Abraham and Isaac Picture GOD and HIS SON
Being asked of you to sacrifice your most precious loved one...your only child is anything but easy. Yet Abraham did obey because He trusted God, he knew God.
Many of us know of the story of Abraham and Isaac, but have you ever seen the story as a picture of God and His sacrifice for us when He gave us His Son the Lord Jesus to die for us? The sacrifice of Isaac is a picture of what God went through to redeem us from sin; we are His ultimate creation because out of all He created He created us in His image. Abraham is a picture of God and Isaac of Christ.
God had asked Abraham to sacrifice his son. When God spoke to Abraham, he answered as a child who has complete trust in his father. To hear God ask this of him would test Abraham's faith in a way that it had never been tested before. How could God ask this of him when with His own voice and Words He gave the law to Noah that "Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man." Gen.9:6 God had forbidden man to take the life of another. Can our unchangeable God contradict Himself?
Throughout the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers God describes the animal sacrifices men executed as being a "sweet savor" to His senses. How could Isaac's sacrifice be a "sweet savor" to God? Abraham loved Isaac how could he slay him? God loved His Son how could He give Him up to sinful man who would slay Him on a cross? He expected complete obedience of Abraham.
Abraham owned herds of lambs and young bullocks and without question would have sacrificed every one of them in place of his son if it pleased God. Abraham owned much, and without a doubt would have given it all to save his son. Yet, God asked Abraham for that thing which meant the most to him and was the dearest and closest to his heart. After God asked this of him, I have to wonder if Abraham thought to himself not my son not my son anything but my son; I will give any and everything but please don't take my son...did God have the same thought after both Eve and Adam sinned? How the heart of God and Abraham must have been crushed with grief at the thought of sacrificing their only sons.
God did not in any way, shape this test easy. Abraham's dwelling was in the land of Canaan; God's commandment was for him to sacrifice Isaac in Moriah, a three days journey from Canaan. It would have been easier on Abraham to simply sacrifice right there in Canaan, but God tested Abraham for three days. The morning he arose to perform this act of obedience was the beginning of Isaac's sacrifice. Abraham had already begun the slaughter of Isaac.
That morning began with Abraham's first step on a path that would lead to his son's destruction. Abraham had to travel that length of period with Isaac by his side knowing that he was leading his son to an altar and there would take his life. He could have turned around at any point and time during those three days, but Abraham set his eyes forward and pressed on. I can only imagine what was going through Abraham's mind from the time God gave His commandment to the moment Abraham lifted a knife to drive deep within his son. If God wanted a human sacrifice why Isaac; why not one who deserved death?
Why did Abraham have to perform this sacrifice; were there not others who could do this? What would the two men who were at the foot of the mountain do if Abraham returned without Isaac not to mention Sarah? If man discovered the body of Isaac, Abraham could give no explanation except for obedience for God gave no reason why He asked this of him. What would people and family think of Abraham's God? Abraham was not only slaying his son but was taking his life in his own hands. Who is to say that man would have not sentenced Abraham to death for the murder of his son?
At the same time who are we to dispute, debate, or question God? God's commandment was sufficient enough to answer any question Abraham had if he had any at all. He consulted no one about what God had asked of him; he simply obeyed.
God had asked Abraham to sacrifice his son. When God spoke to Abraham, he answered as a child who has complete trust in his father. To hear God ask this of him would test Abraham's faith in a way that it had never been tested before. How could God ask this of him when with His own voice and Words He gave the law to Noah that "Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man." Gen.9:6 God had forbidden man to take the life of another. Can our unchangeable God contradict Himself?
Throughout the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers God describes the animal sacrifices men executed as being a "sweet savor" to His senses. How could Isaac's sacrifice be a "sweet savor" to God? Abraham loved Isaac how could he slay him? God loved His Son how could He give Him up to sinful man who would slay Him on a cross? He expected complete obedience of Abraham.
Abraham owned herds of lambs and young bullocks and without question would have sacrificed every one of them in place of his son if it pleased God. Abraham owned much, and without a doubt would have given it all to save his son. Yet, God asked Abraham for that thing which meant the most to him and was the dearest and closest to his heart. After God asked this of him, I have to wonder if Abraham thought to himself not my son not my son anything but my son; I will give any and everything but please don't take my son...did God have the same thought after both Eve and Adam sinned? How the heart of God and Abraham must have been crushed with grief at the thought of sacrificing their only sons.
God did not in any way, shape this test easy. Abraham's dwelling was in the land of Canaan; God's commandment was for him to sacrifice Isaac in Moriah, a three days journey from Canaan. It would have been easier on Abraham to simply sacrifice right there in Canaan, but God tested Abraham for three days. The morning he arose to perform this act of obedience was the beginning of Isaac's sacrifice. Abraham had already begun the slaughter of Isaac.
That morning began with Abraham's first step on a path that would lead to his son's destruction. Abraham had to travel that length of period with Isaac by his side knowing that he was leading his son to an altar and there would take his life. He could have turned around at any point and time during those three days, but Abraham set his eyes forward and pressed on. I can only imagine what was going through Abraham's mind from the time God gave His commandment to the moment Abraham lifted a knife to drive deep within his son. If God wanted a human sacrifice why Isaac; why not one who deserved death?
Why did Abraham have to perform this sacrifice; were there not others who could do this? What would the two men who were at the foot of the mountain do if Abraham returned without Isaac not to mention Sarah? If man discovered the body of Isaac, Abraham could give no explanation except for obedience for God gave no reason why He asked this of him. What would people and family think of Abraham's God? Abraham was not only slaying his son but was taking his life in his own hands. Who is to say that man would have not sentenced Abraham to death for the murder of his son?
At the same time who are we to dispute, debate, or question God? God's commandment was sufficient enough to answer any question Abraham had if he had any at all. He consulted no one about what God had asked of him; he simply obeyed.
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