Genesis 22:1-20
Once Isaac went with his father, Abraham, to a mountain far from their tents. They rode together on a donkey for three days. Then Abraham told the servants to keep the animal, and he and Isaac walked on alone. The boy carried a bundle of wood; his father a knife and the coals for a fire. They were going for a strange, sad reason. God had told Abraham to give his boy for a sacrifice. Abraham loved Isaac dearly, but he knew God’s wisdom and power, and trusted that God would raise Isaac alive again, because of His promise to make of Isaac a great nation.
While they were climbing up the mountain, Isaac asked, “Where is the lamb for the offering?” His father said, “God will provide Himself a lamb.” When they reached the place, Abraham made an altar, laid on the wood, bound Isaac, and put him upon it. So all was ready for the sorrowful act of slaying the boy, when quickly a voice from heaven called Abraham’s name, telling him not to hurt the boy. For he had proved he was willing to give him to God. Then, as Abraham looked about him, he saw a wild goat, a rani, caught by its horns in the bushes. He took that to offer instead of Isaac, and praised God. Then they went back to the servants and all returned to their tents. The Lord never again asked anyone to sacrifice a child, and any who did so were disobedient to Him.
On this mountain, many years after this, God gave His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to die. No voice called to spare Him, but God raised Him from death to live for evermore.
ML 08/02/1936