New Life Bible Fellowship Church
10/12/25

      • Psalm 37:5–7KJV1900

  • Give to Our God Immortal Praise
  • Come People Of The Risen King

      • Psalm 150KJV1900

  • Introduction:

    We began last week with a new series that we’ve entitled, Christ in the Old Testament, a series that will explore nine key passages from the Old Testament, revealing how God's plan of redemption through Jesus Christ was woven into the fabric of salvation history from the very beginning. We saw last week in our opening sermon, that the coming of Christ was not an afterthought, but an immediate, unshakeable assurance given at the very moment the world fell, and prepared for in eternity past in the counsel of the God-head. We focused our attention on Genesis 3:15, the opening shot in the war between light and darkness, and saw in The First Promise how God promised a Conquering Seed—a Savior who would crush the head of the serpent.
    This morning, we will begin to look at how God would bring about this seed of the woman, this one who would crush the serpents head. We will meet Abraham (originally Abram) who received God's covenant promises that he would become a great nation, and receive land, and that all peoples would be blessed through him (Genesis 12). However, Abraham and Sarah remained childless for decades, a test of their faith for sure. But we will see an even greater test, for when God did provide a promised son, He tested Abraham to the limit by asking him to do something unthinkable, but that unthinkable request would reveal the necessity for The Ultimate Sacrifice.

    Text: Genesis 22:1-19

    Genesis 22:1–19 ESV
    1 After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 2 He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” 3 So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. 4 On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. 5 Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” 6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. 7 And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 8 Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together. 9 When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. 11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.” 15 And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven 16 and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, 18 and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.” 19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beersheba. And Abraham lived at Beersheba.

    Main Idea: Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his beloved son Isaac foreshadows God's ultimate sacrifice of His beloved Son Jesus.

    Background:

    Let’s trace the key events from Genesis 3:15 through to Genesis 22:
    Genesis 3:15 - The Protoevangelium After the Fall, God pronounces judgment but also gives the first promise of redemption: the woman's "seed" (offspring) will crush the serpent's head, though the serpent will strike his heel. This first promise sets up the expectation of a deliverer coming through human lineage.
    Genesis 4-11 - Failure and Judgment Cain murders Abel, eliminating one potential line. Sin multiplies until God sends the Flood, preserving only Noah's family. Humanity rebels again at Babel, and God scatters the nations. The promised "seed" seems increasingly unlikely as humanity consistently fails.
    Genesis 12 - God's Call to Abraham God chooses Abraham (Abram) and makes covenant promises: numerous descendants, land (Canaan), and blessing to all nations through him. The question becomes: how will the "seed" promise be fulfilled through Abraham's line?
    Genesis 12-20 - Faith and Failure Abraham journeys to Canaan but faces obstacles: famine, conflicts, and most critically, childlessness. He and Sarah try to help God's plan along by having Abraham father a child through Hagar (Ishmael), but God clarifies that the covenant heir must come through Sarah.
    Genesis 21 - Isaac's Birth Miraculously, Sarah bears Isaac when she's 90 and Abraham is 100. Finally, the long-awaited son of promise arrives—the one through whom God's covenant will continue and through whom the "seed" promise will advance.
    Genesis 22 - The Test Now God commands Abraham to sacrifice this very son—the only means by which God's promises could be fulfilled. This tests whether Abraham trusts God's character and promises even when circumstances seem to contradict them completely. The stakes couldn't be higher: Isaac represents the entire hope of the promised "seed" that would bless all nations.

