Genesis 20-23

Guess what? God kept his promise! Sarah had a son named Isaac, meaning, "he laughs". Sarah said, "Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children?" Uh, that would be... GOD?:P

So Isaac grew and was weaned and Abraham threw a great party when that happened (they were probably having a party to rejoice that they'd be able to sleep again). But Ishmael started to pick on Isaac and it made Sarah mad. "Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that slave woman's son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac."

Abraham was upset, because, after all Ishmael was his son too. But God told him to listen to Sarah. So the next morning Hagar and Ishmael set off. Their water soon ran out, and Hagar thought they were both going to die. But God told her that he would make Ishmael into a great nation, and he opened her eyes and showed her a well of water. Of course, they both lived. Ishmael grew up, became and archer, got a wife, and is now a great nation.

A while later God said, "Abraham! Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about." God probably had to repeat that a couple of times until Abraham knew he wasn't kidding, or really said, "Sacrifice WITH him there." The next morning Abraham got up, packed up the wood and the knife and took Isaac and set off for the mountain. Imagine all the things going through his head! He was probably thinking about God's promise to make Isaac into a great nation, and thinking about what one earth God was up to. Also thinking about how he could really DO this. I don't even know how many animals I could kill, let alone a human being - let alone my own family! When they got to the top, Abraham tied Isaac up and got ready to kill him. But the LORD said, "Abraham! Do not lay a hand on the boy. Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son." He looked over and saw a ram caught by its horns in the thicket, and they sacrificed it instead. Whew! Abraham passed the test! I dunno if I could've done that, but Abraham was ready to do ANYTHING God asked! God, make me like that.