BIAY - Genesis 22 - Unresolved
Did Isaac feel like God saw him and his need? As he and his father walked to the place of sacrifice without an offering? As his father bound his hands and wrestled him onto the makeshift altar? As his father looked down at him holding the knife? In those moments, did Isaac feel God saw him as God saw Hagar's need?
I'm not going to try to explain away this story with some kind of interpretative gymnastics or try to make God look better than this story portrays. I’m not going to try to justify Abraham's actions either - not only him nearly going through with the sacrifice of his son but also not even any sense of Abraham responding to God, "um, excuse me?"
This story feels like one of people feeling alone and abandoned. Isaac, alone and abandoned by his father. Abraham, alone and abandoned by God supposedly trying to test him. Sarah, alone and abandoned
by her husband taking their son and by God who promised them this child.
Yes, the story ends without the unimaginable death of Isaac and the miraculous provision of the ram. But what of what comes next? What are the relationships between Isaac, Abraham, Sarah, and God going to be like going forward?
Honestly, I don't feel like resolving this. I don't feel I honestly can. Simply, I lift this up with a lot of "I don't get it."
