In remembrance of Me - (Good Friday)

Friday's Message

In the account of Genesis 22, Abraham’s willingness to offer his beloved son Isaac stands as a profound foreshadowing of Christ’s crucifixion. As Abraham journeys to Moriah, wood laid upon Isaac’s shoulders, fire and knife in hand, and Isaac bound upon the altar, we glimpse the very elements that would reappear two millennia later—Jesus bearing His cross, willingly laid upon the wood, pierced by nails and spear, and offered up as the perfect sacrifice​.

The Altar and the Altar‑Bearer

“Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac… and offer him there for a burnt offering” (Gen 22:2), Abraham immediately obeys ​. Early the next morning he “saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son… and went unto the place of which God had told him” (Gen 22:3). On the third day, Abraham “lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off” (Gen 22:4).

A moment that parallels Jesus seeing Calvary in the distance (Luke 9:51). Isaac, like Christ, carries the very wood upon which he will be laid: “Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering… and laid it upon Isaac his son” (Gen 22:6) ​. This silent image of a father’s beloved child bearing his own altar anticipates Christ “bearing his own cross” (John 19:17).

Binding, Piercing, and the Provided Substitute

Upon arrival, Abraham “built an altar there… and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood” (Gen 22:9)​.

Just as Roman soldiers bound Jesus before crucifixion, Isaac’s binding vividly prefigures the Messiah’s submission (Matt 27:2). As Abraham “stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son” (Gen 22:10), the knife symbolizes the piercing instrument (John 19:34), and the fire he held represents the suffering Christ would endure “for our transgressions” (Isa 53:5) ​. Yet, at the pivotal moment, a substitute appears: “Abraham looked behind him, and behold a ram caught in a thicket… and offered it up for a burnt offering” (Gen 22:13) ​. Abraham names that place “Jehovah‑Jireh,” declaring, “In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen” (Gen 22:14)—pointing forward to “the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).

The Divine Oath and Its Fulfillment

Following Isaac’s deliverance, God swears by Himself: “By myself have I sworn… Surely blessing I will bless thee…and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed” (Gen 22:16–18) ​. This solemn oath—God swearing by no higher authority—confirms His immutable promise (Heb 6:13–18).

The singular term “thy seed” finds its fulfillment in Christ (Gal 3:16), and through faith “in Christ Jesus… ye are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Gal 3:29). Furthermore, Hebrews tells us that Abraham “accounted that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead” (Heb 11:19), foreshadowing Christ’s resurrection and giving us “an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast” (Heb 6:19–20) ​.

When God appeared to Abraham and proclaimed, “Surely I will bless you and multiply your descendants,” He immediately reinforced His promise by adding, “By myself I have sworn that I will do this” ​. That self‑sworn vow—an unbreakable oath—ensures that Abraham’s “seed” will flourish exactly as promised. In the fullness of time, that “seed” is revealed to be Christ, whose resurrection completes our redemption: just as He rose in a glorified body, so will we “be like Him,” our mortal frames transformed into immortality. This resurrection hope lies at the heart of the gospel.

Christ’s rising not only fulfills God’s oath to Abraham but also becomes our destiny. Through baptism we are “in Christ,” grafted into the promised Seed so that every blessing flows by bringing souls into Him ​. God’s plan isn’t primarily to relocate us to heaven, but to restore us to the original, glorified state He intended—immortal bodies capable of fully housing His presence. As the “cloud of witnesses” urges us on, our mission mirrors our hope: press to the finish, seize the resurrection promise, and live as the harvest shaped exactly like its Seed.

Final thoughts:

Abraham’s altar is not merely an Old Testament tale but a living portrait of the gospel: the wood, the binding, the knife, and the substitute point directly to Christ’s passion. God’s oath to Abraham echoes through history in the resurrection of Jesus and the worldwide blessing secured by His sacrifice. As we meditate on this chapter, may our faith be deepened by seeing how the shadow met its substance in Christ, and may we rest in the sure hope of the oath that neither time nor death can overturn.

Check out the full session here.