Let’s look at the Easter message from the view our Heavenly Father through the typology of Abraham in Gen. 22:1-14. The story of Abraham offering Isaac is a familiar story, but it is deeper than just a mere test of Abraham’s faith. As we look back some 3900 years into Israel’s history we find ourselves in the land of Canaan before it was called the Promised Land. Hebrew 11:17-19 mention the same account as Gen. 22 when Abraham went to offer Isaac on Mt. Moriah. It is a picture of Mt. Calvary. The author of Hebrews uses the words “his only begotten son” in reference to Isaac transporting the Christian’s mind to John 3:16.
Gen. 22:1 states, “And it came to pass after these things…” After what things is Moses referring? He’s referring to the things that had caused Abraham to grow in faith to follow God to the point that he was ready for this test. It would be impossible to believe that Abraham would be asked to offer Isaac without a life long building of his faith and that would be accurate. For some 80 years Abraham had followed God. From the account in Gen 12 to the point that Abraham had left his family in Ur, failed in Egypt, separated himself from Lot, and conquered in battle. God had developed His man that would now be displayed to the world on Mt. Moriah. Abraham’s act on Mt. Moriah of offering Isaac as a sacrifice would be the picture of what God would do with His only begotten son, Jesus Christ on Mt. Calvary for the sin of the world.
Gen. 22:2 – God tells Abraham to go to Moriah. Moriah means “foreseen of Jehovah”. Everything was foreseen of God. God knew what Abraham would do, what Isaac would do, and what He would do. Nothing in this was a surprise. God sets up this picture to show that He knows our problem and that He can rectify our situation. The fall of Adam was foreseen by Jehovah as was the Cross. We were created to have fellowship with God and to live in harmony. God used the instrument of the cross to bring ruined people back in harmony with His will.
Verses 3, 4, and 9 reference “the place” to which Abraham was taking Isaac. I can imagine that “the place” was heavy on Abraham’s mind for the three days he labored with this task. As he chopped the wood to take on their trip, as they traveled by every hill, as they climbed Mt. Moriah “the place” haunted Abraham’s thoughts. Now consider Abraham’s thoughts for just the few days he dealt with in light of God’s thoughts about Mt. Calvary. God is omniscient – Mt. Calvary was there, always on His mind from the dawn of time. Abraham’s torture was a mere shadow compared to the place foreseen by Jehovah for His Son.
Verses 6 and 8 states, “they went both of them together”. Father and son were in perfect understanding. Isaac wasn’t dragged into this situation. There was a point when the servants could not go any farther and they had to wait behind. Jesus reached that point at Gethsemane. He met a depth of sorrow that we can never know. Abraham placed the wood of the sacrifice on Isaac to carry. Isaac felt the weight and the servants were free of it. Isaac had to carry the burden the rest of the way. It is at this point that Jesus did not just know of sin, but the load of the world’s sin was heaped on Him.
Verse 10 Abraham stretched forth his hand to take Isaac’s life, but was stopped by the angel of the Lord. Mt. Moriah would have to wait until Mt. Calvary. Abraham declared his faith in God and called Him, Jehovah-jireh in verse 14, which means “the Lord will provide”. And through His Son Jesus Christ, God did exactly that for you and me.
kwells7.wordpress.com 