Message summary: “Instead of” is at the heart of the gospel message! The ram, provided as a sacrifice for Abraham, is a powerful type of Christ, who, some 1,900 years later, was sacrificed for our sins instead of us.

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“Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son” (Genesis 22:13). “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

Abraham’s greatest test of obedience is so powerfully instructive and wonderfully inspirational as we enter into this advent season. After waiting so long for God’s promise to be fulfilled in the birth of his son, Isaac, Abraham was now being asked to sacrifice this very son. Apart from the lessons of faith and obedience God taught him, there is a remarkable typological lesson for all of Abraham’s children. That is; this experience foreshadows what happened to Jesus Christ.

In today’s first verse Abraham had dutifully obeyed in God's testing Him to take his son, Isaac, up on the mountain at God’s command. He was at the point of sacrifice, with his son bound, that he raised the knife to slay his son. There’s no indication that he was not prepared to follow through. (This is a very hard test to understand and we will have to wait till heaven for more insight!)

But before Abraham could follow through an angel of the Lord intervened and called out from heaven, “Abraham!  Abraham!...Do not lay a hand on the boy. Do not do anything to him". Never was there a sweeter command spoken at just the right moment, nor an easier command to instantly obey!

Abraham passed the test.  At this point, “Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.”

A ram is a male sheep. At just the right time God provided a sacrifice in place of Isaac. Consider the words “instead of” in the text. That’s the heart of the gospel message! And that ram is a powerful type of Christ, who, some 1,900 years later, was provided and died for our sins instead of us.

Consider the message of Christmas found in Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Indeed Christ died for us! It could also be expressed Christ died instead of us. He gave His life as the atoning sacrifice and God fully accepted His sacrifice on our behalf.  How can we not respond by fully committing our lives to Him!

Be encouraged today!  Hebrews 3:13

Stephen & Brooksyne Weber