November 11, 2025 • 29 mins
# 27 - Abraham Sacrifices Isaac - In this episode of The Chosen People, Abraham faces the ultimate challenge of faith as he is asked by God to sacrifice his beloved son, Isaac. This episode explores the tension between obedience and love, revealing how Abraham's unwavering trust in God's plan becomes a profound lesson in faith and divine provision.
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Episode 27 of The Chosen People is inspired by the Book of Genesis.
Today's opening prayer is inspired by Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Previously on the chosen people.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Can you count the stars, Abram?
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Abram shook his head uncertain.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
You cannot, for there are too many. It is impossible.
It is to be the same with your offspring. The
great nation I shall make through your air would be
as innumerable as the stars in the night sky.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
They can't help it. You're never going to believe it.
It's finally happened. God's promised to us.
Speaker 4 (00:38):
With child.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
You're going to be a father.
Speaker 4 (00:44):
Sarah has given you a son, Isaac Master. The boy's
name is Isaac.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
They laughed until tears streamed down their faces. Everyone in
the room began to harmonize with them. Years of pent
up tension from yearning for a child had finally released, ironically,
just like the babies.
Speaker 4 (01:12):
It is a miracle.
Speaker 5 (01:13):
It is our God, It truly is, Abraham. You have
walked with our God for a long time and grown
accustomed to his voice. I have always wondered how you
sustained your faith all these years, waiting for the impossible.
But now I hear his voice too.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
I hear his.
Speaker 5 (01:32):
Voice in the cries of our son here and last,
and I hear it in.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
All our laughter.
Speaker 5 (01:40):
God made me laugh when I first learned of his
intentions for my life.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
But now everyone will laugh with me.
Speaker 6 (01:51):
Blessed be Abram by God Most High, creator of heaven
and earth in him, Oh, and your great nation will
have a protector and provide her.
Speaker 1 (02:05):
Abram was pleased to know that he had done right
by his God, and that his reward would be something
akin to a legacy, enduring and everlasting, just as the
God Most High had promised him. Abraham lifted the water
(02:30):
skin with care, tilting it gently to pour its precious
contents onto the base of the tamarisk tree. The seedling
had been planted after the covenant between him and Abimelek
had been sealed, a symbol of peace in Beersheba. Each
day since Abraham had made the solemn pilgrimage to this spot,
(02:52):
watering the young tree, the parched earth drank eagerly, the
water seeping down to the tender roots below. This ritual
had replaced his legendary walks along the borders of his lands,
a new duty that brought him solace and reminded him
of the steadfastness of his God and the covenant they
(03:14):
had forged. As Abraham turned to leave, he felt the
familiar stillness envelop him, the world around him falling silent.
The voice of his God shattered the quiet Abraham. The
sound of his name spoken with such authority startled Abraham.
(03:34):
The formal address demanded his immediate response, and he answered
without hesitation. He had felt the presence of his God
each day, yet this call was different, a summons with
a weighty purpose.
Speaker 4 (03:48):
Here I am listen.
Speaker 7 (03:50):
Carefully, take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love.
Go to the land of Mariah, and offer him there
as a burnt offering on one of the mountains.
Speaker 1 (04:04):
Abraham stood as if turned to stone, the words reverberating
through him. The stillness lifted, leaving him alone with his
tumultuous thoughts. His God was asking for Isaac, the son
of the Promise, the child he had waited for so long,
the one for whom he had sacrificed and journeyed far
(04:26):
from his homeland. How could he reconcile this command with
the promises his God had made?
Speaker 4 (04:33):
What? What's this terrible thing you've asked me to do?
To give up the very promise I've been waiting for
for for a quarter century. You're the one who has
affirmed it time and time again, And now that's it.
What happened to the seed, the great nation, the blessing?
Speaker 1 (04:53):
What Abraham's words seemed to fall to the earth. There
was no response from heaven, just a gnawing, foreboding silence.
Speaker 4 (05:03):
Not even a.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
Breeze graced his ears. Abraham had left everything, endured hardships,
and even sent away his first son, Ishmael, all for
this promise, and now his God demanded Isaac as a sacrifice.
The command was clear, but the purpose was shrouded in mystery.
(05:26):
Abraham's heart ached as he recalled the pain of parting
with Ishmael, a wound that had barely begun to heal.
How could he bear to lose Isaac, the son who
was to fulfill God's promise.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
Of a great nation.
Speaker 1 (05:40):
His mind was a tangled web of anguish and faith,
Yet he knew the faithfulness of his God. Every promise
had been kept, every word fulfilled, even when it seemed impossible.
Abraham grappled with the enormity of the command, the clash
between his love for his son and his unwavering faith.
Speaker 4 (06:04):
If you require this, there must be a purpose, a
plan beyond my understanding.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
Doubt and dread gnawed at him, but his resolve hardened.
He had to trust to obey, even when it defied
all reason. He supposed that his God could do miraculous things.
He had wrought plagues and brought victory. He had even
brought Sarah's barren womb back to life. Perhaps he would
(06:38):
do the same with Isaac. In his conflicted heart, he relented.
His God could not be denied. The promise would be
fulfilled somehow. There had to be a way. There had
to be a plan, something he was not seeing. He
couldn't lose his nerve. He had to stay the unlike
(07:01):
all those other times before, those times when he had deceived,
or hid or taken matters into his own hands. The
land of Mariah lay a three day journey away. He
would need to prepare for this horrible task. He would
also need to decide what to say to Isaac and
his wife. Abraham stopped in his tracks. Sarah, the child
(07:26):
that had grown inside her very womb. He was the
answer to all of her deepest and most desperate prayers.
