Key Text:
Genesis 22:8 NKJV
And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” So the two of them went together.
Introduction
In the year 1992, a marriage counselor noticed a pattern in the lives of the couples that he is helping. He recognized a gap on how certain individuals express and receive love. Many clients are coming to him with the same complaint that they don’t feel loved by their partners despite the fact that their partners admit that he/she does his best to show his/her love.
This marriage counselor saw that couples don’t feel love because they don’t understand the language that it is being expressed in.
Through further study and experience, he developed a paradigm in which people can understand how certain individuals express and receive love. He summarized these expressions into what we call the five languages of love developed by no other than Gary Chapman.
These 5 love languages include:
- Words of Affirmation
- Quality Time
- Giving/Receiving Gifts
- Acts of Service
- Physical Touch
These 5 expressions gave a simple paradigm to couples and to lovers how to bridge the gap on how they express love.
Say a suitor who constantly gives gifts goes unnoticed maybe because the lady’s love language is quality time. Or it can work the other way around.
Point is. These expressions help us navigate the already hard and complicated realm of human relationships.
This morning we are not talking about these expressions in connection with romantic relationships as important as that is. But rather we want to apply it in our relationships with God. Anyways, the principles that we learn this morning also have repercussions on other kinds of relationships.
In the next few moments, we will be studying a story in the Bible where God’s love is expressed beautifully in these 5 expressions.
But for the sake of time, we will only be studying three.
Languages of Love in Genesis 22:1-19
I want you to open up your Bibles in Genesis 22.
Probably you have Bibles that have subheadings into it. If that’s the kind of Bible that you have then you know that our story this morning is no other than Abraham, specifically when Abraham was called to offer his son Isaac.
Genesis 22:1-2 NKJV
Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” [2] 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.”
The Jesus Connection
Now, one might be tempted to think that this story is just Abraham and Isaac. But if we take a closer look there are a lot of parallels and allusions to what would later on take place at the Cross.
Parallels
- Father and Son
- Son carrying wood
- Mountain
- Sacrifice (both referred to as Lambs)
- 3 Days
Here we can see various parallels to the what God the Father and Jesus would later on do at the Cross. It seems that this episode in the Bible is a practice or a microcosm of what would later on take place at the Cross.
What we want to remember as we proceed with our study is that this story is not only a demonstration of the love between Abraham and Isaac but rather it is a demonstration of the love of the Heavenly Father and Jesus towards this human race.
Hence, we are studying about how love is expressed and strengthened between God and man.
Time
Happy Sabbath, pede ba manligaw illustration
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 don’t know about you, but when I read this passage my question is; Why on earth did Abraham just obeyed? Why didn’t he stopped to ask and reason within himself if that is indeed God? Right?
I mean you are being asked to sacrifice your Son! Isn’t that odd?!
One explanation that scholars give is that back in the time of Abraham, child sacrifice is rampant and common. In other words, the other gods in the surrounding nations have this practice that the gods/deities have the right to ask for the life of your son as a sign of your devotion.
That’s their explanation why Abraham didn’t reason out. It was common in Abraham’s day. And if God asked it, then who is Abraham to refuse?
Do you find that compelling? I mean this is the Hebrew God that we are talking about here. The God of the heavens and the earth. The God that claims to be different than any other that claims the title god.
For sure, Abraham was aware how Cain was punished and vanquished because of murder. He knows that taking one’s life is bad. He is fully aware of the command of God to take care of human life. He is fully aware of the laws of God (which later would clearly codified through the words “Thou Shalt Not Kill”). He knows that killing is bad! Then let’s go back to the question: Why didn’t he reason out?
The answer lies in the words “go to”. In the hebrew it is the expression, “Lek Leka”
Genesis 22:2 NKJV
Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to (Lek Leka) the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”
As you can see, these words were familiar to Abraham. He had already heard these. He heard these when he was still young.
He heard this in Genesis 12:1 when God called him to do something that is also a leap of faith. He was called to leave his comfort zone – to leave his country, his relatives and the land of his ancestors. He was called to go somewhere, a place in which he has no idea.
Genesis 12:1 NKJV
Now the LORD had said to Abram: “Get out (Lek Leka) of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you.
As you can see, both callings are a leap of faith. In Genesis 12, he was called to leave his comfort zone and go somewhere he has no idea what’s the place is like. In Genesis 22, he was called to sacrifice his own son. The son that he has waited a long time, the son that he heard was to be the son that would usher many generations as the sands of the sea.
Both callings were a test, and both tests has no reasons given for it.
And both callings has the expression “Lek Leka”.
He might have reasoned to himself, “This voice is… familiar.” “I have already heard it.” “I heard it and continue to hear it.”
He was used to hearing God, He was spending enough quality time with God that He learned to recognized His voice and learn to distinguish it with any other voice.
He recognized the voice right away because it’s the voice he was used to hearing.
So the first expression of love that we can see here is time.
Abraham and God knew each other.
