1. Abraham Tested
  1. After these things Genesis 22: 1
    1. After what things?
    2. Tradition tells us Abraham was tested 9 times prior to this testing.
      1. Future = leave country 12: 1 – 7
      2. Peaceful separation from Lot 13: 8 – 13 aI receive an unfair settlement
      3. Rescued Lot from five kings 14: 13 – 18 Trust in God’s faithfulness
      4. Gave a tithe to Melchizedek 14: 15 – 24 give honor to whom honor due
      5. Promise of a son. 15: 1 – 6 Trust promises
      6. Promise of land by faith 15: 7 – 11 Trust during waiting
      7. Circumcision17: 9 – 27 Obedience
      8. Welcomed strangers 18: 1 – 8 hospitality
      9. Prayed for Sodom  18: 22 – 33 eager for punishment
    3. The 10 test was the hardest of all
    4. Abraham knew Isaac was the son of promise (Hebrews 11: 17, 18)
  2. Now take your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac Vs 2
    1. Wording in Hebrews 11: 17 Only begotten son.
      1. Name used for Jesus in referring to the Father. John 1: 18, 3: 16
    2. some doubted that an old Abraham could have a son and stated he was Abimelech’s son.  The answer was that they looked identical (begotten)
    3. He who has seen me has seen the Father John 14: 9
  3. Many parallels between Jesus and Isaac
    1. Both promised sons
    2. Seed of Abraham
    3. Born through miraculous conceptions
    4. Long awaited promises to prophecy
    5. Both offered up as sacrifices.
    6. Both rescued from death.
      1. Sages believe chapter 22 and 23 are in quick succession so Isaac would have been 36 or 37 years old at the time of this.
      2. Jesus born around 6 B.C. some two years before the death of Herod the Great. if he died in 30 A.D. he was 36 years old.
    7. Question:  If Abraham was over 100 and Isaac was 36, how did he bind him?
      1. Jesus willfully allowed the guards to take him too. (Matthew 26: 53

2. The Journey 22: 2

  1. Go to Moriah to one of the mountains I tell you.
    1. This is the wording of the first command to leave ur and go to a land I will show you.
    2. The first test was to leave country and go forth
    3. This test, leave son and go forth.
  2. Moriah is one of the hills that Jerusalem is built upon.
  3. Saddle a donkey Vs 3
    1. Abraham had servants to do this for him, but he was intent on fulfilling what God had told him to do. No one was going to talk him out of it.
    2. Messiah comes into Jerusalem saddled on a donkey. Zechariah 9: 9
  4. Take the wood with him Vs 3
    1. Jesus carries cross up the mountain
    2. See this more in a minute
  5. Third day saw a place Vs 4
    1. Third day means hope of resurrection (salvation)
    2. He will revive us after two days; He will raise us up on the third day that we may live before Him Hosea 6: 2
    3. The place was from a distance.
      1. The place could also mean the dwelling place of God hovering over the  mountain.  This is how he knew where the place was.
      2. Hebrews 11: 13 the forefathers died in faith without receiving the promises but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance.
  6. The lad and I will return to you Vs 5
    1. Hint that Abraham believed in a resurrection.
    2. Hebrews 11: 17, 18By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac,and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; it was he to whom it was said, In Isaac your descendants shall be called.

3. The Sacrifice

  1. Wood laid on the shoulders of Isaac. Vs 6
    1. One carried the wood up Moriah, one up Golgotha, Both carried the weight of wood their fathers placed on their shoulders.
  2. Father and son, 6, 7
    1. Together, walking in total unity.
      1. John 10: 30 I and the Father are one
    2. The knowledge of what was going to happen should have separated them, but they still walked in unity of purpose.
      1. Not my will but yours be done. Luke 22: 42
  3. God will provide Vs 8
    1. Word provide could also be the word see
      1. When I see the blood, I will passover  Exodus 12: 13
    2. God will see the lamb
      1. Jesus called the Lamb of God John 1: 23, 36
  4. Abraham built “the” altar there
    1. This is the place where the latter of the temple is going to be built.
    2. Adam built one here when he was exiled from Eden
    3. Cain and Able sacrificed here
    4. Noah built it here when he left the ark
  5. Abraham binded his son. Vs 9
    1. Why bind him if he is willingly going to the sacrifice
    2. Maybe he would flinch
    3. Ropes left marks on his wrists and feet.
    4. Jesus had marks on his hands and feet.

4. The resurrection of Isaac  10 – 12

  1. He did not die so there was no resurrection,
  2. He was dead in Abraham’s mind so he did get him back from the dead.
  3. Abraham lifted his eyes and saw a ram. Vs 13
    1. Talmud adds the word Messiah between behold Messiah! A ram.
    2. Ram slain since foundation of the world Revelation 13: 8
  4. The Lord will see Vs 14
    1. Jehovah Yireh
    2. This area is also known as the city of Salem from Melchizedek
      1. Salem means peace
      2. yerehsalem
      3. Peace will be seen.
      4. Abraham looking forward to a city whose foundations and builder is God. Hebrews 11: 10, 16
  5. Abraham returned to his young men Vs 19
    1. Isaac may have stayed with Melchizedek