When Abraham and Isaac Understood Genesis 22

I've had this curiosity about the Gospel Event for some time now. Its described in the Scriptures in such a timeless manner that I've wondered what it would have been like for the Old Testament saints if they could have watched it unfold. The more I read the Old Testament stories the more I see how they were ultimately pointing to Jesus and his death and resurrection.

So take a moment and re-read Genesis chapter 22 in light of those last hours of Jesus. What would have gone through the minds of Abraham and Isaac on that day if they could have watched Jesus die?

I picture it happening like this.

The crowd in "Paradise" had been assembled to watch what was taking place with Jesus. It was "Paradise", but there was an unfamiliar feeling amongst all of them and one they did not enjoy.

All of a sudden memories started flooding Abraham's mind of a very dark time in his own life. He remembers hearing God's voice utter words he never could have fathomed:

"Take your son, your only son Isaac, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you..."

He dismisses these vivid images and words away, for right now the King of Heaven has left His throne and has been betrayed, abandoned and delivered to the Romans. And now...he's watching Jesus walk up his own mountain of sorts, to make a sacrifice. To worship.

But again memories overwhelm him. And in a moment Abraham is back with his son, Isaac...climbing up a mountain...to sacrifice. To worship. He was so proud of his son - he just listened and obeyed. He trusted his father. He only asked where the lamb was for the burnt offering and when he told him that "God would provide for himself the lamb", that was enough for him.

Again he brushed these memories aside...he still couldn't understand why these memories were coming to his mind and heart now. At this point all of those with Abraham were watching with wet eyes, silent mouths and devastated souls. They knew of the prophecies and Abraham was starting to see more clearly now, but he couldn't come to grips with what he knew must come to pass.

Surely someone would take his place. Surely God would provide again as He always had. He wouldn't allow the murder of His only son, would He?!?

There go the nails. In the wrists, in the feet. The crown of thorns is still there.

He's already lost so much blood from those experts in death and torture. They were "surgeons of death" as it were. Their 'Hippocratic oath' was the antithesis of that of Dr. Luke's profession. They didn't make mistakes when it came to punishing someone by death.

At this point they can't even recognize him except that sign Pilate put above Him. And then the cross was raised up with their King on it.

Abraham all of sudden feels a trembling arm wrapped around him. Its Isaac and his eyes are on Jesus. He buries his head in his dad's chest and weeps...as do all those with them.

But again those memories come again to Abraham. He remembers looking in his son's eyes after he laid him on the altar. He believed he was going to see his son again. He remembers feeling the knife in his hand as raised it up. His hand was shaking. He was going to slaughter his son...there was no other way or so he thought. And then that voice called his name. He knew that voice well. And the greatest news Abraham had EVER been given filled his ears.

"Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him..."

And so Abraham was waiting for that someone to intervene with Jesus. But only silence echoed from Heaven. The angels said nothing.

He wanted to yell "Don't lay a hand on that man or do anything to him" just like God told him. But he couldn't. Almost as if someone wouldn't allow him to intervene for Jesus.

He was waiting for the Father to intervene, but again silence. And now it was a dark silence. As if the Father would not even look down on His Son. What was happening?

And now it was too late. Jesus had given his last breath, having died of asphyxiation technically...he couldn't pull himself up to breath anymore.

And now the silence was deafening. Isaac cried in Abraham's chest as if he was a little boy all over again.

No one said a word. Some were too distraught and shocked to cry. What had happened?

Abraham could only hang his head, but Isaac slowly lifted his. There was this voice telling him to look closer at Jesus and at Abraham his father. And so he did. Abraham. Jesus. Abraham. Jesus.

Then Abraham remembered something yet again. God didn't just tell him not to "harm Isaac nor touch him", but He had provided a ram for him to sacrifice. He had provided something to "take Isaac's place".

Through tears and sobs Isaac managed to blurt out, "Dad you were right... you were right!! On the mountain you said God would provide. Remember?!!? God DID 'provide for himself the lamb'. JESUS is the Lamb. He's the LAMB."

