"Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, ‘My father!’ And he said, ‘Here I am, my son.’ And he said, ‘Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?’ Abraham said, ‘God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.’" Genesis 22:7-8

Who can hear the story of Abraham leading his son to the slaughter and not be touched? God had appeared to Abram while he lived as a prominent citizen of the city of Ur. The city of Ur was very modern and prosperous. The average citizen lived in luxury. The common home had two stories and indoor plumbing. And more importantly, Ur was a very safe place to live.

Yet the Lord called on Abram to leave the city and pitch tents in a dangerous desert. In faith, Abram obeyed. The Lord instructed Abram in His Commandments, Laws and Statutes (Gen.26) and Abram walked obediently before the Lord.

In the desert the Lord promised to bless Abram and his wife Sarai with a son. Sarai’s womb had always been barren and now that she was 65 years old the promise seemed impossible. It was another 25 years before Isaac was born. What joy must have filled the hearts in their old age.

But one day God spoke to Abram and commanded that he take his son on a journey to Mt. Moriah and offer him there as a sacrifice. Abram did not argue with God, nor did he seek to remind the Lord of His promise to raise up nations from Isaac’s offspring - Abram simply obeyed because he was a man of great faith, and faith knows no defeat.

When Isaac saw the wood and the fire but nothing to sacrifice he inquired of his father - Abram answered -"God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." He spoke in faith, because faith knows no defeat.

Isaac carried the wood up to the mountain top and handed it to his father. Abram laid the wood down and then carefully placed his son on it. Unwavering, Abram drew his knife to offer his son and at that very moment the Lord stopped him saying, -"Now I know that you will obey Me for you have not withheld your only son from Me." As Abram raised his eyes, he saw a ram caught in a bush - God had provided a sacrifice for Himself just as Abram had assured Isaac.

The typology is inescapable. Abram was a type for Father God and Isaac was a type for Jesus. As Isaac carried the wood up the mountain and was laid upon it to be offered, Jesus carried the wooden cross up the mountain and was laid on it to be offered.

Though God spared Abram’s son, He did not spare His own, but offered Him as a sacrifice to redeem the world. And one more important thing, Mt. Moriah is the same mount that would later be called Calvary. God will always provide for the faithful, because faith knows no defeat.