Genesis 22 is an interesting chapter in the Bible. God tests Abraham by instructing him to sacrifice his son Isaac as a burnt offering.
About a year ago, I wrote a philosophy essay for one of my undergraduate modules (Theological Ethics) on whether God could have commanded Abraham to kill his son. In short, to deny that God could have commanded Abraham to kill his son not only denies the historicity of Genesis 22 - it also denies the historicity of other passages of Scripture which refer to Genesis 22, such as Hebrews 11:17-19 and James 2:21-23. Besides, the revelation of Abraham's Dilemma is that the LORD will provide.
Having said that, upon further reflection there is even more to Genesis 22. The father-son relationship between Abraham and Isaac typologises that of God the Father and Jesus the Son. The mountain which Isaac is supposed to be sacrificed on (in the region of Moriah) and the wood for the burnt offering foreshadows the mountain (Golgotha) and the cross which Jesus is actually crucified on. Even the two servants which accompany Abraham and Isaac from Beersheba to Moriah may serve as a symbolic foil to the 'two other men, both criminals, [who] were also led out with [Jesus] to be executed' (Luke 23:32, NIV).
The Angel of the LORD
Things get really interesting as Abraham is about to sacrifice his son.
When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!"
"Here I am," he replied.
"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 22:9-12 (NIV)
At first glance, it appears that God sent an angel to stop Abraham from sacrificing his son. In fact, it was the angel of the LORD - the LORD Himself (Jesus in His pre-incarnate form) - who called out to Abraham!
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In the Old Testament, "an" angel of the LORD refers to a messenger of the LORD, while "the" angel of the LORD refers to the LORD Himself (Jesus in His pre-incarnate form).
In Exodus 3:2, the angel of the LORD appears to Moses in flames of fire from within a bush. 2 verses later, God calls to him from within the bush.
Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.
There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up.
So Moses thought, "I will go over and see this strange sight - why the bush does not burn up."
When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, "Moses! Moses!"
And Moses said, "Here I am."
- Exodus 3:1-4 (NIV)
Again, in Judges 6:12 the angel of the LORD appears to Gideon. 2 verses later, the LORD turns to him and speaks.
The angel of the LORD came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites.
When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, "The LORD is with you, mighty warrior."
"But sir," Gideon replied, "if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about when they said, 'Did not the LORD bring us up out of Egypt?' But now the LORD has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian."
The LORD turned to him and said, "Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?"
- Judges 6:11-14 (NIV)
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Back to Genesis 22.
"Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son." - Genesis 22:12 (NIV)
Who could speak (and even swear!) on behalf of God but God Himself?
"The angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven a second time and said, "I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me." - Genesis 22:15-18 (NIV)
Abraham did not have to sacrifice his son because God would sacrifice His Son, once and for all. Indeed, the angel of the LORD - Jesus Himself would eventually be the (perfect) sacrifice!
"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)
"Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy." - Hebrews 10:11-14 (NIV)
Isaac
Speaking of sitting down at the right hand of God (referring to Jesus' ascension to heaven 40 days after His resurrection), notice that there is no mention of Isaac after his "resurrection" in Genesis 22:12 until his "return" in Genesis 24:62.
"On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. He said to his servants, "Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you."" - Genesis 22:4-5 (NIV)
"Then Abraham returned to his servants, and they set off together for Beersheba. And Abraham stayed in Beersheba." - Genesis 22:19 (NIV)
"Now Isaac had come from Beer Lahai Roi, for he was living in the Negev." - Genesis 24:62 (NIV)
So Abraham comes down the mountain alone and returns to Beersheba with his servants, while Isaac (apparently) does not follow them but heads to Beer Lahai Roi. Again, there is no mention of Isaac until the time comes for him to meet his bride. Now this next bit simply blows my mind.
God's Love Story
[Isaac] went out to the field one evening to meditate, and as he looked up, he saw camels approaching. Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel and asked the servant, "Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?"
"He is my master," the servant answered. So she took her veil and covered herself.
Then the servant told Isaac all he had done.
Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah, and he married Rebekah. So she became his wife, and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.
- Genesis 24:63-67 (NIV)
1. Like Isaac, Jesus disappears after His resurrection and reappears to meet His bride (who is chosen by His Father).
"This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven." - Acts 1:11 (NIV)
"In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will." - Ephesians 1:11 (NIV)
"For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words." - 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 (NIV)
2. Like Isaac, Jesus unveils His bride.
"But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." - 2 Corinthians 3:16-18 (NIV)
3. Like Rebekah, the church is beautifully dressed for her husband.
Laban and Bethuel answered, "This is from the LORD; we can say nothing to you one way or the other. Here is Rebekah; take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master's son, as the Lord has directed."
When Abraham's servant heard what they said, he bowed down to the ground before the LORD. Then the servant brought out gold and silver jewellery and articles of clothing and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave costly gifts to her brother and to her mother. Then he and the men who were with him ate and drank and spent the night there.
- Genesis 24:50-54 (NIV)
Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:
"Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear." (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)
Then the angel said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!'" And he added, "These are the true words of God."
- Revelation 19:6-9 (NIV)
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.
I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.
He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.
- Revelation 21:1-4 (NIV)
Clothed with Immortality
"For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."" - 1 Corinthians 15:54-55 (NIV)
"For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come." - 2 Corinthians 5:4-5 (NIV)
"The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life." - Revelation 22:17 (NIV)
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