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.”
—Genesis 22:2
Then he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.”
—Zechariah 4:6
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
—John 1:12-13
But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, while the son of the free woman was born through promise. Now this may be interpreted allegorically: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar.
—Galatians 4:23-24
Abraham had more than one son, but only one, unique son of promise.
After Eden, humans have continually tried to seize control and have their own way. Sometimes it has been through bloodshed and violence and sometimes through arrogance and pride and deceit.
Cain murdered his brother out of jealously. He apparently saw killing his brother as quicker and easier than disciplining himself. Lamech boasted of his savagery. He thought that the way to remain safe was to hit back harder, taking his own revenge. Herod butchered all the baby boys in the area of Bethlehem to reassert and protect his own power.
The people in the plain of Shinar had delusions of their own greatness. They planned to build a tower reaching to the heavens, and to make themselves famous. Jacob swindled his brother Esau, but then was swindled by Laban. The Pharaoh of the time of Moses thought that he could defy the Lord as an equal.
Sometimes it was through putting flesh and blood in the way of the Lord and His Spirit.
The Israelites demanded a king “like all the nations”. Saul thought he could ensure that Jonathan would follow him as king. Many of the religious in the time of John and Jesus thought that being physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob gave them special status. Even Abram and Sarai tried to acquire an heir in their own way: Ishmael, born to Hagar.
Isaac was the son of promise, not the son of human scheming. The only son of promise. So, when the Lord called Abraham to Moriah, He referred to Isaac as “your only son”.
The word of the Lord to Zechariah called the Lord's people to return to faith, reminding his hearers and readers that the Lord's Spirit is the only power of restoration. And both Joseph and Mary were given angelic reassurance that Mary's child was from the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God.
John's gospel reinforces that becoming children of God is not through any human scheme or means or will. But—like the unique Son of promise—only through God.
Son (part 6)
Put not your trust in princes,
in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.
—Psalm 146:3
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.”
—Genesis 22:2
Then he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.”
—Zechariah 4:6
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
—John 1:12-13
But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, while the son of the free woman was born through promise. Now this may be interpreted allegorically: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar.
—Galatians 4:23-24
Abraham had more than one son, but only one, unique son of promise.
After Eden, humans have continually tried to seize control and have their own way. Sometimes it has been through bloodshed and violence and sometimes through arrogance and pride and deceit.
Cain murdered his brother out of jealously. He apparently saw killing his brother as quicker and easier than disciplining himself. Lamech boasted of his savagery. He thought that the way to remain safe was to hit back harder, taking his own revenge. Herod butchered all the baby boys in the area of Bethlehem to reassert and protect his own power.
The people in the plain of Shinar had delusions of their own greatness. They planned to build a tower reaching to the heavens, and to make themselves famous. Jacob swindled his brother Esau, but then was swindled by Laban. The Pharaoh of the time of Moses thought that he could defy the Lord as an equal.
Sometimes it was through putting flesh and blood in the way of the Lord and His Spirit.
The Israelites demanded a king “like all the nations”. Saul thought he could ensure that Jonathan would follow him as king. Many of the religious in the time of John and Jesus thought that being physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob gave them special status. Even Abram and Sarai tried to acquire an heir in their own way: Ishmael, born to Hagar.
Isaac was the son of promise, not the son of human scheming. The only son of promise. So, when the Lord called Abraham to Moriah, He referred to Isaac as “your only son”.
The word of the Lord to Zechariah called the Lord's people to return to faith, reminding his hearers and readers that the Lord's Spirit is the only power of restoration. And both Joseph and Mary were given angelic reassurance that Mary's child was from the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God.
John's gospel reinforces that becoming children of God is not through any human scheme or means or will. But—like the unique Son of promise—only through God.