Teaching the “whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27) Welcome to our service Please visit our website: www.livingstonesnewforest.org.uk

Genesis 22: A Father sacrifices His Son Why the test? For Abraham’s sake For our sake The Father to offer His son The Son in cooperation and obedience, unto death, to the will of The Father Isaac fully mature Could have walked away Rose early – quick to obey, indicating trust Saddled the donkey Two men came with them

Genesis 22: A father sacrifices His Son The Father prepared the wood When Jesus was crucified it was on wood that the Father had created He holds all things together by the word of His power (Colossians 1 v 17 & Hebrews 1 v 3) He was holding together the wood of the cross and the bodies of Jesus’ persecutors – what mercy and grace “Stay here while we go yonder to worship” No one could go with them It was a matter to be settled between The Father and The Son It was an act of worship – not a sing-song, but a total commitment to God

Genesis 22: A father sacrifices His Son God will provide, Himself, a lamb Prophetic He knew God would have to (and was able to) resurrect his son (Hebrews 11 v 19) As it was a burnt offering, He knew God could raise his son from the ashes There is also an inference that Abraham knew he was acting out a scene that had a future fulfilment – “As it is said even to this day, in the mount of The Lord it will be fulfilled” What would be fulfilled? – A substitutionary sacrifice!

Genesis 22: A father sacrifices His Son He built the altar Demarcation of the sacrificial site Laid His son on the wood Took the knife to slay His Son God intervened setting himself absolutely against: Human sacrifice The idea that there is any way we can pay for our own sins A substitute was needed and it was established here on Moriah The substitutionary lamb (Ram) was provided

Genesis 22: A father sacrifices His Son The Lord Will Provide The Lamb of God In the mount of The Lord The first mention of the lamb in the Old Testament “Where is the lamb” The first mention of the lamb in the New Testament “Behold the lamb” (John 1 verse 29)

Genesis 22: A father sacrifices His Son The four-fold promise Blessings Innumerable descendants Possess the gates of your enemies All the nations of the earth blessed through you – Messianic prophecy And finally in the historic account Where was Isaac in the return party This is part of the creation of the similitude between Isaac and Jesus We do not see him again until the servant gathers a bride for him from outside the Jewish Nation

Genesis 22: A father sacrifices His Son The extent to which Isaac was a ‘type’ of Christ Both were children of promise The birth of both pre announced Both named before their birth Both born supernaturally Both births received with scepticism Both births occurred ‘at the appointed time’ Both called “Only Son” Both Mocked by contemporaries Neither had transgressed the law Both carried the wood on which they were to die

Genesis 22: A father sacrifices His Son Both went willingly to their fate Both were forsaken of their father Both were the subject of a resurrection (figuratively in Isaac’s case) Both were to be the source of many descendants In both cases The Father leads the Son to sacrifice A donkey is involved in both of their journeys to sacrifice A journey is involved for both Both leave their homeland to go to a place of sacrifice Both are descendants of Abraham Both were sacrificed in the same place

Genesis 22: A father sacrifices His Son In both cases their companions stayed behind Both asked questions of the Father The Father of both knew their callings Both sons submitted to their Father’s will Both Fathers were willing to sacrifice their son Both Fathers believed in resurrection Both Fathers loved their son In both cases the son was laid on the wood In both cases the son was bound to the wood In both cases the son was to be pierced

Genesis 22: A Father sacrifices His Son In both cases, The Lord provided the sacrifice In both cases, blood was shed Both sacrifices were a substitute Both were a demonstration of God’s love Both involved men of faith and obedience There were two men involved on both occasions Thorns were involved in both cases (the ram and the crown) Both led to abundant blessings for the world Both resurrected the 3rd day (Isaac figuratively, Jesus literally) Both ultimately survived

Genesis 22: A Father sacrifices His Son Last of all 1 Corinthians 15 verses 3 and 4 speak of Christ being raised on the third day, “according to the scriptures” Abraham was told to sacrifice his son and then undertook a three day journey Isaac was dead in the heart of Abraham for 3 days and on the third day he was given back to him. The Bible refers to Jesus in the New Testament as, “Slain before the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13 v 8) Jesus had been dead in the heart of the Father long before it actually happened Just Like God the Father, Abraham got his son back on the third day

Teaching the “whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27) Welcome to our service Please visit our website: www.livingstonesnewforest.org.uk