Personalities of the Old Testament #9 - Isaac "A Type of Jesus"

 In Today’s Bible Study, I want to look at Isaac, the son of Abraham.  Isaac is the “Son of the Promise.”  He’s the one that God said:

Romans 9:7 NKJV

nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, "IN ISAAC YOUR SEED SHALL BE CALLED."

It’s through Isaac that all of God’s promises to Abraham would begin:

1)      I will make you a great nation (Gen 12:2)

2)      I will bless you and make your name great (Gen 12:2)

3)      I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you (Gen 12:3)

4)      In you all the families of the earth will be blessed (Gen 12:3)

5)      To your descendant I will give this land (Gen 12:7)

Here, though is what I want to look at.  We already looked at this through Abraham’s faith but now I want to look at it with regard to Isaac.  In Old Testament there are a number of people that are considered to be a “TYPE” of Jesus.  This is a person that foreshadows some aspect of Jesus.  For example:

·       Adam is a type of Christ because both were representatives of humanity, but while Adam brought sin, Jesus brought salvation.

• The Passover Lamb is a type of Christ, as its blood saved Israel from death, just as Jesus’ sacrifice brings eternal life.
• Jonah spending three days in the belly of the fish foreshadows Jesus’ three days in the tomb before His resurrection.

Those things, “which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.” (Col 2:17)

As we look at Isaac, we can see that in one experience in his life, he is a type of Jesus.  That’s what I want to look at today!  So, let’s begin with the story of God’s call and we will work from there:

Genesis 22:2 NKJV

Then He said, "Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you."

I want you to see the ways in which Isaac is a type of Jesus so as we go through the story we will break it down.

Only Begotten Son

God told Abraham, "Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you." 

Isaac was Abraham’s only son, just like Jesus was the “only begotten Son of God.”

John 3:16 NKJV

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

This is the first way in which Isaac is a type of Jesus.  Both were only begotten sons that were to be sacrificed.  Now look at this:

Genesis 22:3-6 NKJV

So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you." So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife, and the two of them went together.

Carrying the Wood

Abraham gave Isaac the wood for the burnt offering.  Isaac carried it up the mountain to the place where the altar was built.

Jesus carried His cross to Golgotha (Calvary):

John 19:16-17 NKJV

Then he delivered Him to them to be crucified. Then they took Jesus and led Him away. And He, bearing His cross, went out to a place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha,

So, both Jesus and Isaac carried the methods of their execution upon themselves.

The Promised Son

Abraham was seventy-five years old when God called him out of Haran.  It was then that God promised him descendants:

Genesis 12:1-3NKJV

Now the LORD had said to Abram: "Get out of your country, From your family And from your father's house, To a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."

The inference of this statement is that Abraham’s descendants would become a great nation.  But Abraham was childless and his wife was barren.  So, in a sense God was promising him a son to carry on his lineage.  Then there was this:

Genesis 15:3-4 NKJV

Then Abram said, "Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed, one born in my house is my heir!" And behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, "This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir."

God tells him, “…but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir."  This is a definite promise of a son.  God is making a promise of a son.

There was another son whom was promised by God.  Here’s God speaking through Isaiah:

Isaiah 9:6-7 NKJV

For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

Abraham waited twenty-five years for the son of God’s promise.  This prophecy by Isaiah was made approximately seven hundred years before Jesus’ birth.  So Jesus is also a promised Son.

A Sacrificial Offering

Genesis 22:2 NKJV

Then He said, "Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you."

God has called Abraham to “offer him there as a burnt offering.” This is a call to offer his son as a sacrifice.  Abraham in his obedience gave his only “begotten” son.  Although Ishmael was his son, also, Isaac was his only legitimate son.

God also gave His Only begotten Son:

John 3:16 NKJV

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Hebrews 9:28 NIV

so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

In the same way that Abraham freely gave his son for a Sacrifice, God also freely gave His Son for a sacrifice. 

Substitutionary Sacrifice

Isaac was spared when God gave a Ram (lamb) as a substitution for Isaac.

Genesis 22:13 NKJV

Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So, Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son.

The Ram was killed so that Isaac would be saved.  Look at the following verses about Jesus:

Isaiah 53:5 NIV

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.

Hebrews 9:28 NIV

so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

Jesus was sacrificed as a substitute for us.  He was the “Lamb of God.” Offered freely for us.  A substitutionary sacrifice.

Resurrection

Hebrews 11:17-19 NKJV

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, "IN ISAAC YOUR SEED SHALL BE CALLED," concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.

Abraham was tested by God in all of this.  Go was testing his faith.  We discussed that in our last study, as we talked about Abraham’s regained faith. He understood and was confident that God could and would raise Isaac from the dead, in order to fulfill his promises to Abraham.

Luke 24:44-46 NIV

He said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms." Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, "This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day,

There are a number of prophecies concerning Jesus’ death and resurrection.  His death was the fulfillment of these promises.  In the same way that the lamb offered in stead of Isaac was the fulfillment of promises that God made to Abraham.  I am sure that the prophets spoke as confidently of God’s fulfillment of these promises as Abraham did.

Submitted to Father’s Will

Do you remember that I said last time that Isaac must have had great faith, because he willingly submitted to Abraham tying him up and setting him on the altar.  He didn’t fight, he didn’t run, he just allowed Abraham to prepare him to be the sacrificial lamb.  He submitted to his father’s will in this sacrifice.  This is a powerful example of faith and obedience.  He was willing to submit to death to obey his father.

Jesus, when his time to be betrayed came to pass, He went to Gethsemane to pray.  Three times He went to His knees and said this prayer:

 Luke 22:42 NKJV

saying, "Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done."

He is submitting to His Father’s will.  He is obedient in the same way that Isaac was obedient. 

So, after looking at this comparison you can see how Isaac is a foreshadowing, a picture, of Jesus in the Old Testament.  They both:

1)      Were the Only Begotten Son

2)      Carried the Method of Their Execution

3)      Were Promised Sons

4)      Were to be a Sacrifice

5)      Substitionary Sacrifice

6)      Resurrected (Isaac Figuratively, Jesus Literally)

7)      Submitted to Their Father’s Will