Abraham was a good man who always followed the word of God. One day God spoke to him and told him to leave his home, take his wife, and travel to a new land. God would guide them throughout the journey. When they got there, God promised that he would bless them, and they would have many children, who would then build a great nation.
Abraham was puzzled by this, because he and his wife Sarah had tried to have children for many years, but it hadn’t come to pass. But Abraham believed in God, and so he took his wife and his nephew, Lot, and set out to follow God’s direction.
One night during their travels, God asked Abraham to look up at the stars and count them. Abraham said he couldn’t count them all! That’s when God told him to be happy of heart, because he would have that many descendants for his great nation…too many to count.
Soon afterward, Sarah gave birth to their son, Isaac. God had kept his promise! Abraham now knew that he would have more descendants than there were stars in the sky.
Abraham was so happy as he watched his son grow strong. But one day God called down to Abraham and commanded him to take his son to the mountain and offer him up to the Lord, as a token of his faith. Abraham was devastated by this request, but he believed in God’s request. He told his son to come with him up the mountain, and with a heavy heart, Abraham set out to do what God had asked.
Isaac asked Abraham what they would do for a sacrifice at the top of the mountain. Abraham responded with “God will provide.” By the time they reached the top, Isaac knew what was to happen. Abraham built an altar and laid Isaac on it. At that moment, God called to him and stopped Abraham — he had proven that he trusted God completely.
A short distance away, Abraham spied a ram caught in a thicket. Abraham and Isaac brought the ram to the altar and together, father and son offered it to God. Abraham’s great nation began with Isaac and the faith they both showed when their will was tested by the Lord.