Short Devotion: Fear of Isaac

Genesis 22:12 “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.” (NIV)

            It was one of the most horrifying scenes in the Bible. An old man is standing over his young son, ready to plunge a knife into his heart – all because the old man’s God asked him to do it. I can’t imagine how both Abraham and Isaac felt at that time, but when Isaac’s god is mentioned later, he is called the ‘Fear of Isaac,’ so this incident must have traumatized him for life.

Abraham is often praised and lauded for being faithful, for being willing to carry through what God demanded of him. I’ve struggled with that notion all of my life because it appears to me that Abraham’s faith has become fanatical and dangerous, so dangerous that he is in fact ready to destroy whatever future his son may have in order to appease his capricious god. 

Much has also been said about God testing Abraham to see if there are any limits, any boundaries he will not cross. Isaac is put in harm’s way in order to see if Abraham is willing to remain faithful. How many times has that religious logic brought about the destruction of innocents, which includes all that is happening in Gaza and Rafah today? Are those leaders who insist on bombing all the cities in Palestine until they are rubble, and killing thousands of innocent children in the process, being faithful or fanatical? Has their national and religious zeal destroyed their humanity? Are they completing God’s work or are we witnessing evil on a massive scale? Are we also complicit by supplying the money, munitions, and missiles to keep this onslaught occurring? Are we raising the dagger of destruction over holy innocents in order to retain our beliefs, our standards, our faith?

I don’t know about you, but I wish that Abraham had questioned God, had defended Isaac, and had refused to follow through with this command. It may not have been a very religious story about faith, but it would have been a very human story about questioning religion.

Point to ponder: Why do we justify war instead of seeking peace?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, there are no easy answers and just like You in Gethsemane, we question God’s will. Challenge our fanatical beliefs which sinfully destroy our humanity. Help us to follow Your ways to peace, even though the truth may undermine our faith. In Your Holy Name, we plead and pray. Amen.

John Stuart is a retired Scottish Presbyterian pastor now living in Knoxville, Tennessee.