Genesis 22

“Stop this madness, old man,” spake the angel unto Abraham.

Abraham suddenly finds himself in a very different role.  Having been acquainted with the role of the hero, the rescuer of those in distress (often his nephew, Lot…but others as well), Abraham now is assigned a new role–that of the villain.  

Perhaps villain seems too strong a word for us, as we are notified that God bid Abraham to go slay his son.  But it certainly seems to be with the guilt-laden conscience of a villain that  Abraham sneaks out of the house, early in the morning; keeps his intentions hid from his son; and leaves his servants behind so as to eliminate any eye-witnesses to his infamy.

Abraham is obeying God.  But obeying God in what?  What could be worse than to butcher the son in whose hands lie the future?  God is asking Abraham to destroy his own and every man’s future.  And in this act God demonstrates the incredible idea that to surrender the future is the only manner by which one can have it back.

God stops Abraham.  Abraham is allowed to be neither the villain nor the hero.  God will be both of these.  He will terminate man’s future in death.  And by death, restore it.

©2020 Joel Picard