Advent Journey - Following the Seed From Eden to Bethlehem Sýnishorn

Day 9

FORESHADOW

Isaac (21)

We’re about to shift gears in our Seed journey. 

Genesis Chapters 1-11 race through the first twenty generations – from Adam to Noah, and then Shem to Abraham. 

For the remainder of Genesis – 39 chapters – the biblical story slows to a crawl, covering just four generations.

The accounts of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (the Bible’s famous patriarchs) and Jacob’s sons - are crucial to piecing together the biblical narrative. 

Today we look at the legacy of Isaac.

The parallels between Isaac and Jesus are stunning. Both arrived by divine birth. 

Isaac was born to Abraham and Sarah in their very old age. Jesus was born to Mary, an unwed mother impregnated by a Seed from heaven (conceived by the Holy Spirit).  

Another parallel is a famous self-sacrifice. (Genesis 22)

When God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac, it was an unthinkable request. Would God really require such a thing? 

Abraham was committed to obedience. Isaac (somewhere between being an adolescent boy and a young man) was old enough to be a willing participant as he carried the wood on his shoulders to the place of worship.

This story is one we struggle to fully appreciate. It’s far outside the realm of anything that’s ever been requested by God. In fact, it just might be the most ridiculous request ever.

Scriptures are full of seemingly bizarre instructions from God. 

March around a city for seven days blowing trumpets (Joshua). Have men drink water from a brook as a way to select an army (Gideon). Marry a prostitute who continues to be unfaithful, have children with her and give them ridiculous, embarrassing names (prophet Hosea, named his daughters “No Mercy” and “Not My People”). 

But nothing fits the category of “sacrifice your only son.” Especially if the son was a miracle child born in your old age – and the son through whom God promised to birth a great nation! 

But Abraham and Isaac cooperated. God stopped Abraham short of sacrificing Isaac and provided a ram for the blood sacrifice instead.

So what did God possibly have in mind for this sacrifice request? Probably a scene that would unfold 2,000 years later on a nearby mountain. Jesus would carry his wood (a wooden cross) up a hill for his own sacrifice. 

Unlike with Abraham and Isaac, God did go through with the crucifixion death of His Son (even Jesus asked for a way out). 

The near sacrifice of Isaac was a foreshadowing – a picture - of a future sacrifice (Jesus on the cross). 

God knew He would one day sacrifice His Son, just as He had asked Abraham to do. As for Isaac, he played the part of the lamb offering. Isaac demonstrated obedience and submission to his father's sacrifice. And one day Jesus would offer himself on the cross as a sacrifice to his Father in heaven.  

How fitting that God would route the path of the Seed through a man (Abraham) and his son (Isaac) – two men who would demonstrate unusual faith to carry out a similar sacrifice that God and Jesus would one day perform. 

Stunning story. Stunning symbolism. Stunning faith.

Reflections:

A child sacrifice does not make sense to us and we can be sure God would never ask that of us today. But what is an example of something God might ask us to sacrifice – or maybe a sacrifice we have made - in order to step into His larger plan for our lives? 

(Discuss as a family. This could be a personal or family sacrifice – i.e. giving up a job or promotion, a family relocation, a financial gift, a call to ministry, etc.)