How could he possibly take that son away from her?
Going through with this act would cost more than one life.
Abraham would be responsible for the death of his wife's faith,
perhaps the death of their marriage as well. Abraham cried
(07:50):
out in his heart in torment and fumbled for the
comforting presence in the back of his mind. This would
be the ultimate test of his faith, unlike anything he
had experienced before. He reached out in his groaning and
longing for comfort, and was surprised to find that he
felt a distant, fluttering peace there in the back of
(08:12):
his mind, where the presence of his God was often
to be found. A simple question echoed back to him
from the source. Would he cling to the sun he
had been given or cling to the word of his God.
Abraham found his wife Sarah in their tent, and he
(08:32):
summoned all his courage As he braced to speak to her. Abraham,
she could immediately see that he was troubled. He stamped
down his fears and his doubts, and he held fast
to his flickering faith. He steadied himself and tried to
will his thoughts to the here and now.
Speaker 4 (08:54):
I am here, Sarah, Ay.
Speaker 3 (08:58):
My husband, you are beginning to scare me. What is it?
Speaker 4 (09:03):
I was out at the sight in Beersheba, where I
planted the Covenant tree.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
What happened?
Speaker 4 (09:12):
Our God came to me. He has asked something of me,
of us. He asks me to take our son Isaac
to the land of Moriah and off him there. He
is to be a burnt offering to our God.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
What did you say?
Speaker 4 (09:38):
I am to offer our son to our God?
Speaker 3 (09:43):
Our son Isaac. Yes, the one God promised to us
is to be slain. Yes, slain by your hand his father?
Speaker 8 (09:58):
Yes?
Speaker 3 (10:02):
And you sure you did not misinterpret? Were you drunk
or no?
Speaker 4 (10:08):
His meaning was plain as day, just as plain as
the day he called me, Sarah. I know this is
difficult to understand. I don't claim to understand it at all, either,
But I sense this is a call I must answer
(10:28):
a trial. I must endure.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
A trial that would end in execution, the death of
the very promise upon which our entire lives, our entire
legacy stands.
Speaker 4 (10:44):
I cannot believe I'm saying this aloud.
Speaker 3 (10:47):
But but yes, you would murder our son.
Speaker 4 (10:53):
I will do what our God asks of me.
Speaker 5 (10:58):
Even this, you look him in the eye and drive
a blade into his throne like an animal.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
Abraham, listen to yourself.
Speaker 5 (11:09):
We loved the gods of her long ago they were
the ones who required sacrifices like this.
Speaker 9 (11:17):
Perhaps there's something bad to the man that we did
not see. It has yet to be revealed. But I
must obey. We must have faith.
Speaker 5 (11:29):
You are going to do this thing. I see the
determination in your eyes, the single mindedness of your heart.
You know this act would devastate you, but you agree anyway.
You know it would kill me as well. But still
you come to tell me. You didn't hide it or
sneak around me. But nor are you asking me or
(11:50):
seeking my counsel, Knowing full well, I would beg you
not to go, not to do this terrible thing. But
yet there you stand, unmoved.
Speaker 4 (12:02):
They do not know.
Speaker 9 (12:05):
How I will live with myself or what the future holds,
but I must be obedient to the call of today.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
Abraham saw devastation in his wife's eyes. He could see
a great war of faith and understanding raging within. Abraham
sensed that this was as much a test of her
faith as it was one of his.
Speaker 10 (12:30):
If you commit this act, I cannot accept you. If
you go to the mountain and sacrifice our son, it
will cost you your wife.
Speaker 5 (12:45):
Are you willing to risk the hate of your family
for your God.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
Abraham considered the weight of her words. He could see
his own consideration mirrored in her. He could see her
thoughts as if they were his. How much was Abraham's
faith worth to him? What was he willing to sacrifice
to demonstrate his trust in his God? He knew that
his answer to both was of great consequence, more than consequence,
(13:14):
utterly imperative.
Speaker 4 (13:17):
I am I trust that our God will provide and
hold true to his promise to us. I would ask
you to place your trust in our God as well.
It is with a humble heart I ask at all,
for I know it is you alone who can decide
(13:37):
how to place your trust.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
Sarah inclined her head in answer. When she lifted her head,
he saw tears fill her eyes, and they stood like
that for some time. I to eye heart to heart.
But she did not beg him. She did not ask
him to not go and complete the task that had
been given to him. She turned her back to him.
(14:02):
Abraham watched her shoulders quiver. He stepped forward to comfort her,
but didn't. His embrace would only add to the confusion
and sorrow. Abraham rose early the next morning and prepared
for the journey. He arranged for two young servants to
accompany them to set and break camp and prepare meals.
(14:26):
He split wood for the offering and packed it on
the donkeys, remembering the sparse terrain around Mariah. Isaac met
him with an expectant smile at dawn, just as he
had told him.
Speaker 6 (14:39):
Oh, good morning, Father, I'm ready for our journey.
Speaker 4 (14:43):
Good morning, my son. Come help me with the last
of this wood.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
Abraham watched Isaac's arms load the wood. They were thin,
but tight, and showing signs of growth from childhood to adolescence.
Abraham's chest tightened at the thought that Isaac may not
live to become a man. Abraham and the three set
out for the land of Mariah. On the third day.
