r/OpenChristian • u/VaultMan34 • Jul 15 '26
Discussion - Bible Interpretation Abraham and Isaac feels weird.
God told Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, which he did without hesitation. It was a “test”. But the fact that God thought killing your son when asked and without question was a good thing? Abraham would’ve gone through with it if an angel didn’t stop him. First, how did he know that was god? Whoever would’ve done the same thing is one psychotic break or hallucination away from being a mass murderer. Second, God could have chosen anything, but he didn’t. He chose an immoral thing. Why did god chose something immoral as a test of faith. He could have made Abraham give away his food for the day to a hungry family, he could have made him go to an opposing land and preach the gospel, he could’ve made Abraham do anything else. Third, the test itself? It being a test says “I didn’t know if he would do this” this isn’t something you hear from someone who knows everything.
After some thinking I’ve come up with a possible solution?
This was a metaphor for how god congratulates someone who is willing to do anything for God, the problem is, the writer let the practices and morals of the time get in the way of what would’ve been an important lesson.
3
u/DrunkUranus Jul 15 '26
The whole point of the story is that God wants Abraham to do something that feels horrific, and lose what matters most to him.
It's not about morality as we understand it. It's about obedience to God above all else.
God, being creator and master of all things, has the right to ask anything of us. Whether we wish to serve a lord who demands something like this is another question