James 2:23 NKJV
And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God.
The question we want to ask ourselves this morning is:
- Are you friends with God?
- Are you spending quality time with Him?
- Does He hear your voice? Do you hear from Him?
It’s just the 2nd month of the year, I don’t know how’s your plans and resolutions going. But I just want to throw it out there:
- Is Bible reading and a good devotional life part of your plans this year?
- Have you started to personally spend time with God through prayer and reading of His word?
(My plan of reading the entire Bible in 90 days)
Let’s express our love and strengthen our relationship with God this year through the language of love – Time.
I told you at the start that the principles here has repercussions to all kinds of relationships.
A friend once told me, “Another way of spelling L-O-V-E is T-I-M-E”
Don’t be like my friend, “Happy Sabbath, may boyfriend kana ba?” – Illustration
So let’s ask ourselves;
- Are we spending enough quality time with our parents? with our children? with our spouse? or are we letting the hustle and bustle of life get in the way with developing quality relationships?
(My experience in Hearing God’s voice – This is not the one for you – Ilustration)
Acts
The second language of love expressed in this story can be seen in verse 3:
Genesis 22:3 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.
It is much likely that Abraham received the command of God by night, because he immediately obeyed first thing in the morning.
Here we can see that love is not only expressed through time, it is not merely expressed in words (though its also one of the five languages of love).
He didnt just spend time with God. He didn’t just say I love you to Him. He did something for God.
Here we can see another expression or language of love – Acts of Service.
We can see this same concept later elaborated by Jesus;
John 14:15 NKJV
“If you love Me, keep My commandments.
Actions speak louder than words as the adage says.
But Abraham’s test wasn’t just any ordinary test.
He wasn’t asked to give a livestock. He wasn’t asked to donate some portion of his money.
He was asked to give what he considers most precious to him – his own son. His only son as the text says.
First thing in the morning, he got up and decided to follow God right away. He was willing to express his love through his acts.
But it didn’t come without a struggle.
If we look closely at the text, Abraham wasn’t at peace.
We can see this in the text;
Genesis 22:3 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.
However, there is a subtle hint that his sorrow may have numbed his mind, as Gordon Wenham notes, because of the order of action — first saddling his donkey and then cutting wood is illogical. (View Highlight)
So he wasn’t at peace. Something’s heavy on his mind and on his heart. He wasn’t as his usual self.
He was struggling and probably he got up early in the morning to finish business right away.
Do you know that feeling? You have enormous stress and you just want to the day to be over?
Probably that’s what is in the mind of Abraham. He got early in the morning, do what needs to be done in order that it would be finished right away, in order that he would not struggle.
But to his surprise;
Genesis 22:4 NKJV
Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off.
He thought it would be over right away! To his surprise it took 3 days, and mind you he has no idea that it would take 3 days!
Do you know that feeling? When you want something to be over but time prolongs the agony?!
The Time Element of three days gave extra challenge to this test
Ellen White has a very remarkable insight on what was going on in those 3 days;
Satan was at hand to suggest that he must be deceived, for the divine law commands, “Thou shalt not kill,” and God would not require what He had once forbidden. – PP 148
Despite he heard the expression “Lek leka” before, despite he knew it was God’s voice, he has unanswered questions!
- Why would God ask such a thing?
- What would people think of me after this?
- What would Sarah feel?
He has thousands of unanswered questions!
Ellen White goes on to say (this is a lengthy statement);
During that three days’ journey he had sufficient time to reason, and to doubt God, if he was disposed to doubt. He might have reasoned that the slaying of his son would cause him to be looked upon as a murderer, a second Cain; that it would cause his teaching to be rejected and despised; and thus destroy his power to do good to his fellow men. He might have pleaded that age should excuse him from obedience. But the patriarch did not take refuge in any of these excuses. Abraham was human; his passions and attachments were like ours; but he did not stop to question how the promise could be fulfilled if Isaac should be slain. He did not stay to reason with his aching heart. He knew that God is just and righteous in all His requirements, and he obeyed the command to the very letter.
Ellen Gould White, The Story of Patriarchs and Prophets as Illustrated in the Lives of Holy Men of Old, vol. 1 of Conflict of the Ages Series (Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1890), 153.
Do we have such love? Love that is willing and able to sacrifice even the most prized possession to your most prized Person (God)?
Abraham wasn’t asked to give a tithe, He wasn’t asked to sacrifice a portion of his inheritance, he wasn’t asked for some donation or anything, He was asked to give the most precious thing in the entire universe – his son!
Love is expressed through actions, not merely words.
Abraham didn’t only claim he loved God, he showed it.
Abraham didn’t claim he is willing to die for the cause of God, He was willing to sacrifice his most prized possession for Him.
A person in love doesn’t give what is least, He strives to give what is best.
If He is not Lord of all then He is not Lord at all.
Are there something in our life we have not sacrifice? Do we want to show our love through our actions from now on?
