Abraham and Isaac

Jim and Bob learn about...

...Abraham and Isaac

(Puppets up)

Bob: Hey, Jim! How’s it going?

Jim: I’ll take “Doing good” for 500.

Bob: Er…what?

Jim: Sorry. I stayed up and watched seventeen Jeopardy games last night…I’m still recovering.

Bob: Okaaaaaaaaaaay then. So, are you here for another story?

Jim: I’ll take “You bet I am” for 200.

Bob: All right, let’s get started! Today, I’m gonna tell you ‘bout Abraham and Isaac.

Jim: Aw, man!

Bob: What?

Jim: I just finished breakfast…but I’m still hungry! And now you’re going to go and talk about a Ham! That’s just cruel!

Bob: Not “Ham!” Abraham!

Jim: Did he make the ham?

Bob: No, silly! He was one of the most important characters in the Bible!

Jim: Oh. Why didn’t you just say that in the first place?

Bob: (sigh) Let’s get started.

Jim: I’ll take “Okay” for 400!

Bob: You really gotta stop that.

Jim: I’m trying! Can you start the story?

Bob: Ok. This is a rather long story, which begins in Genesis 12:1, which says: “Now the Lord said to Abram: ‘Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house to a land I will show you.’”

Jim: I’ll take…I mean…Hang on a second!

Bob: All right. What is it?

Jim: I have three questions. One: Who is Abram?

Bob: Abram is a man, the main character of our story. He is the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, the son of Serug, the son of…

Jim: (Make the puppet droop) (Fake snore)

Bob: Well, I guess knowing who his great-great-great-great grandfather is isn’t crucial to the story. So, all you need to know is that Abram is a simple man.

Jim: Ok. Question two: What did the Lord say?

Bob: He was telling Abram and his family to move.

Jim: Move? Where?

Bob: He didn’t tell them! He just said “Get out of the country.” And you know what? He did it!

Jim: What?! God said “leave,” and he left?

Bob: Yep, he did. That would take a lot of faith.

Jim: No kidding.

Bob: So what’s your third question?

Jim: My third what? OH! Question! Right. Question three: Are there any Narwhals in this story?

Bob: Nar-whats?

Jim: Narwhals. They’re like whales with a unicorn horn.

Bob: Um, no. No Narwhals.

Jim: Bummer. Oh well. Continue.

Bob: So, God told Abram and his family to leave their home, which was known as Ur. After he left, he bounced around a few places before landing in Egypt.

Jim: Egypt? Isn’t that where all of the Pharaohs and Pyramids and Mummies and Narwhals live?

Bob: Yes, yes, yes, and no.

Jim: What, no Narwhals?

Bob: No Narwhals.

Jim: Bummer!

Bob: Anyway, Abram and his family settled in Egypt.

Jim: By the way, who were his family members?

Bob: Well, there are two worth mentioning: his wife, Sarai, and his nephew, Lot.

Jim: Lot of what?

Bob: No, Lot was his nephew’s name.

Jim: Oh. Man. Somebody didn’t have much of an imagination.

Bob: (Laugh) Or too much! But that’s beside the point. Back to the story. When Abram’s group got to Egypt, Abram lied to the Pharaoh, telling him that Sarai was his sister, not his wife. He didn’t trust God enough to believe he would take care of them.

Jim: That wasn’t smart!

Bob: No, it wasn’t. Pharaoh wasn’t pleased when he figured out he’d been tricked, and he sent Abram and his family packing.

Jim: What?

Bob: He kicked them out of Egypt. Abram wandered a while longer, until he settled in the and of Canaan. Lot deserted them and took the plain of Jordan…but that’s another story.

Jim: So Abram finally found a place to live?

Bob: That’s right. And that’s where our story really takes off. Abram and his wife had never had children, so when God sent messengers to them that told them they were going to have one, Sarai Laughed at them. But God made a covenant with Abram that his descendants would be like the stars of the sky…innumerable. And to prove he was serious about it, he changed Abram’s name to Abraham, and Sarai’s name to Sarah.

Jim: Three questions again!

Bob: And I’ll have to give you three answers.

Jim: One: What is a covenant?

Bob: A covenant is a really serious promise. God wasn’t kidding when he said this.

Jim: Awesome! So question two: What does innumerable mean?

Bob: It means that his descendants-his children and grandchildren-would be so many that no one could count them.

Jim: That’s amazing! Okay…question three: WHERE ARE ALL THE NARWHALS?!

Bob: I told you, Jim. No Narwhals.

Jim: Argh! Oh well. Continue in your story.

Bob: Well, Abraham didn’t take God very seriously. He didn’t have enough faith.

Jim: Just like in Egypt! He didn’t think God would protect him and Sarah!

Bob: That’s right. But God was true to his word, and soon they had a son, who they named Isaac.

Jim: Cool! God always tells the truth, huh, Bob? That was a good story!

Bob: Uh, it’s not over yet.

Jim: It isn’t? (Gasp) IS THIS WHEN THE NARWHALS COME IN?!

Bob: No! For the last time: NO NARWHALS!

Jim: (Huffs) Oh well. Finish your non-Narwhal story.

Bob: Ok. In Genesis 22:2, we find God give Abraham an unbelievable task. It reads: “Then He (that’s God) said: ‘Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.’” God was telling Abraham to burn Isaac, his only son!

Jim: WHAT?! I thought God had a covenant with Abraham!

Bob: He did, and Abraham trusted God so much that he obeyed him.

Jim: WHAAAAAAAT?! I expected him to run in the opposite direction!

Bob: Nope. He took Isaac up to the mountains, and tied him to the altar.

Jim: Stop! Don’t finish! I can’t bear it! Isaac, no!

Bob: Shh! Listen. The ending may surprise you. Just before Abraham could kill Isaac, the Angel of the Lord came down and stopped him! He said that Abraham had proved himself faithful, and that Isaac was to be spared!

Jim: Oh! So it was all a test! Like in school!

Bob: Uh-huh. God was seeing just how far Abraham would go to be obedient. And he passed! A+!

Jim: Amazing! I learned a lot today, Bob!

Bob: You did?

Jim: I did. I learned that even when you mess up, like Abraham did in Egypt, God is ready to give you another chance.

Bob: That’s right, Jim. That’s right.

Jim: Well, gotta go, Bob. I’ll take “I’ll see you tomorrow” for 500!

Both: Bye!

END SKIT