(15:09):
Abraham recognized the terrain they neared the city of Salem,
where he had once met the mysterious King Melchisedek. Much
had changed since that meeting. As they approached a hilltop,
Abraham felt a stirring, a confirmation.
Speaker 4 (15:25):
This was the place Di Dan came you all. This
is the place where my son and I will depart
from you. I will take the boy to worship on
that mount, then we'll come back to you. Stay with
the donkeys and prepare the camp.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
Abraham unstrapped the wood from the back of one of
the donkeys.
Speaker 4 (15:48):
Isaac, I will have you carry this wood for our offering.
It's too heavy for me to carry.
Speaker 6 (15:54):
Up to the mount, of course, Father, lay it on
my back.
Speaker 1 (15:59):
Abraham took the leather straps from the donkey and fastened
a makeshift pack from the same donkey's pack. Abraham's stomach
tightened as he brought out some spare rope and his
hunting knife. He felt sick as he gripped the worn
handle and stared at the sharp, jagged edges of the blade.
His fingers remembered the grip and the strength required to
(16:21):
pierce flesh. His body remembered the violence wrought by this knife,
but absent with the war cries and blood lust of battle.
His young son stood demurely before him, waiting for him
to take his lead up the mount to their destination.
Hands shaking, Abraham stowed the blade in the folds of
(16:42):
his robe. He couldn't bear to look at it and
be reminded of the task slated for it. A moment longer.
With his other hand, he fumbled for the flint buried
in the pack on the still waiting donkey. Isaac doubled back,
deftly found the flint and handed it to his father.
His face was the picture of patience and expectance. Abraham's
(17:05):
heart throbbed. He knew his son loved him more than
anything and would do anything he asked for them. Abraham
shoved that thought aside and gave him a tight smile
before taking the lead, And so they began their ascent,
the Killer and the Innocent. Father and son hiked in
(17:27):
tense silence, traversing the rocky goat bath cut into the hill,
father lost in his thoughts, and son sensing his distress.
Abraham did not trust himself to speak on her climb. Instead,
he focused on placing one foot before the other, each
step taking him closer to a moment that would surely
(17:48):
alter the course of his life and legacy forever. Eyaac
could see they were nearing the top and began looking around, Father.
Speaker 4 (18:00):
My son.
Speaker 1 (18:03):
Abraham could not help but recognize that he had given
the same answer to his God only four days prior.
Speaker 2 (18:09):
Here I Am.
Speaker 1 (18:10):
He had even uttered something similar to his wife. He
found that if he thought too far ahead to the
task at hand, he would become overwhelmed. But he was here.
He knew who he was and what he was called
to do. He would not be overtaken with fear.
Speaker 6 (18:28):
I'm carrying the wood, and you have what you need
for the fire.
Speaker 4 (18:31):
But where's the lamb for the burnt offering?
Speaker 1 (18:35):
Abraham swallowed. He found he could not bring himself to
tell Isaac the truth about what or who would serve
as the sacrifice for the burnt offering. Not yet, don't fear, Isaac.
Abraham again paused, summoning his own strength and encouraged his
son with words meant for himself as well as Isaac.
Speaker 4 (18:58):
Our God will provide the the lamb for the burnt offering.
Speaker 1 (19:03):
Isaac accepted his father's words without question. Isaac was a
simple soul, trusting and unyielding an optimism. His mind was
untainted by the deep, gnawing questions that plagued more intelligent men.
Abraham adored his son more than life itself. He would
gladly lay himself at the altar if it meant his
(19:26):
son would live. But God had not asked for the father.
He asked for the sun. They approached the summit of
the hill, the charcoal clouds above them were thick and unruly.
Abraham secretly hoped lightning would strike him down before he
had a chance to complete his task. Abraham identified the
(19:48):
place that served as their altar. They placed stones in
an oval shape building the fiery Isaac played the wood
for the pyre, then faced his father expectantly. Abraham toyed
with the rope, his other hand gripping the knife.
Speaker 4 (20:05):
My son, ay, I must ask something of you.
Speaker 2 (20:12):
Whatever you ask of me, father, I'll do.
Speaker 1 (20:14):
Abraham's heart strained at the words at his son's face,
so eager to please, so eager to do whatever he
could to ease his father's clear discomfort.
Speaker 4 (20:31):
Lay down across the wood.
Speaker 1 (20:34):
Isaac blinked at the command. Abraham saw confusion flash across
his face, but he quickly mastered it into determination. Isaac obeyed,
Now hold your feet in the hands, steady.
Speaker 4 (20:49):
I'm going to fasten the ropes.
Speaker 2 (20:52):
Again.
Speaker 1 (20:53):
Confusion mixed with alarm made their appearance on Isaac's face,
but he held out his arms and legs to be secured.
Abraham stood back from the scene of his son held
in bondage and tied to the wood that would serve
as their altar. His arms were outstretched, and his head
slumped uncomfortably to one side. Though he was almost fully grown,
(21:14):
he looked small and vulnerable looking up at his father.
Speaker 8 (21:18):
What now?
Speaker 1 (21:18):
Father Abraham was astonished at his son's submission, his willingness
to trust completely in the words of his father. The
boy he loved so much had come to love his
God and was willing to follow the faith of his father,
even unto death. Unto the wood. The wood he had
unwittingly and unknowingly carried. The notion gave him the courage
(21:43):
he needed to advance on Isaac and draw his knife.
Upon seeing the knife, terror flooded Isaac's face. He gaped
up at Abraham standing above him. He pulled on his restraints,
fear and instinct takeing.
