"So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife, and the two of them went together". (Gen 22:6)
The wood represents: The cross. Jesus said, "Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. (Mark 8:34b)
The knife represents: Circumcision of the heart, which is water baptism in Jesus name. "In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with [him] through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. (Col 2:11-12)
The fire represents: The baptism of the Holy Ghost. "John answered, saying unto [them] all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:" (Luke 3:16) "And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them”. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance". (Act 2:3-4)
The altar represents: Sacrifice. "Therefore I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service". (Romans 12:1)
"Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son". (Genesis 22:13)
The ram represents: Christ that took our place as a blood sacrifice "...for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul". (Leviticus 17.11b)
The thicket represents: The tree. Christ was caught on the tree by love, shedding His blood for the nations.
The ram's horn represents: The Jubilee year. (יובל) (yo•bāl') This Hebrew word literally means BOTH "ram's horn" AND "Jubilee year" (marked by the blowing of cornets).
"Then you shall cause the trumpet of the Jubilee to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the Day of Atonement you shall make the trumpet to sound throughout all your land". (Leviticus 25:9)
"And you shall consecrate the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a Jubilee for you; and each of you shall return to his possession, and each of you shall return to his family". (Leviticus 25:10)
Hebrew slaves (bondmen) were set free the year of Jubilee.
By Christ's death on the cross, those that have been in bondage to sin are set free.
Christ came proclaiming the year of Jubilee. "To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD". (Luke 4:19 see: Isaiah 61:1-2)
Isaac represents: Laughter. The name 'Isaac' means 'laughter'. Laughter was set free.
"Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross", (Hebrews 12:2)
"A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world". (John 16:21) (- by His travail, Christ enabled man to be born again of the Water and Spirit.)
"And not only [so], but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement". (Romans 5:11)
"And now, all glory to God, who is able to keep you from stumbling, and who will bring you into his glorious presence innocent of sin and with great joy". (Jude 1:24)
"In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice." (Genesis 22:18)
The seed represents: Christ the Messiah, descendent from Isaac. The nations of the world are blessed by the sacrifice of Christ that set them free from spiritual death, for he was "an offering for sin". (Isaiah 53)
'Because you have obeyed My voice' represents: The test. Abraham's greatest test was God asking him to sacrifice/kill his own flesh. Abraham passed the test by his willingness to bind his flesh (selfish ambition) and offer it as a sacrifice to God.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Saturday, September 26, 2009
The Binding of Isaac
Genesis 22 describes the event of God asking Abraham to offer up his only son Isaac as a burnt offering. This account not only is a demonstration of great faith and obedience on the part of Abraham, but is also a depiction and foreshadow of two sacrifices.
God told Abraham to go to the plain of Moriah to a mount He would show him. Abraham would go to the very spot where King Solomon would build the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. (2 Chron. 3.1). The temple represents the place of communion of God and man. It is a place of sacrifice and atonement.
On the third day of their journey there was an ascension: in the natural, Abraham was ascending to the mount in Moriah; in the spiritual, he was ascending to a place of faith and revelation: Faith in that Abraham believed God would keep his promise of fruitfulness through Isaac: Revelation in that “In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen” (Gen 22.14). On this third day Abraham prophesied, “I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you”.
Isaac was obedient and submissive to his father Abraham, and was a man with faith in God. He carried the wood for the offering on his back. He laid his life down on the altar so that Abraham, an old man by that time, could bind him. (“The binding of Isaac”). When Abraham took the knife to slay his son, the angel of the Lord called unto him, “Lay not thine hand upon the lad…”
Abraham lifted his eyes and there, a ram caught in a tree by his horns. God, out of love, had provided a ram to take the place of Isaac. Just as the ram in the tree took Isaac’s place of death, Jesus was caught by the power of love on a tree to take our place of death.
As Isaac willingly laid down his life, God calls us to prove our love for Him by laying down our life and becoming a living sacrifice.
Romans 12.1: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”
As Isaac carried the wood on his back for his sacrifice (Gen.22.6), we are to carry our cross for our sacrifice (Matt. 16:24-26).
God provided the ram to take Isaac’s place. As Abraham said, “God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering” and “In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.” Here the revelation of “the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29) is foreshadowed.
And here is Love displayed: God's blood sacrifice of the ram for Isaac; Isaac's living sacrifice of his life for God. Love, obedience, faith, and sacrifice. A beautiful picture of the perfect union.
“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”
God’s blood sacrifice; our living sacrifice.
God told Abraham to go to the plain of Moriah to a mount He would show him. Abraham would go to the very spot where King Solomon would build the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. (2 Chron. 3.1). The temple represents the place of communion of God and man. It is a place of sacrifice and atonement.
On the third day of their journey there was an ascension: in the natural, Abraham was ascending to the mount in Moriah; in the spiritual, he was ascending to a place of faith and revelation: Faith in that Abraham believed God would keep his promise of fruitfulness through Isaac: Revelation in that “In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen” (Gen 22.14). On this third day Abraham prophesied, “I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you”.
Isaac was obedient and submissive to his father Abraham, and was a man with faith in God. He carried the wood for the offering on his back. He laid his life down on the altar so that Abraham, an old man by that time, could bind him. (“The binding of Isaac”). When Abraham took the knife to slay his son, the angel of the Lord called unto him, “Lay not thine hand upon the lad…”
Abraham lifted his eyes and there, a ram caught in a tree by his horns. God, out of love, had provided a ram to take the place of Isaac. Just as the ram in the tree took Isaac’s place of death, Jesus was caught by the power of love on a tree to take our place of death.
As Isaac willingly laid down his life, God calls us to prove our love for Him by laying down our life and becoming a living sacrifice.
Romans 12.1: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”
As Isaac carried the wood on his back for his sacrifice (Gen.22.6), we are to carry our cross for our sacrifice (Matt. 16:24-26).
God provided the ram to take Isaac’s place. As Abraham said, “God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering” and “In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.” Here the revelation of “the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29) is foreshadowed.
And here is Love displayed: God's blood sacrifice of the ram for Isaac; Isaac's living sacrifice of his life for God. Love, obedience, faith, and sacrifice. A beautiful picture of the perfect union.
“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”
God’s blood sacrifice; our living sacrifice.
Friday, September 25, 2009
The Gospel of Jesus Christ
"Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." Mark 16:15-16
“Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” Acts 2:38
"And he said, "Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah must suffer and die and rise again from the dead on the third day“. And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.” Luke 24:46-49
What is the gospel? Christ died for our sins; He was buried, and rose from the dead. We obey the gospel by becoming dead to sin, baptized into Christ Jesus and His death by being buried with Him by baptism. As Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives in the Holy Ghost. 1Corinthians 15:1-4, Romans 6:2-4
“Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” Acts 2:38
"And he said, "Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah must suffer and die and rise again from the dead on the third day“. And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.” Luke 24:46-49
What is the gospel? Christ died for our sins; He was buried, and rose from the dead. We obey the gospel by becoming dead to sin, baptized into Christ Jesus and His death by being buried with Him by baptism. As Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives in the Holy Ghost. 1Corinthians 15:1-4, Romans 6:2-4
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