Sacrifice of Abraham is a biblical parable. The History of Abraham and Isaac

The Bible, being a sacred book of Christians of all currents and faiths, contains a deep meaning that is not always clear from the first reading. Preachers often advise parishioners to reread the heads of the Old and New Testament several times in order to realize the message contained in them. A special place in the sermons about the love of God is the sacrifice of Abraham - a story told in the Old Testament.

Abraham: the biblical patriarch

The biblical parable of Abraham is very important for all Christians. After all, he is one of the first people with whom God spoke after the Flood. He became the ancestor of the entire Jewish people and concluded the Covenant with the Lord, which became the basis for the salvation of mankind. The period that began with Abraham in the Bible is called patriarchal. It lasts until the exodus of the Jews from Egypt.

It was with Abraham that God's plans began to be embodied in every person individually and in all people in general.

Testimonies of God to Abraham

The Bible describes in great detail the life of Abraham before his first conversation with God. He was born into a wealthy family of idolaters and from early childhood was distinguished by a mild temper and flexible mind. After reaching a certain age, Abraham married his free sister Sarah and believed in the Lord. It is difficult to say what triggered this event, but his faith was strong and unshakable. Abraham began to convince his family and other people to believe in the One God and stop buying idols. He constantly preached and irritated all the inhabitants of Ur, where he was born. People began to pursue his family and burn their shops. It was then that the Lord first appeared to Abraham and ordered him to gather all his loved ones and go to other lands, which in the future will become the legacy of his descendants. Surprisingly, at that time he was seventy-five years old.

The biblical parable shows that Abraham did not doubt the Lord's words for a second and trusted him, leaving his home and a secure life.

The Prophecy of the Birth of Isaac

The Bible says that the Lord did not leave Abraham for a single day of his existence. Wherever he stopped, he had many tents and cattle. He had a large amount of gold and silver, and all his property could not fit in one caravan. Abraham mourned only one thing: he had no heirs. His wife Sarah and he himself were already of old age, and the children in their family never appeared. And then God appeared again to his chosen one and announced that he would become the father of a child, from which a whole nation would come. In the future, it is among this people that the Savior of man will be born. In addition, the Lord revealed to Abraham the fate of the people that had come from him for several centuries ahead.

Temptations

God tempted Abraham, leading him to the Promised Land. Not always God's chosen one endured all trials and did not hesitate in faith, but everywhere the Lord instructed him and forgave him. Abraham showed the greatest faint-heartedness when the famine began on his lands. Instead of enjoying the divine blessing, he lost cattle and servants, therefore he broke God's orders and went to Egypt.

But God brought him back to the Promised Lands and made a covenant with him. According to him, the Lord will give the descendants of Abraham vast territories, and the elect of God himself will finally receive a long-awaited son.

The Birth of Isaac

Before Abraham was one hundred years old, he met with three wanderers who foretold the birth of the long-awaited heir in a year. Sarah just laughed at the words of the pilgrims, because at that time she was eighty-nine years old, and she had long since lost the hope of becoming a mother.

But soon she became pregnant and produced a healthy and strong boy. This event caused surprise to all who learned about the happiness of Abraham. Therefore, the newborn was called Isaac, which means "laughter".

Significance of the birth of Isaac

In the Bible, Isaac is called the "fruit of faith." This is a very important point, which has a deep religious meaning. After all, despite all ridicule and time, Abraham did not lose faith in God and his revelation, he continued to live and just patiently waited for the fulfillment of the promised.

It is the firmness of Abraham that is exemplified in the Old Testament by the descendants. Everyone should be worthy, and no temptation should shake the power of true faith in the One God.

Sacrifice of Abraham: a story of boundless faith

Abraham loved his son immeasurably and raised him in obedience and humility. When Isaac was thirteen years old, the Lord spoke again with Abraham. He ordered him to take the son of his only servant, water, firewood and go to the mountain to make a sacrifice for the glory of God. Despite the enormity of what was said, Abraham did not hesitate, he collected all that was necessary, and set out on his journey.

Three days later they approached the place where the sacrifice of Abraham was to be accomplished. He left the servants at the foot of the mountain and went up the hill with his son. Sorrow was filled with the heart of Abraham, but he believed his God and did not even think to challenge his will. Along the way, Isaac was several times interested in his father, where is the sacrificial lamb, which they will burn on the slope. Therefore, Abraham had to tell his son the truth. It is noteworthy that such a revelation did not force Isaac to escape. He obediently walked with his father, trusting his father and his Lord.

Having reached the right place, Abraham spread out brushwood, bound his son, began to pray and had already brought a knife over Isaac's neck, as the angel stopped the sacrifice. He turned from heaven to his father and son and forbade causing harm to Isaac, saying that the chosen people would come from this boy.

After this, the Lord promised the whole family of Abraham a blessing and a large number of descendants. Thus, the abortive sacrifice of Abraham was the primary cause of the salvation of mankind. Thanks to unlimited faith, people received the Savior from the family of Isaac and Abraham.

How real are the events described in the Bible?

To modern people, human sacrifices seem extremely monstrous. But in the Old Testament times, this was considered an ordinary affair. Especially often innocent souls - children - were sacrificed. After all, they were the most precious gift.

Therefore, there is nothing unusual in describing the sacrifice. Moreover, the mountain where Abraham performed the sacrifice of the sheep in place of his son, actually exists. Subsequently, it was called Moria and for a long time remained deserted, but later the Jerusalem Temple was built on it. He was elevated in honor of the Lord by the famous King Solomon, who was led to the mountain by an angel and commanded to erect a sanctuary where services to the One God will be held.

The meaning of the legend of the sacrifice of Abraham

Many theologians see in the parable the prehistory of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The history of Abraham and Isaac became the prototype of the future scenario of the salvation of mankind. After all, the Lord also gave his sons a son who, knowing his fate, did not doubt and did not abandon his mission. He loved his father and his people so much that he gave his life for the common good and immortality.

In this sense, the sacrifice of Abraham is also considered in other religions. But there is one more sense of this story - God is ready to give a man all the promised, regardless of the timing of execution. Only he knows when the right moment will come, but he will definitely be the most successful. But is a person ready to sacrifice everything for the sake of a merciful God? Everyone should ask this question himself.

Modern man is quite far from everything that is described in the Old Testament. We live in peace with its vanity and problems. But sometimes it is worthwhile to take the Bible in hand and thoughtfully re-read the story of Isaac and Abraham. Perhaps, you will open a new meaning of long familiar phrases. God is merciful, and he leads everyone to salvation in his own way ...