God Tests Abraham, Ordering him to Slay his Only and Beloved Son

September 20, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Based on Genesis 22 

POY! SKIT GUIDELINES:

  • In a small group, participants might simply read their lines, or glance at their lines to get the idea so they can speak in their own words.
  • Most POY! skits require no practice in advance.
  • Have any small children play a brief part. Most scripts have an optional part for children, listed last under Participants.
  • Most scripts have a Narrator who should read the script beforehand to see how to keep moving the story along.
  • It is not necessary to employ costumes and objects, unless the skit recommends such.
  • It is not required to have an audience watch the skit. All present may participate.
  • Scripture and paraphrases, if any, usually appear in bold.

PARTICIPANTS:

Sarah (also serves as Narrator)
Abraham
Isaac
Voice (of God)
Sheep (if you do the prologue)

Prompter (Optional). Prompter shouts a brief line and Companions repeat it.
Companions (Optional): children and all adults who want to take part. Make sure Companions know who the Prompter is, and that they are to repeat Prompter’s words.

 SCRIPT:

Prologue

(Present this prologue if someone is willing to act like a sheep as explained below. It requires no further rehearsal.)

Abraham 

I am Abraham. Before we portray my most trying experience, let us picture Old Testament worship.

[Ask the “sheep” to step out of the room with you.
Come back in pretending to pull the sheep by a rope.

The sheep follows, crawling on hands and knees crying “Baa!”.
The sheep also occasionally jerks its head back to resist being pulled.

Tell someone they are a priest, and to sharpen his knife.
Then tell the priest to set up the altar (a chair will do).

Tell someone else they are a Levite and to bring firewood.

Tell the priest and Levite to place the sheep on the “altar”.]

I lay my hands on the sheep’s head and confess my sins. Oh! That will take hours!
(Put your hands on the sheep’s head for a second.) Okay, I’ve done that.

Priest, slit its throat! (When the priest does so, recoil and shout.)
Blood! Yuk! It’s spattering all over! (Pretend to shake blood from your hands.)

Light the fire! Burn it up!
(Let the sheep, priest and Levite return to their seats.)

This aspect of Old Testament worship was shocking and repugnant. Why?
(Let anyone reply.)

(Good answer: Our sin is shocking and repugnant before God, and must be covered by the blood of an innocent victim!)
                                                      Presentation
Sarah  Abraham, I have never seen you so distressed. Why is your heart so heavy?
Abraham  Oh, Sarah! Throughout my long life, I have faced many trials, but none as trying as now.
God told me to take Isaac to the land of Moriah, and offer him as a burnt offering!
Sarah  You must have heard wrong!
Abraham 

No. I can still hear that voice.
Voice  Abraham, take your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to Moriah. Offer him there as a burnt offering on the mountain that I will show you.
Sarah  But Isaac is our only son, born by a miracle in my old age, and the only one through whom God’s covenant promises can be fulfilled. 
Abraham  I know. God promised to bless all nations through my descendant. Alas! We must obey!
Prompter &
Companions 

We must obey! We must obey!
Sarah 

Abraham rises early the next morning, and splits wood for the burnt offering.
He saddles his donkey, and leaves with two of his young servants and Isaac our son.
Abraham  We have been traveling three days now. Look. I see the place.
You two young men, stay here with the donkey.
Isaac and I will go up and worship, then return to you.
Isaac  I’ll carry the wood for the burnt offering.
Abraham  Good. I’ll take the fire and the knife. 
Isaac  We must be close now, father. But I don’t understand.
We have the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?
Abraham  God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.
Isaac  We’re there, father. I’ll help you build the altar and arrange the wood.
Abraham  Son, God has told me to do this. You must let me tie you up and lay you on the altar.
Isaac  (Step away and look up.) Dear God, did you tell my own father to slay me?
Would you force any father to do such a thing? If so, we must obey.
Prompter &
Companions 

We must obey! We must obey!
Abraham  Come, my son. 
Isaac  I let my father bind me and lay me on the altar. 
Abraham  My heart is breaking! I cannot do it! But I must! I must!
I raise the knife to slay my son.
Voice  Abraham, Abraham! Do not harm him. I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.
Abraham 

What is that noise? I hear a sheep crying “Baa!”
Prompter &
Companions

Baa! Baa!
Abraham There! In that thicket! A ram is caught by its horns!
Isaac My father rushes to catch the ram. He unties me and offers the ram in my place.
Abraham I name this place, “THE LORD PROVIDES.”
Prompter & Companions The Lord provides! The Lord provides!
Voice Abraham! By Myself I have sworn, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand on the seashore. Because you have obeyed My voice, in your descendant all nations of the earth shall be blessed.

 

DISCUSS:

Why do we no longer slay animals during worship?

Jesus was Abraham’s descendant. When John the Baptist saw Jesus coming, what did John call Jesus?

(Lamb of God)

What New Testament rite relives the sacrifice of the Lamb?

(Communion)

 

 

 

Filed Under: Just-In-Time Church Planting Dashboard

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