Sermon Tone Analysis

2 – Mountains of PROVISION (Sacrifice) or substitute

Moriah = What God DOES – GIVES

Abraham and Isaac

A true father will sacrificially follow God’s will.

In other words, A godly father will follow the desires of his heavenly Father, even if it means sacrificing his own.

Sacrifice = Offering

Altar = heart?

Abraham

Abraham was a pivotal figure in the historical timeline of Israel and the Church.

Before Abraham, God dealt with the entire world as a whole entity.

But God chose to narrow his plan of global salvation down to one man, Abraham.

God’s plan of human redemption was twofold:

First, God would bless Abraham, despite his age, with an abundance of children, spanning many generations, As a constant reminder of His promise, God even changed Abram’s name to Abraham, which meant “a father of multitudes”.

Secondly, God would bless his descendants with an abundance of fertile land with which to live in, known as the Promised Land.

As a result, God promised to use Abraham’s family to bless all nations.

(Genesis 12:3).

A father’s faith is based on God’s faithfulness

Up to this time, Abraham had already experienced the goodness of God:

God introduced Himself to Abraham as “El Shaddai” – which means “the God of more than enough” and began blessing all that Abraham had – flocks, servants, finances, and prestige.

His greatest blessing of all would come not in the form of silver and gold, but in finally becoming a father, even at 100 years of age!

Abraham’s faith was based on the consistent and unfailing Word of God.

However, there came a time in Abraham’s life where he had to choose to sacrifice his will, as a father, for God’s will concerning his only child.

God tested Abraham’s obedience by telling him to sacrifice his son Isaac as a burnt offering.

The purpose of this heavenly command was to see if Abraham trusted God completely and give everything he had for God’s use and purpose, even if it made no sense humanly speaking.

Genesis 22:1–2 (NLT)

1 Some time later, God tested Abraham’s faith.

“Abraham!”

God called.

“Yes,” he replied.

“Here I am.”

· Immediate response of faith!

2 “Take your son, your only son—yes, Isaac, whom you love so much—and go to the land of Moriah.

Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you.”

A Godly Father Reflects God’s love

· Take you only son - Whom you love so much – John 3:16

Abraham reflects on earth the Father’s love in heaven

Abraham loved his son, God loves His Son even more!

Mt.

Moriah = Sacrifice

· The mountain of (the Lord’s) appearance (2 Chr 3:1).

· “Mount Moriah” is a mountain in Jerusalem where several major Biblical and historic events occurred:

· “Mount Moriah” is where king David built an altar to stop a destroying plague following an evil census instigated by his pride.

· “Mount Moriah” is the site of Solomon’s temple

Events at Mt Moriah

· Abraham and Isaac – Heard God = replacementor substitute = ram

· David’s Census – saw angel = repentance= replaces sacrifice for judgment

· Solomon’s Temple – saw glory = numerous sacrifices = revival

What is a Sacrifice?

= to OFFER

· an act of offering to a deity something precious

· the killing of a victim on an altar

· the surrender of something for the sake of something else

· to suffer loss of, give up, especially for an ideal, belief, or end

“Sacrifice.”

Merriam-Webster.com

Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sacrifice. Accessed 18 Jun.

2022.

Burnt offering – only offering completely consumed by fire into ashes.

Many other sacrifices would later be partially burned so the priests could eat the cooked meat.

Holocaust = perverted burnt offering – with NO substitute

Genesis 22:3 (NLT) b

3 The next morning Abraham got up early.

He saddled his donkey and took two of his servants with him, along with his son, Isaac.

Then he chopped wood for a fire for a burnt offering and set out for the place God had told him about.

· The story of Abraham and his only son Isaac travelling to be a sacrifice on Mt.

Moriah is the earliest and clearest Old Testament picture of Father God’s relationship with His only begotten Son, Jesus, as He travelled to a hill next to Mt Moriah, called calvary, to offer Himself as a human sacrifice for all of humanity.

Genesis 22:4 (NLT)

4 On the third day of their journey, Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance.

· 3rd day – Jesus knew the day of His personal sacrifice = Passover

· Looked up – one day Jesus looked up and saw the cross that He would hang from on Mt.

Calvary

Genesis 22:5 (NLT)

5 “Stay here with the donkey,” Abraham told the servants.

“The boy and I will travel a little farther.

We will worship there, and then we will come right back.”

Alone = Family Business

· Help can’t go.

Stay here.

Let go of bad company.

Not committed.

· Only me and God

· There are some things only a father can do.

· There are some places that only a father can go.

· This is why godly fathers are so important because revival begins in the family.

Walked together

Genesis 22:6 (NLT)

6 So Abraham placed the wood for the burnt offering on Isaac’s shoulders, while he himself carried the fire and the knife.

As the two of them walked on together,

· Theory – As Jesus as the Son of God carried the cross, it is possible that God the Father could have walked up calvary’s hill with His Son.

· This would be consistent with their loving nature and close relationship.

As the Father and Son were always together in heaven, I believe they spent as much time together as possible on earth.

Genesis 22:7–8 (NLT)

7 Isaac turned to Abraham and said, “Father?”

“Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.

“We have the fire and the wood,” the boy said, “but where is the sheep for the burnt offering?”

8 “God will provide a sheep for the burnt offering, my son,” Abraham answered.

And they both walked on together.

God walks with sacrificial Fathers

· Word of Encouragement – No matter what a dad is going through, personally, spiritually, know that your Father walks with you!

Isaac submits to Abraham –

· not my will –