Main Idea: The Faith, The Son, the Wood: Gospel in the Old Testament

Text: Genesis 22:1-15, ESV:

After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” ² He said, “Take 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.” ³ So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. ⁴ On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. ⁵ Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” ⁶ And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. ⁷ And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” ⁸ Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.

⁹ When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. ¹⁰ Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. ¹¹ But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” ¹² He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” ¹³ And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. ¹⁴ So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”

Theology/Doctrine: It is significant that the first verse of Genesis 22 tells us that “God tested Abraham.” That was not so that God might learn anything, of course, but that Abraham might learn what it means to walk by faith in the covenant faithfulness of God. Then, God told Abraham to take the son he loved and offer him on the mountain. Abraham of course had Ishmael, too, but Isaac was the beloved son, not Ishmael. So, Abraham takes his son and placed him upon the wood. The son asks, “Where is the lamb?” In other words, where’s the sacrifice unto God? And the Lord, having seen Abraham’s faith, disclosed to Abraham and Isaac what the plan had been all along—that God would provide for himself the offering. And there was a ram, caught in a thicket, for the sacrifice. The son Isaac was spared; the ram was sacrificed; and salvation history continued to unfold. But it all hinged upon faith, a son, wood, and a gospel message.

Connection: “The LORD will provide” did not end at Mount Moriah with Abraham and Isaac and a ram. No, in God’s infinite wisdom, God would again disclose his purposes. Instead of Isaac, it was Jesus on the wood. Instead of a ram in the thicket, it was Jesus on the old rugged cross. Instead of Mount Moriah, it was Calvary. Instead of Abraham being tested, it was Jesus who alone is both satisfaction for sin’s punishment and propitiation for perfect obedience. The holy was made sin for us in order that we might be redeemed (2 Cor 5:21).   

Application: Now that we have seen the covenant faithfulness of God to provide for himself the sacrifice, how ought God’s redeemed people therefore live in a world captured by spiritual darkness. May we be salt and light in our circles of influence and trust the results to the Judge of all the earth who only and always does what is right.