Isaac as a Picture of Jesus
Many types or shadows from the Old Testament are fairly simple, but the picture centered around Isaac as Jesus seems to go on and on. Most everyone can see the similarity between Isaac being offered as a sacrifice and Jesus on the cross, but it goes much further than that. If you read the account in Genesis with the story of Jesus in mind, you can see many similarities. I have listed many here.
Abraham = God the Father
Isaac = Jesus
Abraham’s servant = the Holy Spirit
Rebecca = the bride of Christ
Abraham is called the father of many nations. Genesis 17:4
God is called the Father of all. Ephesians 4:6
The first time the Hebrew word for love is used in the Bible is reference to Abraham loving Isaac.
The births of Isaac and Jesus were both miraculous, Mary was a virgin, and Sarah was past childbearing age. Both were visited by messengers who foretold the births and named the sons.
Both sons were obedient to their fathers unto death. Both were full adults at the time of sacrifice. The Jewish Talmud lists Isaac’s age at the sacrifice as 37, while Josephus said he was 25. Who can say for sure, maybe he was 33? Whichever, a man strong enough to carry the wood on his back would have been strong enough to stop his aged father from tying him up if he had wanted to.
Moriah is a range of mountains, and Calvary is in that mountain range. We don’t know the exact location, but the sacrifice may have been on Calvary.
Notice that it was a three day journey, just as Jesus was in the tomb for three days
Abraham expected to come back with Isaac. Some teach that Abraham expected God to stop him at the last minute, but Hebrews 11:19 tells us that Abraham reasoned that God would raise Isaac from the dead.
It was more wood than could be carried in the hands; it was loaded ON him, as Jesus carried the wood of His cross.
John 1:29The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten son…
Isaac was supposed to be sacrificed, but an innocent ram was substituted. For our sin, we deserve death, but Christ was made a sacrifice in our place, that we may live.
Notice that it wasn’t named The Lord Provided, but the future tense was used, The Lord Will Provide.
The Bride of Christ
This is the first time that Isaac is mentioned since the sacrifice. The next major event after the sacrifice is Abraham sending a servant to find a bride for his son; just as the next major event after Jesus’ death and resurrection was the sending of the Holy Spirit to call and prepare the bride of Christ. Abraham wants to find a bride for his son, but not just any bride. No Canaanites! In other words, no worldly bride for his son. Notice that the servant is not named, and never does anything without instructions of his master, even though he has charge of all that is Abraham’s. The Holy Spirit, as part of the Holy Trinity, has all authority; but has taken on a role as servant. John 16:13-14 says: “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.”
The bride had to be willing to act in faith, and with only the words of the servant to guide her, choose to be joined with the master, sight-unseen.
The servant brings gifts for his master’s bride. When he finds a suitable wife, he tells her of his master, and she agrees to travel with the servant to Isaac to marry him.
Look at the comparison between the passage above and those below
Abraham = God the Father
Isaac = Jesus
Abraham’s servant = the Holy Spirit
Rebecca = the bride of Christ
Abraham is called the father of many nations. Genesis 17:4
God is called the Father of all. Ephesians 4:6
The first time the Hebrew word for love is used in the Bible is reference to Abraham loving Isaac.
- Genesis 22:2Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about."
- Matthew 3:17 "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."
- Genesis 24:67 Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah, and he married Rebekah. So she became his wife, and he loved her
- Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her
The births of Isaac and Jesus were both miraculous, Mary was a virgin, and Sarah was past childbearing age. Both were visited by messengers who foretold the births and named the sons.
- Genesis 17:9 Then God said, "Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.
- Matthew 1:21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."
Both sons were obedient to their fathers unto death. Both were full adults at the time of sacrifice. The Jewish Talmud lists Isaac’s age at the sacrifice as 37, while Josephus said he was 25. Who can say for sure, maybe he was 33? Whichever, a man strong enough to carry the wood on his back would have been strong enough to stop his aged father from tying him up if he had wanted to.
- Genesis 22: 2 Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about."
Moriah is a range of mountains, and Calvary is in that mountain range. We don’t know the exact location, but the sacrifice may have been on Calvary.
- 3Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. 4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance.
Notice that it was a three day journey, just as Jesus was in the tomb for three days
- 5 He said to his servants, "Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you."
Abraham expected to come back with Isaac. Some teach that Abraham expected God to stop him at the last minute, but Hebrews 11:19 tells us that Abraham reasoned that God would raise Isaac from the dead.
- 6Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife.
It was more wood than could be carried in the hands; it was loaded ON him, as Jesus carried the wood of His cross.
- As the two of them went on together, 7 Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, "Father?" "Yes, my son?" Abraham replied. "The fire and wood are here," Isaac said, "but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?" 8 Abraham answered, "God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son."
John 1:29The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
- And the two of them went on together. 9 When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 11 But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!" "Here I am," he replied. 12 "Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son."
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten son…
- 13 Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. (crown of thorns?) He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.
Isaac was supposed to be sacrificed, but an innocent ram was substituted. For our sin, we deserve death, but Christ was made a sacrifice in our place, that we may live.
- 14 So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, "On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided."
Notice that it wasn’t named The Lord Provided, but the future tense was used, The Lord Will Provide.
The Bride of Christ
- Genesis 24:1Abraham was now old and well advanced in years, and the LORD had blessed him in every way. 2 He said to the chief servant in his household, the one in charge of all that he had, "Put your hand under my thigh. 3 I want you to swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living, 4 but will go to my country and my own relatives and get a wife for my son Isaac."
This is the first time that Isaac is mentioned since the sacrifice. The next major event after the sacrifice is Abraham sending a servant to find a bride for his son; just as the next major event after Jesus’ death and resurrection was the sending of the Holy Spirit to call and prepare the bride of Christ. Abraham wants to find a bride for his son, but not just any bride. No Canaanites! In other words, no worldly bride for his son. Notice that the servant is not named, and never does anything without instructions of his master, even though he has charge of all that is Abraham’s. The Holy Spirit, as part of the Holy Trinity, has all authority; but has taken on a role as servant. John 16:13-14 says: “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.”
- 5 The servant asked him, "What if the woman is unwilling to come back with me to this land? Shall I then take your son back to the country you came from?" 6 "Make sure that you do not take my son back there," Abraham said. 7 "The LORD, the God of heaven, who brought me out of my father's household and my native land and who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, 'To your offspring I will give this land'-he will send his angel before you so that you can get a wife for my son from there. 8 If the woman is unwilling to come back with you, then you will be released from this oath of mine. Only do not take my son back there." 9 So the servant put his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and swore an oath to him concerning this matter.
The bride had to be willing to act in faith, and with only the words of the servant to guide her, choose to be joined with the master, sight-unseen.
- 10 Then the servant took ten of his master's camels and left, taking with him all kinds of good things from his master.
The servant brings gifts for his master’s bride. When he finds a suitable wife, he tells her of his master, and she agrees to travel with the servant to Isaac to marry him.
- Genesis 24:61 Then Rebekah and her maids got ready and mounted their camels and went back with the man. So the servant took Rebekah and left. 62 Now Isaac had come from Beer Lahai Roi, for he was living in the Negev. 63 He went out to the field one evening to meditate, and as he looked up, he saw camels approaching. 64 Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel 65 and asked the servant, "Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?" "He is my master," the servant answered. So she took her veil and covered herself. 66 Then the servant told Isaac all he had done. 67 Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah, and he married Rebekah. So she became his wife, and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.
Look at the comparison between the passage above and those below
- 1Thessalonians 4:17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
- Revelation 19:7 ‘Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.”
- John 14:2-3 ‘In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.