Father Abraham And His Son Isaac

The Lord 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.” [1]

This son was the long-awaited one. He was the promised son. Abraham and Sarah had waited many years for him to come. Now that he is here, he is to be sacrificed. In this story, Isaac is a type of Christ.

“So, Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said to his young men, ‘Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.’” [2]

Abraham had faith that even if he sacrificed Isaac, that he would still come back with a living Isaac. He said to the two men, “We will come back to you.” “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,’ concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.” [3]

God had promised to give Abraham descendants as numerous as the stars through Isaac. Abraham believed God. He knew that Isaac had to have children before he would die.

Before the sacrifice began, Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father! Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham replied, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” [4]

“Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, ‘Abraham, Abraham! Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now, I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.’” [5]

“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. And Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide…” [6] Then, the Lord repeated His promise to Abraham, “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” [7]

Isaac represents Christ in this story because it is through Christ (a descendant of Abraham and Isaac) that all the nations on earth are blessed. The ram also represents Christ because God’s Son was sacrificed for the sins of all people. God forgives the sins of all who receive His Son as their Savior. Abraham represents God in this story because he was willing to give up his son.

Now, the question for us is, in what ways is Christ revealing Himself through OUR lives?

[1] Genesis 22:2
[2] Genesis 22:3-5
[3] Hebrews 11:17-19
[4] Genesis 22:7-8
[5] Genesis 22:9-12
[6] Genesis 22:13-14
[7] Genesis 22:18