1. God tests Abraham (1-12)

When Isaac grew up, God tested Abraham to sacrifice Isaac on the mountain of the Lord. After sending Ishmael away, Isaac was his one and only son, the son of promise. It seemed God was asking too much. Yet Abraham obeyed immediately. When Isaac asked about the lamb for the sacrifice, Abraham trusted that God would provide. As Abraham raised the knife to sacrifice Isaac, the angel of the Lord stopped him, recognized Abraham's fear of God, and provided a ram in a thicket to be the sacrifice.

2. All nations will be blessed (13-24)

No one knew or saw Abraham's sacrificial faith and obedience. Yet God saw all that Abraham had done to obey him in detail to offer his one and only son. God honored Abraham's obedience and faith. God promised to bless his descendants to be a great nation and through his offspring make his nation a blessing to all nations. This promise looks forward to sending Jesus as the Messiah. God uses our obedience and faith far greater than we can imagine. After this Abraham heard news of his brother's family from which God would provide a wife for Isaac (23).