Turn with me, if you would, to Genesis, Genesis chapter 22. The Apostle Paul, in writing to the saints there in Colossae, says, teaching one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. And it's just been such a blessing to me the special music that's been presented here. I don't know if it's the same for you all, but so often that experience that Drew referenced this morning of our hearts burning within us, so often that happens when I'm hearing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs being sung, praising and worshiping the Lord. It just brings to mind scriptures come to you in a new way. And I just want to say I'm thankful. It's been a blessing to me.

Well, here in Genesis 22, this morning I'd like us to consider one of the most significant events recorded in the Word of God. This is an event involving a father and a son and occurs on a lonely mountain far from where they lived. Why is what transpired there so important? Because this event foretells and prefigures to us the most significant event there has ever been and ever will be in the history of this world. The death of the Lord Jesus Christ upon the cross. There, on a mount outside Jerusalem, The love of God the Father was displayed in the giving of his Son for all to see. This is a picture here of the promise of the Gospel.

As we read, as we read this once again, I'm sure you've read it many, many times, heard it preached many, many times. As we read it, once again, just consider the richness of the many things of the Gospel pictured here, an offering, A blood sacrifice. A substitutionary sacrifice. A sacrifice provided by God. A willing sacrifice. An obedient sacrifice. And, of course, the deep, unfathomable love of the Father for His Son. And so much more.

Well, let's just read there. Genesis 22, now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham and said to him, Abraham, and he said, here I am. 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. 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.

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 the burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide for himself the lamb for the burnt offering. So the two of them went together. Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order. And he bound his son, Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, Abraham, Abraham. And he said, here I am. And he said, do not lay your hand on the lad, nor do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me. 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. And Abraham called the name of the place, The Lord Will Provide. As it is said to this day, in the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.

Then the angel of The Lord called to Abraham a second time out of heaven and said, by myself, I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, blessing, I will bless you and multiplying. I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand on which the sea, which is on the seashore and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies and your seed. all the nations of the earth shall be blessed because you have obeyed my voice.

Think of how greatly Abraham would have grown in grace and grown in the knowledge of God's will and the salvation of his people after this event. Think too of what a rich blessing this would have been to every generation of the believing children of Abraham as they waited in longing for that promised Savior.

The text I would like for us to focus on this morning is found in God's words to Abraham, take now your son, your only son, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah and offer him there. Pictured to us upon this mount in Moriah is one of the most wonderful declarations found in the word of God. For God, for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.

What type of love is this? What type of love is being spoken of? This is a love that's measured by the giving of a son, an only begotten son. This is a love measured by what the son was given for. Herein is love. Herein is love, we read in John 1. Herein is love. Here is a love which is greater than the greatest mountains, deeper than the deepest depths, a love that has been and forever will be. An everlasting love. A love which does not change. A love from which nothing can separate. A love which passes all knowledge. Here is this love. Here is this love. Herein is love.

Not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. He gave His Son. He gave the Son of His love. He gave His only begotten Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Now think, what a love there must have been between God the Father and His only begotten Son. It's impossible to find words sufficient to describe that love. In comparison to this love, even the very best love we know is like a candle in the wind compared to the glory of the sun. The love in our relationships is marred and disfigured by selfishness, and self-centeredness, insensitivity, unkind words. Isn't that what you find? Hurtful actions, disagreements, and all sorts of sin, even with those that we love and cherish.

But the love of God the Father for His only begotten Son is a love which is pure and perfect, unmarred by even the least spot or blemish. There is no fear in this love. There is perfect harmony and unity between the Father and the Son. They're continually one in heart, one in mind, one in purpose, and their relationship is one of divine joy. The love of the father for his son is an infinite, immeasurable, unbounding love. A love without end. Abraham withheld, not his son. His only son, whom he loved, typifying God the father, who spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all. What incomprehensible grace.

Well, why was Abraham on this mountain? What are the circumstances which led him to this place? Where was the beginning? Well, the beginning is always with God. Turn back to Genesis 12 just for a moment. Let's remind ourselves of this. Genesis 12. Actually, look back to the End of chapter 11. End of chapter 11. And there we read 1128, verse 28. Look there. And Haran died before his father Terah in his native land in Ur of the Chaldeans. Then Abraham and Nahor took wives. The name of Abram's wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor's wife Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah, and the father of Iscah. But Sarai was barren. She had no child.

