Genesis 22:1-19 (Abraham tested)

When we read about the chapter in Genesis, where Abraham had to sacrifice his son, we remember how God stopped Abraham from doing so, and sent a lamb as the sacrifice instead?

As I was pondering I found similar pattern on how God himself actually did what He told Abraham.

Isaac, the only son of Abraham, born from Abraham and Sarah when they are at very old age. He was loved by both his parents. Abraham brought him up in a fine manner, in the Lord's way. The fact that Isaac knew about the requirements of burnt offering (fire, wood, lamb) means he was taught in the ways of the Lord.

So, when Abraham was asked by God to 1) bring Isaac 2) his only son 3) whom he loved to the certain mountain in the region of Moriah , to be sacrificed as burnt offering.

Burnt offering is done for atonement of sin. It's either an offering of the male of a bull, lamb, goat, pigeon w/o defect. Isaac fit into that sacrifice. He is young and w/o defect.

Probably, when Abraham was asked, he must be thinking that he is guilty of sin and God has asked him to have atonement for his sin. And to have his son as the atonement, he felt even miserable. But he obeyed.

So they traveled for 3 days and reached the certain mountain in Moriah where he saw the place of sacrifice there. He left his servant with the donkey, grabbing the fire and the wood up the hill together with Isaac.

Out of innocent, Isaac asked,"we have the fire and the wood, but where's the lamb?" This is to reinforced the fact that Isaac knew what a burnt offering is all about. Abraham replied, the Lord will provide. Isaac knew in his heart that he is the sacrifice. He stop questioning/asking as when Abraham was making the altar for sacrifice. He knew that he is the sacrifice as he willingly be bound and laid on the woods on the altar. Isaac too obeyed the Lord. God spared Isaac and a lamb, whom was caught by its on horn was then sacrificed to the Lord. This is a great lesson of obedient and faithfulness.

This also reflects a very significant character of our Father in Heaven. Jesus, the Lamb of God, without defect, became man. He knew the works of His Father, he asked that the cup of suffering be past on but he chose to obey. The main difference from that of Abraham's sacrifice is that Isaac was spared but Jesus was not. He came, dying on the cross for the atonement of our sin, so that we will no longer need to sacrifice a burnt offering to reconcile with God but God came and reconcile with us and with Jesus' sacrifice, we have direct access to the Father because of His righteousness. Praise be to God! The Lamb of God that was slain, and the Lamb of God is risen and is seated at the right hand of God!