The Bible, being the holy book of Christians of all denominations and denominations, contains a deep meaning that is not always clear from the first reading. Preachers often advise parishioners to reread the chapters of the Old and New Testaments several times in order to realize the message contained in them. A special place in the sermons about the love of God is occupied by the sacrifice of Abraham - a story told in the Old Testament.
Abraham: 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 entered into a Covenant with the Lord, which became the basis for the salvation of mankind. The period that began with Abraham is called the patriarchal period in the Bible. It lasts until the exodus of the Jews from Egypt.
It was with Abraham that the incarnation of God's plans began in every person according toindividually 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 we althy family of idolaters and from early childhood was distinguished by a meek disposition and a flexible mind. Upon reaching a certain age, Abraham married his free sister Sarah and believed in the Lord. It is difficult to say what prompted 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 persecute his family and burn down 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.
A biblical parable testifies that Abraham did not doubt the words of the Lord for a second and trusted him, leaving his home and a prosperous life.
Prophecy about 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 were already of advanced age, and the children in their family did not appear. Andthen God once again appeared to his chosen one and announced that he would become the father of a child from whom 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 descended from him for several centuries to come.
Temptations
God tempted Abraham by bringing him to the Promised Land. God's chosen one did not always endure all trials with dignity and did not waver in faith, but everywhere the Lord instructed him and forgave him. Abraham showed the greatest cowardice when famine began on his lands. Instead of enjoying divine blessings, he was losing his livestock and servants, so he disobeyed 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 chosen one of God himself will finally receive the long-awaited son.
Birth of Isaac
Before Abraham was a hundred years old, he met with three strangers who predicted the birth of a long-awaited heir in a year. Sarah only laughed at the words of the wanderers, because at that time she was eighty-nine years old, and she had long lost hope of becoming a mother.
But soon she became pregnant and gave birth to a he althy and strong boy. This event surprised everyone who learned about the happiness of Abraham. Therefore, the newborn was named Isaac, which means "laughter".
Meaning of the birth of Isaac
In the Bible Isaac is called"fruit of faith". This is a very important moment, which has a deep religious meaning. After all, despite all the ridicule and time, Abraham did not lose faith in God and his revelations, he continued to live and just patiently waited for the fulfillment of the promise.
It is the steadfastness of Abraham that is given as an example in the Old Testament to posterity. Everyone should be worthy, and not a single temptation should shake the power of true faith in the One God.
The Sacrifice of Abraham: A Story of Boundless Faith
Abraham loved his son immensely and raised him in obedience and humility. When Isaac was thirteen years old, the Lord spoke to Abraham again. He ordered him to take his only son, servants, water, firewood and go to the mountain to make a sacrifice to the glory of God. Despite the enormity of what was said, Abraham did not hesitate, he gathered everything that was needed and set off.
Three days later they arrived at the place where the sacrifice of Abraham was to take place. He left the servants at the foot of the mountain and went up the slope with his son. Abraham's heart was filled with sadness, but he believed in his God and did not even think of challenging his will. Along the way, Isaac asked his father several times where the sacrificial lamb was, which they would burn on the slope. So Abraham had to tell his son the truth. Remarkably, such a revelation did not cause Isaac to run away. He dutifully walked with his father, trusting in his father and in his Lord.
Having reached the right place,Abraham laid out the brushwood, tied his son, began to pray, and had already brought the knife over Isaac's neck, as the angel stopped the sacrifice. He spoke from heaven to the father and son and forbade harming Isaac, repeating that from this boy a chosen people would come.
After that, the Lord promised the whole family of Abraham a blessing and a large number of descendants. Thus, the failed sacrifice of Abraham became the primary cause of the salvation of mankind. Thanks to boundless faith, people received a Savior from the lineage of Isaac and Abraham.
How real are the events described in the Bible?
To modern people, human sacrifice seems extremely monstrous. But in the days of the Old Testament, this was considered commonplace. Especially often, innocent souls - children - were sacrificed. After all, they were the most precious gift.
Therefore, there is nothing unusual in the description of the sacrifice. In addition, the mountain where Abraham sacrificed a ram instead of his son actually exists. Subsequently, it was called Moriah and for a long time remained deserted, but later the Temple of Jerusalem was built on it. It was erected in honor of the Lord by the famous King Solomon, who was led to the mountain by an angel and ordered to build a sanctuary where services to the One God would take place.
The meaning of the legend of the sacrifice of Abraham
Many theologians see in the parable a prehistory about the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The story of Abraham and Isaac became a prototype of the future scenario for the salvation of mankind. After all, the Lord also gaveto the people of his son, who, knowing about his fate, did not doubt and did not abandon his mission. He loved his father and people so much that he gave his life for the common good and immortality.
In this sense, the sacrifice of Abraham is considered in other religions. But there is another meaning of this story - God is ready to give a person everything promised, regardless of the timing of fulfillment. Only he knows when the right moment will come, but it will definitely be the most successful. But is a person ready to sacrifice everything for the sake of a merciful God? This is a question everyone should ask themselves.
Modern man is quite far from everything that is described in the Old Testament. We live in a world with its vanity and problems. But sometimes it is worth picking up the Bible and thoughtfully rereading the story of Isaac and Abraham. Perhaps you will discover a new meaning for long-familiar phrases. After all, God is merciful, and he leads everyone to salvation in his own way…