Now, Abraham was the land of... He was a Chaldean, we're told here. And as you know, Scripture reveals that Abraham was a man of enormous wealth and many hundreds of servants in his household. In immense herds, thousands of livestock, he would have owned great lands and houses in his own land, in his home of Chaldea. He would have been a man of substantial power and influence, because that's what wealth gets you, doesn't it? He was viewed, the word of God itself says, he was viewed as a prince among men. This is who he was in the land of Chaldea. And we hear, too, that Sarah, his wife, was barren. He had no children.

Now look down to verse 1 of chapter 12. Now the Lord had said to Abram, get out of your country, from your family, from your father's house, to a land that I will show you. And 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 nations of the earth shall be blessed." And what did Abraham do? He departed as the Lord had spoken to him.

Why? Why? instill him to get up and leave all of this, his home, his family, all of these lands and houses. He departed as the Lord had spoken to him. Why? Because God had preached the gospel to him. In Galatians 3, we read, The scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, in you all the nations of the earth will be blessed. God preached the gospel to Abraham. And if you're ever to hear the gospel, if you're ever to hear the gospel, it's God that's going to preach it to you. And if God preaches the gospel to you, what are you going to do? You're going to believe it. You're going to do exactly what Abraham did, believe God.

When God preached the gospel to Abraham, life and light were poured out into his heart by the Holy Spirit. Abraham saw that he was a sinner. Guilty before God, and his only hope of justification before God and eternal salvation was to be found in a Savior. It doesn't say all that here. It does later. A Savior not only for himself, but for all peoples in all nations on the earth. Can you imagine? The wonder of Abraham hearing this.

Abraham believed God. Turn to Romans chapter 4. I know none of these are unfamiliar to you. These are great passages for the church. There we read, let's begin in verse 17. Verse 17. And as we read these verses, we're reminded of why Abraham is spoken of as the father of all those who believe. In fact, verse 16 ends up, but also to those who have the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. He is the father of those who believe. Why? Because the faith of Abraham is such a glorious faith. And in verse 17, as it is written, I have made you a father of many nations in the presence of him whom he believed, God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did.

Now listen, who contrary to hope, in hope believed so that he became the father of many nations according to what was spoken, so shall your descendants be. and not being weak in faith. You see how the scriptures put it? It doesn't say that Abraham's faith was great. It's emphasizing not being weak in faith. What was it? Because it was great faith. Not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body already dead, since he was about 100 years old, and the deadness of Sarah's womb. He did not waver. at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, and here's the important thing, giving glory to God, and being fully persuaded that what he had promised, he was able also to perform, and therefore it was accounted to him for righteousness.

Now, Abraham was 75 years old when he departed from Haran. He went out not knowing where he was going. He left his country, his family, his position, his place. Why? Because he knew in light of what God had revealed to him, none of this mattered. How hard it is for us to see that. Isn't that true? None of this mattered. He believed God.

25 years passed. 25 years. And Abraham is still childless. And his wife, Sarah, is now 90 years old. You know, You think how many times we would think, well, he must have looked at this beautiful old lady over those years and thought, she's never going to have a child. But not Abraham. No, he looked at her over these 25 years. Think of that. He receives the promise, but then a year passes, and two, and three, and four, five, 10, 20, 25. Abraham looked at his wife, and he marveled that this woman, his wife, Sarah, was going to bear a son to him. He never doubted, because God had told him that.

Here they are living as sojourners, as strangers in a foreign land. Nothing, no land. Did Abraham ever think about returning? We know that the word of God in Hebrews tells us no, he never did. He never did. Why? Because he believed God.

Genesis, turn back to Genesis 21. And we see God perform exactly what he had promised. Genesis 21 and verse 1 there. And the Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as he had spoken. The Lord will always do that. If he tells you something, he's going to do it. For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the set time which God had spoken to him. And Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him. Who bore the son to him? Whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac.

And I like what Sarah says there in verse six. And Sarah said, God has made me laugh, and all who hear will laugh with me. Isn't that true? It just delights my heart whenever I read that. And I laugh with her, just as she prophesied, really. And I know you do, too. And she also said, who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yes, who would have said? Who would have said? Think of the joy and rejoicing with which Sarah and Abraham would have nursed and raised this child as he grew before them. This was a child of miraculous birth. A child of human impossibility. A child long awaited for, with great anticipation. Sounds like another child, doesn't it? But more than this, Isaac was born a child of promise. A child of God's promise. Not born after the flesh, but according to the Spirit. He was born in fulfillment of that great promise of the gospel that God had given to Abraham when he called him out of the land of Chaldea. In you, all the nations of the earth will be blessed. We're recipients of that promise, aren't we? This child was to Abraham and Sarah the very embodiment of the promise of eternal salvation. acceptance with God.

