Abraham and Isaac: The Uncanny Truth!

Like much of the Old Testament the account of Abraham's (non!) sacrifice of Isaac foretells the coming of Christ:

In fact the account so coincides with Jesus' death and resurrection that the word "uncanny" becomes a massive understatement.

(You might want to follow the reading in Genesis 22):

(1) v 2 (God said) "Take your son your only son, whom you love": Abraham had one son (who he had waited 100 years for - but that's by the by)whom he loved: God had one son ... "whom I love, with him I am well pleased"

(2) v3 Isaac was traveling to his death with the donkey: reminds us of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem as he travels towards crucifixion.

(3)The sacrifice was to take place v 4 "On the third day":

So Abraham had counted him dead until the third day - the same length of time that Jesus was known to be dead.

(4) v 6 "Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac":

In the same way, by God the Father asking for Jesus' obedience, He was effectively placing the wood of the cross on His one and only son.

(5) v 9 "(Abraham)bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar":

Here there is no sign of any struggle - Isaac could easily have over powered this old frail man but even to death is obedient to his father.

Philipians 2 records:

" Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

And being found in the appearance of man, he humbled himself and became OBEDIENT TO DEATH - EVEN DEATH ON A CROSS!"


Of course the major difference is that whilst Isaac was saved from death Jesus did die on the cross in place of the 'sons' of Abraham - as Abraham prophesied in v8 "God himself will provide the lamb"


I don't know if you noticed in verse 5 Abraham said something quite curious:


v5 "Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then WE WILL COME BACK TO YOU":

Could it be possible that Abraham knew something of resurrection?. After all, Abraham knew that God does not break His promises and God had promised that from the seed of Abraham will rise a great nation.


The good news is that the lamb who was slain instead of the "sons" of Abraham means that you too are invited to join that great nation that God promised.

Any takers?

Comments

Doorman-Priest said…
It is an important story because it marks a transition from human sacrifice to animal sacrifice in ancient Hebrew religion.
June 6, 2008 at 1:12 PM
Anonymous said…
hmmmm. If Abraham "knew" that god does not break his promises, then why did he impregnate hagar? verdi intearesting
June 12, 2008 at 3:13 AM
Question of Identity said…
Anonymous you are right to mention this. Of course Abraham wasn't always as trusting as he should have been, but he clearly learned (partly through his mistake) that God's promise is reliable - even if it sometimes takes ten years for His promise to come into fruition.
June 12, 2008 at 12:33 PM
Question of Identity said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
June 12, 2008 at 3:59 PM
symbiontmusic said…
Why would God do such a horrible thing to a man to make a point of future happenings? If God came to me with this, I would say, you have crossed the line! Can one imagine this happening in the USA today. They would call a sharp shooter in to take out the father. Where is the logic in this, where is love in this?
June 21, 2008 at 4:26 PM
Question of Identity said…
symbiontmusic

Even though I suspect you may be coming from the point of view of some of those people who have been sending me hate male and stuff regarding my death, I have decided to publish this important and challenging comment. (Sorry if I am wrong! - I hope I am)

I am sure there is something in Doorman Priest's comment that "it marks a transition from human sacrifice to animal sacrifice".

I do believe that this is an historical account, and it is something that could only have happened with someone who had the intimacy of relationship with God and understanding of his love that Abraham and Isaac had.

They both were of the understanding that God would never let them down, that God always keeps his promises. They both had an understanding of God's supreme love and of the miraculous.

Abraham of course is known as the Father of faith and I would go as far as saying in the whole of history, there was no one else that God could have put through this ordeal (save for His Son, who as I pointed out was the real and complete sarifice!).
June 23, 2008 at 8:20 AM
symbiontmusic said…
-Even though I suspect you may be coming from the point of view of some of those people who have been sending me hate male and stuff regarding my death, I have decided to publish this important and challenging comment. (Sorry if I am wrong! - I hope I am)

Why not ask my point of view first, you may be surprised. I will tell you that I have spent time on the blog "Why I hate Jesus" and that does not say anything positive or negative about me. By your statement of "hope I am wrong" and apologizing after the fact, is disrespectful. I do not consider "sorry", that is easy and life does not either. An amend is binding. Your work with drug addicts & alcoholics teaches that. The 8th & 9th steps.

-I do believe that this is an historical account, and it is something that could only have happened with someone who had the intimacy of relationship with God and understanding of his love that Abraham and Isaac had.

You believe or you know? That makes a big difference.
June 24, 2008 at 7:55 PM
Question of Identity said…
Symbiontmusic
I hear and understand your first point, regarding my assumption and accept that I should not have made such an assumption! Again I apologise, even though it seems if I understand what you have said, to you apologies are worthless.

Like over 3000 prophecies in the Old Testament, the account of the non sacrifice is so clearly a foretelling of Jesus' incarnation.
June 24, 2008 at 9:22 PM
symbiontmusic said…
-I do believe that this is an historical account

You believe, or know?

- if I understand what you have said, to you apologies are worthless.

Re-read my statement:I do not consider "sorry", that is easy and life does not either. An amend is binding. Your work with drug addicts & alcoholics should teach that. The 8th & 9th steps of AA,NA,CDA ect...
July 9, 2008 at 4:57 AM
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