In the twenty-second chapter of Genesis we find the story of Abraham and
his only son, Isaac. Abraham was a follower of God, a man who loved and
feared God, and He commanded him to make a blood sacrifice.
We read in this chapter that He commanded Abraham to make the sacrifice
of his only son. And we read that the next morning the old man saddled
his ass and started. He did not tell his wife any thing about it. If he
had, she would likely have persuaded him to remain where he was. But he
has heard the voice of God, and he obeys the command. He has heard God’s
wish, and he is going to do it.
So, early in the morning--Abraham did not wait till 10 or 12 o’clock, but
went early in the morning--he takes two of his young men with him and his
son Isaac, and you can see him starting out on the three days’ journey.
They have the wood and the fire, for he is going to worship his God.
As Abraham goes on, he looks at his boy and says: “It is a strange
commandment that God has given. I love this boy dearly. I do not
understand it, but I do know it is all right, for the Judge of all the
earth makes no mistakes.” An order from the Judge of Heaven is enough for
Abraham.
The first night comes, their little camp is made, and Isaac is asleep.
But the old man does not sleep. He looks into the face of his sleeping
boy, and sadly says: “I will have no boy soon. I shall never see him on
this earth again. But I must obey God.”
I can see Abraham marching on the next day, and you might have seen him
drying his tears as he glanced upon that only son and thought upon what
he had been called upon to do. The second night comes; tomorrow is the
day for the sacrifice. What a night that must have been to Abraham! Hear
him say: “Tomorrow I must take the life of that boy--my only son, dearer
to me than any thing on earth--dearer to me than my life.”
The third day comes, and as they go along they see the mountain in the
distance. Then Abraham says to the young men: “You stay here with the
beasts.” He takes the wood and the fire, and along with his boy prepares
to ascend Mount Moriah, from the peak of which could be seen the spot
where, a few hundred years later, the Son of man was offered up.
As they ascend the mountain Isaac says: “Here are the wood and the fire,
father. But where is the sacrifice?” This question shows that the boy
knew nothing of what was in store. How the question must have sunk down
into the old man’s heart! And he only answers: “The Lord will provide a
sacrifice.” It was not time to tell him, and they go on until they come
to the place appointed by God, and build the altar, and lay the wood upon
it. Every thing is ready, and I can just imagine the old man take the boy
by the hand, and, leading him to a rock, sitting down there and telling
him how God had called upon him to come out of his native land; how God
had been in communion with him for fifty years; what God had done for
him. “And now,” he says, “my boy, when I was in my bed three nights ago,
God came to me with a strange message, in which He told me to offer my
child as a sacrifice. I love you, my son, but God has told me to do this,
and I must obey Him. So let us both go down on our knees and pray to Him.”
After they have sent up a petition to God, Abraham lays Isaac on the
altar and kisses him for the last time. He lifts the knife to drive
it into his son’s heart, when all at once he hears a voice: “Abraham!
Abraham! Spare thine only son.”
Ah! There was no voice heard on Calvary to save the Son of Man. God
showed mercy to the son of Abraham. You fathers and mothers, just picture
to yourselves how you would suffer if you had to sacrifice your only
son. And think what it must have caused God to give up His only Son. We
are told that Abraham was glad. This manifestation of Abraham’s faith
so pleased God that He showed him the grace of Heaven and lifted the
curtain of time to let him look down into the future to see the Son of
God offered, bearing the sins of the world.