I was on the way home from my parents' house this evening, listening to a Sovereign Grace CD entitled Valley of Vision when I heard the line "crushed by your Father to call me your own." This made me think back to the story of Abraham sacrificing his son Isaac. That's when it all came together for me.
In Genesis 22 God tested Abraham, saying, "Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you" (v. 2). Hebrews 11 gives us the quick summary: "By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac" (v.17). In other words, he obeyed.
Here's the detailed version from Genesis 22: "When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son" (v. 9-10).
Thankfully, though, "the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said....Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son from me." (v. 11-12). God then provided a substitute: a ram caught in a thicket by its horns.
What struck me tonight as I was listening to that song ("How Deep is Your Love") was the fact that 2000 years later, another Father would be called to slaughter his Son. Only with this Father, there wasn't any angel crying out who could stop his hand. Rather, this Father poured out his divine wrath on his only Son, whom he loves.
Moreover, there was no other substitute provided. In fact, this Son was the substitute, provided to be the sacrifice for the sins of all who would put their trust in him. His name is Jesus Christ, and what's even more amazing, is the fact that he is a direct descendant of Abraham (Matthew 1:1).
"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not with him graciously give us all things?" (Romans 8:31-32)
