Twenty Questions From Leonard Sweet's Book

I read the newest book by Leonard Sweet called Out of the Question...Into The Mystery a few months ago. However, I keep going back to one chapter that I find rather fascinating, because it's something I've never thought before concerning a certain Bible story. I'm not saying I necessarily agree with Sweet on his point, but it's still something worth chewing over, mulling over, studying and asking.

The biblical story is the story of Abraham and Isaac going up Mount Moriah after God tells Abraham to take him and sacrifice him. I'm sure we're all familiar with the story, we've probably all read it several times or at least heard sermons on the story.

Sweet's premise is this: that Abraham passed God's test of obedience, but failed the second test God was giving him, namely the test of relationship.

God expected Abraham to question God as to why He would even ask Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. Abraham did not do so. Therefore, Abraham failed the test and the relationship between Abraham and God was never the same again.

Interesting, huh?

Sweet then gives twenty questions concerning this story that don't necessarily prove his point beyond a reasonable doubt, but are intriguing:

1. Why didn't Abraham argue with God about the killing of his innocent son like he did when God told Abraham about His intention to kill the Sodomites' sons and daughters?

2. Why did Abraham keep the planned sacrifice a secret from those closest to him? Why didn't he tell Sarah, Eliezer, or Isaac about what God had ordered him to do?

3. Why did the very Son of God, the perfect God-man, wrestle with his Father on the cross about his own death more than Abraham wrestled with God about the death of his entirely human son?

4. If Abraham was so special to God, why didn't Abraham get translated into heaven like Enoch and Elijah?

5. Why did God no longer speak to Abraham after the outcome of this itest was known? God delivered the Mount Moriah test in person, but as Abraham was about to carry out the command, an angel intervened and saved his hand. Why didn't God show up to intervene? And after the conclusion of this episode, God never spoke to Abraham again. The intimacy of their relationship was over. Likewise, from that point on, Abraham never speaks to God, but only speaks about God.

6. How did Isaac deal with the fact that his father had to be focibly restrained from cutting his throat? Abraham may not have wounded Isaac with a knife, but he wounded him nevertheless.

7. What did Abraham and Isaac talk about on their three-day journey home? In fact, it appears more likely that Abraham returned alone to Beersheba. Abraham climbed Mount Moriah with his son, but he arrived alone when he returned from the mountain. And he never spoke to his son again. Isaac never saw his father alive again - only reuniting with his brother Ishmael to bury their dead father.

8. How can it be a good thing that Isaac and Abraham no longer "walk together" after Abraham's triumph of faith? Abraham didn't pass on the blessing to Isaac in person. He didn't even pass on his marriage instructions to Isaac personally.

9. Is it reading too much into the text to wonder why Isaac grieved for his mother when she died, but the Scriptures say nothing about his grief upon his father's death?

10. What did Abraham say to Sarah when he got back from the high place? He never seemed to explain himself to those around him. Why?

11. Why did Sarah die at the end of this story? Did she die from shock upon hearing that her son had been spared execution?

12. Why did God choose to name the people of God after Jacob and not Abraham?

13. Why did Abraham call the place of the interrupted sacrifice "The Lord Will Provide."? Isn't that a pretty wussy name to come up with after the severity of the test?

14. How could it be good that in the end, Abraham was alone? He dwelled in Beersheba. Sarah was in Hebron. Ishmael was in Egypt. Isaac was far from him. God had withdrawn from Abraham's life. Abraham ended his life separated from all those he loved the most.

15. The angel applauded Abraham for his fear of God. But the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom - shouldn't Abraham have been further along this path?

16. Abraham told his servants to stay with the animals while "I and the boy go to worship." Why worship instead of sacrifice? The word seem so cruel in its choice.

17. Isaac was of an age when he knew what was happening to him. Why did Abraham make his son carry his own funeral pyre?

18. How does Abraham's willingness to slaughter his son qualify him to be the founder of the faith? Why would such a thing as this be the litmus test?

19. Does God expect followers to commit immoral acts when commanded to do so by divine voices or holy prophets?

20. If God sometimes asks us to suspend moral judgments, how do we distinguish the true voice of God from counterfeit voices?


Again, I'm not sure I agree with his premise, but it gives you something to think about, that's for sure.