Then the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven, and said, “By Myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son, indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies. In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” (Genesis 22:15-18, NASB)
By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; it was he to whom it was said, “In Isaac your descendants shall be called.” He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type. (Hebrews 11:17-19, NASB)
The Bible passage above from Genesis takes place after Abraham had bound his son, Isaac to an altar on Mount Moriah. His intended sacrifice of Isaac had been ordered by God as a test, and was interrupted by “the angel of the LORD (commonly believed to be Jesus)” when he had gone far enough. Because Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son at God’s command, God pronounced him to be righteous, and promised blessings, a great Nation, and “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”
In the passage from Hebrews 11, the “Faith Hall of Fame,” the author repeats the story of Abraham and Isaac, “and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son.” The parallels between Isaac and Jesus are many: Isaac carried the wood for his sacrifice up the hill; Jesus carried the wood for His sacrifice as well, the cross. They were both the only begotten sons of their fathers. God provided a lamb in both situations: A substitute lamb to take Isaac’s place, and a substitute Lamb to take my place on Calvary’s Hill.
Abraham had faith that God would deliver on His promises. God had told him that he would be father to a great Nation, and that Isaac would carry on his line. God promised him where this Nation would be. Abraham demonstrated his faith in God by carrying out God’s command to sacrifice his son. The Hebrews text says that Abraham “received [Isaac] back as a type.” That is, Isaac was a model to be compared to Jesus.
God gave us His Son Jesus, to take our place on the cross, to die as a substitute to take the punishment we deserve for our sins. Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son based on God’s command. God’s plan of salvation mirrored what Abraham was willing to do because of his faith. Oh, that I had the faith of Abraham!