Abraham looked at Jesus and back at Isaac and said, "You're right son, He was the Lamb the whole time. He took your place. He took our place."

And they fell down and worshiped. God had provided again.

I Thought We Were Dead

Well, by my long hiatus from blogging, you would have have thought the title would be, "I Thought I was Dead" - so my apologies. My absence has been very long, but good and necessary.

There are two questions I want to present, though admittedly the first has nothing to do with the other. The first being (for you old school christian music fans), how is it that Carman is still on tour?

I'm pretty sure the Apostle Paul would be stumped by this. However, one question I do not believe Paul was uncertain about is whether we are dead or not. SPIRITUALLY dead that is. This was probably the most important truth that caused me to re-evaluate my understanding/interpretation of who 'man' is, what he desires and what he is able to do concerning Salvation.

Here's the thing. I had to slow down...and make sure everything I was taught to think and say could be backed up by a consistent reading of the Word. I had to think through each meaning and consequence of each concept. Specifically, I had been taught (and accurately so) that man was: unborn spiritually, dead in sins, a slave to sin, an enemy of God and incapable AND unwanting to please Him. (John 3:4-8; 8:34-36, Eph 2:1, Rom 3:10-18,23; 8:7-8, I Cor 2:13-16).

Again - I believed and still believe these assertions based on these verses, but I did so inconsistently. Let me ask a few questions to attempt to illustrate this.

Does a baby dictate to his parents when to be born? Does a slave choose his master or does the master choose his slave? Does man have anything good in him? (or is all that is good PUT in him?...including good desires) And finally, can dead people do anything?

No, no, no and no are the correct answers. Now apply these truths to how man is saved by Jesus.

Can man dictate and initiate Jesus' lordship over him? Can man dictate to the Heavenly Father when to be "born again"? Can man choose God without having a good desire in him? (choosing Jesus is a good thing right?)

I use to answer those few questions with "yes, yes and yes".

But I remembered something beautifully devastating in my contradiction and suddenly old words had fresh and fuller meaning.

"I once was lost, but now I'm found
T'was blind, but now I see"

He came and rescued me. He gave me life.

"While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us..."

You may say, "Yes, God reached down to me first but I had to respond in order to receive His gift of eternal life."

OK, but I thought we were dead?

An Unlikely Journey (Introduction)

I originally began this blog to help document my journey of understanding the Bible. I had wanted to write about my 'journey' for a long time and it was my mom's question that helped me "pull a Nike" and "Just Do it".

While on the phone talking to my parents - the topic of my theology came up and my mom asked this simple question:

"How did you become reformed?"

You see, I did not grown up in a Presbyterian or Reformed Church nor did I really have many friends who were reformed either (only one really). I have not and am currently not going to a 'reformed' school either...in fact where I am now is quite hostile to the particular understanding I have from the Scriptures. (My family has a reputation for doing things the hard way - so why not continue the tradition?!?! - ha)

I myself had been quite hostile to the 'reformed' understanding of the Word though I was not all that public about it. I had done a decent amount of my own homework added on to the teaching I was given by a great many of teachers/pastors while growing up and in Bible Institutes and Universities and was convinced there was no way I could ever come to the conclusions that my 'reformed' brothers and sisters did.

Oh and before I go on - let me just say I honestly believe I'm just following the Scriptures. I'm not much for labels like "Reformed", "Calvinist", or "TULIP Picker" or whatever else is out there; but I understand that they can help clarify certain viewpoints and positions. Again - I honestly believe that WHAT I believe is in line with the Word.

