January 15, 2008
Genesis Chapter 22
A Picture of God’s Substitute
Prayer:
Father, I understand the concept of placing my “Isaac” on the altar for You, but when put to the test, I’m not sure I’d pass. I can only ask for Your mercy and strength in my time of deepest surrender. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Introduction:
Several years ago, my husband phoned from work, asked me to make a doctor’s appointment for him, and said he was on his way home. I knew he was sick. Gene does not miss work unless he literally cannot stand on his feet. I didn’t know how true that statement was until he walked in the door and collapsed in the middle of the living room.
That evening, Gene wound up in the hospital that lead to a five-day vacation with a “wait-staff” dressed in white uniforms and around the clock gourmet meals complete with morphine for dessert all served through a tube. A MRI showed a spot on one of his kidneys and a specialist was called in.
During this time of uncertainty, God asked me if I would give Gene to Him. I knew I was not to ask that Gene would be healed, but to trust God to see us through whatever lay ahead—sickness, health, even death. How much was I trusting God at that moment? I weakly bowed my head and through the strength of the Holy Spirit, said, “Your will be done, LORD. You alone are my rock and my shield.”
At the end of the week, the doctor ordered another MRI. The spot had disappeared! The specialist, who was proclaimed the best on the east coast, scratched his head and said not much baffled him, but this case did. Although the doctor had no diagnosis or answers, Gene and I knew that God had healed him and mercifully spared us from the agony of sickness and separation.
The Lesson:
There is no clearer picture of the trinity in the Old Testament than the one given in today’s text.
Picture A—God the Father:
As Abraham was willing to sacrifice his promised son to demonstrate his devotion and love to God, God willing sacrificed His only begotten Son to demonstrate His devotion and love to humanity. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).
Note: God does not require human sacrifice. Other portions of Scripture tell us that He detests it. This test for Abraham had two purposes: (1) to clarify Abraham’s loyalty to Almighty God; (2) to illustrate God’s provision and deliverance.
Picture B—God the Son:
Isaac, the promised child of the Abrahamic covenant, typifies Jesus Christ. Their birth—Isaac was born of parents physically well beyond childbearing age; Jesus was born of a virgin—Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost (Matthew 1:18). Their obedience unto death—Isaac followed his father to the altar and surrendered in absolute obedience and unquestioned trust to Abraham’s command; Jesus surrendered in absolute obedience and unquestioned trust to the Father’s command-- “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father” (John 10:17-18).
The ram also typifies Christ. Careful study of verse eight reveals God’s intentions: And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb (KJV emphasis mine). The NIV translates it a little differently—Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb.” Consider the emphasis on the statement according to the KJV, which seems more accurate. (1) the KJV denotes a much deeper thought, Abraham acknowledged that the Lamb was provided for God’s purpose, not Abraham’s; (2) the KJV also implies that God (or Christ) is the Lamb, which would make this statement prophetic in nature.
Picture C—God the Holy Spirit:
From Jesus (John 14 through 16), we learn the functions of the Holy Spirit—to teach, to guide, to empower, and to comfort. Throughout Abraham’s life, the Holy Spirit taught him to trust God. The Holy Spirit guided Abraham to the mount on which the sacrifice was to take place. The Holy Spirit empowered Abraham with the courage and strength he needed to carry out the mission without fear. And finally, the Holy Spirit comforted Abraham by sending His messenger to stop the sacrifice of Isaac and by snaring a ram to take Isaac’s place.
Conclusion and Challenge:
God will accept no substitute except for the One He has provided. The LORD demands that we give Him our very lives and place that which we hold most dear on the altar as a living sacrifice to Him.
Jesus said, “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26). The Greek word for hate, Miseo, basically means having a relative preference for one thing over another by way of expressing either aversion from or disregard for, the claims of one person or thing relatively to those of another (The New Strong’s Expanded Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, James Strong, LL.D, S.T.D., published by Nelson 2001).
In other words, we must be willing to surrender our families, our careers, and our most valued possessions to Jesus or we can’t even be called His disciples.
When our child is lying in a hospital bed, can we say, “Have your own way LORD,” knowing that His way may not be our heart’s desire?
If our career is spiraling downward faster than the speed of accumulating bills, are we willing to sing, “It is well with my soul,” realizing that God may lead us down a path of poverty for His sake?
What about that 2007 Lincoln sedan we just paid cash for, would we give it, with no strings attached, to our neighbor, who is in dire need of a vehicle? Could we walk away with praise on our lips, “There Shall be Showers of Blessing,” understanding that we will have to drive our daughter’s beat-up 1998 Neon for at least four years until we safe enough to pay cash for another luxury car?
Receiving the very best from God requires us to give our very best to Him and to others without expectations of any earthly reward.