Speaker 8 (22:00):
Over, Father, What are you doing?
Speaker 5 (22:04):
What?
Speaker 4 (22:04):
I busts.
Speaker 1 (22:05):
The sound of fear and betrayal in his son's voice
was visceral and gut wrenching. It unlocked a torment in
Abraham's soul he had never imagined was possible, but he
had come this far. Thunder rolled in the distance, and
the winds began to churn violently. Abraham dug deep within himself,
(22:26):
desperately drawing out enough grit and determination to lift the blade.
There was no turning back, no faltering. Lightning struck a
mere mile away, illuminating the horror on Isaac's face. Abraham
squeezed his eyes shut, unable to bear the sight of
his son's terror. The thunder clapped again, and a chilled
(22:48):
wind bit at Abraham's face. Tears rolled down his cheeks
as he slowly, painfully lifted the blade high above his head. Legacy, destiny, dreams,
the future. Isaac represented all those things. With one fell
(23:09):
swoop of his blade. He would end it all, sacrifice
it all for his God. Abraham poised to strike and
shouted to the heavens. His voice billowed against the wind.
He threw his hips back, cocked his arm, and began
his descent into sorrow.
Speaker 2 (23:28):
Abraham, Abraham.
Speaker 1 (23:31):
The voice clapped alongside the thunder. Abraham dropped the blade
immediately it fell to the ground with a clatter on
the stones. Abraham shook uncontrollably.
Speaker 3 (23:44):
Here I am here, here, I am.
Speaker 8 (23:50):
Do not lay a hand on the boy or do
anything to him. For now I know that you fear
your God, since you have not withheld your only son
from me.
Speaker 1 (24:03):
Abraham's eyes snapped open at that, and his eyes met Isaac's.
He reached for his boy's face with trembling hands and
kissed him. Isaac recoiled at first to his father's touch,
but then relaxed himself. Relief flooded Abraham, and he quickly
picked up his blade and cut his son's bonds. Isaac
(24:23):
sat up slowly, without saying a word, and rubbed his wrists.
His eyes were wide with shock. Isaac had heard the
voice as well. Abraham sank to his knees, utterly spent,
and sobbed. The voice of his God had faded, and
Abraham began to hear the noises of the sparse wilderness
(24:46):
begin to return. His senses narrowed in on a faint
rustling that was coming over the ridge. He gathered his
remaining strength, stood and took up his knife as he approached.
The still bewildered Isaac stayed where he was on the
locks and watched his father. Abraham palmed the handle of
the knife as he neared the edge of the hilltop.
(25:07):
A ram was struggling to free itself from the dense
thicket of shrubs. Its great horns were tangled in the
gnarled branches, fixing it in place. Abraham nearly cried out
in jubilation. This was not quite the lamb his son
had inquired about, but this substitution would do. Abraham swiftly
made the kill, grabbing the ram by the back of
(25:30):
the foot to steady it to slit its throat. He
called Isaac down to where the ram now lay dead,
and the two of them carried it to the altar,
lit a fire, and offered it to their God. Abraham
ran the sooty and bloodied hand over his face as
he could no longer contain the tears of relief that
now freely flowed from his eyes. He pulled an equally
(25:53):
relieved Isaac into.
Speaker 3 (25:54):
His arms and embraced him.
Speaker 1 (25:56):
Crying all the harder. The scene around themselves still for
a second time, and again they heard the word of
their God in their midst.
Speaker 8 (26:06):
By myself, I have sworn, because you have done this
thing and have not withheld your only son, I will
indeed bless you and make your offspring as numerous as
the stars of the sky and the sand on the
sea shore.
Speaker 1 (26:25):
Abraham drew eyesa close again as he listened to the
familiar words of his calling, his God was satisfied with him.
He had passed this harrowing test, and now the promise
was again being confirmed. But then the voice of God
added to the familiar proclamation.
Speaker 8 (26:44):
Your offspring will possess the city gates of their enemies.
Speaker 1 (26:50):
Abraham wondered at that they were no conquerors, and they
were not city dwellers.
Speaker 8 (26:55):
And all the nations of the earth will be blessed
by your offspring, because you have obeye my command.
Speaker 1 (27:04):
With that, the voice again fell silent, and the world
around them resumed. Abraham and Isaac exchanged very few words
as they watched the flames around the charred body of
the ram begin to dwindle and die out. When the
fire had at last consumed the sacrifice and had no
more fuel to sustain it, they turned from the place
(27:28):
and headed down the mount to the camp below. Abraham
knew his son would have questions about this strange and
mighty legacy he was to inherit, but that would come later.
They enjoyed one another's company in amiable, if not exhausted silence.
The topic remained untouched until days later, when they returned
to camp and found an overjoyed and wildly relieved Sarah.
(27:52):
She cried at the sight of them, bloodied and covered
in soot and dust from the travel and the ordeal.
Abraham held his family close, faith confirmed, tested and approved,
and began to teach his precious son, Isaac, all the
ways of his God. This Prey dot Com production is
(28:15):
only made possible by our dedicated team of creative talents.
Steve Gattina, Max Bard, Zach Shellabarger, and Ben Gammon are
the executive producers of The Chosen People. Narrated by Paul Coltofianu.
