Contradiction with Exodus 32:14
This verse states that God repented of the evil he thought to do unto his people, contrasting with Genesis 22:8 where God's will for a sacrificial act is assured by Abraham.
Exodus 32:14: And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.
Contradiction with Jonah 3:10
Here, God changes His mind about the destruction He planned, while Genesis 22:8 suggests unwavering divine intention as Abraham declares God's provision.
Jonah 3:10: And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did [it] not.
Contradiction with Numbers 23:19
It claims God does not lie or repent, opposing Genesis 22:8's implication of a potential divine intervention or change.
Numbers 23:19: God [is] not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do [it]? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
Contradiction with James 1:17
Suggests God does not change, whereas Genesis 22:8 hints at a future act dependent on God’s decision.
James 1:17: Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
Contradiction with Malachi 3:6
States the Lord does not change, contradicting the anticipatory statement in Genesis 22:8 about God's provision in the future act.
Malachi 3:6: For I [am] the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
Contradiction with Hebrews 6:17
Speaks of God's unchangeable purpose, conflicting with the open possibility in Genesis 22:8 of God providing a lamb.
Hebrews 6:17: Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed [it] by an oath: [confirmed...: Gr. interposed himself by]
Paradox #1
Genesis 22:8 could be seen as having a theological tension because it implies a promise or expectation that God would provide a lamb for sacrifice, yet the story continues with Abraham preparing to sacrifice his son, Isaac. This raises questions about God's intentions and the nature of the test for Abraham, as well as the understanding of God's provision and faithfulness in the narrative.
Paradox #2
Some people find a contradiction in how Abraham's statement about God's provision plays out. Abraham says God will provide a lamb for the sacrifice, but in the story, it's a ram that's provided instead. This might seem inconsistent to those reading the text closely.
Paradox #3
Genesis 22:8 presents a moral conflict because it involves the idea of God instructing Abraham to offer his son as a sacrifice, which seems to contradict the moral principle of the sanctity of life and the wrongness of child sacrifice. This can create confusion about why a loving and moral God would ask for such a test.