This story is an example of trials of Faith. You are missing the point HL.
Does "HL" stand for "Highlighter" in relation to my username?
And this because you have reasoned in your own mind that God and Abraham's relationship was one of misunderstanding. Abraham may not have understood "WHY" God gave the commandment, but to teach others that he didn't understand the commandment is simply not true, according to the Scriptures. Consider the difference between Abraham and Eve. After all, she also reasoning in her own mind that the tree was good for food, and able to make her wise, surely God's Intent is that she be wise, and eat of the fruit of the garden. The deceiver even promoted this religious philosophy. "
For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, (Transgress the commandment) then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil."
And so she judged God's intent, instead of simply doing what HE instructed because HE is God, and she isn't.
Bringing up the story of God's command, Eve, and the serpent is totally unrelated. I am not questioning God's motives. You think I am doing that, but nothing could be further from the truth.
First, I believe Abraham obeyed God and was correct for obeying him (albeit not perfectly or with the same understanding God had of the actual outcome). If Abraham had the correct understanding, he would have simply offered Isaac upon the altar with the wood for a burning sacrifice and waited for God to take Isaac's life.
Again, I believe God told Abraham to offer or give up his son. This is in the same vein as sacrificing one's son (albeit more extreme). God desired Abraham to show his total allegiance to him, wherein he was willing to give up his son. But we know God did not really want Isaac dead because He stopped Abraham. So why would God tell Abraham to do something God did not want Him to do? We know the end of the story. God did not intend any actual harm towards Isaac, which should give you a big clue as to God's true intentions all along (even when He gave the command to Abraham).
Second, do you believe God can change His Word?
I believe God can, but there have to be previous conditions that He lays out in His Word that would explain this.
For example, God told Jonah that Judgment was coming to the city of Nineveh in 40 days. However, this did not happen because they repented. The Bible explains this exception.
Are you aware of the story of the Canaanite woman who basically did not take no for an answer from Jesus?
She could have packed her bags and gone home if she had not been aware of another truth about God. She told Jesus that even the dogs eat the crumbs from the table. This illustrates that not everything appears so straightforward at first glance. Most Christians today would have packed their bags and gone home with their tails stuck between their legs. They would mindlessly say, "Hey, Jesus said it, and that's it!" "Don't talk back to the Lord!" "Turn your brain off!"
God placed the serpent in the garden. Is this not the same God that is not willing that "any" should perish, that commanded Abraham to offer up his son as a burnt sacrifice? Will you say then that God's placing the serpent in the garden was contrary to God's Word?
God does not tempt anyone. Every man is drawn away and enticed by his own lusts (See: James 1:13-14).
Abraham is an example of actual Faith in my view.
Yes, for me, too.
God knew Abraham understood what the command was. How do I know this? Because HE is God.
Abraham had misunderstood God's instructions before.
For example, Abraham wrongfully sought to conceive a child with his servant, Hagar, instead of conceiving a child with Sarah due to doubts about Sarah's ability to bear a child at her advanced age.
Abraham's actions were adultery. Later, God clarified to Abraham that Sarah would indeed be the mother of his son, Isaac, through whom God would establish His covenant.
Yes, in Abraham's misunderstanding, it typified Christ's death and resurrection.
The same is true with the disciples and the two swords. Jesus was numbered with the transgressors, but He did not intend for His disciples to fight. Jesus rebuked Peter for taking up his sword. Jesus undid the damage to Malchus' ear (Which Peter chopped off with his sword).
Yes, Abraham obeyed God in offering up his son. This is what God was ultimately looking for.
God's purpose was that Abraham obey Him, not judge Him. To believe Him enough to obey Him, or as Jesus and Paul teach, become a "Doer" of His Law, not a hearer only, or a "Servant of God's righteousness", not a child of disobedience.
Mindless obedience can be dangerous. If a person believed God told them to wipe out the entire human race with nuclear bombs, would this person be correct? If a person believed God desired a person to abuse children, would that be correct? No, of course not! God gives us common sense and a moral compass.
We too, have been given Commandments, Judgments and Statutes of God in which we fully understand the Command, but not always the reason "WHY" the Command was given. Why not just trust God and Obey Him, like Jesus did?
See again the story of the Canaanite woman.
Paul asked God to take away his thorn in his flesh three times.
So it is simply untrue that God's command to Abraham, was God going back on His Word. God's Promises to Abraham would have been fulfilled whether God stopped his hand or not.
No, that is not what I believe. I do not believe God went back on His Word.
I believe that is the contradiction you must face in your belief system on what happened.
Most Christians also believe God told Hosea to marry a prostitute, too. Again, they believe this way because they read Modern Bibles, listen to Modern scholars, etc. They did not think to check their moral compass on such matters.
Again, religious men have been judging God and His intent, and His Judgments and Commandments since Adam and Eve. For me, the lesson is clear. Jew doesn't matter, Gentile doesn't matter, but as Paul teaches, what matters is "Keeping the Commandments of God". And I am being blessed by these Holy Scriptures, "
Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws."
I believe Christians have to keep the New Testament commands or they are not going to make it into God's Kingdom. I also believe Abraham obeyed God.
Not blessed because Abraham misunderstood God. Where is it written "Abraham misunderstood God and it was accounted unto him as righteousness"?
Abraham was blessed in his obedience to God (albeit it was not perfect obedience in the sense of him having perfect knowledge on the matter, but it was obedience nonetheless).
No. Abraham did not sacrifice his son to God. He was attempting to sacrifice his son to God, but the Lord stopped him. I believe God was merely looking for Abraham to offer his son (i.e., give him up for God to sacrifice his son). But it was not a detail that God was concerned with (at least, it is not revealed in the Bible anyway). God was pleased with the obedience Abraham had (albeit imperfect obedience).
And his obedience, AKA "Faith", has been exalted by God, and HIS Son for many Centuries. I appreciate your reply, but your insistence that Abraham and God's relationship was one of misunderstanding demeans Abraham's obedience/faith and belittles God in my view.
Yes, and I see Christians believing the standard cookie-cutter explanation of this biblical narrative as a belittlement of God because it makes it look like God changed His Word without any biblical warrant to do so. In my view, there is no such problem because I have properly understood the words involved. But we can agree to disagree.
We will continue to disagree I suppose. Because I am not going to believe that God and Abraham's relationship was one of confusion and misunderstanding. And it seems you have been convinced by someone that it was.
Again, Abraham previously misinterpreted God's message. This is not a new thing.
Nevertheless, these discussions are great for men to have in this evil world surrounded by "Many" deceivers who come in Christ's Name.
"Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?" (Galatians 4:16).
Thank you for the discussion.
May the Lord Jesus bless you and your family.