Comments on: Why did God tell Abraham to sacrifice Isaac? http://bustedhalo.com/questionbox/why-did-god-tell-abraham-to-sacrifice-isaac an online magazine for spiritual seekers Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:56:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: David Hume http://bustedhalo.com/questionbox/why-did-god-tell-abraham-to-sacrifice-isaac/comment-page-1#comment-13157 David Hume Thu, 06 Jan 2011 17:23:38 +0000 http://www.bustedhalo.com/?p=9690#comment-13157 Folks, You must remember that not everybody believes that the Old Testament prophecies anything about Jesus because Jews don't believe Jesus was the Messiah. Their Messiah is supposed to be a much different figure than Jesus. So the linkage with Christianity only works if you believe that there was god-man named Jesus who happens to be the "savior of the world" and doesn't fit the Jewish understanding of the Messiah (which is why they reject Jesus). The jews certainly don't read this section of the Old Testament to mean Jesus. So they take a different moral from this story. The argument still stands that if God is omniscient why did he ask Abraham to do something that is immoral? The argument that he did it so Abraham and Isaac could know that they are dedicated to obeying Yaweh doesn't hold water. Because apparently Yaweh already knows they are dedicated to obeying him. And Yaweh (if he's so smart) could've come up with something to "test" Abraham that is not clearly immoral and which Yaweh, in his forknowledge, would know would be a stumbling block to 21st century people searching for a reason to a believe or not believe in him. The moral of the story is to show how obedient Abraham was to his god. Yes, Christians can argue that it is a picture of Jesus sacrificing himself for us, but from what we can read, Abraham knew nothing of Jesus or his god's plan to sacrifice his only son for the world. Folks,

You must remember that not everybody believes that the Old Testament prophecies anything about Jesus because Jews don’t believe Jesus was the Messiah. Their Messiah is supposed to be a much different figure than Jesus. So the linkage with Christianity only works if you believe that there was god-man named Jesus who happens to be the “savior of the world” and doesn’t fit the Jewish understanding of the Messiah (which is why they reject Jesus). The jews certainly don’t read this section of the Old Testament to mean Jesus. So they take a different moral from this story.

The argument still stands that if God is omniscient why did he ask Abraham to do something that is immoral? The argument that he did it so Abraham and Isaac could know that they are dedicated to obeying Yaweh doesn’t hold water. Because apparently Yaweh already knows they are dedicated to obeying him. And Yaweh (if he’s so smart) could’ve come up with something to “test” Abraham that is not clearly immoral and which Yaweh, in his forknowledge, would know would be a stumbling block to 21st century people searching for a reason to a believe or not believe in him.

The moral of the story is to show how obedient Abraham was to his god. Yes, Christians can argue that it is a picture of Jesus sacrificing himself for us, but from what we can read, Abraham knew nothing of Jesus or his god’s plan to sacrifice his only son for the world.

]]> By: Dennis http://bustedhalo.com/questionbox/why-did-god-tell-abraham-to-sacrifice-isaac/comment-page-1#comment-8474 Dennis Mon, 15 Mar 2010 22:13:49 +0000 http://www.bustedhalo.com/?p=9690#comment-8474 I don't think any of the above adequately answers the question of why. God did not need to test Abraham. God is omniscient. He knew Abraham's heart before, during and after the ‚Äútest.‚Äù So, the test isn‚Äôt for God to find out, it‚Äôs for Abraham (and maybe Isaac). But what lesson was God trying to teach Abraham? Maybe this, God doesn‚Äôt always ask us to do things that make sense. Also, God values life (Isaac) more than religion (the act of sacrifice). I don’t think any of the above adequately answers the question of why. God did not need to test Abraham. God is omniscient. He knew Abraham’s heart before, during and after the ‚Äútest.‚Äù So, the test isn‚Äôt for God to find out, it‚Äôs for Abraham (and maybe Isaac). But what lesson was God trying to teach Abraham? Maybe this, God doesn‚Äôt always ask us to do things that make sense. Also, God values life (Isaac) more than religion (the act of sacrifice).

