Painting above: Rembrandt, Abraham Sacrificing Isaac, 1635
One of the strange things about the Bible is that it contains so much about sacrificing. Animals are being slaughtered all the way through the Old Testament, and then burned as sacrifices to God; and oftentimes after the blood is drained out, it is sprinkled on the people, or spread on the doorpost, or handled in some other odd way according to some unusual ritual. If you have ever tried reading the Bible from cover to cover you know what I mean. By the time you get half way through Leviticus you have read just about all you want to read about sacrifices. The word sacrifice appears almost 200 times in the Bible.
In Genesis 22 there is the strangest story of all, the story of God commanding Abraham to sacrifice his only son Isaac. This is the son who had been promised to Abraham and Sarah throughout their married life, and then was finally, miraculously born to them in their old age. Then, just when this child of the promise was about to become a man, God told Abraham to offer him up as a burnt offering. It was an outrageous command, contradicting God’s own Word and promise. But obediently, Abraham prepared to sacrifice his own son. He was stopped by an angel of God only at the last moment.
And all this talk of sacrifice is not only in the Old Testament, but continues throughout the New Testament as well. In fact, the central event of the New Testament is the death of Jesus on the cross, as a sacrifice, given for the forgiveness of our sins. What is going on here? Why is all this sacrificing necessary? We are by now used to the image of the cross on which Jesus died. Even though it was an instrument of public execution, not unlike a hangman’s noose, we have turned that cross into a piece of jewelry. Thus, we have tamed its force and made it appear acceptable and respectable. But all this talk of sacrifice in the Bible still seems very strange to us.
But should this really be so strange? Our worship rituals are no longer filled with animals being killed, and blood sprinkled on those worshiping, and burning flesh on altars, but we still do know all about sacrifice, don’t we? Our lives begin with, are bound up in, and end with countless sacrifices. We would not be here if not for the sacrifices of many others, and most of you can think of people who are right now, or in the past, or in the future, will depend on you and on the sacrifices you are willing to make for them.
It starts at the very beginning. As a parent, you bring that first little baby home from the hospital, and you find out right away what you have sacrificed. Should we start with a full night’s rest? Add to that being on duty 24 hours a day, always responsible for the well-being of a helpless new life. And this will go on for years. You have, quite completely, sacrificed your freedom. And babies cost money, so you have made a huge financial commitment and sacrifice. Babies get sick, and you worry; you have sacrificed the ease of only having to worry about yourself. I could go on. And it never ends. You feel a burden and a care for that child for the rest of your life. I remember visiting an 80-year old man in the hospital. He had a stroke, and would now have to go to a nursing home. There by his hospital bed, holding his hand, crying with him and comforting him, was his 101 year-old mother who had come to see him. She wasn’t living in a nursing home, but had the strength to still live in her own home with her 77 year-old daughter; and she was still worried about her kids. Having a baby means a life-long burden and sacrifice.
Fast-forward to the end of life. When you were a baby, you needed lots of care, and your parents sacrificed much for you. And if you live long enough, you will also need lots of care, and someone, perhaps your children or other loved ones, will have to make sacrifices for you; taking you to the doctor, helping you with your finances, helping you move into an apartment, sitting by you in the hospital, and so on. That 101 year-old mother I referred to a moment ago, still worried about her son, was herself being cared for by her 77-year-old daughter who was making some significant sacrifices for her mother. (continued…)
Related Posts
