Abraham's faith journey (prophet) #14

 September 25, 2020 (Friday)

      Last time I promised to explain some things about Genesis 22. I left much for you to consider on your own. Please read to the end, because I'm going to suggest some things that require explanation.

      The “dark twist” in Abraham’s faith journey is the severity of the test. God required him to sacrifice, the “only son.” If we have been reading Abraham’s story up to this point, we know Isaac was not the “only son.” The other thing which seems inconsistent is the human sacrifice part. This is something God hates. So, is the story wrong?

      One of my ways to understand Scripture is the realization that everything is “accurate” but not necessarily “true.” Pay careful attention, or you will misunderstand me. The Bible records the facts accurately, but that is different from truth. For instance, the king of Babylon (presumably a “type” for the Devil) claims to be the “bright and morning star.” This happens to be one of Jesus’ titles. The Bible accurately records the king saying the words, but they were not true. (He is not the "bright and morning star.") 

      Another way I understand biblical prophecy is to recognize that the prophets sometimes saw multiple events as one occurrence. It’s like looking through a tube with multiple glass lenses. Each lens has part of what looks like the same image. This story is prophetic in nature. Moses, the writer of Genesis, is considered to be the most important prophet of the Old Testament. 

      What we have when Abraham is told to take his “only son” is actually a foreshadowing of another story. It is accurate that Isaac was the “only son,” who was home. The spiritual truth about the “only son” is reserved for another story. Jesus declared, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” [John 3:16 ESV]

      It is disturbing that God would ask for a human sacrifice. This practice, God hates in the strongest sense of the word. “You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way, for every abominable thing that the Lord hates they have done for their gods, for they even burn their sons and their daughters in the fire to their gods.” [Deuteronomy 12:31 ESV] Yet, our peace rests on human sacrifice. Let me explain.

      Abraham prophesied that God would provide a “lamb.” (See Genesis 22:8) It is accurate that God did NOT provide Abraham a lamb as a substitute for Isaac. (See Genesis 22:13). Yet, Abraham's prophecy is true. It is true that God provided a lamb as a substitute for us. John the Baptist declared, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” [John 1:29 ESVb]

     Paul explained it this way, “For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood.” [Romans 3:25a NLT] Remember the three-day trip Abraham took? (See Genesis 22:4) On the third day after His crucifixion, (Jesus) “was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord.” [Romans 1:4 ESV]

     Seeing Jesus in the imagery of a lamb, John testifies, “Then I saw a Lamb that looked as if it had been slaughtered, but it was now standing between the throne and the four living beings and among the twenty-four elders.” [Revelation 5:6a NLT] The horrific idea of a single human sacrifice, Jesus dying in our place, shows us the severity of our sin and the depth of God’s love and willingness to forgive.

     All prophesied by Abraham, through Moses, and fulfilled in Jesus.