The Altars We Build - Monday Manna

By The Reverend T.J. Lucas

A lot of people—especially new Christians—approach reading the Bible like any other book: cover to cover. But the Living Word of God isn't a straightforward chronology. It holds various authors and oral traditions preserved side by side, sometimes even within the same book. Did you realize, for instance, that Genesis contains two distinct creation stories?

Right out of the gate, the very first book of the Bible challenges us. Personally, it is one of my absolute favorites to study because Genesis is essentially a masterclass on human and family dysfunction. Not a single person in it is perfect, yet every single one is still chosen with purpose and beloved by our perfect God.

In recent weeks, we have been taking a microscope to Abraham and Sarah. This past week, we watched a man often romanticized as a "hero of the faith" plan an elaborate, attempted murder upon his promised child, Isaac.

I do not align with the traditional preaching that frames the binding of Isaac as the ultimate example of radical faithfulness. Even beloved friends of mine argue that Abraham always knew God would provide, essentially brushing past the horror of the event. But I want to look at this narrative through a much more honest lens. This past Sunday, I preached a cautionary tale about the altars we build and mistakenly attribute to God.

I believe Abraham didn't pass a beautiful test. I believe he had a severe, terrifying episode of religious psychosis. We would not excuse this behavior now, and I do not believe it was excusable then.

Culture vs. The Psychological Break

To be fair to the context of the time, Abraham was a nomadic herder surrounded by Canaanite neighbors who practiced literal child sacrifice to gods of consumption like Molech. In that ancient world, the cultural script was loud: to show your faith and get what you want, you sacrifice your most precious thing. I believe he was tempted by these external cultural pressures to practice something that was not of our God. Even the word used in the instruction--your only son was a word in Hebrew that is exclusively used when talking about childhood sacrifice and it was a lie. God does not lie. Isaac is not Abraham's only son. I believe the heart of this story is 1. God intervened to prevent a horrible tragedy that would end his promises and thus give the enemy the upper hand. 2. God again demonstrated divine provision in the face of human flaws 3. God wanted to set the record straight about sacrifice.

Let's look closer at Abraham's track record. He was a man all too willing to sacrifice others for his own security. He gave up the sanctity of his wife’s body to save his own backside twice (Genesis 12 and 20). He bypassed God’s timeline to father Ishmael with a servant, and then coldly cast his firstborn son and Hagar into the wilderness. Most telling of all? Abraham fought harder and bartered longer with God for the salvation of Sodom—a city completely devoid of goodness—than he ever did for the physical and emotional safety of his own flesh and blood.

He was a deeply imperfect man trying to navigate a relationship with a perfect God. I don’t fault him for being human, but I refuse to join the long line of pastors who justify his trauma-inducing behavior, let alone attribute it to the divine.

The Warning for Us Today

Child sacrifice was not okay then, and it is not okay now. The truth is, God did not establish the culture of ritual sacrifice. Humans did. Ever since Cain and Abel, humans have been building altars to show devotion or to try to wield some sort of control over a God who simply cannot be managed.

I get the impulse. I have dedicated my life to figuring out how to draw closer and closer to the Divine. But the critical warning of Abraham's mountaintop break is this: how we choose to live out our faith day-to-day matters.

If our faith requires us to sacrifice the emotional safety of our children, our own mental wellness, or our authenticity to prove our devotion, we aren't listening to God. We are just swimming in the same toxic, performative cultural waters that Abraham was trapped in before the ram showed up. We don't hear anything from Isaac again until he is mourning the death of his mother. I believe this incident left a lasting trauma upon him. Sure, Abraham seeks a wife for his son in this week's texts but you can't convince me being bound and almost executed by the one who should protect you with their life isn't traumatic?! God tells us in verse after verse in the OT he doesn't want our burnt offerings (Psalm 40 speaks of God's provision and names that sacrifice is not required) and he finally ends the sacrificial economy with Himself in Jesus to which Jesus breathes out, "It is finished" (John 19:30). The ultimate sacrifice for the ultimate reward so knock this nonsense off!

