Good Morning. 

And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” So he said, “Here I am.” And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, 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.” (Genesis 22:10-12)

Most likely with tears in his eyes, Abraham “took the knife to slay his son.” In every way, except physically, Abraham obeyed the Creator’s command to offer Isaac as a burnt offering. And even though a ram was eventually offered in his stead, Isaac was the offering who ascended the altar. This action on the part of Abraham and Isaac left a tremendous spiritual imprint on Mount Moriah. In fact, I would say that the Temple offerings were a continuation of what started in this place with Abraham and Isaac. A willingness to die to one’s self for the sake of God’s will is what all of those later offerings represented.

Where Isaac is concerned, what he submitted himself to — in effect, to become a “living sacrifice” — speaks to the fact that Messiah would willingly submit to the Father’s will and be offered up in our stead. No one took His life but He willingly laid it down (John 10:18). It also speaks to the fact that we, as followers of Messiah, must also be willing to take up our cross and follow Him all of the way. We must be willing, as Isaac was willing, to present ourselves to our Father’s will as a “living sacrifice.” Paul worded it this way:

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” (Romans 12:1)

It is our duty to be a “living sacrifice” in God’s service. Granted that is easier said than done and, yet, that is the expectation that our Father has where we are concerned. Let us then commit ourselves to this goal — to willingly concede our wills to His knowing that He is good and always has our best interests in mind.

Blessings and Shalom,  

Bill  

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