Biblical Worldview Learning Center: Daily Bible Reading- Genesis 22:1-24

****This reading plan is produced by the staff of "Biblical Worldview Learning Center." The views espoused do not necessarily agree with the views held by "The Contender's Notebook."

January 20th Genesis 22:1-1-24

In this chapter Abraham faces probably the greatest test a man could face. Think about all that has preceded this extraordinary event. Abraham and Sarah were without a child for all their married life. Then God promises them a son through which He will make Abraham's descendents a mighty nation. The years go by. Even though God continues to reassure Abraham that he will have a son, the circumstances say otherwise. Abraham and Sarah continue to age and eventually reach the ages of 100 and 90 respectively. Nobody has a baby at this age, it is completely impossible. But, God is not bound by the circumstances of nature. And, just as He promised, God causes Sarah to become pregnant and Isaac is born. Abraham and Sarah finally receive their long awaited son, the only son they would have. What joy they must have! What a relief they must have felt as their long wait finally came to an end. Now Abraham and Sarah could rest in the promise that God would somehow bring forth a great multitude of people through their one and only son Isaac. Well, sitting back and resting in the joy of their son was not what was waiting for them. Rather, God comes to Abraham and makes the impossible request. God tells Abraham to sacrifice his son, his only son. Oh, what a test of Abraham's faith and trust in God. How could Abraham now kill the only son he has? What we see, however, is that Abraham does not doubt God. Rather, he takes Isaac and some of his servants and sets out for the mountain God had directed him to. When they came near the place that God had designated, Abraham and Isaac leave the servants behind. Carefully read what Abraham tells his servants, "Abide here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you" (Genesis 22:5). Abraham fully expected that he and Isaac would return. How that would happen, I am sure Abraham did not know. Next, I want you to notice how Abraham answers Isaac when Isaac asks about the lamb they will need for the sacrifice. Abraham answered Isaac saying, "My son, God will provide himself a lamb" (Genesis 22:8). Abraham, in faith, makes an astonishing statement. He completely believed that somehow God would intervene and provide the lamb. As you have already read in this chapter, God does intervene and stops Abraham before he actually slays Isaac. Then, God shows Abraham a ram caught in a thicket that he and Isaac can use for the sacrifice. In this way, God did provide the lamb. And, that lamb was offered, as the Scripture records, "in the stead of his son" (Genesis 22:13). The lamb was a substitute sacrifice for Isaac. Do you remember how I told you that the miraculous birth of Isaac, the "child of promise," was a picture of the much more miraculous birth to come of "The Promised Child," God in human flesh? When an event in the Old Testament is used as a picture of a work God will do through His Son, Jesus Christ, in the New Testament, the Old Testament event is called a "foreshadow" of the New Testament event. That is what we have here. Isaac was the one God had stated should be slain. Yet, God intervened and provided a substitute sacrifice for Isaac in the form of a lamb. This is a "foreshadow" of what God has planned to do for all mankind. Through His Son, Jesus Christ, the true "Promised Child," we will see that God will provide a substitute for the judgment that is over all men because of their sin. Just as the ram was a burnt offering in the place of Isaac, Jesus Christ took the wrath of God upon Himself in the place of you and me. We will read the wonderful story of Jesus Christ and His sacrifice for us when we read the New Testament.