INTRODUCTION:  Several approaches are possible with this lesson.  You may want to emphasize the doctrinal approach in which the offering of Isaac is a wonderful type of the sacrifice of God’s only Son, Jesus Christ, on the cross.  Or, you might approach the lesson from the standpoint of Abraham and his faith in the Lord.  You might even go back over his life and review the growth of his faith through the years.  A third approach, especially good for teaching children, would be to consider the viewpoint of Isaac.  He obviously submitted to his father and trusted him.  Isaac is certainly an example of an obedient child. Yet, all of these approaches emphasize surrender and sacrifice.  You might do well to consider what it means to be truly surrendered to the Lord.

1. THE PERSON TO BE OFFERED (Genesis 22:1-2 [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. [2] And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.
   See All...)
1. God Did Tempt Abraham (Genesis 22:1And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.
   See All...a).
1. God tempts no man to sin (James 1:13-15 [13] Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: [14] But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. [15] Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
   See All...).
2. Abraham’s temptation was a trial of his faith (Hebrews 11:17By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
   See All...; 1 Peter 1:6-7 [6] Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: [7] That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
   See All...).
2. Abraham Was Available to God’s Call (Genesis 22:1And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.
   See All...b).
1. Demonstrated by Jacob (Genesis 31:11And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying, Jacob: And I said, Here am I.
   See All...; Genesis 46:2And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I.
   See All...)
2. Demonstrated by Moses (Exodus 3:4And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.
   See All...)
3. Demonstrated by Samuel (1 Samuel 3:5-8 [5] And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down. [6] And the LORD called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again. [7] Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him. [8] And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child.
   See All...)
4. Demonstrated by Isaiah (Isaiah 6:8Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
   See All...)
3. God’s Command Was a Most Difficult One (Genesis 22:2And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.
   See All...).
1. The time of the command – take now
2. The son’s involvement in the command
1. Take your only son Isaac.
1. Abraham had also had Ishmael.
2. However, Ishmael was a son of the flesh and Isaac was the son of promise (see Galatians 4:22-31 [22] For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. [23] But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. [24] Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. [25] For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. [26] But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. [27] For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. [28] Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. [29] But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. [30] Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. [31] So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
   See All...).
3. Also, Ishmael had been rejected and cast out (Genesis 21:12-14 [12] And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called. [13] And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed. [14] And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.
   See All...).
4. Isaac is therefore Abraham’s only son (Genesis 22:12And 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.
   See All...).
2. Whom thou lovest
3. The place of the command - Go to the land of Moriah
1. Mount Moriah was later to be the location of Solomon’s Temple (2 Chronicles 3:1Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem in mount Moriah, where the Lord appeared unto David his father, in the place that David had prepared in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.
   See All...).
2. Tradition places the temple on the same spot as the offering of Isaac.
3. Certainly, they were in the same area.
4. The sacrifice involved in the command
1. Offer your son for a burnt offering.
2. How could Abraham do this?
3. Hebrews tells us that he was so sure of God’s promise that his seed would be through Isaac, that he figured that God would raise him from the dead after he was killed (Hebrews 11:17-19 [17] By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, [18] Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: [19] Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.
   See All...).
2. THE PREPARATION FOR THE OFFERING (Genesis 22:3-6 [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. [4] Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. [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. [6] And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.
   See All...)
1. The Obedience of Abraham (Genesis 22:3And 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.
   See All...)
1. Abraham’s obedience appears to be immediate. (Note: We are not specifically told of the time as to when Abraham was told, but it would appear that his obedience follows the next morning.)
2. Abraham’s obedience includes the material for the sacrifice.
3. Abraham’s obedience includes going to the place of God’s choice.
2. The Day of Resurrection (Genesis 22:4Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.
   See All...) –the third day (Exodus 19:11And be ready against the third day: for the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.
   See All...; Esther 5:1-2 [1] Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king's house, over against the king's house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house. [2] And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favour in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre.
   See All...; Hosea 6:2After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.
   See All...; Matthew 16:21From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.
   See All...; Matthew 27:62-65 [62] Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, [63] Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. [64] Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first. [65] Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can.
