Why didn't Abraham suspect it was Satan telling him to kill Isaac?

by True North 20 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  True North

  Haven't we all heard of those who've killed others -- even their own children -- after (they claimed) hearing a voice telling them to do so? Most people would consider these ones to have been insane if they really thought they'd heard such things. On the other hand, some JWs, I would suspect, would think that these murderers may actually have heard demonic voices. Certainly, such behavior fits the profile of what could be considered "demonic".

  My question, then, is this: why didn't Abraham suspect that the voice that instructed him to kill his son Isaac was from Satan or a demon? Not only was he being told to perform a demonic act, it was an act that should have seemed clearly inconsistent with God's promise he had received regarding Isaac's future. Did Abraham, perhaps, not believe in Satan or the demons?
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  gumby

  Why didn't Abraham suspect it was Satan telling him to kill Isaac?

  Because Abraham didn't know Satan existed as the bible explains him.........and neither did anyone else in the O.T. Name one time other than the Genesis account where Satan is mentiones as we know him.

  Satan......the supposed biggest enemy of god and man.......isn't even identified until Jesus time when Jesus himself explained who he was/is. It would seem a loving father would have warned his kids a little sooner about Satan......would'nt you think?

  Gumby
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  JCanon

  Good question. Maybe he could tell in some finite way? Maybe he knew the difference.

  JC
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  Simon

  People hear voices telling them to kill nowadays ... and we know that rather than being "god fearing" they are really just nuts and need medication to help with their psychosis.

  So, which type of schitzophenia (sp) did Abe have?

  "God said to Abraham kill me a son, Abe said 'man, you must be putting me on'
  God said no. Abe said 'what?'. God said 'you can do what you wan't Abe ... but'
  'The next time you see me you'd better RUN'
  Abe said "where'da want this killing done?'
  God said 'out on highway sixty one'"

  - Bob Dylan

  (who writes lots more meaningful stuff than 'god' has in the bible)
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  gumby

  God said to Abraham, kill me a son

  Too bad Abraham couldn't have said back to him...."why are you such a damn hypocrit god? Down the road your going to be telling Moses on a stone tablet......Thy shall not kill'? Why are you mocking yourself god? Are you frickin nuts"?

  Gumby
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  Deputy Dog

  Name one time other than the Genesis account where Satan is mentiones as we know him.

  Gumball, You can look them up your self 1) 1Chr 21:1 2) Job 1:6 3) Job 1:7 twice 4) Job 1:8 5) Job 1:9 6) Job 1:12 twice 7) Job 2:1 8) Job 2:2 twice 9) Job 2:3 10) Job 2:4 11) Job 2:6 12) Job 2:7 13) Ps 109:6 14) Zec 3:1 15) Zec 3:2 D Dog
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  elle

  If I remember correctly it was Jehovah who told Abraham to kill Isaac to see how faithful Abraham was. Don't really know where you got it being Satan or a demon unless I was asleep when we were taught that one!
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  SixofNine

  *puts foam on wall for True North*
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  Narkissos

  As a number of "devilish" traits of Yhwh when he became "God", the temptation of Abraham was actually ascribed to the Devil in the intertestamental period. Cf. the rewriting of Genesis in the Book of Jubilees (17:16):

  And the prince Mastema ("Hate" or "Hateful", the main name of the Devil in Jubilees), came and said before God, 'Behold, Abraham loves Isaac his son, and he delights in him above all things else; bid him offer him as a burnt-offering on the altar, and Thou wilt see if he will do this command, and Thou wilt know if he is faithful in everything wherein Thou dost try him.

  Then "God" does the temptation, but the original idea doesn't come from Him, just because not every action of old Yhwh (one god among others) was deemed as worthy of "God".
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  Agent 1 of 1

  I think Gumby put it nicely. The question shouldn't be about if it was Satan or God telling him. But, rather why would God tell a human to sacrifice his own son? What if Abraham refused? Would he be disobeying God then? And considered wicked and evil for not killing his son? Put yourself in Abraham's shoes. God tells you to kill a loved one. Would you do it? Of course a witness would say that God doesn't tell us what to do in these days, personally. That anything like that would be demonic. But, hypothetically, if you knew it was God, would you kill your loved one, without a doubt? To use the Society's cop-out answer, I guess it would be up to all of our own Bible-trained conscience.