“After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he answered.
2 “Take your son,” he said, “your only son Isaac, whom you love, go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.”
3 So Abraham got up early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took with him two of his young men and his son Isaac. He split wood for a burnt offering and set out to go to the place God had told him about. 4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5 Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go over there to worship; then we’ll come back to you.” 6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac. In his hand he took the fire and the knife, and the two of them walked on together.
7 Then Isaac spoke to his father Abraham and said, “My father.”
And he replied, “Here I am, my son.”
Isaac said, “The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”
8 Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” Then the two of them walked on together.
9 When they arrived at the place that God had told him about, Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood. He bound his son Isaac and placed him on the altar on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son.
11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!”
He replied, “Here I am.”
12 Then he said, “Do not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your only son from me.” 13 Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught in the thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram and offered it as a burnt offering in place of his son. 14 And Abraham named that place The Lord Will Provide, so today it is said: “It will be provided on the Lord’s mountain.”
15 Then the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven 16 and said, “By myself I have sworn,” this is the Lord’s declaration: “Because you have done this thing and have not withheld your only son, 17 I will indeed bless you and make your offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your offspring will possess the city gates of their enemies. 18 And all the nations of the earth will be blessed by your offspring because you have obeyed my command.”
19 Abraham went back to his young men, and they got up and went together to Beer-sheba. And Abraham settled in Beer-sheba.”
“a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and glory to your people Israel.”
Wednesday, December 6
Son of Sacrifice
Scripture Reading: Genesis 22:1-19, Luke 2:32
As we are nearing the day we wait for all year long, we look beyond the gifts and tinsel to praise Most Holy God for the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus.
We find ourselves in a search looking for what might bring us close to God and forgive us for the wrongs we've done. Do you know if you are forgiven by God? Is it something we can do for ourselves? Is it a love offering that I could give? What about a monetary gift? ... can we provide a bribe, a wage, our time, a promise, our house, car, bank account, 401K, stocks, jewelry, education, abilities, family??? What? The search goes on but nothing found can take away our sin...
Abraham loved God and was obedient to God and did not disobey Him for Issac's safety. Abraham said to His son, Isaac, "God himself will provide the Lamb." Abraham was asked to sacrifice his son, but God provided a substitute. God sacrificed his Son, Jesus, as a substitutionary atonement for our sins. Jesus willingly humbled himself and became obedient unto death - even death on a cross.
"I am too ashamed and disgraced, my God, to lift up my face to you, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens." Ezra 9:6
Have you ever prayed a prayer similar to Ezra's?
Have you searched to find forgiveness for what you've done wrong, a sin, against God?
What provision could be made for the sinful state we find ourselves in? Was there something I could do?
God provided a Lamb in Christ Jesus - finding the perfect redemption wasn't up to me - God already gave it. Like Abraham, we obey God knowing and trusting he has provided all we need for the forgiveness of sin.
The babe laying in the manger was God's sacrificial gift to us and the babe himself, the Son of Sacrifice, was a bundle of love, joy, peace and our redemption.
Take some time now to thank the Lord in prayer.
Thank you, Jesus, for coming to our broken world full of sin and despair. Thank you for showing us how to live through your life. Thank you for being the ultimate sacrifice for each of us who believe in you. Thank you, Son of Sacrifice, for carrying the cross and dying for me that I might live with you forever.
I'll Give Him My Heart (by The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir)
What can I give Him Poor as I am
If I were a shepherd,
I would bring Him a Lamb
If I were a wise man, I'd sure do my part
So what can I give Him
Give Him my heart
What can I give Him
But all of my heart