October 9, 2026
GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY:
“As the two of them went on together, Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, ‘Father?‘ ‘Yes, my son?’ Abraham replied. ‘The fire and wood are here, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?‘ Abraham answered, ‘God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.’ And the two of them went on together.” (Genesis 22.6b-8)
REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD:
Foreshadowing of the Messianic Promise ahead!
Over the past three days, I have brought to your attention out of the story found in Genesis 22 of Abraham’s test of faith, phrases that are seen looking backward from the story of the death and crucifixion of Jesus, God’s only begotten Son. Abraham was called by God to offer his only son as a burnt offering. The phrases, if you don’t recall are: “early in the morning;” “he chopped the wood;” “on the third day” and “carrying of the wood for sacrifice.” Today’s phrase is not spoken specifically in this passage nor in the gospel telling of those moments when Jesus was arrested, tried, tortured and crucified. It is implied. It is implied based on the prophecy uttered in Isaiah 53.7, “He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He did not open His mouth.” In today’s passage, we do hear Isaac’s question to his father concerning the lack of the one most important element for the burnt offering. There was the wood. There was the knife. There was the fire. Equally, as the procedure would require, there was a rock upon which the sacrifice would be made already provided (the meaning of that is clear only when we hear the declaration of Jesus to Peter “Upon this rock, I will build My Church.”) Even there in the mountains above Caesarea Philippi, the groundwork was being laid for the “sacrifice” that would invoke the fulfillment of God’s blessing for the people of God begun with Abraham and concluding with Jesus as the Christ. We also know that neither of those sacrifices were the final act spoken of by God to Eve concerning the defeat of the Enemy of God and humanity. There will come on the Last Day when the Resurrected and Glorified Christ has the final word over Satan the Accuser and cast into Hell forever unable to “do no harm” to the people of God.
It is after that, we hear “no word” further from Isaac. He is led to the slaughter like a lamb and shorn before his father and his father’s Father (God) and laid bare without uttering a word. Isaac trusted in both those fathers based on Abraham’s word “God will provide for the sacrifice.” This is the message in both events who impetus Isaiah captured: complete and utter trust and dependance on God… His Will Be Done! Mighty ones of God, know that God has prepared the sacrifice for our salvation and already sealed it with His own blood. We are called simply to believe it, surrender to it and have faith to do His will over our own except that we make our will His Will be done. This is what Jesus prayed in the Garden before Judas Iscariot led the Temple Guard and Roman soldiers to arrest Him. It is what the Holy Spirit reminded the disciples of later because they had fallen asleep instead of keeping watch. Jesus committed Himself as that lamb led to slaughter, a sheep before the shearers blade to be laid bare before the world He was called to save. Jesus went to the Temple court, the Roman court and to Golgotha as our representative. This is why He would not utter a word except to confess “You have said it so.” Caiaphas heard it. Pilate heard it. God heard it. It was as if He was saying to each of them, “Your will be done.” It was as God had spoken then and will be for each of us who believe and trust the word of the Father. AMEN.
TODAYS’ PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING:
Father, in these days we are finding the need to believe even more than ever before. We all have known trouble, some in greater ways than others, but You are offering us the assurance that we will not be consumed by it forever. Regardless of the “time” we are in and the “time” we have been given, we ask for Your Holy Spirit which Jesus asked You to share with us, to lead and guide and direct us in the paths we should go. Teach us what we still need to learn. Empower us to put that learning into action. Bless our actions not as a works righteousness endeavor, but as righteous works of faith, hope and love in Jesus’ name. AMEN.
