He Went Up

Yael Eckstein  |  October 29, 2026

Abraham rose early, before morning light had crept over the hills.
The wood was cut in silence. The fire made. The knife set aside.
Isaac walked beside him.
They left their tent behind, where laughter had once filled the air and lingered in the cloth.
The path turned upward.
Stone beneath their feet. Dust rising with each step. The slope steep and without shade.
Abraham walked as one who knows the road.
Isaac carried the wood on his shoulders.
They spoke little.
The wind moved past them and traced its way up the ridge.
Abraham lifted his eyes.
Each step brought them nearer.
The mountain waited.
And Abraham went up.

Genesis 22:2

Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, who you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.”

Today’s Scripture sets the stage for one of the most heart-wrenching moments in the entire Bible—Abraham’s binding of his son Isaac.

Abraham, the man who trusted God with everything, hears a command that seems to contradict every promise he has received. Isaac is not only his beloved son—he is the child of laughter, the child of hope, the one through whom God promised blessing to the world. And now, God asks Abraham to give him up.

To find some answers, let’s take a closer look at the original Hebrew. The word most translations render as “burnt offering” is olah. While olah can refer to a sacrifice, its deeper meaning is “that which goes up” or “that which ascends.”

Jewish tradition explains that God never intended Isaac’s death. When Abraham raised the knife, God stopped him—not to change His mind, but to reveal His true intention. It’s as if God were saying, “I do not want your son to die for Me. I want him to rise—to live a life dedicated to Me.”

This is a radical message, especially in the world of Bible times. Some ancient cultures believed the ultimate act of devotion was child sacrifice. But the God of Abraham declared that human life is sacred. God does not desire death in His name. He desires faith lived out in righteousness, compassion, and obedience.

So the binding of Isaac is a proclamation to the world to this day, that true devotion to God is not found in destruction, but in dedication. Not in taking life, but in elevating it.

The lesson for us today is that God calls His people to live for Him. What are we willing to entrust to God, so that He can lift it higher?

One More Moment

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