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Two answers real quick, since I gotta get home for dinner.
1. How much time do you have?
2. Have you read Fear and Trembling (by Soren Kierkegaard)?
Fear and Trembling is essentially a philosophical examination of the problem of Abraham. It's sad that a lot of Christians don't really take it seriously, but this sort of case would seem to be a real sticking point. Briefly, I would say I have no idea. The command to sacrifice one's child for God is a fearful thing to command. But, because I'm a Christian, I trust that God knows what he's doing. I can't understand how it could be good, but I trust that it was.
Incidentally, I have a set of notes typed up on Fear and Trembling, that I can email you if you're really interested, but they're too long to post here.
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"Die Deutschen meinen, daß die Kraft sich in Härte und Grausamkeit offenbaren müsse, sie unterwerfen sich dann gerne und mit Bewunderung:[...]. Daß es Kraft giebt in der Milde und Stille, das glauben sie nicht leicht."
"The Germans believe that power must reveal itself in hardness and cruelty and then submit themselves gladly and with admiration[...]. They do not believe readily that there is power in meekness and calm."
-- Friedrich Nietzsche
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