Thanks Allen for your reflections on the binding of Isaac. I have also struggled with same passage http://revplockhart.blogspot.com.au/2011/06/god-tests-covenant.html but foudn the idea that Abraham failed an insightful refelction. For the first time Abraham fails to question God as he done before. The outcome cannot be known and predicted by God or Abraham if it is a test, otherwise it is a furphy. Thanks for the wisdom. Peter
2 Kings 2:23-25 
Thanks Allen for your reflections on the binding of Isaac. I have also struggled with same passage http://revplockhart.blogspot.com.au/2011/06/god-tests-covenant.html but foudn the idea that Abraham failed an insightful refelction. For the first time Abraham fails to question God as he done before. The outcome cannot be known and predicted by God or Abraham if it is a test, otherwise it is a furphy. Thanks for the wisdom. Peter