Interesting Parallel
So Abraham "laid it (the wood for the offering) on [the shoulders of] Isaac his son..."
How does that compare to "And they took Jesus and led [Him] away; so He went out, bearing His own cross, to the spot called The Place of the Skull -- in Hebrew it is called Golgotha".
As God proved/tested Abraham, He asked him to offer his only son as a sacrifice to God. Similarly, but twisted, God gave His only Son as a sacrifice for man.
The difference, the test of Abraham was cut short of actually sacrificing his son; instead He proved a ram to fill the position. God on the other hand, could have stopped the sacrifice of Jesus, but both knew it was necessary to play out to provide the "narrow gate" for our salvation.
What is also interesting is that even as Isaac is ready to be sacrificed - knife in hand of Abraham. Isaac on the altar- there seems to be no questioning, pleading or attempting to run by him (Isaac). Twice in the process, Abraham responds to a call "Here I am" - first by Isaac when asking where the lamb for the sacrifice is which is answered by "God Himself will provide a lamb..." then by the Angel of the Lord, who called to him to stop. This is also the response Abraham uses when responding to God's initial call to him when asking him to sacrifice Isaac.
At the sacrifice of Christ, God's own Son/Lamb cries our "My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me [deserting Me and leaving Me helpless and abandoned]? and there is nary a reply. No "here I am", no last second rescue, just Jesus left to finish.
In response, God swears "by Myself" that from Abraham's descendants "your Seed (Heir) will possess the gate of His enemies, And in your Seed [Christ] shall all the nations of the earth be blessed and [by Him] bless themselves, because you have heard and obeyed My voice." (...17, 18).
Created 4 months ago