   See All...; Acts 10:40Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly;
   See All...; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 [3] For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; [4] And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
   See All...)
3. The Faith of Abraham (Genesis 22:5And 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.
   See All...)
1. “I and the lad will go…and come again.”
2. This language declares that both Abraham and Isaac would go up, and both Abraham and Isaac would come again.
4. The Elements of the Offering (Genesis 22:6And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.
   See All...)
1. The wood
2. The sacrifice – Isaac
3. The fire
4. A knife
3. THE PROVISION OF THE OFFERING (Genesis 22:7-14 [7] And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? [8] And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. [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. [10] And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. [11] And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. [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. [13] And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. [14] And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.
   See All...)
1. The Problem of Provision (Genesis 22:7And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?
   See All...)
1. Isaac’s question - “but where is the lamb?”
2. Isaac’s concern – the very fact that Isaac questions his father about the items required for the sacrifice demonstrates his desire to offer a proper sacrifice to God.
2. The Promise of Provision (Genesis 22:8And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.
   See All...)
1. Abraham’s faith in God - “God will provide himself a lamb.”
2. Isaac’s faith in his father and in God – “so they went both of them together.”
3. The promise of God’s provision for a lamb (Isaiah 53:7He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
   See All...; John 1:29-36 [29] The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. [30] This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me. [31] And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. [32] And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. [33] And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. [34] And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God. [35] Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples; [36] And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!
   See All...; 1 Peter 1:19But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
   See All...; Revelation 5:6And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
   See All..., 12)
3. The Unflinching Obedience of Abraham (Genesis 22:9-10 [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. [10] And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.
   See All...)
1. Abraham’s preparation for the sacrifice (Genesis 22:9And 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.
   See All...)
2. Abraham’s willingness to complete the sacrifice (Genesis 22:10And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.
   See All...)
4. The Provision of the Substitute (Genesis 22:11-13 [11] And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. [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. [13] And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.
   See All...)
1. The continued availability of Abraham (Genesis 22:11And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.
   See All...; cp. Genesis 22:1And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.
   See All...)
2. The praise of the Lord (Genesis 22:12And 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.
   See All...) – “I know that thou fearest God.”
3. The substitution of the ram (Genesis 22:13And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.
   See All...) – “in the stead of his son”
5. The Name of That Place (Genesis 22:14And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.
   See All...)
1. Jehovah-jireh – the LORD who sees
2. Refers to the fact that God will see the need and will provide the necessary solution as He provided the ram for Abraham’s offering
3. Prophetically points to the sacrifice of the Messiah.
4. THE PROMISE BECAUSE OF THE OFFERING (Genesis 22:15-19 [15] And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, [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: [17] That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; [18] And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice. [19] So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba.
   See All...)
1. The Second Call from Heaven (Genesis 22:15And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,
   See All...)
2. The Oath of the Lord (Genesis 22:16And 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:
   See All...) –He swore by himself (Isaiah 45:23I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.
   See All...; Hebrews 6:13-14 [13] For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, [14] Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.
   See All...).
3. The Promise Made to Abraham (Genesis 22:17-18 [17] That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; [18] And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
   See All...)
1. The multiplying of his seed (Genesis 22:17That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;
   See All...a)
1. As the stars of the heaven
2. As the sand of the sea shore
2. The possession of the gate of his enemies (Genesis 22:17That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;
   See All...b)
3. The blessing of all nations in his seed (Genesis 22:18And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
   See All...; Galatians 3:14-18 [14] That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. [15] Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto. [16] Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. [17] And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. [18] For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
   See All...)
4. Abraham Goes to Beersheba (Genesis 22:19So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba.
   See All...).

CONCLUSION:  Notice how God blessed the faith and sacrifice of Abraham.  God provided the ram because Abraham did not withhold his only son from Him (Genesis 22:12-13 [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. [13] And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.
See All...).  He blessed Abraham because he obeyed His voice (Genesis 22:18And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
See All...).  What might God do in our lives if we would obey Him entirely?