Characters are voiced by Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvado, Sarah Seltz,
Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwold, Sylvia Zaradoc, Thomas Copeland Junior, Rosanna Pilcher,
(28:40):
and Mitch Leshinsky. Music by Andrew Morgan Smith, written by
Aaron Salvato, bre Rosalie and Chris Baig. You can hear
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If you enjoyed The Chosen People, please rate and leave
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Previously on the chosen people.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Can you count the stars, Abram?
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Abram shook his head uncertain.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
You cannot, for there are too many. It is impossible.
It is to be the same with your offspring. The
great nation I shall make through your air would be
as innumerable as the stars in the night sky.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
They can't help it. You're never going to believe it.
It's finally happened. God's promised to us.
Speaker 4 (00:38):
With child.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
You're going to be a father.
Speaker 4 (00:44):
Sarah has given you a son, Isaac Master. The boy's
name is Isaac.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
They laughed until tears streamed down their faces. Everyone in
the room began to harmonize with them. Years of pent
up tension from yearning for a child had finally released, ironically,
just like the babies.
Speaker 4 (01:12):
It is a miracle.
Speaker 5 (01:13):
It is our God, It truly is, Abraham. You have
walked with our God for a long time and grown
accustomed to his voice. I have always wondered how you
sustained your faith all these years, waiting for the impossible.
But now I hear his voice too.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
I hear his.
Speaker 5 (01:32):
Voice in the cries of our son here and last,
and I hear it in.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
All our laughter.
Speaker 5 (01:40):
God made me laugh when I first learned of his
intentions for my life.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
But now everyone will laugh with me.
Speaker 6 (01:51):
Blessed be Abram by God Most High, creator of heaven
and earth in him, Oh, and your great nation will
have a protector and provide her.
Speaker 1 (02:05):
Abram was pleased to know that he had done right
by his God, and that his reward would be something
akin to a legacy, enduring and everlasting, just as the
God Most High had promised him. Abraham lifted the water
(02:30):
skin with care, tilting it gently to pour its precious
contents onto the base of the tamarisk tree. The seedling
had been planted after the covenant between him and Abimelek
had been sealed, a symbol of peace in Beersheba. Each
day since Abraham had made the solemn pilgrimage to this spot,
(02:52):
watering the young tree, the parched earth drank eagerly, the
water seeping down to the tender roots below. This ritual
had replaced his legendary walks along the borders of his lands,
a new duty that brought him solace and reminded him
of the steadfastness of his God and the covenant they
(03:14):
had forged. As Abraham turned to leave, he felt the
familiar stillness envelop him, the world around him falling silent.
The voice of his God shattered the quiet Abraham. The
sound of his name spoken with such authority startled Abraham.
(03:34):
The formal address demanded his immediate response, and he answered
without hesitation. He had felt the presence of his God
each day, yet this call was different, a summons with
a weighty purpose.
Speaker 4 (03:48):
Here I am listen.
Speaker 7 (03:50):
Carefully, take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love.
Go to the land of Mariah, and offer him there
as a burnt offering on one of the mountains.
Speaker 1 (04:04):
Abraham stood as if turned to stone, the words reverberating
through him. The stillness lifted, leaving him alone with his
tumultuous thoughts. His God was asking for Isaac, the son
of the Promise, the child he had waited for so long,
the one for whom he had sacrificed and journeyed far
(04:26):
from his homeland. How could he reconcile this command with
the promises his God had made?
Speaker 4 (04:33):
What? What's this terrible thing you've asked me to do?
To give up the very promise I've been waiting for
for for a quarter century. You're the one who has
affirmed it time and time again, And now that's it.
What happened to the seed, the great nation, the blessing?
Speaker 1 (04:53):
What Abraham's words seemed to fall to the earth. There
was no response from heaven, just a gnawing, foreboding silence.
Speaker 4 (05:03):
Not even a.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
Breeze graced his ears. Abraham had left everything, endured hardships,
and even sent away his first son, Ishmael, all for
this promise, and now his God demanded Isaac as a sacrifice.
The command was clear, but the purpose was shrouded in mystery.
(05:26):
Abraham's heart ached as he recalled the pain of parting
with Ishmael, a wound that had barely begun to heal.
How could he bear to lose Isaac, the son who
was to fulfill God's promise.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
Of a great nation.
Speaker 1 (05:40):
His mind was a tangled web of anguish and faith,
Yet he knew the faithfulness of his God. Every promise
had been kept, every word fulfilled, even when it seemed impossible.
Abraham grappled with the enormity of the command, the clash
between his love for his son and his unwavering faith.
Speaker 4 (06:04):
If you require this, there must be a purpose, a
plan beyond my understanding.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
Doubt and dread gnawed at him, but his resolve hardened.
He had to trust to obey, even when it defied
all reason. He supposed that his God could do miraculous things.
He had wrought plagues and brought victory. He had even
brought Sarah's barren womb back to life. Perhaps he would
(06:38):
do the same with Isaac. In his conflicted heart, he relented.
His God could not be denied. The promise would be
fulfilled somehow. There had to be a way. There had
to be a plan, something he was not seeing. He
couldn't lose his nerve. He had to stay the unlike
(07:01):
all those other times before, those times when he had deceived,
or hid or taken matters into his own hands. The
land of Mariah lay a three day journey away. He
would need to prepare for this horrible task. He would
also need to decide what to say to Isaac and
his wife. Abraham stopped in his tracks. Sarah, the child
(07:26):
that had grown inside her very womb. He was the
answer to all of her deepest and most desperate prayers.
How could he possibly take that son away from her?
Going through with this act would cost more than one life.
