“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.” (Genesis 22)
In Name + of Jesus. Amen. God commands Abraham to sacrifice his son; his only son. Unthinkable! God tested Abraham. Abraham and Isaac embark on a 3 day journey to the mountain. Father and son are going to church. As they always did together. Abraham says, “I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” (Genesis 22)
Abraham lays the wood on his son. Isaac carries the wood for the sacrifice. Isaac knows what is needed for worship —The sacrifice. Everything else they have. They have the wood, the fire and the knife. Where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” Abraham is faithful. Doing all that the Lord commands. 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.
Isaac is the son of the promise. What promise? That the Savior of the world would come through his family line. Abraham is believing what the Lord has promise. Even as he draws the knife for the sacrifice. He lifts the blade to sacrifice Isaac.
BUT….BUT God sends the Angel of the Lord to STOP Abraham. “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 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.”
Abraham looks up. There is a ram caught by its horns in the thicket. The need for a sacrifice is still required. The substitute for Isaac. Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. (Hebrews 9) This account sounds really familiar, does it? It should—because it is fulfilled by Jesus for you. The LORD will provide” “On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided.”
“Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. (John 1)
Jesus is God’s Son, His One and Only Son in whom He loves. God provides the gift of Jesus for you because He so loved you. The part where the accounts differ—God does not STOP—God provided Jesus on the Mountain—Mount Calvary. Jesus is the once for all sacrifice for you. Your substitute to stand in the place of sinners. To take the wrath of God for you. At the Cross God provided Jesus. The Blood of the Lamb runs rich in forgiveness—His life giving blood.
Abraham considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. (Hebrews 11)
The Cross and Empty Tomb of Jesus is where we are journeying in Lent. Blessings that flow from Jesus. He has risen over the grave. God provides Jesus the Crucified and Risen Lord who brings blessings that flow eternally. God provides Jesus for you in His Water, His Word, in His Body and Blood given for you. God provides Jesus. In Name + of Jesus. Amen.
- Pastor Berndt