A Christmas Story In the Old Testament

A Christmas Story In the Old Testament
Gen. 22:1-14

Intro: Earlier this year when I read this familiar story, it suddenly occurred to me what a similarity there was in the Incident of Abraham and Isaac and the glorious story of Christmas.

I. A Father’s Sacrifice
“Take now thine only son Isaac and offer him up...”
What a request; actually a demand!
What a response:
Immediate- he rose up early
Deliberate- he made all necessary preparations: took Wood, Fire, Knife, Rope
Complete- there was no balking; no hesitating; no half hearted effort. It was serious obedience- immediate action- deliberate action- complete action. Abraham took all the necessities; made the long journey; didn’t stop along the way; didn’t take a detour; didn’t try to find a way around God’s command or a way out of the responsibility placed upon him.
It’s hard to imagine a Father being willing to sacrifice his own son; willing to give him up

II. A Son’s Submission
“They went both of them together...”
Isaac went along with his father. You might say, “Yes, but he didn’t know what was planned for him...” That may be true, still Isaac went along with his Father’s plan without complaint.
He was Willing to be Burdened
The wood was laid upon Isaac! He submitted to carrying the wood on which he was to be offered as a sacrifice.
He was Willing to be Bound
This is VERY important in the story. Isaac was willing to be bound. Remember, he was not a toddler; not a child; not just a young teen, he was young man. He was fast enough to run away; strong enough to resist; old enough to refuse. Still he did not Fight against his father; did not refuse to be bound; he submitted his Father’s will.

III. A Soul’s Salvation
“Lay not thy hand upon thy son...”
Abraham was stopped at the last moment by the angel of the Lord; then he saw a Ram caught in the thicket behind him and the Ram became the sacrifice.
Isaac was saved; his life was spared by a substitute.

Now, think with me about the key ingredients of the Christmas story.
There was a Father’s Sacrifice.
For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son...
In the fulness of time God sent forth his son made of a woman made under the law to redeem them that were under the law.
God made all the preparations to sacrifice his Son.
Mother to Carry Him
Manger to Cradle Him
Messengers to Confirm Him
Ministry to Complete His Mission
Nothing was left undone- God worked out a Complete Plan. The Father was willing to sacrifice his own son.

There was a Son’s Submission
I mentioned in regard to Isaac that he probably didn’t really Know ahead of time what was planned for him up on the mountain but he was willing to submit anyway.
In this case, Jesus Christ KNEW exactly what was planned and he was willing to go through with it Anyway!
He was willing to be Burdened.
He carried the sins of all mankind. He was feeling the weight of this horrible burden in the Garden of Gethsemane and began sweating as it were great drops of blood. He was feeling the pressure of Sin, the spiritual attack of Satan, the dread of death BUT he was willing to be burdened.
He not only carried all of our sins, He Carried the Wood; he carried his own Cross.

He was willing to be Bound
He was bound not with cords of Rope and not with rusty Nails. He was Bound by his Love for Mankind-YOU, ME! He stated plainly to his disciples that NO man could take his life from him; he would Lay it down. He told Pilate that he could call for angels from heaven to come and deliver him, but he refused to so.
He was Guilty of no Sin; guilty of no wrong doing; guilty of no Crime. An old song declared that he was “Guilty of LOVE in the first degree.”
When Jesus reached his place of sacrifice there was NO Voice from heaven to interrupt the proceedings; no Divine Command stopped his crucifixion; the hands of his executioners were not withheld.
FOR Jesus WAS not only the SON, he was also the Substitute- he was there taking My Place- he was there taking YOUR place. It was His Life for Ours; his life for yours.
Oh, yes on Mt. Calvary there was a Father’s sacrifice; a Son’s submission; and thank God there was a Soul’s Salvation.
My soul; your soul; our souls; the souls of our families, our children, our loved ones, our friends.
John declared that Jesus was the Propitiation or Payment for the sins of the whole world.
Peter declared that we are redeemed with the Precious Blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
Heb.2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death...that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. 14 ...as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
How about YOU? Are you saved? Are you redeemed by the blood of Jesus? Have you been delivered from the bondage of sin and fear of death? Do you know that you have passed from the darkness of sin into the glorious light of salvation?
The only TRUE way to celebrate the Christmas season is to not only Know about the birth and death of Jesus, but to believe on Him as your Savior and your Lord.