Are there areas in your life you have not surrendered at the altar? Is there an unholy relationship you want to surrender to Christ? Is there a practice, a darling sin you want to give to the Lord?
Do we want (with Abraham) surrender everything to Christ this morning?
All That I Am and All That I Have is Yours!
Giving/Receiving Gifts
As we explore the 3rd language of love, we now come to the what scholars say the heart of the passage
Genesis 22:7-8 NKJV
But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” Then he said, “Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” [8] And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” So the two of them went together.
In Hebrew literature like the Old Testament, writers often employ a certain poetical device to express the reader the climax or the most important part of the narrative or passage. It’s like a pyramid. They call it a chiasm or chiastic structure. Its a device where the beginning parallels the end and going forth to the center to find its center point. In Genesis 22:1-19 it looks like this.
A1 Dialogue: God (‘Elohim) and Abraham (“here I am “) (22:1-2)
B1 Abraham’s walk (22:3-6)
Refrain “The two of them went together” (22:6b)
C Dialogue: Abraham and Isaac (“here I am”) (22:7-8)
Refrain “The two of them went together” (22:8b)
B2 Abraham’s walk (22:9-1 0)
A2 Dialogue: God (Angel of YHWH) and Abraham (“here I am “) (22:1 1-1 9a)
Refrain “And they went together” (22:19b) (View Highlight)
Chiastic Structure from:
Jacques Doukhan, Genesis (Pacific Press Publishing Association, 2021). 274.
Here we can see that the center or the most important part of the story is verses 7-8.
Genesis 22:7-8 NKJV
But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” Then he said, “Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” [8] And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” So the two of them went together.
Here we can see the 3rd expression of love – Gifts.
God will provide Himself the lamb for a burn offering…
I don’t know about you but prior to my study for this sermon, I always thought (because I grew up an SDA, and was enrolled almost exclusively in SDA schools) that what Abraham said would be fulfilled later in the story when He was about to offer Isaac and then an angel stopped him then he saw an animal that is to be sacrificed instead of his son.
Can I show you something amazing that I just learned this week?
According to the verse what was to be offered was a lamb, correct? But check this out;
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.
When he saw an animal as a replacement for his son, its not a lamb, its a ram!
The word “lamb” is in apposition to the phrase “He will see Himself,” meaning He will see Himself, (as) the lamb. The lamb is here identified as God. Thus, the lamb that is referred to here is not merely the physical animal that Isaac had in mind, it is God Himself. (View Highlight)
Jacques Doukhan, Genesis (Pacific Press Publishing Association, 2021). 281.
The phrase could be translated as follows: “God will see (for) Himself as the lamb,” which means that God will provide Himself as the lamb. (View Highlight)
Jacques Doukhan, Genesis (Pacific Press Publishing Association, 2021). 280.
And I was like… mind blown!
I’m not sure if Abraham was aware of what he was saying, but it is as seem he was making a prophecy about Christ. Indeed, he was!
God will provide Himself as the Lamb!
John 8:56 NKJV
Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.”
Let me show another thing that blows my mind. I told you earlier that both Abraham and Isaac, and God the Father and Jesus had their respective sacrifice on a mountain, right?
9. Abraham built an altar. Reaching the spot where in later centuries the Temple stood, father and son reared an altar. Salem, the city of Melchizedek, was scarcely more than a stone’s throw to the south. But a little farther, to the northwest, was the hill later known as Golgotha.
Francis D. Nichol, ed., The Seventh-Day Adventist Bible Commentary (Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1978), 351–352.
It is as if God was telling us that what was happening to this story is a shadow, an acted parable of what would later took place on a grander scale.
Here we can see the third expression of love, gifts, expressed so beautifully. God didn’t just gave us a piece of land in heaven, He didn’t just gave a house made of gold, or a portion of the riches of heaven.
He gave His most prized possession for us.
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.
He gave Himself for us, why not give ourselves to Him?
Out of all the gifts that Jesus wants, it is not tithes, it is not ministry, it is yourself. Because He knows that if He has your heart, He has your everything.
Proverbs 23:26 NKJV
My son, give me your heart
Conclusion and Appeal
There’s so much more in this story that we can unpack.
Today, we have learned that love is expressed in various languages.
We’ve studied three out of five;
- Time
- Actions
- Gifts
The Lamb Beyond All Time
Stanza 1
In early dawn, a father stands,
He lifts the blade with trembling hands.
A cherished son lies on the wood,
A test of faith—Is God still good?
Stanza 2
For three long days, his sorrow grows,
Yet faith in God unwavering shows.
A ram appears—a wondrous sign,
And father knows God’s love divine.
Stanza 3
But oh, a deeper love would shine,
When Heaven’s Son gave life for mine.
He bore our sins, endured our blame,
For broken hearts He took our shame.
Stanza 4
His blood poured out, the highest cost,
A crown of thorns for souls once lost.
Then rose He did, the grave undone,
So all may live through God the Son.
Final Couple
Behold the Lamb in grace so vast,
Who loved us first with a love that lasts.