The lesson of Abraham & Isaac

I like the "surrendered" person that Isaac became to be---surrendered---totally obedient to his father's will----just like Jesus---who became "obedient unto death"

But one passage is sticking out right now over in Genesis 22:6

"And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Issac his son: and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together."

That little phrase, "And they went both of them together."

Jesus told His disciples "My Father is with Me always"

Ohhhhhh, but on that dreadful day on His way to dark Calvary---there were more than just Jesus' footprints in the sandy streets on the way----there were "unseen" footprints as "Father & Son" trekked up that wicked hill!!! I can't help but think---"And they went both of them together"

"My Father is with Me always"

 

When I was a kid (...or should I say when I was younger because I'm still just a big kid...) I had wondered a fair bit on what the big deal with Abraham was. Then preparing a Sunday school lesson for the kids a few years ago it finally sank in: Genesis 22:5 He said to his servants, "Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you."

"We will worship and then we will come back to you." If that doesn't declare Abraham's faith in resurrection than what does!!

Following a trail of cross-references confirms it: Hebrews 11:17-19 By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned." Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.

And this faith was almost 2000 years before Christ, no wonder Jesus said "Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad."

All up a pretty good recommendation for the "Believing is seeing" line I think

 

Amen, Jim & Pete!! Amen!!

I could listen to that kind of preachin'--- "all the live long day!!!!!"

Amen!!

I'm preaching through Hebrews 11---"God's Hall of Faith" on Wednesday evenings!!! Got to the part where

1) Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau "concerning things to come"---noteing the "order" of the blessing----first---Jacob--second--Esau!!---then "Concerning things to come"------I believe this entails the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ---His birth, life, death, buriel, resurrection, and second coming!!!! Hebrews 11:20

then

2) Jacob "when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshiped, leaning upon the top of his staff."--Hebrews 11:21

Imagine ole Jacob after the "wrestling match" with God---and God touches the hip socket----knocking it out of joint----and then Jacob throwing all the standing support of himself into that staff from that point on!!! MERCY!!! If someone were to come along and knock that staff from under Jacob---Jacob would've fallen "flatter than a pancake"----thats a picture of US and our worship---throwing all of our support of ourselves upon the Lord Jesus Christ!!!! Worship is impossible without the Lord Jesus Christ!!!

Bro. David

[ May 15, 2005, 03:54 PM: Message edited by: blackbird ]

 

......... bound Isaac his son........

Scripture doesn't say but I see no indication that Abraham had to wrestle his son to bind him nor that Isaac was angry at his father after the fact.

 

Interesting observation, Diane! No struggle on Isaac's part---but he was still bound none-the-less.

Jesus never struggled---but yet He was still bound! No one took Jesus' life---He layed His life down FREELY!!!

He gave them His hands to be tied----in a sense, He was saying to the Romans----"Here are My hands---I give them to you!"

Isaac was what I call "One Surrendered Dude!!!" See??? The Lord Jesus isn't looking for committment----we say, "Well! I'm going to commit to Jesus!!!" Rather---Jesus Christ is looking for surrender!!! You move at the descretion of the Lord who is over you!! We should say, "I surrender to You, Lord Jesus!! Take my hands---they are Yours!! Take my feet! Take my thoughts! Take my speech!!! I surrender me to You!!!" Isaac surrendered himself to his daddy---with just as much confidence as his daddy when his daddy said, "I and the Lad will go yonder and worship and will return!!"

 

Isaac carried his wood. Jesus carried His cross.

 

I believe that this prophecy was fulfilled:

God did "provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering"... the Lamb of God, his only begotten Son.

 

Yes, Richard!!!

And listen to what the scripture says

"God will provide Himself a Lamb"

The Lamb of God was none other than God Himself!!

 

The location where Abraham and Isaac went to (the region of Moriah - Gen. 22:2), is the same location as what we refer to as Calvary, where Jesus was crucified.
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Hebrews 11:17
By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, 18 even though God had said to him, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned." 19 Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.

Abraham believed that God would resurrect Isaac from the dead. (The sacrifice of Isaac was to have been a burnt offering.)

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In Psalm 22, we are given a prophetic picture of the crucifixion.

One of the major points the Psalm makes about the crucifixion is this:

PS 22:23 You who fear the LORD, praise him!
All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!
Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!

PS 22:24 For he has not despised or disdained
the suffering of the afflicted one;
he has not hidden his face from him
but has listened to his cry for help.

An erroneous teaching that is popular in our day is that the Father turned away from Jesus while Jesus was on the cross. According to the Scripture, the Father did not turn away from Jesus.

Isaiah 53 confirms this:

ISA 53:4 Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.

ISA 53:5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.


The reality - Jesus did take up our infirmities and carried our sorrows.
Isaiah gives the human response: "Yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted."
It's amazing how Isaiah prophetically shows how people would react to the death of Jesus, and how people would frame it.
Now, back to reality - But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.
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