Abraham would be responsible for the death of his wife's faith,
perhaps the death of their marriage as well. Abraham cried
(07:50):
out in his heart in torment and fumbled for the
comforting presence in the back of his mind. This would
be the ultimate test of his faith, unlike anything he
had experienced before. He reached out in his groaning and
longing for comfort, and was surprised to find that he
felt a distant, fluttering peace there in the back of
(08:12):
his mind, where the presence of his God was often
to be found. A simple question echoed back to him
from the source. Would he cling to the sun he
had been given or cling to the word of his God.
Abraham found his wife Sarah in their tent, and he
(08:32):
summoned all his courage As he braced to speak to her. Abraham,
she could immediately see that he was troubled. He stamped
down his fears and his doubts, and he held fast
to his flickering faith. He steadied himself and tried to
will his thoughts to the here and now.
Speaker 4 (08:54):
I am here, Sarah, Ay.
Speaker 3 (08:58):
My husband, you are beginning to scare me. What is it?
Speaker 4 (09:03):
I was out at the sight in Beersheba, where I
planted the Covenant tree.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
What happened?
Speaker 4 (09:12):
Our God came to me. He has asked something of me,
of us. He asks me to take our son Isaac
to the land of Moriah and off him there. He
is to be a burnt offering to our God.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
What did you say?
Speaker 4 (09:38):
I am to offer our son to our God?
Speaker 3 (09:43):
Our son Isaac. Yes, the one God promised to us
is to be slain. Yes, slain by your hand his father?
Speaker 8 (09:58):
Yes?
Speaker 3 (10:02):
And you sure you did not misinterpret? Were you drunk
or no?
Speaker 4 (10:08):
His meaning was plain as day, just as plain as
the day he called me, Sarah. I know this is
difficult to understand. I don't claim to understand it at all, either,
But I sense this is a call I must answer
(10:28):
a trial. I must endure.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
A trial that would end in execution, the death of
the very promise upon which our entire lives, our entire
legacy stands.
Speaker 4 (10:44):
I cannot believe I'm saying this aloud.
Speaker 3 (10:47):
But but yes, you would murder our son.
Speaker 4 (10:53):
I will do what our God asks of me.
Speaker 5 (10:58):
Even this, you look him in the eye and drive
a blade into his throne like an animal.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
Abraham, listen to yourself.
Speaker 5 (11:09):
We loved the gods of her long ago they were
the ones who required sacrifices like this.
Speaker 9 (11:17):
Perhaps there's something bad to the man that we did
not see. It has yet to be revealed. But I
must obey. We must have faith.
Speaker 5 (11:29):
You are going to do this thing. I see the
determination in your eyes, the single mindedness of your heart.
You know this act would devastate you, but you agree anyway.
You know it would kill me as well. But still
you come to tell me. You didn't hide it or
sneak around me. But nor are you asking me or
(11:50):
seeking my counsel, Knowing full well, I would beg you
not to go, not to do this terrible thing. But
yet there you stand, unmoved.
Speaker 4 (12:02):
They do not know.
Speaker 9 (12:05):
How I will live with myself or what the future holds,
but I must be obedient to the call of today.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
Abraham saw devastation in his wife's eyes. He could see
a great war of faith and understanding raging within. Abraham
sensed that this was as much a test of her
faith as it was one of his.
Speaker 10 (12:30):
If you commit this act, I cannot accept you. If
you go to the mountain and sacrifice our son, it
will cost you your wife.
Speaker 5 (12:45):
Are you willing to risk the hate of your family
for your God.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
Abraham considered the weight of her words. He could see
his own consideration mirrored in her. He could see her
thoughts as if they were his. How much was Abraham's
faith worth to him? What was he willing to sacrifice
to demonstrate his trust in his God? He knew that
his answer to both was of great consequence, more than consequence,
(13:14):
utterly imperative.
Speaker 4 (13:17):
I am I trust that our God will provide and
hold true to his promise to us. I would ask
you to place your trust in our God as well.
It is with a humble heart I ask at all,
for I know it is you alone who can decide
(13:37):
how to place your trust.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
Sarah inclined her head in answer. When she lifted her head,
he saw tears fill her eyes, and they stood like
that for some time. I to eye heart to heart.
But she did not beg him. She did not ask
him to not go and complete the task that had
been given to him. She turned her back to him.
(14:02):
Abraham watched her shoulders quiver. He stepped forward to comfort her,
but didn't. His embrace would only add to the confusion
and sorrow. Abraham rose early the next morning and prepared
for the journey. He arranged for two young servants to
accompany them to set and break camp and prepare meals.
(14:26):
He split wood for the offering and packed it on
the donkeys, remembering the sparse terrain around Mariah. Isaac met
him with an expectant smile at dawn, just as he
had told him.
Speaker 6 (14:39):
Oh, good morning, Father, I'm ready for our journey.
Speaker 4 (14:43):
Good morning, my son. Come help me with the last
of this wood.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
Abraham watched Isaac's arms load the wood. They were thin,
but tight, and showing signs of growth from childhood to adolescence.
Abraham's chest tightened at the thought that Isaac may not
live to become a man. Abraham and the three set
out for the land of Mariah. On the third day.
(15:09):
Abraham recognized the terrain they neared the city of Salem,
where he had once met the mysterious King Melchisedek. Much
had changed since that meeting. As they approached a hilltop,
Abraham felt a stirring, a confirmation.
