Abraham and Isaac: Genesis 22 Sacrificing for God

Why ask Abraham to offer up Isaac as a burnt offering? Abraham had waited 25 years for Isaac to be born Isaac may have been around 20 years old now – maybe older God hates human sacrifice (Deut 12:31) Why ask Abraham to offer up Isaac as a burnt offering?

Why ask Abraham to offer Isaac? “God tested Abraham” to see if Abraham would trust God completely – really have faith! “The lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you” (v.5) “for now I know you fear God” (v.12) “concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.” (Heb 11:19)

Why ask Abraham to offer Isaac? God wanted Abraham and many others to understand what it would cost God to save us all God did this again when he took Ezekiel’s wife (Ezek 24:16-18) “the desire of your eyes” “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Rom 8:32)

This isn’t just about types God could have told a story or parable to illustrate types He wanted Abraham and us to understand and feel what it would cost God to save us from Sin. Unfortunately for us, to feel it, we have to go through the experience Academic studies don’t touch what really happened We need to feel it, to impact our lives

Take your only Son Isaac “whom you love” – as God felt for His son, Jesus. [“love” = “friend” of God in 2 Chr 20:7; Isa 41:8] ] Isaac wasn’t really Abraham’s only son “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) “You have not withheld your son, your only son” (v.12) God only counted Isaac as Abraham’s son of the promise – Ishmael had been cast out

10 miles 60 miles from Beersheba

Mt. Moriah Angel appeared to David, & God relented on destroying Jerusalem (1Chr 21:15) Like Abraham ready to kill his own son David determined temple to be built here (2 Chr 3:1)

Mt. Moriah is where the David located the temple and where the Dome of the rock was built!

Do not lay your hand on the lad Isaac had been dead in Abraham’s head for 3 days already! He had offered him up. Now I know you fear God – Abraham trusted God no matter what happened. “You have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me” (12) Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. (Heb 12:11)

Faith completed by Works James 2:21-23 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." And he was called the friend of God. Faith without works is dead

Ram in the thicket Rams (male goats) were used in burnt offerings (Lev 1:10) Jesus was the only male lamb offered as a sin offering – “Behold! The lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (Jn. 29) When God told Abraham to stop offering his son, God committed to Abraham that He would offer His Son for the sins of the world

God shows Abram what salvation will cost God Your only son Isaac who you love (v.2) On the 3rd day (4) Abraham laid the wood on Isaac (6) God will provide for Himself the lamb (8) The two of them went together (6, 8)

The two of them went together God wasn’t punishing Jesus for our sins He wasn’t putting Jesus through the punishment we deserve God was helping his son defeat Sin – never give in to it no matter how bad Jesus was treated The two of them were showing us the way back to the Father – hate Sin like God

On the Cross…. Christ was not suffering some other person’s punishment Christ was not illustrating the punishment sinners deserve Christ did not deserve the cross because he had human nature Christ was not going through a ritual or ceremony to save us Christ showed us how to live the righteousness of God in our daily lives

By myself I have sworn (v.16) Hebrews 6:13-18 13 For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, 14 saying, "Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you." 15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. 16 For men indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute. 17 Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, 18 that by two immutable things (promise & oath), in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.

“In your seed” (v.18) This is the first time the promise that all nations will be blessed is directed at “your seed” – Jesus Christ Peter quotes this in Acts 3:25 and applies it to God turning away every one of you from your iniquities A key component of the blessing of Abraham is learning to live with Abraham’s faith - walking in the steps of the faith of Abraham – the Father of the faithful.

Lessons to take home… God wants obedience to His commands – let’s be obedient to our parents (like Isaac) and to our heavenly Father (like Abraham) Faith is the motivating power that will generate obedience Appreciate His love to us in giving His only Son so we can join His family Trust God – He knows what He is doing far better than we do – He wants you to make it!