    I. The Test of Faith (22:1−12)

    A. The Command (1-2)

    1 After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”
    After these things - What Things? In context it refers back to Genesis 21:22-34, as Abraham makes a covenant with a Philistine King Abimelech and his commander Phicol, here’s a brief description:
    Abimelech and his commander Phicol approach Abraham, recognizing God is with him
    Abimelech asks Abraham to swear loyalty to him and his descendants
    Abraham agrees but confronts Abimelech about a well his servants seized
    Abimelech denies knowledge of the incident
    Abraham gives Abimelech sheep and cattle to make a covenant
    Abraham sets aside seven ewe lambs as proof he dug the well
    The place is named Beersheba ("well of the oath" or "well of seven")
    Abimelech and Phicol return to Philistine territory
    Abraham plants a tamarisk tree and worships the Lord at Beersheba
    Abraham remains in Philistine land for a long time
    God tested Abraham. The particular form of the verb “tested” makes this phrase a summary of the whole passage and clarifies the meaning of the events. The genuineness of Abraham’s obedience to God is tested. While it is not unknown for God to test individuals, testing must be clearly distinguished from tempting. God does not tempt anyone to do evil (see note on James 1:13); he does, however, test the commitment of people (e.g., Ex. 15:25; 16:4).
    “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” - it’s like a teacher saying, “Do I have your attention students”, and the answer “Yes, teacher”.
    2 He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”
    your only son ... whom you love. Isaac is the beloved son, the only son of the promise (25:1–18 note). Ishmael has been disinherited and sent away (21:10, 14), leaving Isaac as Abraham’s only son. These terms are applied to Christ in the NT (Matt. 3:17; 17:5; John 3:16; Eph. 1:6; 2 Pet. 1:17) as God’s Son who would not be spared (Rom. 8:32).
    land of Moriah. Later the site of Israel’s temple in Jerusalem (2 Chr. 3:1).
    offer him. This command is perplexing to us at first and seems to contradict the sixth commandment (Exodus 20:13 “13 “You shall not murder.” ). As the narrative unfolds, however, it is evident that the test is whether Abraham will proceed with the preparations for sacrifice while holding steadfastly to the promise of 21:12, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.”
    Abraham knows that God has obligated Himself to keep His promise, and he knows that a dead Isaac cannot continue the covenant line. Heb. 11:19 unveils Abraham’s secret: he concludes “that God was able even to raise him from the dead.”
    Hebrews 11:19 ESV
    19 He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.

    B. The Obedience (3-8)

    3 So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. 4 On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar.
    So Abraham rose early in the morning - note the promptness of his obedience.
    took two of his young men with him…cut the wood for the burnt offering - note the preparations made for his obedience.
    On the third day - note the progress of his obedience since it requires about two days to travel on foot from Beersheba to Jerusalem, a distance of about 45 miles.
    But note next that we begin to see the bringing together of Abraham’s obedience and his trust in God’s covenant promise.
    5 Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.”
    I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you. - note the amazing faith of Abraham as he commits his actions to not only obedience, but worship. He was not at odds with God’s command; he did not grudgingly obey, but instead worshipped in full display of those around him.
    6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. - as Abraham continues to obey, he brings with him all that is necessary for obedience, fully expecting to obey in every point of God’s command. Notice next, Isaac’s questions…
    7 And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” - This interaction between Abraham and his son shows a couple of notable points:
    The faith of Isaac to trust his father, showing the faithfulness of Abraham to teach his son.
    Isaac understands that to worship God involves the need for the purification of the worshipper.
    8 Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.
    God will provide for himself the lamb. Abraham’s confidence in God as the one who will provide the necessary sacrifice anticipates how God will later provide His own Son, Jesus Christ, as a sacrifice for sin (John 1:29, 36).
    John 1:29 ESV
    29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
    John 1:36 ESV
    36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!”

    C. The Result (9-12)

    So what were the test results?
    9 When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. - again, note how both Abraham and Isaac were committed to obeying God.
    For Isaac as a young man, with his father Abraham well into his 100’s, would of necessity willingly yielded to the will of his earthly father, and by doing so, ultimately yielded to his Heavenly Father. However…
    11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”
    the angel of the LORD. The repetition of the name Abraham, Abraham underscores the urgency of the intervention.
    12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”
    now I know that you fear God. How are we to understand this knowing of God in light of His omniscience? Here are some truths that might help:
    The phrase is best interpreted as a statement for Abraham's benefit, not God's. It doesn't mean God gained new information, but rather that Abraham's faith was proven and made evident through his obedient action. The test was for Abraham, to demonstrate the depth of his faith to himself and to others, not to provide God with knowledge He didn't already possess.
    Theological Interpretation:
    Anthropomorphism: This is a common theological explanation. God is described in human terms to make His actions and intentions understandable to people. Just as a human father might say, "Now I know you love me," after seeing a child's selfless act, God uses similar language. He is not learning something new, but is acknowledging and affirming Abraham's demonstrated faith in a way Abraham can comprehend.
    Purpose of the Test: The purpose of the test was not to see what Abraham would do, but to reveal what was already in his heart. God's knowledge of Abraham's obedience was certain from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10), but Abraham's faith had to be tested to make it tangible and public. This event solidified Abraham's character and provided a powerful testimony for all future generations. It proved that Abraham's faith was not just an intellectual belief but an active, obedient trust in God.
    Covenantal Language: In the context of ancient Near Eastern treaties, a king might "know" a vassal's loyalty after they had successfully passed a trial. This public demonstration of loyalty would solidify the covenant between them. Similarly, God's statement "now I know" serves to publicly ratify and affirm the covenant with Abraham, showing his proven loyalty and faithfulness.
    BTW, this is why baptism is so important, because it declares through obedience to all who are present, that God’s covenant of grace is at work in your life.
    Abraham’s action confirms his faithful obedience to God. While Abraham’s faith was earlier the means by which God counted him as righteous (15:6), that faith is now “active along with his works,” and the faith is “completed by his works” (James 2:21–23), so that his faith resulted in obedience, which is its expected outcome.
    James 2:21–23 ESV
    21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God.
    However, that wasn’t the end, there was still the need for a sacrifice in order for God to associate His promise to Abraham and Isaac, so we see next…

