Scofield Reference Bible Notes
Genesis 22

Gen 22:1 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.

The spiritual experience of Abraham was marked by four great crises, each of which involved a surrender of something naturally most dear. These were:

1. Country and kindred (Genesis 12:1. Cf. Matthew 10:34-39; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18).
2. His nephew, Lot; especially dear to Abraham by nature, as a possible heir and as a fellow believer (2 Peter 2:7, 8; Genesis 13:1-18). The completeness of Abraham's separation from one who, though a believer, was a "vessel unto dishonour," is shown by Genesis 15:1-3. Cf. 2 Timothy 2:20, 21; Acts 15:36-40.
3. His own plan about Ishmael (Genesis 17:17, 18. Cf. 1 Chronicles 13:1-14; 15:1, 2).
4. Isaac, "thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest" (Genesis 22:1-19. Cf. Hebrews 11:17, 18).

tempt

Temptation. Exo 17:2, 7. (Gen 3:1; Jas 1:2.)

Gen 22:3 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.

Faith. vs. 1-14; Gen 50:24, 25. (Gen 3:20; Heb 11:39.)

Gen 22:5 And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.

come again to you

Resurrection. Heb 11:17-19. (Job 19:25; 1 Cor 15:52.)

Gen 22:8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

burnt offering

Sacrifice (typical). vs. 8, 13; Exo 12:3-11, 27. (Gen 4:4; Heb 10:18.)

Gen 22:9 And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.

laid him on the altar

The typical lessons here are:

1. Isaac, type of Christ "obedient unto death" (Philippians 2:5-8);
2. Abraham, type of the Father, who "spared not His own son, but delivered Him up for us all" (John 3:16; Romans 8:32);
3. the ram, type of substitution—Christ offered as a burnt-offering in our stead (Hebrews 10:5-10);
4. cf. resurrection (Hebrews 11:17-19). See also James 2:21-23.

Gen 22:11 And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.

angel of the LORD

Scofield Hebrews 1:4, note.

Gen 22:12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.

fearest God

Scofield Psalms 19:9, note.

Gen 22:15 And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,

angel of the LORD

Scofield Hebrews 1:4, note.

Gen 22:16 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:

Israel (covenant), vs. 16-18; Gen 26:2-5. (Gen 12:2, 3; Rom 11:26.)