Glory to Jesus for the Part 1 and Part 2 of this series. I am too sure you have been feeding well spiritually! Now let’s check out another life-transforming picture of Jesus in the Old Testament.
Did you remember the story of Abraham ‘sacrificing’ his son Isaac on the altar? Hmm… God said to Abraham….
“Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” (Genesis 22:2)
Many teachers use this story to command Christians to give their finances to the church. In fact, many believers are told to give their ‘ISAAC’ to God…and that refers to money or better put financial ‘sacrifice’! Hmm…
Now listen carefully: This story has NOTHING to do with a believer giving a ‘sacrifice’ in church! This story is a heavenly drama by God portraying how God gave His ONLY begotten Son for us!
Now let’s explore the drama in 7 exciting pictures of Jesus! Ready? Let’s go!
Pic 1: God said to Abraham…
‘…Take now your son, your only son Isaac…’
Really? ‘…only son…’? Hmm… Well, just 6 chapters earlier to this story in the book of Genesis, Abraham had a SON named Ishmael…from his relationship with his Egyptian maid! (Gen 16:1-4) But what God told Abraham was take your ONLY SON! God should have said ‘…take one of your sons…’! Hmm… God wanted us to know that this story is not about Abraham and ‘his sons’….but about God the Father and His ONLY Son, Jesus!
Pic 2: God also said to Abraham…
‘… Take now your son,….and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”..(Genesis 22:2)
Hmm… ‘…land of Moriah…one of the mountains…’ Well, it might be interesting for you to know that it has been geographically proven by commentaries that Golgotha (where Jesus was crucified) is on the same mountain plain with Moriah where Abraham ‘sacrificed’ Isaac! I love the write up of L.T Pearson (a commentator on Bible locations) on the geographical location of Golgotha:
‘…In bringing Christ to die here, surely God was over-ruling, for actually there was no other place where He could have laid down His life sacrificially; and the Gospel writers evidently came to realise this fact, for the word Golgotha means “Summit,” the highest point of MORIAH. It is a word which means the cranium, or top of a skull…’
I hope you are seeing the pictures of Jesus in this Gracious story? Hmm…
Pic 3: I love what Abraham did when he saw the mountain afar off…
‘…So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife, and the two of them went together…’ (Genesis 22:6)
Wow! ‘…Abraham took the WOOD of the burnt offering and LAID IT ON ISAAC HIS SON…’ Can you see any picture here? Alright check out the New Testament for the similar context!
‘…And HE (Jesus), bearing His CROSS (wood of the burnt offering), went out to a place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha…’ (John 19:17)
Hmm…I strongly believe this particular Abraham’s story must be among the stories Jesus told those 2disciples on the EMMAUS road! (Refer to part 1 of this series). It’s just so loaded and pictorial! Abraham laid the wood on Isaac…Isaac carried the wood and went to the mountain… Jesus also carried the Cross for us…and went to Golgotha! Hallelujah!
Hope you are enjoying this? Let’s go on!
Pic 4: When Abraham was about to put the knife on Isaac on the altar, …the Bible says…
‘… But the Angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” So he said, “Here I am.” And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him…’ (Genesis 22:11-12)
Hmm… ‘… the Angel of the LORD called …and said, “Abraham, Abraham…’ who is this ‘Angel of the Lord’ who was carefully monitoring this ‘drama’? Well, let’s do some research into the Scriptures! We can track who this Angel is by checking out His exceptionally AFFECTIONATE style he called for Abraham!
‘…Abraham, Abraham!’
He called Samuel: ‘…Samuel, Samuel’! (1Sam 3:10)
He called Martha: ‘…Martha, Martha’! (Luke 10:41)
He called Peter: ‘…Simon, Simon’! (Luke 22:31)
He called Paul: ‘…Saul, Saul…’! (Acts 9:4)
Hmm… Who is this Angel? Yes, you guessed right! JESUS! He carefully wrote this ‘drama’ script and monitored it closely…because it was all about HIM! Glory to His name!
Pic 5: Why did this Angel interrupt Abraham from slaying Isaac?
Hmm… Well, Isaac’s blood came from Adam! It definitely had blemish! Under Law, any Lamb that must be brought for sacrifice MUST BE WITHOUT BLEMISH! (Exo 12:5, 29:1, Lev 1:3, 4:3) Isaac’s blood cannot save Isaac himself…not to talk of the whole world! Because it had blemish through Adam!
This is why JESUS was born of a virgin…because the blood of a baby has been biologically proven not to have come from the mother but totally from the ‘father’ even while in the womb! Hmm… This leads us to the next picture!
Pic 6: So this Angel provided a substitute Sacrifice!
‘…Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering INSTEAD of his son.’ (Gen 22:13)
Wow! Did you notice that the Ram was not caught in a thicket by any other part of its body…but by its horns? Why? Simple! It would have been blemished with wounds if it had been caught by its body! Hmm… Can you see the carefulness of this ‘Angel’ in writing this drama script?
Pic 7: This final picture is so refreshing to me.
I am so marvelled at how the Bible concluded this story! After Abraham sacrificed the Ram, see what the Bible says…
‘…So Abraham returned to his young men, and they rose and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba…’ (Gen 22:19)
Ah…Ah? What happened? Where is Isaac? In fact, throughout the remaining verse of this chapter, Isaac was no longer mentioned! Why? Hmm… Well, left to God, Isaac has been ‘SACRIFICED’! (James 2:21) The deal has been done! Salvation is now guaranteed!
The only next reference to Isaac in this chapter was…REBEKAH! (Isaac’s bride)… Gen 22:23 Hmm… Who is the bride of Christ? The Church! You and I are now God’s reference of love! Because the price of your Salvation has been fully paid for! Hallelujah!
Were you blessed by this exposition?
Never forget: this story of Abraham has NOTHING to do with a believer giving a financial ‘sacrifice’ in church! This story is a heavenly drama by God portraying how God gave His ONLY begotten Son for us! Receive God’s love for you!
Glory to Jesus.
Amen.
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