Holy Hormones Bible Study: Teaching — not Entertainment
GOD & ABRAHAM & ISAAC: HONEST QUESTIONS — 2nd OF 4
Proposition 2: The Akedah was NOT a literal event
The prologue
This post addresses the second proposition of the four listed in GOD & ABRAHAM & ISAAC: HONEST QUESTIONS — 1st OF 4. A précis of that list being:-
1. The idea of sacrificing Isaac was not God’s idea but Abraham’s.
2. The episode was NOT a literal event that Abraham experienced, but a dream that he had.
3. The very idea violates common sense.
4. God was contradicting the common cultural understanding, at the time, of a real God. He was showing Abraham His (God’s) true nature.
The honest question being, “If you have or had a son and you believe God asked you to kill him for the sake of testing your dedication, would you automatically do it without hesitation as the story indicates?”
These four posts are not an easy read without some additional knowledge. In an effort to avoid boring you, this link provides the introductory information. You may have to do some digging. Perhaps you’re interested — perhaps not.
Proposition 2: The event was not a literal occurrence, but a dream/vision.
That is, a myth (which did not mean fairy tale but a story much like Jesus’ N.T. parables…a metaphorical story to establish deeper spiritual realities.) It was common for God to communicate through dreams (aka: visions of the night).
It is true that one of the methods God uses to communicate with humans is visions and dreams, as is written in Joel 2:28 || … Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions.
And in Hosea 12:10 || I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets.
However, the two examples given by the proponent of the proposition as supporting evidence of God communicating through dreams show that a vision/dream was the vehicle — no mistake. As is written:-
Genesis 15:1 || After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield and your very great reward.”
Genesis 46:2–3 || And God spoke to Israel in a vision at night and said, “Jacob! Jacob!” “Here I am,” he replied. “I am God, the God of your father,” he said. “Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there.
Genesis 22:1–12 contains no mention of visions or dreams. And it can’t be taken that visions/dreams are the default position because there are records of literal, personal, interaction laced through the OT.
Records of face-to-face interaction be tween Yehovah and humans
It is written in Genesis 5:21–24 || Enoch lived sixty-five years, and begot Methuselah. After he begot Methuselah, Enoch walked with God three hundred years, and had sons and daughters. So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.
Also, there are a number of Theophanies/Christophanies appearing in the OT. Some examples being:-
• Moses and the Burning Bush, Exodus 3:5.
• Joshua at Jericho, Joshua 5:14.
• Gideon, Judges 6.
• Manoah and wife, parents of Sampson, Judges 13.
Two special cases: Abraham and Moses.
- Abraham
He shared a meal with Yehovah when the latter appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre and they shared a (non kosher) meal in Genesis 18:1–8. After which:-
Genesis 18:16–19 || Then the men rose from there and looked toward Sodom, and Abraham went with them to send them on the way. And the Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing, since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice, that the Lord may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him.”
Also, the haggling of Abraham as he interceded for Sodom with Yehovah recorded in Genesis 18:20–32.
The description of what happened to Sodom and Gomorrah implies that the episode was literal. Lot chose that area because the plain of Jordan was well watered everywhere like the garden of the Lord. The area was so devastated that it is still desolate.
- Moses
It is written in Numbers 12:6–10 || Then He (Yehovah) said, “Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, make Myself known to him in a vision; I speak to him in a dream. Not so with My servant Moses; He is faithful in all My house. I speak with him face to face, Even plainly, and not in riddles; And he sees the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid To speak against My servant Moses?” So the anger of the Lord was aroused against them, and He departed. And when the cloud departed from above the tabernacle, suddenly Miriam became leprous, as white as snow. Then Aaron turned toward Miriam, and there she was, a leper.
The vibes are that God was not at all pleased that Miriam and Aaron didn’t place any credence into Him actually speaking to Moses, Face to face. Could there be a warning in there for us today?
My conclusions
Of course, everyone is at liberty to disagree with me but I read the evidence that this was a literal, personal transaction between Abraham and Divinity.
As always open to correction, the evidence points me to the conclusion that the postulation that the Akedah occurred in Abraham’s imagination is a figment of someone else’s imagination.
If there is solid evidence (not just emotional opinion) to the contrary, please let me know so that I can adjust my thinking.
Speaking of dreams
One of the Saints submitting this proposition made the statement, “Our challenge today is that we’ve lost the art of understanding dream language.” Being a chandelier-swinging Charismatic, I’m all for Spiritual Gifts. The question is whether this ability is a natural one which can be learned, like art appreciation, or a supernatural Gift from the Holy Spirit. I may have it wrong but the evidence tells me that interpretation of dreams is the prerogative of Elohim, and Him alone, as is written:-
Genesis 40:8 || And they said to him (Joseph), “We each have had a dream, and there is no interpreter of it.”
So Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell them to me, please.”
And.
Genesis 41:15–16 || And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that you can understand a dream, to interpret it.” So Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace.”
There are internet sites offering courses to discover your Spiritual Gifts but I’ve found none that offer Raising of the Dead in their curriculum. So I’ll keep waiting on the Lord.
What’s next?
“If you have or had a son and you believe God asked you to kill him for the sake of testing your dedication, would you automatically do it without hesitation as the story indicates?” has not yet been addressed. More groundwork to be done. Next up — Proposition 3: Common sense.
The forgoing evidence has not been presented to convince any reader but to allow a personal decision to be made. There is much more to know about this subject. Perhaps you’ll pay another visit, sometime.
All Glory to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
(We all have a plank in our eye. It’s bigger than we think.)
