The Sacrifice

In Genesis 22 we read the story of God telling Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac.

In this story we have a picture of the crucifixion of Jesus.

In this story, God puts Abraham to the test by asking him to do something unthinkable. God asks Abraham to sacrifice his only son, the son of the promise, Isaac, as a burnt offering. Abraham had another son, Ishmael, but Isaac was the son that all of God’s promises were to come through.

Isaac represented the continuation of all the promises God had given to Abraham to bless all the earth through Abraham’s descendants. Everything about Isaac’s life was the result of God’s supernatural plan and provision.

God did what was humanly impossible by enabling Sarah at 90 years old to have a child.

In spite of all that Isaac represented, God was asking Abraham to surrender his beloved son.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is surrendering our will to God’s will and being willing to trust God with everything in our lives.

In this story we see the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son according to God’s will.

Genesis 22:2-3

Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love – Isaac – and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.” Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about.

God also was willing to sacrifice His one and only Son.

John 3:16

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.

Genesis 22:6

Abraham took the wood for the brunt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife.

Abraham had Isaac carry the wood on which he would be laid to be the burnt offering.

John 19:17

Carrying His own cross, He went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha).

God the Father placed the wooden cross, the instrument of Jesus’ sacrifice, on Him.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is acknowledging and receiving Jesus as the atoning sacrifice for our sin.

In this story was also see the faith we need to receive Jesus’ sacrifice for our sin.

Genesis 22:5

He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.”

Abraham expresses faith that after they had gone and worshiped God, he and Isaac would come back. Abraham was not saying this just to appease his servants or to trick Isaac. He was saying this based on his faith in God.

Genesis 22:7-8

Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?” “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied. “The fire and the wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Abraham answered, “God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.

Again, Abraham expressed his faith in God’s plan. Abraham didn’t fully understand all the details of God’s plan, but he trusted God.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is trusting God in His plan for our salvation and our lives.

Then we see God’s gracious provision.

Abraham tied Isaac to the altar and was about to plunge the knife into him when the angel of the Lord called out to Abraham.

Genesis 22:12-13

“Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from Me your son, your only son.” Abraham looked up and there in the thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.

God saw that Abraham had faith in God, His will, and His plan and so in His grace He provided a ram in place of Isaac for the burnt offering.

In God’s grace He provided a sacrifice for us in His Son, Jesus.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is God gracious gift of His Son, Jesus.

Jesus’ sacrifice for our sin is not an after thought of God or plan B. Jesus’ sacrifice for our sin was part of the Father’s plan from the very beginning.

Rejoicing in Jesus’ Sacrifice, Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls,

                                                       Joe