Foreshadowed

And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.”

Genesis 22:7-8

Since the 4th century, maybe earlier, it has been the practice of the church to omit readings from the Old Testament during the season of Easter. Instead, readings from the book of Acts often are used during the 1st reading on Sunday morning. Church records attribute this to St. Augustine of Hippo who continued the practice from Cyril of Jerusalem.

I am certainly not here to question or change this practice. I believe that many of the traditions of the church, when we scratch the surface of why they have been passed along, are helpful. They sweeten the life of faith like Grandma’s cherry pie recipe that is passed down through the ages.

However, I thought it would be helpful to look for Jesus and the promise and beauty of the resurrection in the Old Testament. So, for the next several weeks “With Your Cup” will unpack an Old Testament story that is an appetizer of God’s work on the Cross of Christ and in the raising of Jesus from the dead.

Like any good mystery novel, there have been clues about the outcome of This Story at every step along the way. In other words, if Jesus is The Way, then the people of God have been walking on this Way even prior to His arrival on the scene in the flesh. So, let’s dive into this first installment—the sacrifice of Isaac.

In this chilling episode of Genesis 22 you are invited into the depth of sacrifice. You get a backstage pass to the heart of a father. The heart of the The Father. Sacrifice. A son slain. Blood poured out. Ultimately not in this scene, but this is the ultimate foreshadowing, right? So much of this story hints towards Jesus.

Just several of the components of Genesis 22 to lift out and draw to your mind: on a donkey; on the third day; Isaac carried the wood on his own back; headed towards his own sacrifice. Holy Week is played out right before your eyes.

But why? Why a sacrifice? Because, as Dietrich Bonhoeffer writes, grace is costly. God’s forgiveness—while entirely free—is not without cost. It is the most exquisite of gifts, but grace and forgiveness costs more than an arm and a leg. It cost the very life of God’s own son.

“Where is the lamb?” Do you hear the question echoing in the heart of Abraham? You are the lamb, Isaac. The long waited for son. The only son. All of the hopes and dreams rested in Isaac. Not in the same way that I have hopes and dreams for my kids. Not even in my longing to one day have grandkids. This gift of the propagation of the generations rests in all of us.

But, Isaac was different. This was Isaac—Abraham and Sarah’s boy. He wasn’t just the apple of his father’s eye. Isaac was the fulfillment—or at least the continuation—of God’s promise. You remember the promise? “I will make of you a great nation…. And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Genesis 12:2-3

In this scene, God delivers Isaac. The sacrifice is delayed. The promise is passed forward. But, this mountain points to another mountain. This knife raised over head foretells of a hammer raised that is not halted. This altar anticipates another. And the wood laid on Isaac’s back becomes the backbreaking and life taking cross upon which your savior died.

In Abraham and Isaac we have everything that makes this the story of the ages—all the props, all the movements, the entirety of the drama is before you in Genesis 22. But, it is only the first act. And God didn’t write the story of creation to be a one act play.

The agony of Father Abraham seeps out with every word throughout this scene. The pain. The horror. The heartbreaking obedience. In this moment you hear one of the clearest and most hauntingly beautiful promises that points to Jesus. “God will provide for himself the lamb…” God will become the lamb.

“Abraham! Abraham!” And the son is spared. But on the mountain of Calvary, the Father had already turned His back… “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me…” The one who had parted the heavens and spoken at Jesus’ baptism and at his transfiguration was deathly silent on that Friday. On this day, the lamb is sacrificed. The son is slayed.

The final thought for today is to lift up a word I’ve shared about previously. Abraham says the word three times in this narrative. It is widely considered to be the holiest Hebrew word that a human can speak. The English translation of this single compound Hebrew word is Here I Am.

This isn’t about taking class attendance at school or letting your loved ones know where you are, “I’m in the kitchen.” No, Here I Am is a declaration about being fully present and ready for what the Lord has for you. It is a full submission and allegiance. Here I am is your state of mind when you stand at the altar on your wedding day, as you receive your diploma, your first day taking on a new role or job that is beyond your ability but you are ready to dive in anyway.

Here I am is holding your loved one’s hand as they transition from this world to the next. It is about being in the moment, but also trusting (begging) God to do His part because you know you’ll fall short.

In this, we are all Abraham. As we look upon the Lamb who was slain, our best response—really our only response—is Here I am. Use me Lord, for your purposes and your glory.