A Strange Sacrifice Genesis 22

The Origin of the Blood Sacrifice l The alienation between God and Man After banishing them from the garden, the Lord God stationed mighty angelic beings to the east of Eden. And a flaming sword flashed back and forth, guarding the way to the tree of life. Genesis 3:24 But there is a problem—your sins have cut you off from God. Isaiah 59:2

The Origin of the Blood Sacrifice l The alienation between God and Man l God reveals hope: the sacrifice. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering. – Genesis 4:4b (NIV)

The Origin of the Blood Sacrifice l The alienation between God and Man l God reveals hope: the sacrifice. l Blood was required. “Blood is needed to make peace with me.” – Leviticus 17:11 (GW) “For as for the life of all flesh, its blood is identified with its life.” – Leviticus 17:14

The Origin of the Blood Sacrifice l The alienation between God and Man l God reveals hope: the sacrifice. l Blood was required. l A vivid picture of: n God’s wrath… n God’s love…

The Mystery of Blood Sacrifice l Revealed to Abraham Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, "Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you." Genesis 22:1-2 (NASB-U)

The Mystery of Blood Sacrifice l Revealed to Abraham l It centered on his son Isaac n Promised and hoped for 25 years. n Now about 14 years old. n Now to become a human sacrifice!? –Widely practiced in the surrounding cultures… –Was it now to be endorsed by God!?

The Mystery of Blood Sacrifice l Revealed to Abraham l It centered on his son Isaac l On Mount Moriah The next morning Abraham got up early. He saddled his donkey and took two of his servants with him, along with his son Isaac. Then he chopped wood to build a fire for a burnt offering and set out for the place where God had told him to go. Gen. 22:3

The Mystery of Blood Sacrifice l Revealed to Abraham l It centered on his son Isaac l On Mount Moriah l Pivoting on Abraham’s Faith On the third day of the journey, Abraham saw the place in the distance. “Stay here with the donkey,” Abraham told the young men. “The boy and I will travel a little farther. We will worship there, and then we will come right back.” Genesis 22:4-5 (NLT) Abraham assumed that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back from the dead. Hebrews 11:19 For Abraham is the father of all who believe. Romans 4:16 (NLT)

The Mystery of Blood Sacrifice l Revealed to Abraham l It centered on his son Isaac l On Mount Moriah l Pivoting on Abraham’s Faith l A faith sorely stretched… Abraham placed the wood for the burnt offering on Isaac's shoulders, while he himself carried the knife and the fire. As the two of them went on together, Isaac said, "Father?" "Yes, my son," Abraham replied. "We have the wood and the fire," said the boy, "but where is the lamb for the sacrifice?" – Genesis 22:6-7 (NLT) "God will provide a lamb, my son," Abraham answered. And they both went on together. – Genesis 22:8 (NLT) At that moment the angel of the Lord shouted to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!" "Yes," he answered. "I'm listening." "Lay down the knife," the angel said. "Do not hurt the boy in any way, for now I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld even your beloved son from me." – Genesis 22:10-12 (NLT) When they arrived at the place where God had told Abraham to go, he built an altar and placed the wood on it. Then he tied Isaac up and laid him on the altar over the wood. And Abraham took the knife and lifted it up to kill his son as a sacrifice to the Lord. Genesis 22:9-10a (NLT)

The Mystery of Blood Sacrifice l Revealed to Abraham l It centered on his son Isaac l On Mount Moriah l Pivoting on Abraham’s Faith l A faith sorely stretched… l It was the Principle of Substitution. n An innocent substitute for a guilty party. “Lay your hand on its head so the Lord will accept it as your substitute…” (Lev. 1:4) Then Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in a bush. So he took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering on the altar in place of his son. – Genesis 22:13 (NLT)

The Mystery of Blood Sacrifice l Revealed to Abraham l It centered on his son Isaac l On Mount Moriah l Pivoting on Abraham’s Faith l A faith sorely stretched… l It was the Principle of Substitution. l It was an astonishing prophecy… n God Himself provides a substitute for the sins of man! Abraham named the place "The Lord Will Provide." This name has now become a proverb: "On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided." Genesis 22:14 (NLT)

Genesis 22: An Amazing Prophecy Fulfilled 2,000 Years Later… Mount Moriah: site of the future sacrifice –So Solomon began to build the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah… 2 Chron. 3:1 –In 33 AD Jesus Christ was crucified in the same location. God Himself experienced this horror some 2000 years later with his own son Jesus Christ – and nobody yelled “Stop!”

Genesis 22: An Amazing Prophecy Fulfilled 2,000 Years Later… Mount Moriah: site of the future sacrifice “Take your son, your only son…” –For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 (NLT)

Genesis 22: An Amazing Prophecy Fulfilled 2,000 Years Later… Mount Moriah: site of the future sacrifice “Take your son, your only son…” “Abraham placed the wood for the burnt offering on Isaac's shoulders…” –They took Jesus, therefore, and He went out, bearing His own cross, to the place called the Place of a Skull… John 19:17 (NASB-U)

Genesis 22: An Amazing Prophecy Fulfilled 2,000 Years Later… Mount Moriah: site of the future sacrifice “Take your son, your only son…” “Abraham placed the wood for the burnt offering on Isaac's shoulders…” The father and son together (22:6) –Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son, and he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. Genesis 22:6 (NASB-U) –“For God so loved…He sent His only son…” (Jn.3:16)

Genesis 22: An Amazing Prophecy Fulfilled 2,000 Years Later… Mount Moriah: site of the future sacrifice “Take your son, your only son…” “Abraham placed the wood for the burnt offering on Isaac's shoulders…” The father and son together (22:6) “God will provide the lamb…" – Gen 22:8 –“Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Hebrews 10:4

Genesis 22: An Amazing Prophecy Fulfilled 2,000 Years Later… Mount Moriah: site of the future sacrifice “Take your son, your only son…” “Abraham placed the wood for the burnt offering on Isaac's shoulders…” The father and son together (22:6) “God will provide the lamb…" – Gen 22:8 Abraham named the place “The Lord Will Provide.” This name has now become a proverb: "On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided." Genesis 22:14 (NLT)

Substitutionary Death:The Point We all need a Substitution. –For all have sinned; all fall short of God's glorious standard. – Romans 3:23 (NLT) –He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. – 1 John 2:2 (NIV) But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, John 1:12 (NASB-U)

Did Abraham Benefit? l Abraham was invited into the very heart of God’s program in human history. l Yet, it came at a price: Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham… Genesis 22:1

Why does God “Test”? 1. To reveal what we are like inside. n “You who test the righteous, Who see the mind and the heart…” – Jer. 20:12

Why does God “Test”? 1. To reveal what we are like inside. 2. To strengthen our faith. These trials are only to test your faith, to show that it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—and your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold… – 1 Peter 1:7a By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions, quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight… – Hebrews 11:33-34 (NLT)

Why does God “Test”? 1. To reveal what we are like inside. 2. To strengthen our faith. 3. God’s Will always seems like a test. n God does not tell us everything. n He asks us follow because we trust Him. "My thoughts are completely different from yours," says the Lord. "And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8-9 (NLT) For Abraham is the father of all who believe. Romans 4:16 (NLT) By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice…shut the mouths of lions, quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight… – Hebrews 11:33-34 (NLT)

Abraham’s Faith l A revelation of the Substitutionary Death. l A revelation of the Walk of Faith. “…and he was called the friend of God” – James 2:23