Austin Bible Church
Testing
Abraham אַבְרָהָם (‘abrâhâm) in the Hebrew means father of many nations, yet Abraham had just one son who was heir to the promise of God. Gen. 22:1-2.
“Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." 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."” (Genesis 22:1-2, NASB)
God instructed Abraham to take his only son Isaac and perform a specific sacrifice at a specific time. However, he had to learn of the location through obedience to what God had told him. Gen. 17:5-7.
“"No longer shall your name be called Abram, But your name shall be Abraham; For I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. "I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings will come forth from you. "I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your descendants after you.” (Genesis 17:5-7, NASB)
You must have everlasting life to inherit an everlasting covenant. 1 Peter 1:7.
“so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;” (1 Peter 1:7, NASB)
Obeying
In Genesis 22:3, Abraham did not argue with God. God had promised a son and a mighty nation. God is immutable so His promise cannot change. Abraham could have had a nervous breakdown, but he used faith to hold on to the promise God had made.
“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.” (Genesis 22:3, NASB)
He traveled three days, all the while using faith-rest. Gen. 22:4.
“On the third day Abraham raised his eyes and saw the place from a distance.” (Genesis 22:4, NASB)
Abraham believed God. He had full knowledge (epignosis) in his soul, therefore he had a frame of reference in this testing. He had a prototype edification complex. Abraham believed in God’s promises to him. If necessary, Isaac would be resuscitated. Notice the dogmatism in saying they would both return in Genesis 22:5.
“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.”“ (Genesis 22:5, NASB)
Isaac was satisfied. He had learned faith-rest from his father. Abraham had perfect peace. Gen. 22:8; Isaiah 26:3.
“Abraham said, “God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” So the two of them walked on together.” (Genesis 22:8, NASB)
““The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, Because he trusts in You.” (Isaiah 26:3, NASB)
Isaac had volition. He had to agree to be bound. Isaac was physically strong. Gen. 22:9.
“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.” (Genesis 22:9, NASB)
Abraham demonstrated his faith-rest by obedience. Gen. 22:10.
“Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.” (Genesis 22:10, NASB)
Providing
The noun “Abraham” is אַבְרָהָם (‘abrâhâm) and is repeated in the Hebrew and means perfect. Abraham was a mature believer by God’s standards. Gen. 22:11.
“But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”“ (Genesis 22:11, NASB)
Fear of God means Abraham had trust in God’s promises. Abraham passed the test by implicit obedience. Gen. 22:12.
“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.”“ (Genesis 22:12, NASB)
The substitutionary burnt offering of the ram instead of Isaac is a picture of the future substitutionary spiritual death of Jesus Christ on the Cross for all of mankind’s sin. Gen. 22:13.
“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.” (Genesis 22:13, NASB)
“Jehovah-jireh” in the Hebrew is “The Lord Will Provide” in also the “mount of the Lord” or Golgotha where Jesus Christ would be crucified to provide our so great salvation. Gen. 22:14.
“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.”“ (Genesis 22:14, NASB)
The Abrahamic Covenant is confirmed as promised in Genesis 12:2-3 and Genesis 22:15-18.
“And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing; And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”“ (Genesis 12:2-3, NASB)
“Then the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven, 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, 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. “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”“ (Genesis 22:15-18, NASB)
Lessons from Genesis 22
Waiting on the Lord means testing. Gen. 22:1.
“Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”“ (Genesis 22:1, NASB)
The Lord must always have first place. Not the gift, but the giver is important. The impossibility of happiness in stress without faith-rest is obvious. It is not enough to know the Word (gnosis - knowledge in the mind), but you must be able to apply it (epignosis - full knowledge) in a crisis. Col. 3:1-2; Gen. 22:2.
“Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.” (Colossians 3:1-2, NASB)
“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.”“ (Genesis 22:2, NASB)
God remains faithful (Immutability + Omnipotence) regardless of our status quo. We lose nothing by committing everything to the Lord. What we commit (deposit with Him) is never lost. Isaiah 33:6.
“And He will be the stability of your times, A wealth of salvation, wisdom and knowledge; The fear of the LORD is his treasure.” (Isaiah 33:6, NASB)
Comparison between Abraham and Isaac & God the Father and God the Son
Abraham and Isaac
Abraham had a son, Isaac. Isaac was born into God’s family. Abraham loved his son dearly. Isaac carried wood for the burnt offering. Isaac obeyed his father in all things. Isaac did not know until he was bound that he was to be the sacrifice. Isaac was strong, He could have snapped his ropes easily or kept from being bound. Abraham gave his son willingly. Isaac gave himself willingly. God provided a substitute for Isaac. Through Isaac, Abraham would have many sons.
God the Father and God the Son
God is the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Cor. 1:3.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,” (2 Corinthians 1:3, NASB)
Jesus Christ was God’s Son from all eternity. Psalms 2:7.
““I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.” (Psalms 2:7, NASB)
The Father loved the Son. John 3:35.
““The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand.” (John 3:35, NASB)
Jesus Christ carried His cross. John 19:17.
“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.” (John 19:17, NASB)
Jesus became obedient, even unto death. Phil. 2:8.
“Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:8, NASB)
Jesus had always known He would be the Savior. Rev. 13:8.
“All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain.” (Revelation 13:8, NASB)
Jesus Christ was bound too. He could have snapped His ropes easily by using His Omnipotence. His humanity chose instead to adhere with the Father’s plan and remain bound.
God the Father gave His Son out of love for the world. John 3:16.
““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.” (John 3:16, NASB)
Jesus was our substitute. Rom. 5:8; 2 Cor. 5:21.
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8, NASB)
“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21, NASB)
Jesus Christ gave Himself willingly. John 10:18.
““No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.”“ (John 10:18, NASB)
Through the Lord Jesus Christ, God will have many sons. Heb. 2:10.
“For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings.” (Hebrews 2:10, NASB)
The Analogy of God the Father to Abraham
Abraham watched Isaac on the altar. God the Father watched how His beloved Son was nailed to the Cross, the innocent for the guilty. God provided a ram to take the place of Isaac. No one could take the place of Jesus Christ. No one needed to die for Christ. Our Lord had not sinned, but He paid for our sins. He is perfect righteousness (+R). 2 Cor. 5:21.
“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21, NASB)
Application of the Passage
We all have sinned. We need a sin offering. Sin (imputed, inherent and personal) put man in the Slave Market of Sin. Jesus Christ left heaven where He had been with the Father eternally and took on the form of humanity for the express purpose of removing this barrier between man and God.
All sins were poured out on the humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross causing His spiritual death (separation from God the Father). God the Father separated from the Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross until His work was finished. Jesus Christ was not delivered and so God’s plan of salvation was completed. John 19:30.
“Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.” (John 19:30, NASB)
He did the most for us while enemies. Now, because of His grace, He does much more. Rom. 8:32; Rom. 5:8-10.
“He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32, NASB)
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” (Romans 5:8-10, NASB)