Genesis 22 - Take Your Son, Your Only Son
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So good to be together again in this Passion or Easter week as we prepare celebrate the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
We have been following Abrahams adventure in faith sojourning from Ur of the Chaldees to Haran and all the way to Promised Land.
We have seen God make incredible promises to Abraham along the way. We have also seen Abraham take mis-steps and fail at times. Yet God has been faithful to protect Abraham and Sarah in spite of their failures. Finally last week we saw the fulfillment of God’s promise that A & S would have a son of their own. One through whom all of Gods promises would be fulfilled.
All that said it is amazing to me how the Holy Spirit has arranged the timing of this Chapter during this special week.
So lets stand as we read from Gen 22; the picture that Yahweh has placed in His word to pre-figure the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
1 Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”
2 He said, “Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.”
3 So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him and Isaac his son; and he split wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.
4 On the third day Abraham raised his eyes and saw the place from a distance.
5 Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go over there; and we will worship and return to you.”
As we pull this chapter apart we will see how much God arranged this story as a type or model of what was to come some 2 thousand years later. Both the OT and the NT tells us that God has placed these narratives as examples for our learning; Paul writes;
11 Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.
also Hosea writes;
10 I have also spoken to the prophets,
And I gave numerous visions,
And through the prophets I gave parables.
The word here for Parables is translated as similitudes in the Old KJV meaning something that resembles or can be compared to. I like to use the word “type” for these occasions and this is maybe the most outstanding type in the OT.
So here in our text in verse 1 we read;
1 Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”
Don’t you just love tests. The Hebrew word here for test is nasa , and the Hebrew construction indicates that God intensely caused the test to come upon Abraham. We go through tests as well. Not because God doesn’t know the answer as to how we will preform but rather to help us grow in out faith. But here there is a secondary reason and that was to place this perfect type in in His word for our benefit.
So here is the test;
2 He said, “Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.”
Perhaps one reason that God delayed the birth of Isaac until Abraham was 100 years old was that He needed all that time to prepare Abraham for this moment of testing. As a new believer this one story that will through many off. After all how could God ask such a thing?
Abraham did not understand why he only what God had already promised him. By the way it the same for you and me. When confronted by something you do not understand cling to that which you do.
Notice wording here in verse 2, ““Take now your son, your only son, whom you love,”
I thought Abraham had another son named Ismael? Yes, he did but remember that Issac, as we learned last week, is the son of promise.
The use of this phrase in verse 2 should remind you of another very famous verse?
16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
The Septuagint version of verse 2 uses the same term as John does by saying your beloved son, for your only (beloved) son, and the the one whom you love, Isaac (just to be clear)
Verse 2 continues;
Genesis 22:2 (NASB95)
2 He said, “Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.”
Now the land Moriah was and is a ridge line that is within what is now Jerusalem. It is interesting to note that it was a three days journey from Beersheba where Abraham was when God told him to go. The question is wasn’t there a closer place that this could be done? The answer is - lot’s of other places. So why Moriah?
I am glad you asked. It turns out that this area would become super important in the history of Israel and the life of Christ.
Image- Topology of Mount Moriah
At Abrahams time there was no Jerusalem. It was known as Salem and you might remember that Melchizedek was the King of Salem. The city was later known as Jebus and Israel had great difficulty taking it until the time of David.
Just North on the map notice “The threshing Floor of Arunah ( or Ornan).” This is the flat property on the ridge line that David bought from Ornan to offer a sacrifice after seeing the Angel of the LORD.
18 Then the angel of the Lord commanded Gad to say to David, that David should go up and build an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
19 So David went up at the word of Gad, which he spoke in the name of the Lord.
20 Now Ornan turned back and saw the angel, and his four sons who were with him hid themselves. And Ornan was threshing wheat.
21 As David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David, and went out from the threshing floor and prostrated himself before David with his face to the ground.
22 Then David said to Ornan, “Give me the site of this threshing floor, that I may build on it an altar to the Lord; for the full price you shall give it to me, that the plague may be restrained from the people.”
Interesting we later learn the reason that the LORD had David buy this land.
1 Then Solomon began to build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the Lord had appeared to his father David, at the place that David had prepared on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
So Mt Moriah, the threshing floor of Ornan becomes the temple mount where Solomon’s Temple was built. You should be getting the feeling that the Lord had a purpose in Choosing the Mountains of Moriah. But there’s more..
Look just to the North and you see the highest place of the ridge. A place known as Golgotha or Calvary. It is at this place, we of course know, that Our Lord Jesus was crucified. john writes;
17 They took Jesus, therefore, and He went out, bearing His own cross, to the place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha.
18 There they crucified Him, and with Him two other men, one on either side, and Jesus in between.
It is also the very place, Golgotha, that I believe Abraham was to offer his beloved son Isaac.
Notice also- Abraham is told to offer Issac as a Burnt Offering.
