A Message from Pastor Daniel
“And Abraham looked up and saw a ram, caught in a thicket by its horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. And Abraham called the place ‘The LORD will provide,” as it is said to this day, ‘On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided’” (Gen 22:13-14, NRSV)
The story of God’s call to Abraham to offer Isaac as a sacrifice is known to most people, Christian and non-Christian alike. The account as found in Genesis 22 is certainly telescoped, yet the reader hardly fails to notice the high drama and intense emotions in the story. The story reveals the patriarch’s agonizing obedience, faith, and trust in God’s providence.
The drama begins when Abraham is commanded by God to “take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love,” and sacrifice him on a mountain in the land of Moriah (v. 2). It is certainly not a stretch of the imagination to envision father and son’s embrace as Abraham got ready to sacrifice Isaac, who voluntarily presented himself as the sacrificial offering (vv. 9-10). It is at this point in the story that God ordered Abraham to spare Isaac’s life. The patriarch looked up and saw a ram providentially “caught in a thicket.” Abraham substituted this sheep for Isaac as a burnt offering, illustrating God’s willingness to accept animal sacrifice in place of human life (vv. 11-13). The story shows that God, the Creator, would not have human sacrifices used to appease Him, possibly a commutation of human sacrifices that were rampant in ancient cultures. A better and ultimate sacrifice is provided by the promised Messiah. Jesus Christ is sacrificed in our stead, as this ram instead of Isaac, and His death is our discharge.
Abraham clearly understood God’s provision and called the place in Hebrew Yahweh yireh, which is translated “the Lord will provide” (v. 14; the Hebrew verb ra’ah, from which yireh is derived, means “to see;” the God who “sees” everything, past, present, and future, is able to anticipate and provide for our needs). Abraham presented himself before God, willing to give the very best offering and trusting in God to supply his every need. First, Abraham’s instruction to his two servants reveals his implicit trust in God: “Stay here with the donkey; the boy and I will go over there; we will worship, and then we will come back to you” (v. 5). Abraham then explicitly reiterates his trust in God in his response to that heart-wrenching and piercing question from Isaac: “Father, …the fire and wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? Abraham said, ‘God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.’ So the two of them walked together” (vv. 7-8).
Sure enough, the Lord met Abraham’s needs by providing a ram. We can also expect God to provide for us when we truly trust Him and offer all we are to Him. God demonstrated His generosity by giving us the perfect and ultimate sacrifice in Jesus (Rom8:32). May we imitate and worship Him in love with the best of our time, talents, and possessions.