Genesis 22:1-18
One exciting afternoon last summer, I almost met God face-to-face. Taking a group of students white-water rafting, I found myself unexpectedly pulled from my rowing position and immediately thrust beneath the raft. The pressure of the water locked me against the underside of the vessel with such force that I could hardly move.

Gathering all my strength, I pushed against the taut vinyl expanse with both arms and legs, determined to break free of the current's hold. As soon as I was separated from the raft, the water shot me down the river like a torpedo. When I finally popped up to the surface, I was a good sixty feet away from my friends. You see, once I was caught in the flow of the river, I moved farther, faster than I ever thought possible.

Something similar happens when we get caught in the flow of Scripture. If we can temporarily lay down our worries, questions, and preconceived notions and simply "dive in" to the Word, we will see each section as intimately related to the greater whole. Then our spiritual life can take off like a novice rafter in the rapids. With this in mind, let's have a fresh look at a familiar story: Abraham's near-sacrifice of his son, Isaac. How might this portion of the biblical waters connect to the whole sea of God's Word?

The Call No Father Wants to Hear
Can you imagine the sick feeling that must have gripped Abraham's stomach, or the tremor that surely impaired his voice as he called his son to him? "I-Isaac . . . God has called us to make a special sacrifice to Him on Moriah's mountain. Prepare your things and let's be on our way." The youth immediately did as he was told, perhaps with a special vigor and excitement at the special call from the Lord. Seeing the spring in his son's step, however, undoubtedly brought tears to Abraham's eyes.

The memory of the promise God had made years earlier returned a gentle smile to the old man's face. Upon hearing the Lord's plan to birth a nation through the then-childless Abraham, he had reacted with a less-than-reverent response: he burst out laughing. A year later, at the birth of his son, Abraham named the infant appropriately: Isaac, which means "laughter." Now, as the child of promise gathered his belongings for the special journey, Abraham's grin faded. God had called him to sacrifice his only son. God had called him to turn his "laughter" into mourning.

The Call to Worship
Upon arriving at the site God had ordained, Abraham instructed his servants to wait. He remarked, "We will worship and return to you" (Genesis 22:5). We see here a picture of Abraham's heart. He knew he was there to slay his son, but over and above this dark cloud, Abraham had come to worship God. The entire journey, the grim mission, the sorrowful sacrifice . . . all these things were nestled beneath the umbrella of Abraham's faithfulness. He was determined to honor God, regardless of the cost.

Can you hear the innocence in Isaac's voice as he asks, "The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?" (Genesis 22:7) Fighting back his anguish, the father replied, "God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son" (Genesis 22:8).

Soon afterward, the moment of decision arrived, and Abraham set his son on the altar of sacrifice before God. As his hand and blade rose high in the air, ready to take the life of the prepared sacrifice, the angel of the Lord appeared and made a saving declaration from heaven. He cried, "Abraham! Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me" (Genesis 22:11-12). In Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his only son, we see an indication of the man's overriding commitment to God.

Then, in a miracle that brings this account to a close, God provides a suitable substitute to take Isaac's place. As a way of praising the heavenly Father for sparing the boy's life, Abraham named the place Jehovah-jireh, which means "the Lord will provide."

Caught in the Flow
Did you get caught up in the story? Could you hear the crack in Abraham's voice or see the fear in Isaac's eyes? Did you rejoice in God's timely provision? Where did the story take you?

Perhaps, like many, you were taken to a place centuries later, to the gospel story of another Father leading His only Son to the mount of sacrifice. As Jesus approached Mt. Calvary, with each step leading to His own death, surely He thought of the journey of Abraham and Isaac. Just as Abraham's servants failed to see Isaac's intended role as sacrifice, so did the world turn a blind eye to the sacrifice God prepared at the cross. It wasn't until later, after the deed was done, that the work of Christ was clear to those who would call upon His name.

When Isaac asked where the sacrificial lamb would be found, Abraham replied that God Himself would provide it. This is a prophecy that did not find its complete fulfillment until the coming of Christ, the chosen Lamb of God who would become the sacrifice for the sin of the world. (John 1:29)

Heavenly proclamations also point us from one story to the next. In the Genesis account, the angel comes to announce Isaac's salvation and direct Abraham to the sacrificial substitute. (vv. 11-12) Angelic messengers also appear in Luke 2:8-14 with a similar word from the Lord. This time, however, their words did not free the Son from the sacrifice, but rather consigned Him to it.

You see, in Genesis 22, God's divine intervention brings the miracle of Isaac's salvation in the substitution of the ram. In the gospels, however, God's divine intervention brings salvation to the world, but at the cost of His Son. This time—this one time—no other offering would do. The Son had to be the sacrifice.

Genesis 22:12 shows that Abraham was blessed because he did not withhold his only son. Now, the world is blessed because God did not withhold His Son, either. God called Abraham to turn his "laughter" into sorrow; however, God sent Jesus to turn our sorrow into joy. (Psalm 30:11) Truly, Abraham's testimony rings true: "The Lord will provide."

Seeing the Whole
Thinking about these amazing parallels that span hundreds of years, author Herbert Lockyer recognized that while there are many "types of Christ" in Scripture, Abraham is a picture of God the Father. He noted, "Abraham so loved God as to give up his only son, and centuries before Christ was born entered into the inner heart of John 3:16" (Lockyer, All the Men of the Bible). When we submerge ourselves in the whole of God's Word, new life emerges from the passages we think we know so well. Dust off some of those old familiar stories. You'll most likely find something in them that you've never seen before.

—Allen Harris