It was a sure-footed mountain sheep that loved to be free on Mount Moriah long ago. Each of its strong hoofs was divided down the middle, which gave it a good grip on rocky ledges that you would never dare to climb. And it had strong, curved horns, which made it a good fighter. But there was a day . . . let me tell you about it.
Up the mountain that day came an old man named Abraham with his young son Isaac. Isaac carried a big bundle of wood. Abraham had no matches, so he carried a container of red coals of fire and a knife. It looked as if Abraham had a plan.
Yes, but it was not his own plan. It was God’s plan, and I’m sure Abraham’s heart was hurting when he thought of it. Isaac did not know the plan. He knew that the fire and the knife were to offer a sacrifice to God, but he could not see any sacrifice. “Where is the lamb?” he asked his father.
“God will provide [for] Himself a lamb,” answered his father, and they climbed up the mountain together.
On the mountaintop, Abraham built an altar of stones, arranged Isaac’s bundle of wood on it, and then tied up his son and laid him on the altar upon the wood. Then he lifted up his knife.
They were all alone up there on the mountaintop. Who was there to see how very much their hearts were hurting? Why would Abraham do such a strange thing? Because God told him to. God had promised to give Abraham this son, and down in his heart Abraham knew that God keeps all His promises, and God was able to bring back that son alive from the dead. Yes, since God had told him to, he would sacrifice his own son and let God do the rest.
Were they really alone? No. God was watching, and God saw right into their hearts, just as He does into yours and mine right now. “Abraham, Abraham,” called a voice from heaven, and Abraham immediately stopped to listen. “Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him,” said the Voice.
God was very, very pleased that Abraham was willing to trust Him and to give his son. God loves to be trusted. You can rest on His promises, no matter how much it hurts. God will make very sure that He pours out His best gifts upon anyone who believes His Word and trusts Him.
Then Abraham turned around, and there was that ram - that male sheep - right behind him. Why didn’t the sheep run away? It was strong, a good climber and a good fighter. But its great horns were caught in a thick bush, and it could not get away.
The knife was used on the ram now, and the fire burned the ram as the sacrifice instead of Abraham’s son. After all, Isaac was a sinner, as we are too, and God must have a sinless offering. The ram was called a clean animal in the sight of God. This was the reason why sheep and lambs were often chosen as sacrifices to God, and they were killed and burned without suffering.
That is why when John saw Jesus, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God!” (John 1:3636And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! (John 1:36)). Jesus died on a wooden cross. The people were very wicked and cruel to Him, but it was not the people who hurt Him most. It was God Himself who punished Jesus for my sins, but then it was completely dark and no one saw when God did this.
And when the punishment for sin was finished, Jesus was still alive! He died shortly after by giving up His life, and then He was buried. But on the third day, He came out of the grave, alive forever, and He is my Savior now because He died for me. Is He your Savior too?