In Genesis 22, God tells Abraham to take his one and only (Hebrew yahid, an unusual term for something unique and irreplaceable)1 son, whom he loves, to Moriah to sacrifice him on an altar. Shockingly, the aged man and his miracle child, Isaac, set off on the forty-five-mile journey. Three days later, Abraham instructs his companions to wait with the donkey, assuring them that he and his son will return, and carries on alone with his boy.
Isaac, who has likely witnessed many sacrifices in his fifteen or so years, naturally notices the absence of the lamb. He asks his father where it is, and Abraham replies, "God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son."2 By all accounts, God's instructions don't make sense. Isaac is the son of God's covenant promise to Abraham and his descendants! Yet, here, Abraham places his son, wrapped in all his hopes and dreams, upon the altar, believing beyond understanding that the Lord will provide another way.
And, He does! The angel of the LORD calls from heaven, "Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me."3 Abraham looks up to find a ram in place of the lamb he had expected, and he calls the place, "The LORD will provide."4 The Lord reiterates His promise to bless all the nations of the earth through Abraham's offspring, and, true to his word, Abraham and his son rejoin their companions and travel home.
God doesn't ask anything of Abraham that He Himself is not willing to give. Thousands of years later, in "the fullness of time,"5 another miracle child is born – "the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!"6 He is the one Abraham had looked for and placed his faith in all those years ago. The Hebrew yahid, used to describe Isaac in Genesis 22, is translated in Greek to monogenes, "the one and only." When John 1:14 tells us, "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth," the word Son is monogenes, the one and only.7
Andrew Peterson's song, "Holy Is the Lord," imagines Abraham begging God to make another way.8 Perhaps Jesus echoes Abraham's longing when He prays, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will."9 But, this time, there is no other way. There is no other Lamb, no other time, "no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."10
So, Jesus gives His life at Moriah – the hill of the altar, the temple, and the cross – in Isaac's place – and in my place, and in yours. For the joy set before Him, He endures the cross,11 fulfilling the hopes of past generations and looking forward to all who will yet believe.
As the mother of an only son (whose name happens to be Isaac), this story has been especially close to me during a difficult season. Perhaps you, too, are waiting to be healed. Take heart, dear one. We will be healed, in the fullness of time. The Psalms tell how God brings peace to our borders.12 The Lord has placed borders around our suffering. It will end exactly when He tells it to. In the meantime, Emmanuel is with us while we wait. Let's treasure up these things in our hearts13 this Christmas, "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given."14 Whatever life brings our way, the Lord will provide. If He "did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?"15
JEREMIAH DAVID. Jeremiah Study Bible Esv : What It Says. What It Means. What It Means for You. WORTHY PUB 2019.
Gen. 22:8
Gen. 22:11-12
Gen. 22:14
Gal. 4:4
John 1:29
JEREMIAH DAVID. Jeremiah Study Bible Esv : What It Says. What It Means. What It Means for You. WORTHY PUB 2019.
Peterson, Andrew. “Holy Is the Lord (2014 Version).” YouTube, uploaded by Andrew Peterson, 2 Feb. 2015, https://youtube/UO6vqRfTZsE?si=rUm1dMT2UK8L9XTH.
Matt. 26:39
Acts 4:12
Heb. 12:2
Ps. 147:14
Luke 2:19
Isa. 9:6
Rom. 8:32