In the Old Testament book of Genesis, Abraham is a devout
follower of God (Yahweh). He and his wife Sarah wait many long years to have a child. In
fact, they are so old, that when God, disguised as a traveler tells Abraham that he will
be a father, Sarah overhears and laughs. However, Abraham and Sarah do have a son: they
name him Isaac. (Isaac's name means "He laughed" because Abraham had also laughed when
God first told him he would have a son.")
After several
years, when Isaac is older, God tells Abraham to travel to the land of Moriah, where he
will sacrifice his son on an alter. Abraham does as he is told. They travel for several
days. On the third day, they reach the appointed spot. Abraham leaves his servants
behind. When Isaac asks where the sacrifice is, his father replies that God will supply
one.
Abraham builds the alter and ties his son on it. He is
ready to kill the boy and start the fire beneath, but God's angel stops him. Nearby, a
ram is caught by his horns in a bush nearby, and this becomes their
sacrifice.
When Abraham is ready to carry out God's order,
the scripture says:
'Do not lay your hand on the lad or do anything
to him; for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your
only son, from me.' (RSV)
I
do not take this to mean that Abraham is afraid of what God will do to him if he does
not obey. I believe "fear" here is used differently. I believe the angel is saying that
Abraham has proven his total devotion and respect for
God.
In this
context fear refers by href="http://web.cn.edu/kwheeler/lit_terms_M.html">metonymy to obedience
that grows from
faith.*
(Metonymy is a
literary device that refers to...Using a vaguely suggestive, physical object to embody a
more general idea. This means the the general word "fear" represents the larger idea of
"obedience that grows from faith." See Dr. L. Kip Wheeler definition for more
details.)
Abraham was ready to sacrifice his only,
long-awaited son without question. In essence, it was a test, and God promises to reward
Abraham greatly for his willingness to do what God asks of him, even if it is the most
difficult thing.
*Additional
source:
http://net.bible.org/#!bible/Genesis+22:1
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