Turn back, look back to Genesis 22 and let's continue on there. So in verse 2 we read, take now your son, God said to Abraham now, this son, this son of their delight and their joy, son of their old age, 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."

Now there is no question this would have been a great shock to Abraham to hear these words. This would have been like a searing iron piercing his heart. How confusing it must have been and how many questions would have come to his mind. How he must have wrestled with so many conflicting thoughts. What transpired that night, we don't know, but I think we can know it was a night of agony and anguish of soul, but faith triumphed in the morning. Faith will always triumph, even when our faith is small, and I know mine is. Even when our faith is small, our faith will always triumph in everything that matters, because it's a God-given faith.

And Abraham rose early in the morning, verse 3, prepared all that was necessary, and arose and went to the place which God had told him. And on the third day, he looked up and he saw the place afar off. Why this place? What? Why travel three days to this land of Moriah? Well, in Second Chronicles, we read of Solomon building the temple according to the instructions of God. And it says, Now Solomon began to build the house of the Lord at Jerusalem on Mount Moriah. Now, we don't know It doesn't say that this was the exact location that Christ was crucified. I think in all likelihood it was. Why would God instruct him to travel for three days from his home to a particular place in the mountains of Moriah? Well, whether it was the exact place or not, it doesn't matter, but I suspect it was. I suspect that this was the exact location in which the Son of God would be crucified. Some 2,000 years later, the Eternal Father would make His Son an offering for sin.

Now, as I read these next few verses, I would like for us to see the great emphasis that the Holy Spirit places upon the relationship of the Father and the Son. This is what I want us to see in particular this morning. Clearly, this is pointing to the fellowship, the unity, the obedience, and the trust that exists between God the Father and his beloved son.

In verse 6, we read, So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. See, it doesn't say, and laid it on Isaac. It says, laid it on Isaac his son. And he took the fire in his hand and a knife, and the two of them went together. But Isaac spoke to Abraham, his father, and said, my father. And he said, here am I, my son. Then he said, look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, my son, God will provide for himself the lamb. for a burnt offering. So the two of them went together. Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order. And he bound Isaac, his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.

Now this whole passage is full and overflowing with types which point to the spiritual reality. There's so much here. We know that. I know you've heard your pastor preach, no doubt, many times from this text. There's so much, but I want to just focus on these things that I'm speaking about.

Isaac, we see here, is a powerful and profound illustration of the willing obedience and trust of the Lord Jesus Christ towards his Father and the work of redemption. At this time, Isaac would have been a young man. A young man. I know in my translation it speaks about, it translates lad. I think in our minds we tend to think of a young boy. But no, at this time, Isaac would have been a young man. in all likelihood around 20 years of age or so.

But how can we know this for certain, that he's a young man, not the exact age, but how can we know this, even from this text? Well, the burnt offering, you remember, is an offering which is fully consumed by the fire. The wood necessary to accomplish that would be a great load. a load only a strong man could carry. If you've ever tried to burn up flesh, it takes a tremendous amount of wood and heat. Abraham, what do we read? Abraham laid the wood of the burnt offering upon his son. The servants didn't go with him, remember. He laid the wood upon his son and he carried this up the mountain.

Two, Isaac could have easily resisted his father. Here is a strong young man and here is his father a hundred years old. Isaac could have easily resisted his father as he bound his hands and laid him upon the altar. But what do we see? A quiet. No word spoken. A quiet and willing obedience to his father. Why? Because he trusts him. We see a profound respect and honor of Isaac for his father Abraham. And this provides a powerful and profound picture of one of the most important aspects of the work of redemption. The work accomplished by Christ in the redemption of his people was a work of obedience to his Father.

Have you noticed how often the Lord Jesus expresses that? He stressed this repeatedly throughout his ministry, and we see it especially in John 10, don't we, when he's speaking about the Good Shepherd, where And here he speaks about his willing obedience to the command of the father. He says there in John 10, therefore my father loves me because I lay down my life that I might take it again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again. This command, this is why he's doing it. This command have I received from my father. This is why he laid down his life.

Here upon this mountain, we see a wonderful type of the Son of God becoming obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Abraham built an altar and placed the wood in order. And he bound his son, Isaac, and laid him upon the wood. And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife. to slay his son.

