“By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son” (Hebrews 11:17 NKJV)

Abraham proceeded to obey God’s instruction to sacrifice his son because he trusted in God’s promise concerning Isaac. He had faith in God’s promises and instructions over his own desires. He reasoned that since God had already promised that Isaac was the son by which he would receive the promised generations (Gen.21:12), then God would have to raise Isaac from the dead in order to fulfill it. Of course, God did not require Abraham to follow through with this test of faith. Yet, the quality of Abraham’s faith was revealed by his willingness. His faith led him to put loving God above his love for his son. Abraham’s faith was rewarded in that not only did God provide a goat to die as proxy for Isaac, He also provided His only Son, Jesus Christ, to die for the sins of the whole world.