Rosh Hashana and the "The Binding of Isaac"

 

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year is being celebrated by the Jewish people, September 18 -20, 2020.

On the first day (Saturday – “Shabbat”), they read about Isaac’s birth and then the birth of Samuel. Both readings contain the theme of prayers for children being answered, and both of these births took place on Rosh Hashanah.

On the second day (Sunday – “Yom Rishon,” “Day One”), they read about the Binding of Isaac.

The Binding of Isaac is the account in the Bible of when God tested Abraham. 

"And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of." - Genesis 22:2 KJV

[Abraham did not delay obeying the voice of God.]

"And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his [donkey], and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him." - Genesis 22:3 KJV

[The third day is significant throughout the Bible, most notably of the resurrection of Jesus in the New Testament. (Luke 24:44-46)]

"Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off." - Genesis 22:4 KJV

[Abraham then prophesied that his son of promise would not die. (Hebrews 11:17-19).]

"And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the [donkey]; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you." - Genesis 22:5 KJV

[Isaac - a shadow of us - a living sacrifice]

"And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together." - Genesis 22:6 KJV

"And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?

[A lamb - a shadow of Christ – God will provide Himself.]

“And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together." - Genesis 22:7-8 KJV

[Isaac allowed his father to bind him. In rabbinical tradition, the age of Isaac at the time of binding is taken to be 37.]

"And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood." - Genesis 22:9 KJV

“And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.

“And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket [thick trees] by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son." - Genesis 22:10-13 KJV [A ram is a male sheep.]

To be continued…