#162: The Sacrifice

And Abraham said, "God will provide for Himself the Lamb for a burnt offering." So the two of them went together. Genesis 22:8

 

Today as we celebrate the Resurrection of our LORD, we would love to journey back in time to savor God's providence in our salvation once more in a story so familiar to us. Many years ago, a father showed his love to God by sacrificing his son on a mount; fast track many year later, a Father would sacrifice His Son on a hill to show His love for mankind. Just how similar were the two sacrifices and what can we learn from them? May God grant us wisdom as we study. Amen.

Our Journey begins in Genesis 22 when God demanded the sacrifice of Isaac from Abraham. If we do not consider Abraham to be a man, as we are, we may fail to see the gravity of the steps that he took as he journeyed to mountains of Moriah. Here are a few key lessons to learn from this as we reflect over the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus:

1. "Your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love": In Gen 22:2, 3 times God described who He wanted to be sacrificed to lay emphasis. Just so that Abraham does not try to consider his servant as his son, just so that Abraham does not set out looking for Ishmael whom he had driven away and to show that God was aware of how dear Isaac was to Abraham, the demand was for his son, his only son Isaac, whom he loved. Perhaps the most difficult part of this request from God was that it must have been very counter intuitive: the son in this picture was a covenant son, a son of promise and not just any son. He was a gift from God - a divine seed. So why should God demand for him as a sacrifice? Was God going back on His promises by killing the seed from which the covenant would be fulfilled?

By faith, Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, "In Isaac your seed shall be called." Heb 11:17-18

If it were another son, it would have been easier for Abraham. But Isaac was like the pinnacle of his walk with God and that was what God was demanding for. So when we say that Abraham sacrificed Isaac, we should not make it less heavy and serious than how it really was. It was not any different for God either. For it to have been called a sacrifice on the part of God when Jesus was sacrificed, it is because Jesus was very important to God.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16

God sacrificed His son, His only [begotten] Son Jesus, whom He loved.

2. "Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you" (vs 5): As I read this verse, I stand amazed by the depth of faith in God that Abraham had as he spoke these words. When his chronicles was narrated in the New Testament, this is what was said:

By faith Abraham...concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. Hebrews 11:17,19

This was a conclusion in Abraham's heart. It was cemented. From the gravity of his faith, he prophesied the resurrection of Isaac and received him from the dead. He said, "...we will come back to you" many years later God was going to show His power over death through Jesus by raising Him up from the dead.

And [as to His divine nature] according to the Spirit of holiness was openly designated the Son of God in power [in a striking, triumphant and miraculous manner] by His resurrection from the dead, even Jesus Christ our LORD (the Messiah, the Anointed One). Romans 1:4

3. "God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering." (vs 8): As I keep listening to Abraham, I marvel at his faith. God will provide for Himself the Lamb... The use of the specific article "the" shows that He knew that not just any lamb could satisfy the wrath of God. Only the lamb. God will provide, as if to say that God will see to it that there is a lamb. He trusted in God's providence.

"Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see My day. He saw it and was glad" John8:56.

By faith Abraham…was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. Hebrews 11:8,10

Today we are testimonies of Abraham's faith. God was faithful. God showed His providence and the price for our salvation has been paid. Just like Isaac, we no longer have to die because God has provided for Himself the Lamb.

And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called the name of that place, "The LORD will provide"; as it is said to this day, "on the mount of the LORD it shall be provided" Genesis 22:13-14.

On the hill of Calvary it was provided. A way back to God was provided, forgiveness to sins was provided, deliverance from sin was provided and everlasting life was provided. Have you accepted God's provision?

Meditation: The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world" John 1:29