Friday, February 3, 2023

 

Friday, February 3, 2023


Psalm 78:16-38

Genesis 22

Luke 3:15-22


Observance: First Anglican service at Sydney Cove, conducted by Richard Johnson, Sydney 1788


And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”


There is no getting around it: the fact is, this is another horrifying scene. God has already pushed Abraham seemingly to the limit: three times, Sarah and he have connived plans that involved breaking God’s law in order to try and manipulate the success of the covenant promise. Now, God is asking Abraham to kill his own son. What amount of trust does God demand of us that He will fulfil His promises? Finally, there seems like there is a chance that God actually will create a nation from Abraham’s children, and now that chance is to be dashed like all the others, bloodily executed on top of a lonely mountain?


Before we try and work out just what is going on, let’s take a moment to think about the lectionary. Readings are set for every Sunday morning service intentionally, in that the readings are meant to have some links between them all, so that each Sunday we have a unified theme to reflect on. Meanwhile, all the other readings are just set in the order they are found in the Bible. Genesis 1 is followed by Genesis 2; Luke 2 is followed by Luke 3; and so on.


Sometimes, through sheer circumstance, the readings seem to line up just right. Today is one of those days.


This scene between God, Abraham and Isaac is horrifying, and only makes sense in light of what we know about Jesus.


God did not “need” the blood of Isaac. Sacrificing Isaac on top of the mountain would have made no difference one way or the other in the fulfilling of God’s promise. Only the blood of God’s own Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, is effective. What this scene in Genesis can teach us is how valuable we are to God. In order for us to be in perfect loving union with the Triune God, the Son had to die in our place. Not only did God supply the sacrifice, but only God was able to supply the sacrifice. As much as the love between a human father and his only son is, it is but a shadow of the radiant, perfect, all-encompassing, defining love that our Heavenly Father has for His only beloved Son. This love goes both ways: the Son loves the Father just as much, as only two Persons of God can. This is why the Third Person, the Holy Spirit, is here with us now: to lead us to Christ, His love for our Father, and their love for us. From Genesis to Revelation we are shown the perfect plan and agreement between the three Persons of the Trinity, and how they work the all-powerful love that they have for one another in the hearts of every one of us.


And when I think that God, His Son not sparing
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing
He bled and died to take away my sin

Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art


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