Speaker 4 (15:25):
This was the place Di Dan came you all. This
is the place where my son and I will depart
from you. I will take the boy to worship on
that mount, then we'll come back to you. Stay with
the donkeys and prepare the camp.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
Abraham unstrapped the wood from the back of one of
the donkeys.
Speaker 4 (15:48):
Isaac, I will have you carry this wood for our offering.
It's too heavy for me to carry.
Speaker 6 (15:54):
Up to the mount, of course, Father, lay it on
my back.
Speaker 1 (15:59):
Abraham took the leather straps from the donkey and fastened
a makeshift pack from the same donkey's pack. Abraham's stomach
tightened as he brought out some spare rope and his
hunting knife. He felt sick as he gripped the worn
handle and stared at the sharp, jagged edges of the blade.
His fingers remembered the grip and the strength required to
(16:21):
pierce flesh. His body remembered the violence wrought by this knife,
but absent with the war cries and blood lust of battle.
His young son stood demurely before him, waiting for him
to take his lead up the mount to their destination.
Hands shaking, Abraham stowed the blade in the folds of
(16:42):
his robe. He couldn't bear to look at it and
be reminded of the task slated for it. A moment longer.
With his other hand, he fumbled for the flint buried
in the pack on the still waiting donkey. Isaac doubled back,
deftly found the flint and handed it to his father.
His face was the picture of patience and expectance. Abraham's
(17:05):
heart throbbed. He knew his son loved him more than
anything and would do anything he asked for them. Abraham
shoved that thought aside and gave him a tight smile
before taking the lead, And so they began their ascent,
the Killer and the Innocent. Father and son hiked in
(17:27):
tense silence, traversing the rocky goat bath cut into the hill,
father lost in his thoughts, and son sensing his distress.
Abraham did not trust himself to speak on her climb. Instead,
he focused on placing one foot before the other, each
step taking him closer to a moment that would surely
(17:48):
alter the course of his life and legacy forever. Eyaac
could see they were nearing the top and began looking around, Father.
Speaker 4 (18:00):
My son.
Speaker 1 (18:03):
Abraham could not help but recognize that he had given
the same answer to his God only four days prior.
Speaker 2 (18:09):
Here I Am.
Speaker 1 (18:10):
He had even uttered something similar to his wife. He
found that if he thought too far ahead to the
task at hand, he would become overwhelmed. But he was here.
He knew who he was and what he was called
to do. He would not be overtaken with fear.
Speaker 6 (18:28):
I'm carrying the wood, and you have what you need
for the fire.
Speaker 4 (18:31):
But where's the lamb for the burnt offering?
Speaker 1 (18:35):
Abraham swallowed. He found he could not bring himself to
tell Isaac the truth about what or who would serve
as the sacrifice for the burnt offering. Not yet, don't fear, Isaac.
Abraham again paused, summoning his own strength and encouraged his
son with words meant for himself as well as Isaac.
Speaker 4 (18:58):
Our God will provide the the lamb for the burnt offering.
Speaker 1 (19:03):
Isaac accepted his father's words without question. Isaac was a
simple soul, trusting and unyielding an optimism. His mind was
untainted by the deep, gnawing questions that plagued more intelligent men.
Abraham adored his son more than life itself. He would
gladly lay himself at the altar if it meant his
(19:26):
son would live. But God had not asked for the father.
He asked for the sun. They approached the summit of
the hill, the charcoal clouds above them were thick and unruly.
Abraham secretly hoped lightning would strike him down before he
had a chance to complete his task. Abraham identified the
(19:48):
place that served as their altar. They placed stones in
an oval shape building the fiery Isaac played the wood
for the pyre, then faced his father expectantly. Abraham toyed
with the rope, his other hand gripping the knife.
Speaker 4 (20:05):
My son, ay, I must ask something of you.
Speaker 2 (20:12):
Whatever you ask of me, father, I'll do.
Speaker 1 (20:14):
Abraham's heart strained at the words at his son's face,
so eager to please, so eager to do whatever he
could to ease his father's clear discomfort.
Speaker 4 (20:31):
Lay down across the wood.
Speaker 1 (20:34):
Isaac blinked at the command. Abraham saw confusion flash across
his face, but he quickly mastered it into determination. Isaac obeyed,
Now hold your feet in the hands, steady.
Speaker 4 (20:49):
I'm going to fasten the ropes.
Speaker 2 (20:52):
Again.
Speaker 1 (20:53):
Confusion mixed with alarm made their appearance on Isaac's face,
but he held out his arms and legs to be secured.
Abraham stood back from the scene of his son held
in bondage and tied to the wood that would serve
as their altar. His arms were outstretched, and his head
slumped uncomfortably to one side. Though he was almost fully grown,
(21:14):
he looked small and vulnerable looking up at his father.
Speaker 8 (21:18):
What now?
Speaker 1 (21:18):
Father Abraham was astonished at his son's submission, his willingness
to trust completely in the words of his father. The
boy he loved so much had come to love his
God and was willing to follow the faith of his father,
even unto death. Unto the wood. The wood he had
unwittingly and unknowingly carried. The notion gave him the courage
(21:43):
he needed to advance on Isaac and draw his knife.
Upon seeing the knife, terror flooded Isaac's face. He gaped
up at Abraham standing above him. He pulled on his restraints,
fear and instinct takeing.
Speaker 8 (22:00):
Over, Father, What are you doing?
Speaker 5 (22:04):
What?
Speaker 4 (22:04):
I busts.
