Genesis 22:15 - Meaning and Application

Abraham’s obedience was accepted graciously, but that was not all. Before he even left the place, and likely while the ram he had sacrificed was still burning, God sent him this gracious message and renewed, or confirmed again, his covenant with him. All covenants were made with sacrifice, and this one was too, through the symbolic sacrifices of Isaac and the ram.

Very strong words of God’s favor are used here, stronger than any Abraham had received before. This teaches us that special acts of obedience will be matched with special honors and comforts. It also reminds us that blessings promised by God, even before they are fulfilled, should be counted as real and valuable rewards.

God is pleased to mention Abraham’s obedience as the reason for the covenant. He speaks of it with praise: “Because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son” (Genesis 22:16). He puts great weight on this and praises it again as obedience: “Because you have obeyed my voice” (Genesis 22:18). To obey is better than sacrifice. This was not a reward that matched the value of the act, but God graciously gave honor to what Abraham had done to honor him.

God also confirmed the promise with an oath. It had already been spoken and sealed, but now it was sworn: “By myself I have sworn,” for he could swear by no greater (Hebrews 6:13). In this way, God put himself under oath, as the apostle says (Hebrews 6:17). With reverence, we may say that he pledged his own life and being, “As I live,” so that by these unchanging things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, Abraham and his family might have strong comfort. If we exercise faith, God will encourage it. If we make use of his promises, he will confirm them.

The specific promise renewed here is that Abraham’s family will become very large: “Multiplying, I will multiply you” (Genesis 22:17). Those who are willing to give up anything for God will have it made up to them with far greater gain. Abraham had only one son and was willing to give up that one in obedience to God. God’s answer was, “You will be repaid with thousands and millions.” History shows what a great people came from Abraham. How many, and how famous, were his descendants, who still take pride in having Abraham as their father! So he received a hundred times more in this life (Matthew 19:29).

This promise surely points to the Messiah and the grace of the gospel. It is the oath sworn to our father Abraham, the same oath Zacharias refers to (Luke 1:73). Here we have a promise, first, of the great blessing of the Spirit. “In blessing, I will bless you” means especially the best blessing of all, the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise of the Spirit was the blessing of Abraham that was to come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:14).

Second, it promises the growth of the church, so that believers, Abraham’s spiritual children, would be as numerous as the stars of heaven. Third, it promises spiritual victory. “Your seed shall possess the gate of his enemies” means that believers, by faith, overcome the world, triumph over the powers of darkness, and are more than conquerors. Zacharias likely refers to this part of the oath when he says that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve God without fear (Luke 1:74).

But the highest promise is the last one. Fourth, it speaks of the incarnation of Christ, God the Son coming as a man. “In your seed” means one particular descendant, for the apostle notes that the promise speaks of one, not many (Galatians 3:16). In that one person, all the nations of the earth will be blessed, or bless themselves, as the phrase is used elsewhere (Isaiah 65:16). In him, all may be happy if they will, and all who belong to him will be happy and know it. Christ is the great blessing of the world.

Abraham was ready to give up his son as a sacrifice to honor God, and on that very occasion God promised to give his own Son as a sacrifice for the salvation of humanity.