When I went to Bible College our professor, Dr. Mitchell, taught about the types and shadows in the Old Testament that pointed to Christ. I remember well his class on Isaac.
“The Lord said, ‘Go get Isaac, your only son, the one you dearly love! Take him to the land of Moriah, and I will show you a mountain where you must sacrifice him to me on the fires of an altar.’ 3 So Abraham got up early the next morning and chopped wood for the fire. He put a saddle on his donkey and set out with Isaac and two servants for the place where God had told him to go. 4 Three days later Abraham looked off in the distance and saw the place.”
Imagine, if you will, that you are Abraham. God promised you a son and you waited patiently for 25 years for that son to be born. Now, your son is probably a young man in his teens and as you talk with the Lord in your morning quiet time the Lord gives you the instruction to offer him as a sacrifice.
Shocking! Disheartening! Unsettling for sure!
Three days they walked. Three days the thought of Isaac’s death was weighing on Abraham’s heart.
“He told his servants, ‘Stay here with the donkey, while my son and I go over there to worship. We will come back.’ 6 Abraham put the wood on Isaac’s shoulder, but he carried the hot coals and the knife. As the two of them walked along, 7-8 Isaac said, ‘Father, we have the coals and the wood, but where is the lamb for the sacrifice?’
“My son,” Abraham answered, “God will provide the lamb.” Genesis 22:5-8 CEV
Now they walked, just the two of them, on the path to the mountain top. Much like the walk Christ took on the way to the hill of Golgotha. Isaac had wood on his shoulders, Jesus had a wooden cross.
“God will provide the lamb”.
They walked on and when they reached the mountain Abraham had Isaac help him build the altar and place the wood on it.
“Next, he tied up his son and put him on the wood. 10 He then took the knife and got ready to kill his son. 11 But the Lord’s angel shouted from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” Genesis 22:9-11 CEV
Jesus was nailed to a cross and Isaac was tied to the wood. Abraham was willing to be obedient to God even if it meant he gave up the one he loved the most in this life. God gave up his Only Begotten Son.
” Abraham had been promised that Isaac, his only son, would continue his family. But when Abraham was tested, he had faith and was willing to sacrifice Isaac, 19 because he was sure that God could raise people to life. This was just like getting Isaac back from death.” Hebrews 11:17-19 CEV
Here’s what God did next.
“Don’t hurt the boy or harm him in any way!” the angel said. “Now I know that you truly obey God, because you were willing to offer him your only son.” 13 Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in the bushes. So he took the ram and sacrificed it instead of his son. 14 Abraham named that place ‘The Lord Will Provide.'” Genesis 22:12-14 CEV
God provided a lamb for Abraham and He provided the Lamb of God for us.
“When he saw Jesus walking by, he said, ‘Here is the Lamb of God!’ John 1:36 CEV
When Abraham left the servants at the bottom of the mountain he said the boy and I will return.
“Abraham and Isaac went back to the servants who had come with him, and they returned to Abraham’s home in Beersheba.” Genesis 22:19 CEV
On Jesus’ last night with His disciples He said He was going to His Father’s house but He would return.
We are all now waiting for that to happen. The shadow of Christ is on the road and we who love Him will see Him soon.