And if you read that previous paragraph carefully you'll realize that I distinguish between clarifying my position with IDENTIFYING who I am in Christ. "The label ain't my I.D." People can have mental agreements with truth while not being known by Jesus. He knew me and loved me first. That is why I know Him. That is why I love Him. (I John 4:19)

I'm writing this to explain with consistency and clarity (I hope) how exactly I 'became reformed' or how the Spirit led me through the Scriptures. If you don't like this topic then blame it on my mom. She's the one who asked!! (HA)

However, right now its late and I just got done watching a rousing episode of the "Verminators" - a reality show on the Discovery Channel...they were going after rats in houses on this episode. Really quite fascinating at 3 in the morning! So I'm a bit tired and "part one" of my 'unlikely journey' will have to wait.

Please, if you have any "questions, comments, or concerns" (that's my brother-in-law's phrase) along this 'journey' then post them!!

My Confessions About Hymns

I can't recall how many times I've been reading the words to an old hymn that I've been singing my whole life and realize I've been singing the wrong words up until that time. I'm not making this up - so I do not believe this to be sacrilegious, just a confession from a P.K. (Pastor's Kid). The first time I noticed this was with the hymn "I'd Rather Have Jesus...". One of the verses reads:

"I'd rather have Jesus than MEN'S APPLAUSE.

Without realizing it, I had been singing:

"I'd rather have Jesus than MENOPAUSE".

I cannot remember how long I sang that verse incorrectly...or rather I'm ashamed to confess. I always wondered if God told everyone in Heaven to be quiet and listen to this goofy servant of His sing this verse. And even now knowing the actual words - I'm still thankful I have Jesus and not menopause...not now...not ever!

My next Hymn-related confession is really a confession for my older brother. I usually would sit next to him in church and 9 times out of 10 when we would stand to sing I would be looking at his hymnal to see what number to turn to. Well 9 times out of 10 he would purposefully have his hymnal turned to the wrong hymn. As a result, I would end up singing "A Mighty Fortress is Our God" and the rest of the congregation would be singing "It is Well".

And there next to me, with a straight face, Josh would be singing. Sad to say I never really caught on to his schemes. All in good fun though. After all, was I really better off thinking I could have menopause?

On a slightly more serious note, I enjoy hymns greatly. Many of the hymns were written as a response to incredibly difficult, Job-like circumstances. The substance of the words are a result of a much deeper understanding and love for the Word than the majority of contemporary songs that have gained popularity. (I'll probably devote an entire post to the ever-controversial issue that is contemporary praise/worship songs....but for the record I like a mixture of hymns and contemporary songs!)

However, to me, many hymns were written only for people eligible to sing for the Three Tenors or Phantom of the Opera. I suggest that one reason why many believers do not prefer hymns has nothing to do with the content, but rather that they cannot actually physically sing those Pavarotti-like or Julie Andrews' type notes (or they cannot read music at all which is more common in churches today). So I am grateful for churches that KEEP the hymns and just simply sing them on a lower key or octave or whatever the proper musical term is. :)

So to recap:

1) Keep the Hymns - not necessarily the same keys,octaves, etc.

2) Don't trust my brother if he tells you the hymn number.

3) Jesus is better than any physiological change or transition of the human body

Where Would You be...

Several years ago on an Island far away (actually just in the Adirondack Mountains of NY), a friend posed a simple question while looking at the beautiful sky above:

"Dan, do you ever think where you would be without God?"

I sat there looking up at the sky speechless. Not because I didn't know the answer, but precisely because I did know the answer. I would be in Hell already. Just knowing how I am 'wired' I don't believe I would have given life much of a chance.

I had enough unsaved friends who had cut their lives short and without God I'm sure I would not have been far behind. Without God - this world just isn't worth the pain and hurt. (THIS is the logical conclusion of atheism)

This friend, though not known for his deep intellectual or theological understanding, gave me a question that has continued to show me what is the "height, depth, and width of His Love" for His sons and daughters.

His sons and daughters who were once lost, blind, and dead in our sins. We were His enemy and He was ours'. Yet He rescued us from Himself and from ourselves.

William Barclay put it this way:

"It is not so very difficult to think of a God who will forgive the sinner who comes humbly and penitently back to him on his hands and knees; but no man outside Christianity had ever thought of a God who would deliberately go out and seek for the sinner until he found him and brought him home."

