Yeshua said to the religious leaders of his day,
“if you believed Moses, you would believe Me,
for Moses wrote about me.”
I cannot think of any other part of the Bible that so foreshadows Yeshua’s crucifixion on the cross than Genesis Chapter 22.
The prophetic elements are so compelling.
If you are witnessing to a Jew, I recommend sharing the material presented here in a friendly fashion.
Don’t beat him or her over the head with it.
Maybe say to him or her, “Here’s an interesting perspective that I would like to share with you.”
If it gets him or her thinking, then you’ve done your job.
So let’s get started.
We are told in verse one that God tested Abraham.
Although we understand from the beginning that Isaac is going to survive this ordeal, this was a piece of information NOT given to Abraham.
However, it is given to us to reassure us that as a common practice God in no way accepts or approves of human sacrifice.
In the land of Canaan where they dwelled, human sacrifice was quite common and Isaac though shocked wouldn’t have been surprised at his father’s request.
It should also be mentioned that at this time Isaac was a fully-matured adult.
According to the best estimates, he was most likely anywhere in his late twenties to late thirties.
So the common cutesy Sunday school portrayal of an innocent toddler cooing and being coddled is just a Gentile Christian fable.
Let’s get into some of the amazing prophetic symbolism presented to us here.
We are told that Abraham had two servants with him and that they brought chopped wood with them that would be used for the sacrifice.
Next in verse six we are told that Abraham placed the sacrificial wood on the back of Isaac and he had to haul it up the altar where he would be killed.
Now 1800 years later, who else had to carry a huge hunk of wood that would also serve as the means of his death?
Next, when they arrived at their destination, Abraham informs the two servants that they are to stay where they are and not go up to the sacrificial altar with them.
However, Abraham reassures his servants that he and Isaac will return to them shortly.
Now who also told His followers that He was leaving and where He was going they couldn’t come and that He would return to them?
Aren’t the parallels just amazing?!
Here are some more:
-Abraham was to sacrifice his only son.
God sacrificed His only begotten son.
-When told by his father that he was to be sacrifice, Isaac willing submitted.
Yeshua too when told by His heavenly father that he was to be sacrificed acted in total obedience.
– Three days after Isaac was “sentenced” to death, he returned from the altar, alive.
Yeshua resurrected from the dead 3 days after he was killed.
-When Isaac asked where the sacrificial lamb was, his father said that God would provide it.
Likewise, God provided His very own son to be the sacrificial lamb for the whole world.
CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT
By trusting, Abraham, when he was put to the test, offered up Isaac as a sacrifice. Yes, he offered up his only son, he who had received the promises, to whom it had been said, “What is called your ‘seed’ will be in Isaac.” For he had concluded that God could even raise people from the dead! And, figuratively speaking, he did so receive him.-Hebrews 11:17-19
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