What is a “type”? Genesis 22.1-14
Jesus throughout the Scriptures: Genesis (5)
Pray Psalm 22.23-28.
You who fear the LORD, praise Him!
All you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him,
And fear Him, all you offspring of Israel!
For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted;
Nor has He hidden His face from Him;
But when He cried to Him, He heard.
My praise shall be of You in the great assembly;
I will pay My vows before those who fear Him.
The poor shall eat and be satisfied;
Those who seek Him will praise the LORD.
Let your heart live forever!
All the ends of the world
Shall remember and turn to the LORD,
And all the families of the nations
Shall worship before You.
For the kingdom is the LORD’s,
And He rules over the nations.
Sing Psalm 22.23-28.
(Darwall: Rejoice, the Lord Is King)
All you who fear the LORD, now praise His holy Name!
You children of His glorious Word, declare His fame!
We stand in awe of our eternal God, and on His mercy call.
For He has not despised the anguish of our King,
nor from Him hid His eyes, Who knew such suffering.
Let praise arise from all who love and serve the Ruler of the skies!
Then all the poor shall eat and praise with us the LORD.
Forever we His praise repeat and trust His Word.
Praise God above, all you who keep His vows and who His mercies love!
All nations shall repent and hasten to the LORD.
All those to whom His truth is sent shall praise His Word.
The LORD is King! His sovereign rule on high now we His people sing!
Read Genesis 22.1-14; meditate on verses 13, 14.
Preparation
1. What did Abraham intend for Isaac?
2. How did God provide instead?
Meditation
Let’s begin by seeing this ram as a type of Jesus. A type is something—a thing or person or even an event—that has real meaning and significance in its own setting, but which points beyond itself to larger spiritual truths. This ram took Isaac’s place. That happened and it was significant because God used this situation to allow Abraham to prove his fear of and trust in the LORD (v. 12). But, in the larger picture, the ram points to the work of Jesus Who is our Substitute and Sacrifice. The ram died instead of Isaac, allowing him to live and bear the promises of God to the next generation.
But Isaac is also a type of Jesus. He is the first-born, the beloved of his father. Abraham was acting in accord with the instructions of God to sacrifice Isaac on this hill. Isaac bore the wood of his sacrifice, just as Jesus bore His cross. And, like Jesus, Isaac “overcame” death by the grace of God and was “resurrected” to life.
But it’s the ram which is my primary focus. We note that it was “caught in a thicket” just as Jesus became “caught” in the lowly flesh of a man. He Who spoke the worlds into existence and lived from all eternity came in mortal flesh into that which He made to become entangled with us in sin yet without sin. And the LORD provided “instead” of us (v. 13).
These glimpses and insights which we can gather from throughout the Scriptures illustrate in a variety of ways the plain and unmistakable teaching of Jesus and the apostles concerning Who Jesus is, what He accomplished, and the implications of that are for us.
Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162.
“I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph.
I will bring them back, because I have mercy on them.
They shall be as though I had not cast them aside;
for I AM the LORD their God, and I will hear them” (Zech. 10.6).
This Great I AM is Whom Abraham got his strength from.
When God called to Abraham, his first response was: “Here I am” (Gen. 22.1).
And then God told him the task that was set before him to accomplish—a most horrific request.
However, Abraham set out, straightway, to do what was required of him.
Later, as he was about to sacrifice his own son, the Angel of the LORD called to him.
And what was his response this time? “Here I am” (Gen. 22.11).
Abraham was still listening, still trusting, and still obedient.
Isaiah, when the LORD questioned: “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” responded: “Here I am!
Send me” (Is. 6.8).
Mary, the same. When Gabriel told her of the extreme circumstances in which she would find herself, her trusting response was: “Behold, the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word” (Lk. 1.38). Here I am.
And Jesus. He came to earth already knowing what lay before Him, and His response? “Here I AM.”
“…for the works the Father has given Me to finish—the very works that I do—bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me” (Jn. 5.36).
“Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You…and this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ Whom You have sent. I have glorified You on the earth, I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was” (Jn. 17.1-5). “Here I AM.”
Abraham, Isaiah, and Mary set a precedent for how we must obediently respond to God’s call on our lives.
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and the Savior of the world, did what no one had done, or will ever do. His “Here I AM” accepted the burden of being “caught in the lowly flesh of a man” to bear the sins of the entire world—past, present, and future. He loved us enough, even knowing—full disclosure—of the physical pain and spiritual separation from God that He would suffer, to bear the unthinkable, and willingly proceeded. Though even praying:
“O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me;
nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will” (Matt. 26.39).
But still, “Here I AM.”
Reflection
1. How do you know when you need to say “Here I am” to the Lord?
2. How does the Lord know that you fear and trust Him? How do others know?
3. How would you explain the ram as a type of Jesus? With whom will you share this today?
Another sacrifice is provided. Reference must be had to the promised Messiah, the blessed Seed. Christ was sacrificed in our stead, as this ram instead of Isaac, and his death was our discharge. Matthew Henry (1662-1714), Commentary on Genesis 22.11-14
Pray Psalm 22.6-15.
Praise God for the sacrifice of Jesus and His saving work for the world. Pray for the progress of His Kingdom, that more people might know the blessings of knowing Him.
Sing Psalm 22.6-15.
(St. Christopher: Beneath the Cross of Jesus)
Despised by men, the Savior was more a worm than man.
They mocked, “He trusted God, let Him redeem Him if He can!
Let God deliver Him if He indeed delights in Him!”
Thus scorned they Jesus as He died in pain and anguish grim.
Like raging bulls they bellowed, like lions set to feast.
Each gaping mouth raged loudly like an all-consuming beast.
Like water slipped His life away, disjointed hanged He high;
His tongue clung to His jaws as He prepared His heart to die.
T. M. and Susie Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment and give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.