    II. The Provision of the Lamb (22:13−14)

    13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son.
    behind him was a ram. Although Abraham has passed the test, God provides a ram so that it may be sacrificed as a burnt offering. In Genesis such sacrifices are associated with solemn promises made by God, and precede God’s declaration of His oath (see Genesis 8:20–22).
    Genesis 8:20–22 ESV
    20 Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and took some of every clean animal and some of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21 And when the Lord smelled the pleasing aroma, the Lord said in his heart, “I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done. 22 While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.”
    instead of his son. The fact that a ram died in the place of Isaac, we see introduced here the principle of substitutionary atonement, which would later become a reality in the substitutionary sacrificial death of Christ on the cross, as “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world”.
    14 So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”
    Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”. This Hebrew phrase, Yahweh Yireh (Jehovah Jireh) translates the word “provide” from the word that means “see” or “see to it” (used in vv. 4, 8, 13, 14). The name by which Abraham commemorates the event shows that he perceives God’s revelation of His saving purpose in which He would provide (see to it) the sacrifice necessary to atone for sin.
    “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.” - This probably denotes the hill on which the temple was later built in Jerusalem (see Isa. 2:3).
    How glorious is this event, because by type it points forward to…

    III. God's Greater Sacrifice (22:15−18)

    15 And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven
    the angel of the Lord - More the likely, this is what we would call a Christophany, or an Old Testament visible manifestation or appearance of Christ…we believe this because of what he says next…
    16 and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son,
    By myself I have sworn. God reinforces the surety of His infallible promise by an oath (15:8–21; 22:17; cf. Heb. 6:13–18). While sinful and fallible human beings swear by an authority higher than themselves, God, the supreme being and authority, swears by Himself (Heb. 6:13).
    Hebrews 6:13 ESV
    13 For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself,
    not withheld ... your only son. Abraham’s action of offering up his son points forward to God the Father’s provision of “his only Son” as the final sacrifice for sin (John 3:16; Rom. 8:32).
    Romans 8:32 ESV
    32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
    The central focus of God’s words to Abraham is on the way in which Abraham’s actions are a vindication of his faith, and thus God again declares His covenant intentions…
    17 I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, 18 and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.”
    I will surely bless you…as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore - this is a restatement of God’s original covenant with Abraham (12:1-3; 15:1-6)
    multiply your offspring…your offspring shall possess…in your offspring - the three uses of this singular noun (offspring) has a single ultimate focus, and that focus is the same focus we saw last week, the seed of the woman who would crush the serpents head.
    shall possess the gate of his enemies. This is achieved by one of Abraham’s offspring, not all of them. This picks up on the earlier divine promise to Eve that one of her offspring would overcome the serpent. An important distinction is drawn between the patriarch’s many descendants and a future descendant who will come from the unique family line that is traced throughout Genesis.
    shall all the nations of the earth be blessed - again we see God ultimate purpose was to save the nations (Gentiles) of the earth with the ultimate sacrifice, His Son Jesus.
    So we’ve seen so far in our series, Christ in the Old Testament, the First Promise, of the one who would be born as the seed of the woman and crush Satan’s head, and we’ve seen the Ultimate Sacrifice of the one who would die as a substitute for God’s people, and now we plan to see next week, the Lamb Who Saves from Exodus 12:1-13.

    So What?

    Do we understand that though our enemy Satan worked hard to thwart the plan of God, God’s promises and plan prevailed?
    Do we understand that the sin of God’s people can only be atoned for with a blood sacrifice that is substituted for them?
    Do we understand, that all that happened in God’s testing Abraham pointed to the Ultimate Sacrifice, Jesus Christ?

      • Genesis 22:1–19ESV

      • Genesis 22:1–2ESV

      • Hebrews 11:19ESV

      • Genesis 22:3–8ESV

      • John 1:29ESV

      • John 1:36ESV

      • Genesis 22:9–12ESV

      • James 2:21–23ESV

      • Genesis 22:13ESV

      • Genesis 8:20–22ESV

      • Genesis 22:14ESV

      • Genesis 22:15–16ESV

      • Hebrews 6:13ESV

      • Romans 8:32ESV

      • Genesis 22:17–18ESV

  • My Savior's Love
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