and justice in equity, every good path. For wisdom will come into your heart and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Discussion will watch over you, understanding will guard you, delivering you from the way of evil, from men a perverted speech who forsake the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness, to rejoice in doing evil and delight in the perverseness of evil. Men whose paths are crooked, in our devious, in their ways. Father and Heavenly, glorify you and your praise your name. We thank you so much for your word. We ask you to please enlighten our minds with your truth and in life and our hearts with your love in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. And the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Okay. Wow. So that reading from Genesis is Pretty phenomenal. But in so many ways we can hear this reading and like so many other readings of scripture where we might not get it on the surface. We don't get like what is God trying to reveal to us. We think that this is just crazy. I hope God never asks me of that. I hope God never asks me to give him the thing I love the most because sometimes we look at this as it's some arbitrary story. Remember this Abraham is over well over a hundred years old at this point. So Abraham has been walking with the Lord for so long. This is not God's springs on Abraham, this offering of a sacrifice. In fact, at the heart of everything in this reading is the fact that we talked about this yesterday that Abraham is the father of faith. And here is the moment where he not just demonstrates, I would say he reveals the depth of his faith. It is a profound trust in God. Abraham is not under the impression that God is going to take away his son Isaac, that this story will end with Isaac's destruction. How do we know this? We know this for so many ways. One is very text itself. What happens is if they have the two young men who will accompany Abraham and Isaac. And Abraham says to the two young men, we're going to go up to that mountain and we're going to both come back to you. I mean, he says it. He says we're both coming back to you. Abraham says in letter to the Hebrews, he knew that even if you were to sacrifice his son, that God had the power, God who has the power of life and death to bring back even from the grave, his own son. This is Abraham's deep and profound trust. in the Father. And yet we ask the question, why would God do this though? What's the whole point of this story? Because this point of the story is not, I don't think, it's just simply for Abraham and for Isaac. I think that point of the story is it sets up the context for everything about the spiritual life. That's how deep and profound this story is. It sets up the context for virtually everything in the spiritual life. because this is not merely a story about the father who's willing to sacrifice his son. This is the story of a father and a son team. This is so important for us. You know, art will sometimes depict this image, you know, the image of the sacrifice of Isaac or the binding of Isaac. And it has Abraham, the old man, who has bound up his son Isaac, who is like struggling and who is like a child and yet This is Abraham and Isaac working together. How do we know this? Because we know that Isaac is not a child. We know he's a child compared to the hundred plus year old Abraham, but Isaac is not a child who was overpowered by his father. In fact, if anything, Isaac is the one who's stronger in this story. Why? Well, they go up the mountain. They go up the hill, right? Amoriah. And it says that Abraham laid the wood for the altar of Lord for the sacrifice on the back of his son. Now if his son is like a seven-year-old kid, he could not possibly carry enough firewood that would actually be able to be a Holocaust, right? A burnt offering of a entire human being up the mountain. Isaac is, in his, in fact, the tradition is that Isaac is in his 30s, maybe even 33 years old, think about that for a second. Isaac is stronger than his father Abraham in this, in this time in their lives. And so Isaac carrying up the wood demonstrates that he could overpower his father. that he submitted to his father, binding him, and he laid down willingly. And this is what is this teaching us? This is setting the stage for the eternal father, with his only beloved, only the gotten son whom he loves. in that sacrifice of the Son and of the Father on Calvary. This is unmistakably a preparation for Christ's sacrifice. I mean, even think, how what do the word say? Take your only Son. You're the only Begotten Son whom you love. was John chapter 3 verse 16, say, for God's will of the world that he gave his only beloved son. This story of Abraham and Isaac is not just about Abraham and Isaac, it is a revelation of how the Father in heaven and the Son of God cooperate with each other and bring about salvation. This deep and profound trust all the way to the point of death. Here is Abraham, our Isaac, the son, walking up with the wood of the sacrifice on his back, up Mount Mariah, which is right outside of Jerusalem. You have Jesus, the son, walking up with the wood of the cross on his back, up on Mount Mariah, right outside of Jerusalem, Calvary and Mariah are part of the same mountain range, right outside of the city of Jerusalem. What you have here is this deep and profound cooperation. And this is what we cannot miss. This is why this story of Abraham and Isaac is about us. Not because God is going to ask you to sacrifice everyone and everything you love. That's not the point. The point is trust. That is the number one word. Abraham is the father and faith. Why? Because when it came down to it, he was willing to trust God. But it wasn't just him alone. It was the father and the son Isaac trusting each other. And this is why this is so important for us to get this into our hearts. God is not your enemy. This is what Joe was wrestling with. Is God my enemy? Does God care? But the deep and profound expression of our faith as Christians we realize we know that this is true, that even the only begotten Son of God, Jesus Christ our Lord, on the night before He was to be crucified. He said, Father, let this cup pass for me, yet not my will, but yours be done. He was able to call out to his father and say, I don't want this to happen. And at the same time in the same breath, he was able to say, but I trust you, and I will be done. And that's what we're called to do. Man, today, gosh, you guys, we're just started. We just started this journey through the Bible, and it has been a trip so far. Oh my gosh, I hope that this is a blessing to you. I know it has been a blessing to me, walking with you these days, and also I want you to know that I have been praying for you these days, and please keep me in your purse. Keep each other in your purse. This is the large community of people who are walking through the Scriptures with each other. So please keep each other with your purse. You have any prayer intentions. Just lift those up and know that the people who are listening with you also have prayer intentions. We struggle to trust the Lord. We struggle to walk with him. We struggle when we're in the position of our friend Job. And we also struggle when we're being asked to cooperate and trust the father in the midst of what looks like the end, but we know cannot be the end. Because he is too good to let the end be simply destruction. He's too good. That's why this is not the end of the book. This is the beginning of the book. My name's Father Mike Smith and I am so honored to be able to walk with you through the scriptures and I cannot wait to walk with you some more. I'll keep praying for you today and we'll walk further into the scripture tomorrow. God bless.