Speaker 1 (22:05):
The sound of fear and betrayal in his son's voice
was visceral and gut wrenching. It unlocked a torment in
Abraham's soul he had never imagined was possible, but he
had come this far. Thunder rolled in the distance, and
the winds began to churn violently. Abraham dug deep within himself,
(22:26):
desperately drawing out enough grit and determination to lift the blade.
There was no turning back, no faltering. Lightning struck a
mere mile away, illuminating the horror on Isaac's face. Abraham
squeezed his eyes shut, unable to bear the sight of
his son's terror. The thunder clapped again, and a chilled
(22:48):
wind bit at Abraham's face. Tears rolled down his cheeks
as he slowly, painfully lifted the blade high above his head. Legacy, destiny, dreams,
the future. Isaac represented all those things. With one fell
(23:09):
swoop of his blade. He would end it all, sacrifice
it all for his God. Abraham poised to strike and
shouted to the heavens. His voice billowed against the wind.
He threw his hips back, cocked his arm, and began
his descent into sorrow.
Speaker 2 (23:28):
Abraham, Abraham.
Speaker 1 (23:31):
The voice clapped alongside the thunder. Abraham dropped the blade
immediately it fell to the ground with a clatter on
the stones. Abraham shook uncontrollably.
Speaker 3 (23:44):
Here I am here, here, I am.
Speaker 8 (23:50):
Do not lay a hand on the boy or do
anything to him. For now I know that you fear
your God, since you have not withheld your only son
from me.
Speaker 1 (24:03):
Abraham's eyes snapped open at that, and his eyes met Isaac's.
He reached for his boy's face with trembling hands and
kissed him. Isaac recoiled at first to his father's touch,
but then relaxed himself. Relief flooded Abraham, and he quickly
picked up his blade and cut his son's bonds. Isaac
(24:23):
sat up slowly, without saying a word, and rubbed his wrists.
His eyes were wide with shock. Isaac had heard the
voice as well. Abraham sank to his knees, utterly spent,
and sobbed. The voice of his God had faded, and
Abraham began to hear the noises of the sparse wilderness
(24:46):
begin to return. His senses narrowed in on a faint
rustling that was coming over the ridge. He gathered his
remaining strength, stood and took up his knife as he approached.
The still bewildered Isaac stayed where he was on the
locks and watched his father. Abraham palmed the handle of
the knife as he neared the edge of the hilltop.
(25:07):
A ram was struggling to free itself from the dense
thicket of shrubs. Its great horns were tangled in the
gnarled branches, fixing it in place. Abraham nearly cried out
in jubilation. This was not quite the lamb his son
had inquired about, but this substitution would do. Abraham swiftly
made the kill, grabbing the ram by the back of
(25:30):
the foot to steady it to slit its throat. He
called Isaac down to where the ram now lay dead,
and the two of them carried it to the altar,
lit a fire, and offered it to their God. Abraham
ran the sooty and bloodied hand over his face as
he could no longer contain the tears of relief that
now freely flowed from his eyes. He pulled an equally
(25:53):
relieved Isaac into.
Speaker 3 (25:54):
His arms and embraced him.
Speaker 1 (25:56):
Crying all the harder. The scene around themselves still for
a second time, and again they heard the word of
their God in their midst.
Speaker 8 (26:06):
By myself, I have sworn, because you have done this
thing and have not withheld your only son, I will
indeed bless you and make your offspring as numerous as
the stars of the sky and the sand on the
sea shore.
Speaker 1 (26:25):
Abraham drew eyesa close again as he listened to the
familiar words of his calling, his God was satisfied with him.
He had passed this harrowing test, and now the promise
was again being confirmed. But then the voice of God
added to the familiar proclamation.
Speaker 8 (26:44):
Your offspring will possess the city gates of their enemies.
Speaker 1 (26:50):
Abraham wondered at that they were no conquerors, and they
were not city dwellers.
Speaker 8 (26:55):
And all the nations of the earth will be blessed
by your offspring, because you have obeye my command.
Speaker 1 (27:04):
With that, the voice again fell silent, and the world
around them resumed. Abraham and Isaac exchanged very few words
as they watched the flames around the charred body of
the ram begin to dwindle and die out. When the
fire had at last consumed the sacrifice and had no
more fuel to sustain it, they turned from the place
(27:28):
and headed down the mount to the camp below. Abraham
knew his son would have questions about this strange and
mighty legacy he was to inherit, but that would come later.
They enjoyed one another's company in amiable, if not exhausted silence.
The topic remained untouched until days later, when they returned
to camp and found an overjoyed and wildly relieved Sarah.
(27:52):
She cried at the sight of them, bloodied and covered
in soot and dust from the travel and the ordeal.
Abraham held his family close, faith confirmed, tested and approved,
and began to teach his precious son, Isaac, all the
ways of his God. This Prey dot Com production is
(28:15):
only made possible by our dedicated team of creative talents.
Steve Gattina, Max Bard, Zach Shellabarger, and Ben Gammon are
the executive producers of The Chosen People. Narrated by Paul Coltofianu.
Characters are voiced by Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvado, Sarah Seltz,
Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwold, Sylvia Zaradoc, Thomas Copeland Junior, Rosanna Pilcher,
(28:40):
and Mitch Leshinsky. Music by Andrew Morgan Smith, written by
Aaron Salvato, bre Rosalie and Chris Baig. You can hear
more Prey dot Com productions on the Prey dot Com app,
available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
If you enjoyed The Chosen People, please rate and leave
a review.
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