This chapter is considered one of the most important chapters in all of the Old Testament and the next few chapters will be the key to understanding the entire Bible. Now this chapter took place about 33 years after Isaac’s birth.
In this chapter Isaac is going to be a picture of Jesus and Abraham is going to be a picture of God the Father.
Verses 1-19
God tested Abraham’s faith by commanding him to go to the land of Moriah to offer Isaac as a sacrifice.
Vs 2 is the first time the word love appears in the Bible.
After 3 days they arrived to the designated mountain. Abraham and Isaac went up the mountain carrying wood and fire. (This same mountain is where Jesus died on the cross 2,000 years later).
(Vs 5 Re-read - …and come back to you.)Abraham declares his faith.
Isaac asked his father why they didn’t bring an animal to sacrifice. Abraham said, God will provide.
When they arrived, Abraham built an altar, placed wood on it and laid Isaac on top of the wood. Isaac, like Jesus is submissive to his father’s will.
An Angel stopped Abraham from killing Isaac with his knife.
The Angel said, “Do not harm your son, for now I know that you fear God because you have not withheld your only son.
Abraham saw a ram in a thicket by its horns and offered the Ram to God on the altar. The Ram is like Jesus who took our place, the sacrifice of all sins.
Because of Abraham’s obedience and faith, his offspring would be multiplied and they would have victory over their enemies. All the nations of the earth would be blessed through them.
Abraham went home and lived in Beersheba.
Now Hebrews 11:19 tells us that Abraham believed that if Isaac died God would bring him back to life again; and that is just about what happened, for as far as Abraham was concerned, Isaac was doomed to death, but he came back again alive.
Verses 20-24
This is a list of the family of Nahor, Abraham’s brother. It includes his children with Milcah his wife and Reumah his concubine. Rebekah his granddaughter is mentioned and in later chapters she marries Isaac.
Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son because he loved God and God sacrificed his only son because he loved us. In verse 7 when Isaac was asking his father why they didn’t bring an animal to sacrifice. Abraham said, God will provide and God did provide. What do we say in the midst of our own lives when we don’t understand what is going on? Where is God? or My God will always provide! God has moved in places of Faith where we believe that God’s going to come through. Jesus said, your faith has made you whole Matthew 9:22, where the power of God is released in what we believe. When we say our God will provide is a declaration of our faith. We sometimes stress and worry over something that God has already provided like the Ram for sacrifice but we can’t see the blessing.
Abraham didn’t doubt God because he knew God was for him, not against him. Isaiah 41:14 I am here to help you. God’s promises are yes and amen! We don’t get what we deserve that is the point of the cross. Like one of the old hymns says, “Jesus paid it all!”
