The Lamb
Today's fulfilled advent promise comes from the account of Abraham sacrificing Isaac. Many people struggle with this passage. Why would God ask Abraham to do such a difficult thing? I think there are two significant reasons:- The surrounding nations practised child-sacrifice. This is evident in the fact that Abraham was not surprised by the request and goes through all the steps to carry out the command. The incredible outcome of the story is that Abraham, knife in hand, discovers that the God of Israel does not require this.
- Abraham's journey prefigures what God would do for us. Abraham and Isaac found a ram caught by its horns but centuries later God would provide a Lamb. John identifies Jesus as the "Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." (John1:29)
Paul reminds us that "He did not spare His only Son, but gave Him up for us all - how will He not also along with Him, graciously give us all things?" (Rom8:32)
In verses 17 and 18 God talks about Abraham's descendants (plural) then He speaks about Abraham's seed or offspring (singular) Through the coming of the Lamb all nations are blessed.
Some would argue that God is then guilty of child-sacrifice, but the Scriptures are clear: Jesus chose to do the Father's will. He was not a helpless victim but a willing sacrifice.
Abraham's story plunges us directly into the reality of human brokenness - we think that our guilt can be cancelled by our sacrifices. Other religious systems demanded child sacrifices. Child sacrifice was a macabre cycle of darkness and violence that cheapened life and those who participated in it were sucked into a spiral of cheapened life and devalued humanity.
God's emphatic answer is: "No more killing! I will pay the price" and in the gift of His one and only Son, God the Father pays the price that we were not required to pay. What the story of Abraham illustrates is just how much it cost the Father and what the obedience of Abraham and the Lamb achieved.
| Abraham answered, "God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." ... 12 "Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said "Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son." 13 Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, "On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided."... 17 [The Lord declared] "I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore... and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed because you have obeyed me." (Genesis22:8-18) |
