In the psychological reading of Scripture, Abraham represents the development of pure faith—the kind of faith Neville Goddard describes as “assumption,” or the ability to dwell inwardly in the unseen as if it were already so. His journey is not just about trusting God; it is about separating from all belief in external causation and surrendering everything that tries to anchor the mind to appearances.
Crucially, Abraham’s faith is tested not through suffering, but through joy. The son he is asked to release—Isaac—means laughter. In other words, Abraham is continually called upon to offer up his happiest, most fulfilled inner state at the request of God (I AM), without reassurance from the outer world.
Hagar and the Outer Mindset
The story of Abraham sending away Hagar and Ishmael (Genesis 21:9–14) is often misunderstood. But through the symbolic language of the Bible, Hagar is not just a handmaid—she represents the mindset of trying to achieve results without the Law of Assumption. She is the bondwoman, the belief in effort, strategy, and outer causation. Neville Goddard calls this the attempt to “make it happen” instead of “letting it be.”
“And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had given birth to, playing with Isaac. So she said to Abraham,
‘Send away this woman and her son: for the son of this woman may not have a part in the heritage with my son Isaac.’”
(Genesis 21:9–10, BBE)
Ishmael, though a son, was born out of human planning—Abraham’s attempt to help God fulfil the Promise. But the Law of Assumption does not permit partial trust. Assumption must come from the inner act of faith alone. So, Abraham is told to let go—not cruelly, but because what comes by outer striving cannot inherit the Promise.
“And this was a great grief to Abraham because of his son. But God said,
‘Let it not be hard in your eyes because of the boy and Hagar. Give ear to whatever Sarah says to you, for in Isaac will your seed be named.’”
(Genesis 21:11–12, BBE)
Abraham's grief represents the difficulty of parting with systems of thought we’ve grown used to—but God’s message is clear: the Promise will not come through external effort.
Isaac and the Offering of Laughter
In an even more startling test, Abraham is told to offer up Isaac—the very embodiment of joy and fulfilment born of faith (Genesis 22). Isaac represents not merely the visible form of the Promise, but the felt reality of it: laughter, satisfaction, inner certainty. Abraham is asked to surrender even this—to maintain the joyful assumption without demanding its preservation through appearances.
“And he said,
‘Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burned offering on one of the mountains of which I will give you knowledge.’”
(Genesis 22:2, BBE)
Neville teaches that this is not about blood sacrifice, but the inner death of dependence on externals. Abraham must release even his attachment to joy as something that needs protection or confirmation. Laughter must remain inward, sustained by faith alone. Only then can the state be fixed so securely in imagination that it no longer rises and falls with the world.
“And Isaac said to his father Abraham,
‘My father… here is the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burned offering?’
And Abraham said,
‘God himself will give the lamb for the burned offering, my son.’”
(Genesis 22:7–8, BBE)
This exchange reveals the heart of assumption: the joyful state does not come from circumstances—it is generated by God (I AM) within. Abraham’s confidence is not in preservation, but in identity.
“And Abraham put out his hand and took the knife to put his son to death.
But the voice of the angel of the Lord came from heaven, saying,
‘Abraham, Abraham!… Do not put your hand on the boy or do anything to him;
for now I am certain that the fear of God is in your heart,
because you have not kept back your son, your only son, from me.’”
(Genesis 22:10–12, BBE)
Abraham proves his faith not by suffering, but by willingness. He is prepared to live joyfully without guarantee, laughter without proof. In this surrender, the Promise is secured inwardly—beyond loss, fluctuation, or delay.
Leaving Father and Mother: Cleaving to the Inner Union
This pattern of detachment mirrors a spiritual law found right at the start of Scripture:
“For this cause will a man go away from his father and his mother and be joined to his wife; and they will be one flesh.”
(Genesis 2:24)
The “father and mother” symbolise external reference points—history, conditioning, evidence, and expectation. The “wife” is the assumed state. Abraham’s story shows that even joy itself must be inwardly chosen and sustained, not negotiated with the world.
This is love at its highest level—not emotion, but union. To live from assumption is to remain faithful to the inner laughter, regardless of appearances. Abraham’s faith matures when he no longer clings—not even to joy—but rests entirely in I AM.