The Gospel in the Story of Abraham - The Finale

Note in Genesis 22:

Genesis 22:2 (NIV), ² Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.”

Genesis 22:12 (NIV), ¹² “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”

Genesis 22:16 (NIV), ¹⁶ and said, “I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son,

Three times in this story God referred to Isaac as "your son your only son." Abraham, a this point had two sons: Ishmael and Isaac.  "Isaac is the beloved son, the only son of the promise . . . Ishmael had been disinherited and sent away (21:10, 14), leaving Isaac as Abraham’s only son." [1]  

"The Code of Hammurabi (Laws 170–171) shows that a man’s offspring by a slave woman were not ordinarily given the rights that belong to the son born of his wife. Only if in the course of his lifetime the father had said to the male offspring of his slave woman (in public and in an official manner), “Thou art my son,” would the slave woman’s offspring be treated as a real son of the father. If so, then he was counted as an heir; if not, he was given gifts and separated from the household before the inheritance was divided. Isaac remained Abraham’s only son in the legal sense; though he had several other offspring (25:1–4), he had only one son in the unique sense, and he gave him his entire inheritance (25:5–6)." [2] 

In Hebrews 11:17 we read: “By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son."  In the Greek New Testament the verse reads: Πίστει προσενήνοχεν Ἀβραὰμ τὸν Ἰσαὰκ πειραζόμενος, καὶ τὸν μονογενῆ προσέφερεν ὁ τὰς ἐπαγγελίας ἀναδεξάμενος. [3]  Isaac is referred to as monogenes -- only son. This was Isaac, the only son -- the son whom is loved.  These terms are used of Christ by the New Testament writers:

•    “And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”” (Matthew 3:17, NIV)
• “While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”” (Matthew 17:5, NIV)
• “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16, NIV)
• “to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.” (Ephesians 1:6, NIV)
• “He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”” (2 Peter 1:17, NIV)  

Pointing forward to the coming of Christ, Isaac represents the Lord Jesus who is the only Son, the Son loved by the Father who was not tested on Mount Moriah, but was sacrificed on Mount Calvary. There Jehovah Jira did provide the lamb ". . . takes away the sin of the world!" [4]

Father You willingly gave Your Son to die for sinners.  This was no mere sacrifice. You gave Your only begotten Son.  You gave the Son whom You loved, for the sake of people who hated You.  Oh Lord help us to capture this truth.  You raised Him from the grave on the third day.  His voluntary sacrifice paid for an infinite number of sins for many people.  What grace! What love! “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32, NIV)

 

What wondrous love is this

O my soul O my soul
What wondrous love is this O my soul
What wondrous love is this
That caused the Lord of bliss
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul

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1. Whitlock, L. G., Sproul, R. C., Waltke, B. K., & Silva, M. (1995). The Reformation study Bible: Bringing the light of the Reformation to Scripture: New King James Version (Ge 22:2). Nashville: T. Nelson.

2. KJV Bible Commentary. 1994 (E. E. Hindson & W. M. Kroll, Ed.) (60). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

3. Holmes, M. W. (2010). The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition (Heb 11:17). Lexham Press.

4. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. 2001 (Jn 1:29–30). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.