[Eidal]

Interjection with biblical interpretation:

The story of Abraham and Isaac can be interpreted many different ways, but fundamentally it is a test. A shallow interpretation sees this as God testing Abraham's obedience, however, I think the author was trying to paint a different picture.

I believe that the command to Abraham to sacrifice his son is not God testing Abraham, but allowing Abraham the opportunity to test God. Keep in mind, at the time, this God was the new guy on the block and so far hadn't done much to describe his character to his followers. Demanding a blood sacrifice but then cancelling it went gone a long way in showing Abraham who this new Jehovah god really is and what he stands for. Furthermore, I can't think of a more elegant way for a new upstart deity to gather faith than this.

FYI, I've been a lifelong atheist and have always used this story in debates with Christian friends as an example of God's cruelty until I stumbled upon this interpretation, and I rather like it.