12 And he said, Let not your hand be stretched out against the boy to do anything to him; for now I am certain that the fear of God is in your heart, because you have not kept back your son, your only son, from me.
And Samuel said, Has the Lord as much delight in offerings and burned offerings as in the doing of his orders? Truly, to do his pleasure is better than to make offerings, and to give ear to him than the fat of sheep.
Was not the righteousness of Abraham our father judged by his works, when he made an offering of Isaac his son on the altar? You see that his faith was helping his works and was made complete by them;
Because Abraham gave ear to my voice and kept my words, my rules, my orders, and my laws.
And Abraham said, Because it seemed to me that there was no fear of God in this place, and that they might put me to death because of my wife.
But to you who give worship to my name, the sun of righteousness will come up with new life in its wings; and you will go out, playing like young oxen full of food.
He who has more love for his father or mother than for me is not good enough for me; he who has more love for son or daughter than for me is not good enough for me. And he who does not take his cross and come after me is not good enough for me.
And everyone who has given up houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or child, or land, for my name, will be given a hundred times as much, and have eternal life.
For God had such love for the world that he gave his only Son, so that whoever has faith in him may not come to destruction but have eternal life.
But God has made clear his love to us, in that, when we were still sinners, Christ gave his life for us.
He who did not keep back his only Son, but gave him up for us all, will he not with him freely give us all things?
For if there is a ready mind, a man will have God's approval in the measure of what he has, and not of what he has not.
Judging that God was able to give life even to the dead; and because of this he did get him back as if from death.
And the love of God was made clear to us when he sent his only Son into the world so that we might have life through him. And this is love, not that we had love for God, but that he had love for us, and sent his Son to be an offering for our sins.
And a voice came from the high seat, saying, Give praise to our God, all you his servants, small and great, in whom is the fear of him.
And on the third day Joseph said to them, Do this, if you would keep your lives: for I am a god-fearing man:
And Moses said to the people, Have no fear: for God has come to put you to the test, so that fearing him you may be kept from sin.
But earlier rulers who were before me made the people responsible for their upkeep, and took from them bread and wine at the rate of forty shekels of silver; and even their servants were lords over the people: but I did not do so, because of the fear of God.
He will keep you safe from six troubles, and in seven no evil will come near you.
Because the Lord sees the way of the upright, but the end of the sinner is destruction.
Give worship to the Lord with fear, kissing his feet and giving him honour,
And he said to him, Take your son, your dearly loved only son Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah and give him as a burned offering on one of the mountains of which I will give you knowledge.
The Lord takes pleasure in his worshippers, and in those whose hope is in his mercy.
Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and his life is long, I am certain that it will be well for those who go in fear of God and are in fear before him. But it will not be well for the evil-doer; he will not make his days long like a shade, because he has no fear before God.
This is the last word. All has been said. Have fear of God and keep his laws; because this is right for every man.
And I will make an eternal agreement with them, that I will never give them up, but ever do them good; and I will put the fear of me in their hearts, so that they will not go away from me.
With what am I to come before the Lord and go with bent head before the high God? am I to come before him with burned offerings, with young oxen a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of sheep or with ten thousand rivers of oil? am I to give my first child for my wrongdoing, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has made clear to you, O man, what is good; and what is desired from you by the Lord; only doing what is right, and loving mercy, and walking without pride before your God.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Genesis 22
Commentary on Genesis 22 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 22
We have here the famous story of Abraham's offering up his son Isaac, that is, his offering to offer him, which is justly looked upon as one of the wonders of the church. Here is,
Gen 22:1-2
Here is the trial of Abraham's faith, whether it continued so strong, so vigorous, so victorious, after a long settlement in communion with God, as it was at first, when by it he left his country: then it was made to appear that he loved God better than his father; now that he loved him better than his son. Observe here,
Gen 22:3-10
We have here Abraham's obedience to this severe command. Being tried, he offered up Isaac, Heb. 11:17. Observe,
Gen 22:11-14
Hitherto this story has been very melancholy, and seemed to hasten towards a most tragical period; but here the sky suddenly clears up, the sun breaks out, and a bright and pleasant scene opens. The same hand that had wounded and cast down here heals and lifts up; for, though he cause grief, he will have compassion. The angel of the Lord, that is, God himself, the eternal Word, the angel of the covenant, who was to be the great Redeemer and comforter, he interposed, and gave a happy issue to this trial.
Gen 22:15-19
Abraham's obedience was graciously accepted; but this was not all: here we have it recompensed, abundantly recompensed, before he stirred from the place; probably while the ram he had sacrificed was yet burning God sent him this gracious message, renewed and ratified his covenant with him. All covenants were made by sacrifice, so was this by the typical sacrifices of Isaac and the ram. Very high expressions of God's favour to Abraham are employed in this confirmation of the covenant with him, expressions exceeding any he had yet been blessed with. Note, Extraordinary services shall be crowned with extraordinary honours and comforts; and favours in the promise, though not yet performed, ought to be accounted real and valuable recompences. Observe,
Gen 22:20-24
This is recorded here,