Day 6: The Lamb
Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.”
Genesis 22:14
Waiting on Christmas Day has to be up there with the most testing of times for any kid. The customary promise of presents and many other blessings consuming the thoughts of young minds for months. As I reminisce back to those times, waiting on those moments was soul destroying. It felt like forever. It felt like days were on a go-slow. Minutes ticking by as though in reverse gear. Yet when the day arrived, it was like waking up in Smyths toy store. The living room saturated in wrapped presents. My younger brother and I ripping through them in delight as gifts and blessings are revealed. It’s not even 4am and we’d been up for nearly an hour. Precious memories I’ll never forget. The wait, however, was laborious.
Many years ago, Abraham laboriously waited on a promised blessing. He wasn’t waiting to rip open presents but waited on the son the Lord had promised him. Year after year he waited. Decade after decade. As time ticked away the promise seemed to get progressively less likely. After more than 20 painstaking years, the Lord fulfilled His promise and Isaac was born. Now in adolescence he accompanies his dad on another testing endeavour. This time Abraham doesn’t have to wait, but he’s to sacrifice the son he patiently waited on.
Astoundingly, heeding the Lord’s instruction, Abraham and Isaac make the 45-mile journey from their hometown to a mountain in Moriah. On arrival Isaac asks, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering (v7)?” “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son (v8),” responds Abraham. He binds his son, laying him on top of the alter. As the knife is about to slice through Isaac the Lord stops him. A ram caught in the thicket is provided and slaughtered in Isaac’s place.
Accelerate a few thousand years, on the very same mountain, another slaughtering is taking place. This time the Father doesn’t stop. He slaughters His own Son in the most barbaric event ever recorded. As the full weight of divine wrath came down on the Lamb of God. “God will provide for himself the lamb (v8),” a prophecy pointing to “the Lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world (Jn 1:29).” On the mount of the Lord, He had provided yet again (v14). As a ram was substituted for Isaac, Christ was substituted for His people.
The greatest blessing this Christmas won’t be presents. The greatest blessing is God provided a Lamb. The greatest present is knowing our sin has been defeated through the Lamb of God who shed His precious blood in our place. As we approach Christmas, let’s not forget where our true blessing lies. It lies in the person of Christ.
He left His crown in heaven to be born in Bethlehem’s cradle to die on a Roman cross.
He lived to die for us.
Written by Paul McLoughlan
A Thought to Remember: Christ the Lamb was slaughtered in our place.
A Bit More to Read: John 1:29-34
A Question to Ask: In what ways is Christ the greatest present you have received?
A Song to Sing: Man of Sorrows
A Picture for the kids: Lamb