Thy Son, Thine Only Son

2022-02-16

Three times Isaac is emphasized as Abraham’s only son (Genesis 22:2, 12, 16). There is no mention of Ishmael; the heir is Isaac. “Thy son, thine only son” is the one who is to be offered as a burnt offering to the Lord in Genesis 22. However, the Lord Himself provided a ram as a substitute in the place of Isaac that day.

Before Abraham ascended the mountain, he knew something unusual would happen. He knew that this son would be the heir, as God had promised. He knew “that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead” (Hebrews 11:19), and maybe that was how Isaac would be preserved.

However, a saying came out because of this whole incident: “And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen” (Genesis 22:14).

One day it would be seen in the land of Moriah a better sacrifice to end sacrifice, to end men’s works, and to end death. The Temple was built there in Moriah, for “Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem in mount Moriah” (2 Chronicles 3:1). But that did not end any of those things.

It was His son, His only son, who ended the endless cycle of sacrifice, works, and death. It was His only Son who died in the land of Moriah who procured so great a salvation for us. It was nearly 2,000 years after Abraham and Isaac went to Moriah that the Son died at Calvary. It has been nearly 2,000 years since that we find ourselves reflecting on the Son today.

How hard it was for Abraham to hear the words, “Take now thy son, thine only son.” How hard was it for the LORD to say the words, “Take now thy son, thine only son,” knowing He would bear the brunt for humanity’s sin?