God will provide for himself the lamb

[Isaac] 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.” (Gen 22:7-8)

We have all heard plenty of sermons on the great faith of Abraham shown in Gen 22. There is no doubt that he displayed tremendous faith and that there is an intrinsic connection between faith and obedience. However, if this is all we see in Gen 22, I think we've missed the diamond God, by His grace has left for us to find.

Perhaps we have heard or read about the great picture that Abraham's sacrifice of Isaac is of the sacrifice of Christ. This is very true and shows us the amazing depth of God's love for us. Christ's willing sacrifice. Christ's substitutionary sacrifice and Christ's costly sacrifice are just three that pop into my head. This chapter in Genesis helps make sense of both Isa 53 and the crucifixion accounts in God's plan to redeem a people for himself.

But what captured me this morning was the statement: God will provide for himself the lamb. This statement does speak to the costliness of the sacrifice and the willingness of Jesus, but the thought that is rolling around in my mind is that God was intentional regarding the cross. He did not just foresee it, as any good omniscient being would. No, He orchestrated it. He planned and purposed it. Given the state of the fallen world, He wanted it to happen.

How deep the Father's love for us,
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure

What do we do with a God like this? How do we respond to a love like this? Let's start with sincere, humble adoration. No requests, no complaints, no pleadings. Just amazed adoration. And let's look to him in Abraham-like faith. This man had no evidence to make the statement he made in Gen 22:8. No evidence, except that he knew the God who sent him to Moriah and he knew the One who promised him a son and an inheritance and a legacy. Maybe that's the point. Abraham had a tremendous faith because he knew a tremendous God.


I now send forth this post with a deep sense of its many defects; but with an earnest prayer that it may do some good. (JC Ryle)

To God Alone be the Glory