God demands that Abraham bring his son Isaac to him as a burnt offering, and only when Abraham has already raised his hand with the knife to kill the boy does he send an angel between them who averts the act at the last moment. For now God knows that Abraham really fears him and would even be willing not to spare his only son. In place of his son, Abraham sacrifices a ram that accidentally and fatefully got caught in the bushes. It was a test, and the patriarch passed it. From now on, the blessing of the only God rests on Abraham and his descendants.
Concept of God in Omri Boehm and Thomas Mann: Why sacrifice the son? – Culture
