Genesis 22:13-18: a reflection

13Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and saw that behind him was a ram caught in the thicket by his horns. Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering instead of his son. 14Abraham called the name of that place “The LORD Will Provide”. As it is said to this day, “On the LORD’s mountain, it will be provided.” 15The LORD’s angel called to Abraham a second time out of the sky, 16and said, “‘I have sworn by myself,’ says the LORD, ‘because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17that I will bless you greatly, and I will multiply your offspring greatly like the stars of the heavens, and like the sand which is on the seashore. Your offspring will possess the gate of his enemies. 18All the nations of the earth will be blessed by your offspring, because you have obeyed my voice.’”

At the very moment Abraham is about to offer his son, God provides a substitute: Abraham looks up and sees a ram caught in a thicket, and offers it up instead of his son. And Abraham names the place The LORD Will Provide. God had provided a substitute, a ram to be offered in Isaac's place, so that the son was spared. What Abraham could not provide, God provided: a substitute to take the place of the one who was to die. On the mountain, God provided.

Notice what God provided: a substitute to take the place of the one who was to be offered. Isaac was to be offered; but God provided a ram to be offered in his place, a substitute, so that Isaac was spared. The substitute died in the place of the son. And this provision of a substitute points forward to the greater provision God would make: his own Son, the Lamb, offered in our place, that we might be spared. As God provided a ram in Isaac's place, so he provided his Son in ours, a substitute to take the place we deserved. God provided the substitute.

That is the heart of the gospel, and worth resting in: that God has provided a substitute in our place. We, like Isaac, deserved to die; but God provided a substitute, his own Son, the Lamb, to take our place, that we might be spared. What we could not provide, God provided: a substitute to bear what we deserved. Rest not in your own efforts to escape what you deserve, but in the substitute God has provided, his Son, offered in your place. When you consider what your sin deserves, remember that God has provided a substitute, as he provided the ram in Isaac's place; the Lamb God provided, his own Son, took your place, that you might be spared. Rest in the substitute God has provided, his Son offered in your place, as God provided the ram in Isaac's place on the mountain, saying, the LORD will provide; for on the mountain of the Lord, it was provided, and God has provided the Lamb, his Son, in your place.

Lord, at the very moment Abraham is about to offer his son, you provide a substitute: Abraham looks up and sees a ram caught in a thicket, and offers it up instead of his son. And Abraham names the place The LORD Will Provide. You had provided a substitute, a ram to be offered in Isaac's place, so that the son was spared. What Abraham could not provide, you provided: a substitute to take the place of the one who was to die. Show me what you provided: a substitute to take the place of the one who was to be offered. Isaac was to be offered; but you provided a ram to be offered in his place, so that Isaac was spared. The substitute died in the place of the son. And this points forward to the greater provision you would make: your own Son, the Lamb, offered in our place, that we might be spared. As you provided a ram in Isaac's place, so you provided your Son in ours. That is the heart of the gospel, and worth resting in: that you have provided a substitute in my place. I, like Isaac, deserved to die; but you provided a substitute, your own Son, the Lamb, to take my place. What I could not provide, you provided. Keep me from resting in my own efforts to escape what I deserve; help me rest in the substitute you have provided, your Son, offered in my place. When I consider what my sin deserves, help me remember that you have provided a substitute, Lord, as you provided the ram in Isaac's place. Thank you that the Lamb you provided, your own Son, took my place, that I might be spared.