Genesis 22:1-8 – God Himself had provided a Lamb

We come to the high point in the life of Abraham in his journey with God. We are not told how many years had passed since Ishmael departed. But we know that Isaac had grown into a fine boy. God then put Abraham through the severest test of his life. He asked him to take Isaac to the mountain and sacrifice his precious son to Him. It seems like a gruesome test. How could God who gave him a son at his old age then decided to take him away? There can only be a few reasons. Firstly, God wants total trust. He had promised that the descendants of Abraham would come though Isaac. Could Abraham trust God to keep His Word? Secondly, God wants loyalty and total allegiance from Abraham. Would he be loyal and committed by showing willingness to give God his only son? The asking of Isaac will be a good test. His willingness will show who has the priority in his life.

Notice that by this time Abraham had grown to love Isaac very much. God knew it that’s why he specifically told him to sacrifice the son whom he loved. So God came to him one day and asked him to take Isaac to a mountain in Moriah where God would show him so that he could offer Isaac as a burnt offering to Him. Abraham obediently followed God’s instruction. He rose early, took two servants, cut wood, saddled Isaac and went up to Moriah. It was only on the third day that he sighted the mountain where he was to offer Isaac. Notice how Abraham told the two servants before he took Isaac up to the mountain to offer to God. He said to them, “Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go over there; and we will worship and return to you.” In other words, Abraham fully expected to return with Isaac even if he had sacrificed him to God. He believed that God would resurrect Isaac even if he should slay him on the altar. That’s absolute faith.

Leaving the servants behind, Abraham and Isaac ascended the mountain. He made Isaac carry the wood for the sacrifice, while he took the knife in one hand and the fire, probably a torch, in the other hand. If we were in his shoes, our hearts would be heavy. So we can easily imagine Abraham’s feeling at that point. To add to what was already hard to bear, Isaac had to ask the most difficult question. He asked his daddy saying, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Abraham’s heart must have been pierced a thousand times. Bravely he replied, “God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.”  What faith! So the two of them walked on.

What Abraham did was an enactment of what God Himself would do for us years later. He actually sent Jesus, His only Son, who carried a wooden cross up to Mount Calvary where He was to be sacrificed. Much like Isaac who had carried wood up a mountain in Moriah for his own sacrifice. But unlike Isaac, He was actually sacrificed and gave up His life for the payment of our sins. He is truly the lamb that Abraham told Isaac that God Himself would provide. He is the Lamb that had been slain for the sin of the world. Let’s be grateful for what God had done in order that we can walk on together with Him.