From the article on the Burnt Offering;
The Hebrew word for “burnt offering” actually means to “ascend,“ literally to “go up in smoke.” The smoke from the sacrifice ascended to God, “a soothing aroma to the LORD” (Leviticus 1:9). Technically, any offering burned over an altar was a burnt offering, but in more specific terms, a burnt offering was the complete destruction of the animal (except for the hide) in an effort to renew the relationship between Holy God and sinful man. With the development of the law, God gave the Israelites specific instructions as to the types of burnt offerings and what they symbolized.
The ultimate fulfillment of the burnt offering is in Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. His physical life was completely consumed, He ascended to God, and His covering (that is, His garment) was distributed to those who officiated over His sacrifice (Matthew 27:35). But most importantly, His sacrifice, once for all time, atoned for our sins and restored our relationship with God.
Now on our map to the far north we see the highest point which is labeled Akedah. The Jews call this place “Akedah.” The word means binding and is in reference to the binding of Isaac and putting him on the altar.
From the Jews for Jesus article on the Akedah;
God calls to Abraham, presumably from heaven, and Abraham replies, “Here I am!” In Hebrew, Abraham said, “Hineni!”, a phrase sometimes used by others to demonstrate their readiness to respond to God. But God makes a very strange request:
“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 22:1)
One reason this request is so jarring is that in the Scriptures, God forbids human sacrifice. Yet we do not read that Abraham complained, or remonstrated with God, or raised any objection whatsoever. We simply read that he took some helpers, his son Isaac, and some wood for the sacrifice, and traveled up the mountain.
And then, to compound the strangeness, Abraham tells his helpers, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you” (v. 5). Really? We thought Isaac was going to his death. Is Abraham lying—or does he know something we don’t? When Isaac next asks where is the lamb for the burnt offering—the chief requirement!—Abraham simply responds, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son” (v. 8). Again, does Abraham know something that Isaac doesn’t, or is he just covering his tracks?
Finally, they arrive at the place of sacrifice. Abraham proceeds to bind his apparently uncomplaining son upon the wood and raises his knife to slay him. At the very last moment, the angel of the Lord calls out to Abraham. Once again, he responds to God with hineni!1 And the angel of Lord tells Abraham: “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” (v. 12). As Abraham looks up, he sees a ram caught in a bush, which becomes the burnt offering in place of Isaac.
While in John 3:16, possibly the most famous verse in the New Testament, we read:
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
The connection is clear. Surely John was thinking that just as Abraham loved God enough that he was willing to offer up his only son, so God loves us enough to do the same. And Isaac, is it because he too loved God and his father that he did not complain but willingly went to the altar? So, Jesus willingly offered his life too: “For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord” (John 10:17-18)
we continue in our text;
Genesis 22:3–6 (NASB95)
3 So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him and Isaac his son; and he split wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.
4 On the third day Abraham raised his eyes and saw the place from a distance.
5 Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go over there; and we will worship and return to you.”
6 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 the two of them walked on together.
First notice Abraham’s immediate obediance to YHWH’s command; So Abraham rose early in the morning… There is no hesitation. Abraham has come to a place of completely trusting God. The author of Hebrews writes;
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son;
18 it was he to whom it was said, “In Isaac your descendants shall be called.”
19 He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type.
Abraham had concluded that this was God’s problem to deal with. Either he would resurrect Isaac or provide some other way but he was focused on what God had asked him to do.
Verse 5 is telling, “Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go over there; and we will worship and return to you.” How could he be so sure, well, he believed the promises of God.
It is interesting that this is the last time Issac is present in the story until he receives his bride. No to say that he was not alive but that the HS has left him out for the sake of the type.
Of Course Jesus has been gone for 2000 years and will not be seen until He returns with His Bride, you and me.
We continue;
Genesis 22:7–14 (NASB95)
7 Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” And he said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”
Remember Issac is probably about 30 at this time.
8 Abraham said, “God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” So the two of them walked on together.
In Hebrew the word “for” is not there. Literally it says “God will provide Himself the/a lamb.” In fact that is what He did through Jesus Christ.
9 Then they came to the place of which God had told him; and Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood, and bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.
10 Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.
11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”
In Hebrew hinneni .
12 He said, “Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”
That is why Abraham is the father of faith.
13 Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took the ram and offered him up for a burnt offering in the place of his son.
14 Abraham called the name of that place The Lord Will Provide, as it is said to this day, “In the mount of the Lord it will be provided.”
God is faithful, always. Oh that we would learn to trust Him.
We continue;
Genesis 22:15–19 (NASB95)
15 Then the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven,
16 and said, “By Myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son,
17 indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies.
18 “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”
19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham lived at Beersheba.
Notice there is no mention of Isaac.
The chapter ends with news of Abrahams family;
20 Now it came about after these things, that it was told Abraham, saying, “Behold, Milcah also has borne children to your brother Nahor:
21 Uz his firstborn and Buz his brother and Kemuel the father of Aram
22 and Chesed and Hazo and Pildash and Jidlaph and Bethuel.”
23 Bethuel became the father of Rebekah; these eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham’s brother.
24 His concubine, whose name was Reumah, also bore Tebah and Gaham and Tahash and Maacah.
So when we say it all about Jesus, you can see that it really is.
Pray