moment Abraham is tempted to think his God is demanding the sacrifice of his firstborn, the miracle child, the Angel of the Lord stops him. He had most likely presumed that this God was indeed like all the other gods and demanded the sacrifice of children. Perhaps that is why when the command first came, Abraham did not open his mouth in protest. This is what you do for the gods, he must have thought as he readied himself for the journey to Mount Moriah. But now, out of breath on the mountaintop,