We were incapable and unwilling to turn to God.

So then today I pose this question/reminder to those of you who believe in Jesus and in His death and resurrection for your sins...

"Do you ever think where you would be without God?"

Sudan's Tears

The author of Hebrews exhorts the believers in chapter 13 verses 1 and 3 saying:

"Let love of the brethren continue."

"Remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those who are ill-treated, since you yourselves also are in the body."

Peter, in his first letter to people who are being persecuted, gives them this reminder in chapter 5 verse 9:

"But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world."

Paul says in I Corinthians 12 verse 26: "And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it."


For about 9 months God has been speaking these verses to me. Ironically, He has used His Word to show me the Deafening Silence - that is Christians' (in America at least) LACK of awareness, empathy and action to our brothers and sisters in Sudan. This silence includes my own first and drove me to perhaps the most important 3 hours of my break over Christmas.


I specifically mention the silence of Christians concerning the people of Sudan because with just a little research you can see that the vast majority of the voices in support and in defense of the tragedies there in Sudan are coming from NON-BELIEVERS!! There are a few Christian ministries that are doing their part, I'm well aware of that. However, Christians as a whole in America, seem to only be 'whispering' for our brothers and sisters there. Biblically our voice MUST be louder and therefore CAN be louder.


In my church back in Maine we have the blessing of worshiping and serving alongside several Sudanese Christians. They truly are a beautiful people and have brought a perspective on life and on God most here in the States will never know. While at home I made it a point to schedule a time where I could just hear some of their stories.

One by one, Mangook, Riok, and Hassan shared their stories. From their childhoods, to their families, to their fleeing their land and families... They would try to encourage me to help their people, but yet they weren't sure how. By their tone of voice and look in their eyes it was evident they were fighting an inner battle between hope and despair. The thing is they had seen the battle take place in their own lives and had seen despair 'win' over hope too many times. Hope was fleeting to them. Despair was imminent.


They went on to give me a brief overview of how Sudan is divided and the different political situations that exist there. They showed us some old tapes of news coverage (Al Jazeera News at that) that went on when a leader of southern Sudan died in a helicopter crash and explained to me the significance of that event. Hassan tried to further explain the disparity of the situation there but stopped as he felt (I'm assuming) he was getting too worked up. This man in his 50's I'm guessing, stopped abruptly and never spoke a word the remainder of my time there.


Mangook then put in a video tape showing where his town was and the people there. There was no special event going on. The people were just gathered under the shade of a tree. There are no schools. No hospitals. No churches. Just shade from a tree. And yet this is where the people gather for their time of gathering and even church services. At one point Mangook pointed to a man on the screen calmly saying, "That is my father". A few minutes of silence pass and Mangook again points to someone and calmly says, "That is my mother." I was speechless.


As we continued watching the video of their family and friends thousands of miles away I was reminded of something a friend told me just days before. This friend when explaining the pain that our Sudanese brothers and sisters have and are going through said this: "Dan, do you know that they can't even cry or mourn anymore over their pain?" Though I saw Mangook, looking at his mom and dad on a screen, it was hard to tell he was their son. There was no emotion coming out. His eyes told you there was emotion deep within him, but despair was again at work blocking the tears.


My time with them ended. I thanked them for their time and the little portion of their big hearts they had shared with me. Despair and Hope were still at war. I kept coming back to the thought of how they cannot even shed tears over their pain. I had never been more thankful for my own tears. Tears do not go unnoticed nor are they discarded as an inconvenience to our Father. He takes each tear seriously. Each one has purpose and meaning. (Rom 8:28)


Through their pain God has moved me to hope for them and the people of Sudan. And not just hope as an emotion but true hope which spurs on good works for the people of Sudan. And not just hope with good works but even tears of my own for them - in their place, until the day comes when they can cry again too. Only to be met with a day when every tear will be wiped away by our Good God perhaps even wiping a tear of His Own. That day when Hope and Despair have fought their final battle. And Hope has won.