|
When Abraham offered Isaac, and God stayed his hand
from slaying the boy, the Bible tells us Abraham received
him back as a type (Heb. 11:19).
Isaac's Resurrection
From Abraham's perspective, he received Isaac back as
from the dead when God stopped Him from slaying him
(Heb. 11:19).
- "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" (Heb. 11:17-19).
Commenting on this, Barnes says:
- "The obvious interpretation is, that he then received
him by his being raised up from the altar as if from
the dead. He was to Abraham dead. He had given him
up. He had prepared to offer him as a sacrifice. He
lay there before him as one who was dead. From that
altar he was raised up by direct Divine interposition,
as if he was raised from the grave, and this was to
Abraham a figure or a representation of the resurrection."
And Alford says:
- Abraham "received him back, risen from that death
which he had undergone in, under, the figure of the
ram."
Isaac's Resurrection: Type of Christ's Resurrection
The similarities between Isaac and Jesus are striking
in respect to their death and resurrection, especially
allegorically.
Both Jesus and Isaac were Sons of promise.
- Isaac was Abraham's son, through whom God promised
to make a great nation, and bless all the nations
of the earth (Gen. 18:18).
- Jesus is the promised One through whom God blesses
all the nations (Gal. 3:16).
Both Jesus and Isaac are responsible for descendants
of Abraham.
- Abraham's physical descendants come through Isaac,
and his spiritual descendants come through Jesus (Gal.
3:26-29).
- Abraham's physical descendants are born by physical
birth, and his spiritual descendants are born by spiritual
birth through baptism (Jn. 3:3-5; Acts 2:38; Tit.
3:5).
Both Jesus and Isaac were their Fathers' only Son.
- Abraham's sacrifice of his only son, foreshadowed
God's sacrifice of His only Son (Heb. 11:17; Jn. 3:16).
Both Jesus and Isaac were sacrificed in Moriah.
- God commanded Abraham to sacrifice Isaac on a mountain
in the land of Moriah (Gen. 22:2, 14).
- Jesus was sacrificed in Moriah (2 Ch. 3:1).
- Moriah is the place God provides the sacrifice
for our sins (Gen. 22:14). It's the place Jesus was
sacrificed to atone for man's sins.
Both Jesus and Isaac carried wood for their sacrifice.
- Abraham laid the wood on Isaac, who carried it
up the mountain (Gen. 22:6).
- Jesus bore His cross which was made of wood (Jn.
19:17-18).
- Both Isaac and Jesus did work necessary to become
a sacrifice to God.
Both Jesus and Isaac were obedient to their Fathers
to the point of death.
- Isaac obeyed his father, who bound him and laid
him on the alter (Gen. 22:6-9).
- Jesus obeyed His father and was obedient to the
point of crucifixion, through which He learned obedience
( Phil. 2:5-8; Heb. 5:7-8).
Both Jesus and Isaac were raised up by the power
of God.
- When God stopped Abraham from slaying his son,
Abraham considered that God raised him from the dead
(Heb. 11:19).
- God raised Jesus from the dead (Rom. 6:4).
Jesus tells us that Abraham saw His day -- the day
Jesus left heaven and came to earth (Jn. 8:56). Certainly
Abraham also saw the day Jesus was sacrificed on the
cross, and the day God received Him back from the dead.
Seeing God sacrifice His Son, and then receive Him
back, must have been incredible for Abraham, especially
while enjoying eternal bliss with the son God gave back
to him, Isaac.
Isaac's Resurrection: Type of Christian's Resurrection
Since Isaac foreshadowed the death and resurrection
of Christ, He also foreshadowed our death and resurrection.
As Isaac was dead when laying upon alter, so we are
dead in the water of baptism.
- We die to sin in the water of baptism (Rom. 6:2,
7).
- We are baptized into Christ's death (Rom. 6:3).
- We are united with Christ in death when we're baptized
(Rom. 6:5).
- We are crucified with Christ where we're baptized
(Rom. 6:6).
- A ram was substituted for Isaac, and died for
him. Jesus was substituted for us, and died for
us.
- Jesus bore our sins on the cross, becoming
sin on our behalf, so we can become the righteousness
of God in Him (1 Pet. 2:24; 2 Cor. 5:21).
As Isaac was raised from the dead when he came up from
the alter, we are raised from the dead when we come
up from the water of baptism.
- We are buried with Christ, and raised up with Him
when we're baptized (Col. 2:12).
- God raises us up with Christ, and seats us with
Him in the heavenly places when we're baptized (Eph.
2:6).
Conclusion
The love and mercy God extended to Abraham and Isaac
is extended to us when we obey Jesus, and we're baptized
-- we die with Him and God raises us up, seating us
with Him in the heavenly places.
|
