Charles Spurgeon Commentary Hebrews 11:17-19

"By faith Abraham, being tried, offered up Isaac: yea, he that had gladly received the promises was offering up his only begotten [son]; even he to whom it was said, In Isaac shall thy seed be called: accounting that God [is] able to raise up, even from the dead; from whence he did also in a figure receive him back." — Hebrews 11:17-19 (ASV)

By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son.

Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

This was one of the grandest achievements of faith. It was also a figure or type of God's offering up his well-beloved Son almost on the same spot.

By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

However puzzled Abraham may have been by the command to offer up the son in whom his seed was to be called, his plain duty was to obey that command, and to leave the Lord to fulfill His own promise in His own way. Perhaps he had also learned, through his mistake concerning Ishmael, that God's way of fulfilling His promise might not be his way, and that God's way was always best.

By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

See how Abraham spied out the great doctrine of the resurrection. Though almost driven to desperation, he would not give up his faith in God. He was commanded to believe two apparently opposite things; first, that in Isaac should his seed be called; and, secondly, that he must offer up Isaac; but he bridged the two by believing another grand truth, that God was able to raise up Isaac, even from the dead. Whenever there are two things, revealed to you in Scripture, which you cannot quite reconcile, you may always believe that, between them, there lies something more glorious still, which your dim eyes as yet are scarcely able to perceive.

By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son.

Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall your seed be called: Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from where also he received him in a figure.

Faith does not always account. She is satisfied with God's word.

But when she does account, then she is great at accounts, for here is a man who had not heard of the resurrection from the dead, yet believing in it. Christ had not risen from the dead. There had been no such chapter for Abraham to read as that wonderful one, the fifteenth chapter of the first Epistle to Corinthians; and yet his faith seemed to have a revelation within itself.

God must keep His promise. Therefore, if I, in obedience to Him, put the promised seed to death, God can raise him up, for He must keep His promise. He cannot lie.