Would Abraham really have slain his son? He most certainly would have. He most certainly would have. Hebrews 11. Turn there for a moment. Keep your place here. Hebrews 11. Again, I know you know these texts, but let's look at it anyway. Hebrews 11. Let the word of God speak to us. You see, Abraham believed in the God who gives life to the dead. His trust in the faithfulness of God to his promise was so great that he believed that God would raise his son Isaac to life. Look there in verse 17. By faith, Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac. And he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son. You see how the word of God even expresses it? It expresses it as if it was done, that Abraham really did do it. Of whom it was said in Isaac, your seed shall be cold. Concluding, now listen, concluding that God was able to raise him up even from the dead. from which he also received him in a figurative sense.

Do you see that? So certain was Abraham of God's word to him that he was willing to offer up his own son, believing that God would raise him from the dead. Why? Because God had promised him that in this son, your seed would be called. And not only that, we read there, too, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. Received him in what way? As if from the dead. Why? Because for three days, Abraham, as far as he was concerned, his son was already dead when God spoke to him. This is the faith of Abraham.

God had preached the gospel to Abraham And Abraham knew salvation for himself and a multitude of people from every nation would come through this seat. He believed that. He believed that with all his heart. He believed it was such great faith that he was willing to offer up his only begotten son.

Turn back to Genesis 22, and I have just one last point. As the father Abraham and his son Isaac made that journey up the mountain, we find repeated twice the two of them went together. The father and the son went together. How wonderfully we see the perfect unity and love and fellowship between God the father and his son in the glorious work of redemption. They are of one heart. One mind, one will, and one purpose in everything that Christ accomplished.

You remember in the beginning of the gospel, John saw Jesus coming toward him, and he cried out, behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sins of the world. And when he had baptized him, a voice spoke from heaven. This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased. There he is at the very beginning of his ministry. The two of them, the father and the son, went together.

As Jesus went throughout all the regions preaching the kingdom of God, working great miracles, healing the sick, he continually stressed that he did nothing of himself. He said to the Pharisees, when you lift up the son of man, then you will know that I am he. and that I do nothing of myself. But as my Father taught me, I speak these things." And the two of them went together.

When Jesus was transfigured on the mountain, and his face shone as the sun, and his clothes became white as light. What an experience that must have been for the disciples. And the disciples heard again this voice from heaven. This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And the two of them went together.

When Jesus set his face to go up to Jerusalem, he said, Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour? But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name. Then a voice came from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it and will glorify it again. And the two of them went together.

Then Jesus comes to Gethsemane, and in unimaginable agony of soul, he sweat great drops of blood. And we read in Hebrews these words, that the son went aside, to offer up prayers and supplications with vehement cries and tears to him who was able to save him from death and was heard because of his godly fear. My father, and the father answered, here am I, my son. And the two of them went together.

We see the quiet, confident trust of the son and his father again and again, knowing what stood before him. We read in Psalm 16, it's just one example. These are the words of Christ. And it begins in this way. Preserve me, O God, for in you I put my trust. In this psalm, we hear these wonderful words uttered by the son to the father. Therefore, my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices. My flesh also will rest in hope, for you will not leave my soul in shale, nor will you allow your Holy One to see corruption. You will show me the path of life, and in your presence is fullness of joy. At your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Now the day had come and the promised seed of Abraham, listen, the promised seed of Abraham went up that mount in the land of Moriah. The son of Abraham, as Christ went up that mountain, think of this. Here's the promised seed. The son of Abraham went up that mountain with his eternal father. The father and the only begotten son of his love went together.

The son cries to his father. Once again, the father reached out and took the knife to slay his son. This is what we read of that. Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man who is my companion, said the Lord of hosts. And the son cries, my father. But there is no answer. Why? Because God has provided for himself the land. There on that mount, the Lord made his soul an offering for sin. As the weight of the sins of his people were laid upon him, this son cried out in anguish and sorrow, the depths which has never been or ever will be.

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? This cry from the cross was the cry of forsakenness for the wages of sin. This was the infinite Forsakenness endured for us because he bore our sins in his own body on the tree. He by himself bore our sins and of the people there was none with him. He tread out the winepress of the wrath of God alone. He accomplished so great a salvation. The salvation of a multitude of people, as many as the stars of the sky and the sand of the sea.

Yes, yes, in the mount of the Lord it shall be provided. Amen.