Digging Deeper: The Better Isaac
8 Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.”
Genesis 22:8 (ESV)
THE BETTER ISAAC
Our country is filled with some incredible signs. Many people will hike up Mount Lee to get close to the Hollywood sign. Anybody traveling through Chicago will take a detour to be photographed in front of the Wrigley Field sign. Then there is the world-renowned sign right in our backyard… the Varsity V sign. Each of these signs are iconic and tell a story, but the story isn’t about the sign. You visit the Hollywood sign to commemorate your trip out to L.A. You take a picture in front of Wrigley Field to show that you saw the Cubs play ball. You take picture of the Varsity V because you have been inspired by some of the kindest words you’ll ever hear, “What’ll you have?”
Now let me ask you. What makes these signs so special? Is it the branding or graphic design? Is it the location? Is it the lighting at these locations? No! The sign gains its significance from the object that it points to.
Throughout the Old Testament there are many examples of great people, but time and time again their main role was to be a sign pointing to the Messiah that was to come! We can easily get caught up in the faith walked out by these Old Testament heroes, but if you were to interview them today, they would all say that it wasn’t about them. They were just here to point to Jesus.
The story of Abraham and Isaac is one of the clearest examples of an Old Testament story foreshadowing what was to come. Let’s review!
In this story we see a father being willing to sacrifice his only son whom he loves. This son was the fulfillment to a long-awaited promise. We see the son being willing to carry the wood for the sacrifice up the mountain. The son is then willing placed on the wood without a fight in full submission. There is a confidence that the son will be raised from the dead after the sacrifice. We even see that on the third day the son is delivered.
Now let me ask you… as you read that paragraph did you read that through the lens of Abraham and Isaac, or God the Father and God the Son? If you did the former, go back and read it again! The story of Abraham and Isaac was meant to be a sign for us to see the fulfillment of the sacrifice that would come through Jesus.
Jesus is the lamb provided on our behalf! It was our sin that caused him to come to this world. It was our sin that placed the cross on his back. It was our sin that caused him to be sacrificed. But it was our God who willingly came. It was our God who willing bore the cross. It was our God who gave of His life to be delivered on the third day.
If you have never trusted in God before, cry out to Him today! He is the One who can meet your sin with His love, mercy, and grace! He has already willingly given Himself and defeated sin and death so that you can have right relationships with Him. All you have to do is believe and trust in Him!
Sellers Hickman serves as College Pastor at NorthStar Church and loves cheering on his Ole Miss Rebels. He and his wife, Hannah, live in Dallas, Ga. with their one year old, Emery. He also serves as the chaplain for the KSU Men’s Basketball team.