Any woman who has held a chubby-faced cherub in her arms surely gets squeamish at the idea of surrendering a child. Though it knots up our stomachs, the pattern of parents surrendering children to the Lord is inescapably woven throughout the Bible.
We see it with Moses’s mama as she tenderly laid him in a basket and placed him in the river (Exodus 2:1–10). Perhaps we remember our own bins of baby clothes stashed in the closet as we read about Samuel, whose mother, Hannah, gave up her toddler to serve in the temple, and then faithfully delivered a “little robe” to him each year (1 Samuel 1:1–2:21). And as we consider the life of Isaac, the promised miracle child of Abraham, we see this surrender in graphic detail.
If this is just a human story about a human family, frankly, it stinks. How could a good God ask a father to give up the child of promise he was given? How could a good father agree to such a request? It is hard to wrap our hearts around the situation. But this is more than a story about one human family. This account of Abraham and Isaac points to the bigger story. Way back in Genesis, God was showing His people a preview of the gospel. If we anxiously look away from this story or race through it to find an easier pill to swallow, we will miss the stunning parallels.
Isaac carried the wood for the sacrifice on his back (Genesis 22:6).
Jesus carried the cross on His back, on the way to Golgotha (John 19:17).
Isaac was bound and led to the altar (Genesis 22:9).
Christ was bound and led to the cross (Mark 15:1).
Isaac is described as Abraham and Sarah’s beloved and “only son” (Genesis 22:2).
Centuries later, God the Father would declare from heaven, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased” (Matthew 3:17).
Because of Abraham’s obedience, the angel of the Lord promised, “All the nations of the earth will be blessed by your offspring because you have obeyed my command” (Genesis 22:18).
Because of Christ’s obedience, “[He] purchased people for God by [His] blood from every tribe and language and people and nation” (Revelation 5:9).
But these stories diverge at a critical juncture. Isaac’s life was ultimately spared (Genesis 22:11–14), but for Christ there would be no ram in the thicket. The Father would follow through with the sacrifice so that all sons and daughters could be spared.
We will all have “Isaacs” to lay down on the altar. But our stories are no more about us than Isaac’s moment on the mountain was about him. Our lives are stamped by the gospel. Every baby in the bullrushes, every “tiny robe,” every day we choose to hold our own beloveds with open palms—we are reminded that our God willingly sacrificed His beloved Son so that we might be called the children of God (John 1:12).
We will all have “Isaacs” to lay down on the altar. But our stories are no more about us than Isaac’s moment on the mountain was about him. (Help me believe and live this to the depths of my soul Lord)
Our lives are stamped by the gospel. (Hallelujah)
Every baby in the bullrushes, every “tiny robe,” every day we choose to hold our own beloveds with open palms—we are reminded that our God willingly sacrificed His beloved Son so that we might be called the children of God (John 1:12). (Amen)
As I do this reading today, I’ve got my baby boy snuggled up on my chest. This baby boy was a long awaited child, promised to me by God on a missions trip in Ethiopia. It’s a long story, but the verse given to me for the promise was Genesis 21 1:2, and ever since then I feel a connection to Abraham and Sarah. So as I read this today with my promised baby in my arms, I tried to fathom what Abraham felt in being asked to sacrifice the long awaited son, the fulfillment of God’s promise. And the thought that struck me was this- many times in the teaching of this story, Abraham is highlighted for his great faith. But Abraham’s faith is not the hero of this story. He only had that kind of faith because he believed in a God so worthy of it. Abraham’s faith in this story points us to the beautiful character and goodness of God! Because Abraham deeply knew that God is good, provider God, sovereign God- he was able to do the seemingly impossible and get up early in the morning and prepare his son to be sacrificed. The more we truly know God, the more we can have that kind of faith. So now as I look at the story of Abraham being willing to sacrifice Isaac, I see a story of the worthiness of our God. And I want to know Him more.
Amen
❤️
As a new foster mom, the idea of letting go of our two baby brothers when they go back home gets harder every day. It was very encouraging to read this today and feel like it was meant just for me.
I remember hearing a sermon once that helped me to understand this story in a different light, by correlating this passage in Genesis to Hebrews 11:17-19. In Hebrews it says: 17By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac. He received the promises and he was offering his unique son, 18the one it had been said about, Your seed will be traced through Isaac. 19He considered God to be able even to raise someone from the dead, and as an illustration, he received him back.
By the time God asks Abraham to offer (kill) Isaac, He had already promised him on several occasions that he would have a family line established through Isaac. According to Hebrews, Abraham didn’t really think that God was going to take Isaac away from him, thus proving his faith in God’s promise. He believed that even if he killed Isaac, God would raise him from the dead to fulfill his prior promise. That is why Abraham’s faith was so great.
In this light, this passage is not just a test of what he was willing to give up but also a test of whether or not he truly believed God would be faithful to His word, even in the face of incredibly confusing and potentially awful circumstances. This also helps to make sense of why Abraham was willing to engage in human sacrifice and why God would ask him to when it is so detestable to God. Abraham believed whatever was going to happen wouldn’t ultimately result in the death or at least permanent death of his son.
Asking ourselves what we are willing to give up for God is a good application. But another application is also, what situations or circumstances cause us to doubt God’s promises? Does our faith hold up in the face of impossible circumstances?
God sure did leave a lot of signposts along the way and all were pointing to Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior!
Blessed be the name of our God and Father! We thank Him for His perfect plan!
One of the lessons I get from this story, so horrifying at first reading it as a teenager, is to know that our Heavenly Father will test each of us today. And in every test, He is faithful to provide. To see Him as provider is extremely reassuring. Our recent news is that my husband has cancer so that is a path we have to navigate. It may be filled with all kinds of uncertainties for us but not for our God. I think the story of Isaac reveals God’s heart to His only Son. No one could love Jesus more. And yet Jesus did that for you and me. Oh, what a Savior!! God loves us dearly. Let us pass our tests with great confidence in Him today.
I’m praying for your husband!
Yes and amen, to all the comments before and this commentary. I love the idea of holding our blessings — the promises that God has given us — with palms up, lightly, trust in God’s character of faithfulness to fulfill the things He has said even when it all seems to be going awry.
Wow I love the idea and image that “holding our blessings palms up” gives. It really shows that what we are given is truly a blessing not something we deserve and drives home that it is all Gods and not our own. He is just generous enough and loves us enough to freely give us these things.
“We will all have “Isaacs” to lay down on the altar.”
“What am I willing to lay down because I believe God’s promises?”
These 2 statements have given me much to think about today. I love the parallels you have pointed out about Isaac and the Jesus.
Thanks for sharing these thoughts today.