Long, long ago an old man and his young son might have been seen wending their way to Mount Moriah. At that time it was wild mountainous country, the lair of the wild beast, the home of the bird of prey. Many years afterward it was the site of Solomon's beautiful temple, and was surrounded by the hum of a metropolitan city.
As the two plodded their weary way, Isaac, the lad, questioned his father, Abraham: "Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" How that question must have pierced the heart of the loving parent!
Listen to the wonderful answer, the response of faith and confidence in God: "My son, God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering.”
What fullness and blessedness was thus expressed neither father nor son could know. Only God Himself, prefigured in faithful Abraham, could see down the ages the blessed Prototype. Wonder of wonders! The God-provided Lamb was none less than His eternal Son, made flesh, dying on Calvary's cross.
And now, bless His holy name, atonement for sin has been made. The work of salvation has been completed. It is acceptable to God the Father, who provided the Substitute so that you and I may go free.
Will you receive this wonderful Savior? He is offered you, as such, by God Himself in His Word.
"Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." John 1:29.
"Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am He." John 4:26.
This was devotion indeed! Yet even this sinks into utter insignificance when compared with the loving devotion of our Lord Jesus Christ! That we—poor, lost, ruined sinners—might be delivered from the bondage of sin and Satan, Jesus, the Son of God, gave Himself to the death of crucifixion on the cross. He laid down HIS life voluntarily as a sacrifice for our sin. He paid the price of our redemption to set us free from the domination of Satan, sin, and eternal death. Well may we sing:
"Were the whole realm of nature ours,
That were an offering far too small,
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands our soul, our life, our all.”