Abraham and Isaac

One old man, one young pikin, and one long climb. Di pikin carry di firewood. Di papa carry di fire and di knife. And di pikin ask one question wey im papa no fit even bear to answer.

Abraham don wait whole life for dis pikin. God don promise am say im family go turn big nation, plenty like di stars for sky. But for many years, im and im wife Sarah no get pikin at all. Then, when Abraham don reach one hundred years and Sarah don reach ninety, Isaac born. Im name mean laughter. Every promise wey God make to Abraham now dey rest on top dis one boy. Di family dey live near Beersheba, for di edge of di southern desert for di land of Canaan. And na there, Genesis tell us, God test Abraham.

God call am. “Abraham.” And Abraham answer, “I dey here.” Then di words wey go don hold im breath come. “Carry your son, your only son, Isaac, wey you love, and go di area of Moriah. Offer am there as burnt offering, for one mountain wey I go show you.” Genesis no tell us wetin Abraham talk dat night, or how e feel. E only tell us wetin e do. Early di next morning, e wake up. E put saddle for im donkey. E split di wood for di offering. And e commot with Isaac and two of im servants.

Dem waka for three days. For di third day, Abraham look up and e see di place from far. E tell di servants, “Una stay here with di donkey. Me and di boy go go there. We go worship, and then we go come back meet una.” We go come back. Abraham put di wood for Isaac shoulder, and imself carry di fire and di knife. And di two of dem continue di journey together. Then Isaac talk. “Papa?” “I dey here, my son.” “Di fire and di wood dey here,” Isaac talk. “But where di lamb for di offering dey?” Abraham answer, “God imself go provide di lamb, my son.” And di two of dem continue di journey together.

When dem reach di place wey God show am, Abraham build altar and arrange di wood on top. E tie Isaac and lay am for di altar. E stretch im hand. And then, one voice from heaven. Di angel of di Lord shout, “Abraham! Abraham!” “I dey here.” “No put hand for di boy. No do am anytin. Now I know say you fear God, because you no hold back your son from me, your only son.” Abraham look up. Right there, one ram dey wey im horn hook for bush. E go carry di ram, and e offer am instead of im son. And Abraham give dat place one name. Di Lord Go Provide.

Di angel of di Lord call Abraham di second time, and God renew im promise. Because Abraham trust am and e no hold anytin back, im children-children go plenty like di stars for sky and di sand for sea side. And through im offspring, all di nations of di earth go dey blessed. Then Abraham go back down di mountain, go meet di servants wey dey wait. And together, dem commot go back house for Beersheba.

Where Moriah dey? Genesis just call am one mountain for di area of Moriah, about three days waka from Beersheba. But later-later, Bible give us one clue. Second Chronicles, chapter three, talk say King Solomon build di temple for Jerusalem on top Mount Moriah. So Jewish and Christian readers don dey connect dis hilltop for long time with di place where, for hundreds of years after, Israel go dey gather to worship God. And make we talk am clear: for oda places, Bible strongly condemn di sacrifice of children, wey some nations around Israel dey do. For dis story, dem spare di boy, and God provide.

You go find dis story for Genesis, chapter twenty-two, verse one reach nineteen. Na hard story, and na so e suppose be. But e end with one ram for bush, one promise wey God renew, and one name for mountain: Di Lord Go Provide. So see one question wey you go carry dey go. When you no fit see how tins go take work out, wetin dey help you trust say God go provide?