Our God does not demand our suffering as a down payment for our belonging. God has no desire to cause our suffering. God warns us how to avoid it and promises to be there with us through all aspects of our lives. Unlike other deities, our God is one who provides, not consumes. Our God is the One True God. Yes, Abraham finally learned the lesson he skirted his whole life and named that place where the ram appeared, The Lord Provides, but I would argue it was at a price. He never had to learn that lesson the hard way and if we look to these people in their imperfections, we can avoid some of the hardships of life too. For God provides in God's timing and in God's way. Stop building yourself up in your own knowledge, power, and way. Put down the knife, step back from the altars of perfection and control, and look at what has already been provided. Cherish what you have and do not sacrifice it in fear or even in faith for that is not God's will. God tells us in scripture passages like Hosea 6:6 that God desires steadfast love not sacrifice. Michah 6:6-8 says God wants justice, kindness, and humilty from us. See beloved, God's Word can keep you from repeating the mistakes of our ancestors and attempts to weave us together in the way of the Kingdom of heaven. And even when we do mess up, God's Word reminds us how faithful God is anyway!

Prayer: God of love and provision, we acknowledge the limitations of our humanity. You warned us in the beginning that we were not ready for certain kinds of knowledge and we disobeyed time and time again as a people from that moment on. Even as we have tried to be faithful, Lord, we have built altars and systems that were not your will. We attributed actions and histories to your name that were really of our own doing. Lord, let your Living Word speak louder than the lies we tell ourselves and each other. Dismantle that which we build and teach us to recieve what you provide. Heal any who have been harmed by our own misalignments or misinterpretations. Lead us this week to challenge and question the stories of our faith that they might grow in us a deeper capacity to love as you love. Let us draw closer to you in the truth that is Christ. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

NOTE: This upcoming Sunday kicks of our new Sermon series--Finding God in the Secular. I still plan to follow the lectionary text but the focus of our messages will be dwelling in various music selections each week as Pastor Nicole and I take turns preaching week to week. I do not yet know how the Holy Spirit will drive the Monday Manna or our weekly spiritual practice of Dwelling in the Word. Stay tuned but do not be surprised if there are some adaptations to these reflections that recap the Sunday message and look ahead to the next.

Kick off your week with the Word of God through our weekly spiritual practice of Dwelling in the Word:

The Four Movements of Lectio Divina AKA Dwelling in the Word

Taking time to slow down and simply dwell in the Word is one of the most life-giving rhythms we can cultivate. In a world that constantly demands we read for information or efficiency, this spiritual practice invites us to read for intimacy and transformation. It is about letting the text master us, rather than us trying to master the text.

Here is a simple, four-step guide to help you sit with the Scriptures, followed by brief, clear summaries of the passages you've selected to guide your reflection.

Before you begin, find a quiet space, take a few deep breaths, and invite the Holy Spirit to speak.

1. Lectio (Read): Read the passage slowly, gently, and preferably aloud. Don't rush to finish. Just listen for a single word, phrase, or image that seems to shimmer or catch your attention.

2. Meditatio (Reflect): Read the passage a second time. Take that specific word or phrase and chew on it. Why did the Spirit highlight this for you today? How does it intersect with your current joys, burdens, or questions?

3. Oratio (Respond): Read the passage a third time. Now, turn your reflections into an honest prayer. Talk to God as you would a trusted friend — pour out your gratitude, your doubts, your requests, or your repentance based on what the text stirred up.

4. Contemplatio (Rest): Read the passage one final time. Release all your thoughts and simply rest silently in God's presence, letting His love wash over you like a deep exhale.

Scripture Summaries for Reflection This Week

Use these one-line summaries of the text to pick which scripture you will dwell in each day of this week. I have found staying in one scripture for a longer period of time can draw out more than bouncing between several. These are from the Revised Common Lectionary. You can read them in full all together here.

• Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67: Abraham’s servant recounts how God led him to find Rebekah for Isaac, showing God’s providence in bringing about a faithful marriage.

  
  

• Psalm 45:10-17: The psalm celebrates the bride and king with joy, beauty, and blessing in a royal wedding.

  
  

• Song of Solomon 2:8-13: A love song depicts the beloved’s approach in springtime, awakening hope, beauty, and joyful love.

  
  

• Zechariah 9:9-12: God promises a humble king who brings peace, freedom, and hope to his people.

  
  

• Psalm 145:8-14: The psalm praises God as gracious, merciful, faithful, and the one who upholds and lifts up all who fall.

  
  

• Romans 7:15-25a: Paul expresses the painful struggle of wanting to do good while being pulled by sin, ending with gratitude for deliverance through Christ.

  
  

• Matthew 11:16-19: Jesus compares his generation to children who reject both John the Baptist and himself, revealing their stubborn refusal to respond.

  
  

• Matthew 11:25-30: Jesus thanks the Father for revealing truth to the humble and invites the weary to come to him for rest and peace.