I/M Paper #1 - Genesis 22:1-19

For those of you who are curious about what Bible classes in Biola are like, here's an example of an assignment that I had to turn in today. It's called an Interpretation/Meditation paper, where I have to interpret scripture, then meditate on it. The first section is about the context and general background of the text, the second is the general meaning of the passage, and the third is personal application. Please excuse me for two things:
1. It's not deep at all. This is because the assignment had a 2 page maximum. Plus, there were a lot more thing's I wanted to write about, but it would have pissed my professor off. Because of that, this is only a literal interpretation and does not connect the Genesis 22:1-19 to Christ on Calvary.
2. It's not written very well. I did all of the studying last night, but wrote the whole thing early in the morning today. Advice to other students: Don't Procrastinate.

Alright, I hope this helps whoever reads it in some way or another.
ps. This is unedited and has a deep secret of mine. Read it, know it, but don't ask. Enjoy

Kevin Kang
BBST 103-10:30
I/M Paper #1
Genesis 22:1-19

By the twenty second chapter of Genesis, Abraham is an old man who has been greatly blessed by God. He has been blessed with financial prosperity and has received from God everything that he has ever wanted. In addition to material things, God also gave him a son. This is significant because Sarah was barren, and could not have any children. After waiting over a hundred years, Sarah bore Isaac. Because of this, Isaac was the single most important person to Abraham. There was nothing more important to him. Moses writes this book so that the Israelites understand the history of their ancestors and the sequence events that brought them to where they were when it was written. This passage, in particular, is about how God gets Abraham to cast out his idol through testing him by commanding him to sacrifice Isaac as a burnt offering.
In the beginning of the passage, God commands Abraham to go to Moriah and sacrifice Isaac as a burnt offering.(v.1-2) Abraham does not hesitate, but wakes up early in the morning to start his journey to Moriah. On the third day, he sees the place where God had commanded him to go, and tells his young men to stay where they are, while he and Isaac goes to the mountain and worships.(v.3-5) They get all of the materials, and head towards to mountain.(v.6) Isaac asks Abraham where the lamb for the burnt offering is, but Abraham simply says that God will provide.(v.7-8) When they arrive, Abraham builds the altar, lays the wood, then lays Isaac on top of the wood.(v.9) He stretches out his hand to deliver the final blow, but God calls from heaven and stops him. He affirms him, saying that He now sees that Abraham fears God because he has not withheld his only son from Him.(v.10-13) Abraham looks behind him and sees that a ram has miraculously appeared. He takes it and sacrifices it.(v.14) He then names the place “The lord will provide.(v.15) God calls Abraham a second time and blesses him. (v.16-18) After all this, they return the young men and got together to Beersheba.
Before this event, Isaac was an idol to Abraham. Though Isaac was a gift from God, Abraham loved the gift more than the giver. God wanted his whole heart and devotion, not just the leftovers. Because of this, God put him through this test in order to empty him of everything. Through all of this, Abraham surrendered his son to God. Isaac was no longer an Idol and God became everything.
Through this passage, God is saying to me my heart must be completely changed. I am halfhearted in my relationship with God. I am an idolater, putting many people and things in front of God. He is telling me to remove the high places in my life and put Him on the throne. There are currently people I need to let go of in order to draw nearer to God. It has been a battle for the last couple of months. For example, I have put a certain girl as my idol. Though my friendship with her is somewhat Christ –centered, I have gradually put her in front of God. I have even gone to the point where I studied the bible more diligently in order to teach her more. Now, it’s time to give her and others up, and put God at the center of my heart. He deserves it. I have sinned against God, yet he gently drew me towards this realization. He did not rebuke me harshly, but in the uttermost kind and compassionate way. Our God is a great god who wants our whole hearts. Let us give Him our full devotion.





EDIT:

LOL
I got owned on the interpretation part, but got a good grade on the reflection part. Score 1 for Agent K and O for those who accuse him for being too into theology and not being practical. According to my professor, I'm all practical and 0% theological.