The Sacrifice of Isaac - Week 2
Christ in Old Testament | The Promised Son
Lesson 2 Genesis 22
Connecting to one another
Think about one of the most striking father and son/daughter relationships you have seen. Share one word that summarizes what makes that relationship stand out above other father-child relationships.
Understanding the Truth with one another
Verse by Verse ~ Topic by Topic ~ Argument by Argument
CONTEXT –When Abraham is 75, God promised him land and seed. When he is 100, his promised seed Isaac is finally born. While Abraham waited, he sinned by compromising the seed twice and by trying to fulfill God’s promised seed through Ishmael. This human directive results in the crisis of Ishmael being sent away. Now thirty more years later, a crisis arises due to divine directive, bringing Abraham full circle to when God first called him (Genesis 12:1-2). This is his ultimate test: it defies logic and is one any man, any father or son, would want to resist.
Read Genesis 22:1-10 only.
1. The Will of Two Fathers
a. How does Abraham, father of the promised son, withhold nothing from Jehovah? List below or underline in your Bible the details, the W’s (when, where, who, what, how) of Abraham’s actions and words.
b. How did God, the Father of the Promised Christ, withhold nothing from us? Be expansive in this list of what was provided. Verses you could review -- John 3:16; 1 John 4:10.
2. The Will of Two Sons
a. How does Isaac, the promised son, withhold nothing from Abraham? List below or underline in your Bible the details, the W’s (when, where, who, what, how) of Isaac’s actions and words.
b. How did Jesus the Son of God withhold nothing from His Father? Be expansive in this list of what was laid down. Verses you could review – John 14:31; Hebrews 9:14.
Read Genesis 22:11-19.
Notes to Discuss – The Angel of the LORD is Christ Himself, so this is a Christophany, a preincarnate appearance of Christ. Sometimes He took the form of a man, but He is fully God only at this point. At His incarnation when Jesus took on the flesh and nature of man, He was then and forever fully God and fully Man. Sometimes the preincarnate Christ is called the Angel of the LORD, better translated as “the Angel who is Jehovah.” The word angel means “messenger,” and Jehovah is God’s name as a Covenant Keeper.
3. The Angel Who Is Jehovah, Covenant Keeper
a. Look carefully at the names and pronouns. How can we see here that the Person of this Christophany is God yet distinct from God? Why is that important to see?
b. How do we see in the words and actions of the Angel of the LORD and Abraham’s response to Him that Christ is the ultimate Messenger for Jehovah God?
Read Hebrews 11:17-19.
4. God is the best teacher. Let’s review how He scripted this story for Abraham and his seed’s instruction.
a. What did Abraham learn about God both through the Covenant and through his experiential relationship with God that prepared him to prove his love for God in this ultimate test?
b. How did this story picture for the Israelites what type of Messiah they could expect?
Living the Truth as we are sent out
5. Abraham understood God must keep His covenants and he applied that theology correctly when he laid his son on the altar. How are you obeying better now as you have grown in your knowledge (theology) of God? Share a story about how God matured you through testing and deepened your love for Him.
Notes to Discuss – In Genesis 22:22, the word love is used for the first time in the Bible to describe Abraham’s love for his promised son. In Isaiah 41:8, Abraham is called God’s friend, but this is literally translated as “Abraham, who loved Me.” Before going to the cross, Jesus spoke about how we are to love. Read John 15:9-17.
6. How would you explain to someone who does not know God or His family how we are to prioritize our love for Him and His family?
7. Clearly Abraham and Isaac had an intimate relationship. They picture the even better intimate relationship shared by the Father and the Son. When people see your life, how might they see the intimate relationship you have with the Father?
8. What stands out in the relationship between Abraham and Isaac is that their will to obey God was the same. Jesus and His Father also shared the same will to carry out the Father’s plan for our redemption.
We are sons of the Father too. With whom are you working with the same will to fulfill God’s mission in Laredo? Share one example.
Homework – Read Number 21:1-9 and John 3:1-21 for next week’s lesson.
God’s joy & strength to you,
kpaulson@gracelaredo.org