Abraham and Isaac
People often get misleading view of God because of this story. God's request does not seem ethical or reasonable.
神说：“你带着你的儿子，就是你独生的儿子，你所爱的以撒，往摩利亚地去，在我所要指示你的山上，把他献为燔祭。”( 创世记 22:2 )
How it all started...
Promise of God
Let's go back in time and look into what happened years before. Here's what God promised to Abraham then.
我必赐福给她，也要使你从她得一个儿子。我要赐福给她，她也要作多国之母；必有百姓的君王从她而出。” 神说：“不然，你妻子撒拉要给你生一个儿子，你要给他起名叫以撒。我要与他坚定所立的约，作他后裔永远的约。 到明年这时节，撒拉必给你生以撒，我要与他坚定所立的约。”( 创世记 17:16,19,21 )
God's promise is to establish a covenant with Isaac, the only son by Sarah. The promise is made before Isaac was born. So clearly, God's intention is to keep Isaac alive. However, look at how Abraham reacts to God's promise.
Abraham does not have faith in what God is saying.
亚伯拉罕就俯伏在地喜笑，心里说：“一百岁的人还能得孩子吗？撒拉已经九十岁了，还能生养吗？”( 创世记 17:17 )
We do not see from Abraham actions that he has faith in God.
Abraham still does not trust in God.
Later, God reassured Abraham again about his promise. Now Abraham did not express any doubt about it even though Sarah did:
三人中有一位说：“到明年这时候，我必要回到你这里；你的妻子撒拉必生一个儿子。”撒拉在那人后边的帐棚门口也听见了这话。 亚伯拉罕和撒拉年纪老迈，撒拉的月经已断绝了。 撒拉心里暗笑，说：“我既已衰败，我主也老迈，岂能有这喜事呢？” 耶和华对亚伯拉罕说：“撒拉为什么暗笑，说：‘我既已年老，果真能生养吗？’( 创世记 18:10-13 )
Can we see now that Abraham has faith in God? If he did, God would not have to remind about his promise again. More than that, from the next verse we can see that Abraham still does not have trust in God and lied about Sarah being his sister before Abimelech king of Gerar. As if Abraham is killed, there won't be Isaac, and God's promise would be broken.
亚伯拉罕称他的妻撒拉为妹子，基拉耳王亚比米勒差人把撒拉取了去。( 创世记 20:2 )
亚伯拉罕说：“我以为这地方的人总不惧怕 神，必为我妻子的缘故杀我。( 创世记 20:11 )
A year later, God has given Abraham son, exactly as he promised. Did this change Abraham's faith in God?
Prove that Abraham indeed has faith in God far stronger than we can even imagine.
Years later when Isaac grew up, God has made a shocking request to Abraham. Now, Abraham responded immediately and did exactly what God said. Despite that Abraham deeply loved his son Isaac, the only son from his wife Sarah, he did not withheld him from God.
神说：“你带着你的儿子，就是你独生的儿子，你所爱的以撒，往摩利亚地去，在我所要指示你的山上，把他献为燔祭。” 亚伯拉罕清早起来，备上驴，带着两个仆人和他儿子以撒，也劈好了燔祭的柴，就起身往 神所指示他的地方去了。 他们到了 神所指示的地方，亚伯拉罕在那里筑坛，把柴摆好，捆绑他的儿子以撒，放在坛的柴上。 亚伯拉罕就伸手拿刀，要杀他的儿子。( 创世记 22:2,3,9,10 )
天使说：“你不可在这童子身上下手。一点不可害他！现在我知道你是敬畏 神的了；因为你没有将你的儿子，就是你独生的儿子，留下不给我。”( 创世记 22:12 )
It's a very significant moment in Bible, but not by the ethical aspect of it that draws most of people's attention to it.
At first, God knew Abraham and what he can and cannot do before he made the request to him. In the same way as God knows everyone else before any actions or words are taken place.
我坐下，我起来，你都晓得；你从远处知道我的意念。 我行路，我躺卧，你都细察；你也深知我一切所行的。 耶和华啊，我舌头上的话，你没有一句不知道的。( 诗篇 139:2-4 )
At the same time, Abraham has faith in God, and knows that God's promises will always be fulfilled. Likewise, he undoubtedly knew that God will keep his promise to establish the covenant with Isaac and his descendants. Therefore, Isaac cannot die. Or, it will die but will be raised up again. Or, something else will happen as he fully trusts in God. Abraham says that both he and Isaac will return and that the sacrifice will be provided by God.
亚伯拉罕对他的仆人说：“你们和驴在此等候，我与童子往那里去拜一拜，就回到你们这里来。”( 创世记 22:5 )
以撒对他父亲亚伯拉罕说：“父亲哪！”亚伯拉罕说：“我儿，我在这里。”以撒说：“请看，火与柴都有了，但燔祭的羊羔在哪里呢？” 亚伯拉罕说：“我儿， 神必自己预备作燔祭的羊羔。”于是二人同行。( 创世记 22:7-8 )
This demonstration of Abraham's faith is for us, readers of the Bible. So that we understand how faithful was the person chosen by God. And how significant the actions and faith of Abraham to all of us...
并且地上万国都必因你的后裔得福，因为你听从了我的话。’”( 创世记 22:18 )
Abraham did not sacrifice his son. God sacrificed his...
While Abraham believed that his son will get to be alive at the end, he did not know how and when... Isaac was 'dead' for Abraham during the long 3-day trip to the mountain pointed out by God, and 'rose' on a third day at the end of it. God's Son Jesus got crucified and rose on the third day...
到了第三日，亚伯拉罕举目远远地看见那地方。( 创世记 22:4 )
而且埋葬了；又照圣经所说，第三天复活了，( 哥林多前书 15:4 )
Without understanding how deeply Abraham loved and feared God so that he was ready to sacrifice his son, we won't be able to understand God's love to us. He gave his only son to die on the cross for us...
“ 神爱世人，甚至将他的独生子赐给他们，叫一切信他的，不致灭亡，反得永生。( 约翰福音 3:16 )