]]> By: Matilda http://bustedhalo.com/questionbox/why-did-god-tell-abraham-to-sacrifice-isaac/comment-page-1#comment-7398 Matilda Sat, 02 Jan 2010 13:21:17 +0000 http://www.bustedhalo.com/?p=9690#comment-7398 Personally you have to understand that God really was not goinh to let Abrham go through with the sacrifice. This is because God does not abhor to child sacrifice. Plus if god did let him go through with it wouldn't he resurrect Isaac lie what he did with Jesus? Personally you have to understand that God really was not goinh to let Abrham go through with the sacrifice. This is because God does not abhor to child sacrifice. Plus if god did let him go through with it wouldn’t he resurrect Isaac lie what he did with Jesus?

]]> By: jackie http://bustedhalo.com/questionbox/why-did-god-tell-abraham-to-sacrifice-isaac/comment-page-1#comment-6246 jackie Sun, 04 Oct 2009 00:52:57 +0000 http://www.bustedhalo.com/?p=9690#comment-6246 first of all you are wrong, genesis verse 22:15 god says to Abraham "...you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son" this is because Isaac is the only son that really matter, and it's the son of abraham and his REAL wife. second genesis and Matthew are written by different ppl, therefore no foreshadowing is possible. third pls dont use "we" christians because even if it shocks you, I have to let you know that not everyone who reads is a christian, for the record I'm an atheist and I dont belive any of this really, the bible is a spirtial and historical piece of artifact, and put together after decades, prb. longer, pls respect it and not be an useless ass. forth, the sacrifice of Jesus is predicted and determined by god, he has given his only son 2 us because otherwise, we'll all go to hell, to follow the commandments are impossible for a human, and we can not enter heaven unless we are "perfect like our heavenly father is perfect" because letting us all go to hell is unbearable, he sacrificed his own son for us, so we should fell thankful and not remorseful for the sacrifice of Jesus, because we can not know what god has planed, thats why we are not god. first of all you are wrong, genesis verse 22:15 god says to Abraham “…you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son” this is because Isaac is the only son that really matter, and it’s the son of abraham and his REAL wife.
second genesis and Matthew are written by different ppl, therefore no foreshadowing is possible.
third pls dont use “we” christians because even if it shocks you, I have to let you know that not everyone who reads is a christian, for the record I’m an atheist and I dont belive any of this really, the bible is a spirtial and historical piece of artifact, and put together after decades, prb. longer, pls respect it and not be an useless ass.
forth, the sacrifice of Jesus is predicted and determined by god, he has given his only son 2 us because otherwise, we’ll all go to hell, to follow the commandments are impossible for a human, and we can not enter heaven unless we are “perfect like our heavenly father is perfect”
because letting us all go to hell is unbearable, he sacrificed his own son for us, so we should fell thankful and not remorseful for the sacrifice of Jesus, because we can not know what god has planed, thats why we are not god.

]]> By: David http://bustedhalo.com/questionbox/why-did-god-tell-abraham-to-sacrifice-isaac/comment-page-1#comment-6194 David Wed, 30 Sep 2009 01:53:12 +0000 http://www.bustedhalo.com/?p=9690#comment-6194 I disagree with this answer somewhat. Isaac was not the only son of Abraham,(Abraham to sacrifice his only son Isaac). He was not even the first son. He was the first son that was of pure Jewish blood. This story is not only of faith in G-d, it foreshadows the story of Jesus. Abraham was ask to sacrifice his only,"Pure blood Jewish son". G-d showed mecy and let the boy go free. G-d sent his only pure blood son to the Jews and they killed him! We as Christians should feel remorse for the suffering of Christ upon receiving him. This shows LOVE. We know that he had to pass from this world for our sin, we should feel remorse for the pain he had to endure. Paul explains that we were bought or payed for by his pain, (sacrifice). The bottom line is this. G-d ask Abraham to sacrifice his true son, then showed mercy upon the child. G-d sent his only begotten son, and he was sacrificed. I disagree with this answer somewhat. Isaac was not the only son of Abraham,(Abraham to sacrifice his only son Isaac). He was not even the first son. He was the first son that was of pure Jewish blood. This story is not only of faith in G-d, it foreshadows the story of Jesus. Abraham was ask to sacrifice his only,”Pure blood Jewish son”. G-d showed mecy and let the boy go free. G-d sent his only pure blood son to the Jews and they killed him! We as Christians should feel remorse for the suffering of Christ upon receiving him. This shows LOVE. We know that he had to pass from this world for our sin, we should feel remorse for the pain he had to endure. Paul explains that we were bought or payed for by his pain, (sacrifice). The bottom line is this. G-d ask Abraham to sacrifice his true son, then showed mercy upon the child. G-d sent his only begotten son, and he was sacrificed.

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