God Provided the Lamb

God Provides the Lamb

The Binding of Isaac: Genesis 21-22

September 15, 2013

Pastor Doug Holtz

A reading from the book of Genesis:

The Lord dealt with Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as he had promised. Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the time of which God had spoken to him. Abraham gave the name Isaac to his son whom Sarah bore him.

A little backstory:

We’ve skipped 20 chapters of Genesis:

            Forbidden fruit, brother killing brother, massive flood, confusion of language, war.

Then we meet Abram

            Who gets the promise of a son.

            And waits. And waits. Doesn’t get one.

                        So Abram and Sarah force the issue (Abraham is 86)

                                    Ishmael is born… illegitimate, born of their servant

            Abraham turns 99 years. Happy Birthday!

                        Birthday present: circumcision.

            Sodom and Gomorrah

                        Don’t know it? Read it on your own. It’s weird.

Finally Isaac is born (Abraham is now 100)

            So if you thought Abraham was tested enough already, let's read what’s next:

After these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you.”

Thanks be to God.

            You didn’t really want to say that.

                        And who can blame you.

What a test!

            The son, promised for SO LONG.

                        Is now to be sacrificed.

What if your best friend today was told this by God?

            Would you believe it was true?

                        Or advise it was a bad dream or hallucination?

                        Would you let him go to the mountain with his son?

What if YOU were told this by God?

            It’s a HORRIBLE situation.

                        A terrible story so far.

            Let’s see what Abraham does next.

So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; he cut the wood for the burnt offering, and set out and went to the place in the distance that God had shown him. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place far away. Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the boy and I will go over there; we will worship, and then we will come back to you.” Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. Isaac said to his father Abraham, “Father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So the two of them walked on together. When they came to the place that God had shown him, Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order. He bound his son Isaac, and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill his son.

Need a good faith story?

            Abraham just does it. No questions.

            Of course he told nobody what was happening.

                        Anyone would have stopped him (and locked him up)

But there is more faith than meets the eye here.

            Abraham says, “We will worship, and then WE will come back to you.”

            “God will provide the lamb for a burnt offering.”

            He knew something. He trusted God.

                        Followed his will to even raising the knife.

                                    No hesitation. No bargaining. Just TRUST.

It’s a really good thing this isn’t the end of the story.

But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” And Abraham looked up and saw a ram, caught in a thicket by its horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”

And God provided the lamb for Abraham.

            Sparing Isaac’s life.

God provided a lamb so that Isaac didn’t have to die.

John 1, verse 29 reads:

The next day John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.”

And it’s no mistake that suddenly the story of Abraham and Isaac seems much more familiar.

God didn’t just keep his promise to Abraham, providing the lamb.

            He kept the promise to all of us, providing the lamb.

                        The true Paschal Lamb.

                                    Who is Christ Jesus.

Abraham believed that God would provide.

            And now we too can believe God provides.

                        In fact, we have the benefit of hindsight.

                                    God gave us the lamb, taking away our sin, giving us eternal life.

But we still struggle to believe this.

            And we’re not alone.

                        Even Thomas, one of the 12, had to see the hands and side

            And yet the promise remains.

                        We ask questions

                                    We doubt.

                                                We disobey.

And the Father loves us.

            So much he put Jesus on the line.

                        So much that he wants to spend forever with us.

Sounds like someone we should get to know.

            So look at the goldenrod inserts.

                        Leading you to hear God’s word daily.

                                    Leading you to share God’s blessing with each other.

            This week don’t just pitch these aside.

                        It’s an invitation

                                    To engage each other.

                                                To enjoy each other’s company

                                                            To learn a little of God together.

It’s hard to get started

            But after a while you can’t live without it.

Because why not get to know the one who sent the lamb to save Isaac?

            Why not get to know the one who sent the lamb to save you?

The good news: even if you choose to throw it away.

            The promise is still yours, the same promise Jesus gave to the criminal on the cross.

                        “Today you will be with me in paradise.”

                        A promise for all who believe.

                                    God is good… all the time.

                                                Thanks be to God.