He reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the Lord called out to him . . . Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram. (Genesis 22:10, 13)The account of Abraham's near sacrifice of his son is dear to Christians, Jews and Muslims... only in most Muslim accounts it is Ishmael that Abraham takes to the mountain, not Isaac.
Do you notice the parallel between Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his only son borne to him by Sarah, and God's willingness to sacrifice his only begotten Son?
With his hand grasping the knife, do you think Abraham breathed a sigh of relief when he was restrained from killing Isaac and the ram was provided to take his place? Do you think a person of Jewish tradition, in reading the cricifixion account of God's Son (if that person could put aside his prejudice long enough to imagine that Jesus might have been God's Son) would have noticed the parallel? As the Son was readied for sacrifice, what would be that reader's expectation? Perhaps as the hammer arced through the air to connect with the nail and pierce Christ's hands and feet, would the Jewish reader expect God to make a substitution? A perfect lamb in place of his Son?
But no substitution was made. Christ was the substitution.
Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain. (Revelation 5:12)
I wonder if they would! It's an interesting thought, and a chance to point out the significance of the ram provided back in Abraham's time.
ReplyDeleteHere we also have the death of Sarah and Abraham's grief for her - I note once again that Abraham did not allow himself to be in debt to anyone, insisting on paying for the land for her tomb even when it was offered as a gift. Good man, no 'debt regrets' to dog the mutual descendants of givee and giver there.
Also noted in the guidance given the servant who fetched Rebecca from her family that she really had to pick up and go! He wouldn't even give her the 10 days with her family they requested. Talk about a leap of faith on her part, for her and her maids also - (surprise! You're suddenly in a strange land marrying a distant relative you've never met!)