The Greatest Sacrifice

In one of His exchanges with the Jews who vehemently boasted about their filial ties to Abraham, but at the same time rejected all visible evidences that He was the long-awaited Messiah, Jesus made a pointed remark which was a direct rebuke to His fellow countrymen’s deliberate attempts to fight against the conviction that was pressed upon their hearts by the Holy Spirit.

“Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it, and was glad.” (John 8:56)

It is true that Abraham did not live long enough to be a first-hand witness to the fulfilment of prophecy concerning the advent of the Messiah. Hence, these words spoken by Jesus confirmed and reaffirmed the innumerable evidences in the Old Testament that Abraham was indeed a prophet who not only communed with God, but also suggest that, as a prophet, he was privileged to actually see through the prophetic lens the coming of the Deliverer to redeem man from sin. This gave the patriarch hope and assurance that the “promised Seed” that should descend from his line would indeed bless all nations through His life, death and subsequent resurrection.

However, there is yet another revelation that God showed Abraham that struck home the reality concerning the mechanics involved in the plan of salvation. So graphic was this revelation that it had a profound and enduring impact on Abraham’s mind that, when he finally saw through it, he rejoiced and was exceedingly glad. This revelation is the story about God’s and Christ’s unflinching love for man that They were willing to go to great lengths to save us. This story is about the greatest sacrifice.

Less than twenty years after the birth of Isaac, Abraham would have to go through the most difficult test of his life. God once again talked with him, instructing him to go to the land of Moriah and offer Isaac as a burnt sacrifice on the top of a mountain chosen by God Himself. Though this instruction was diametrically opposed to the nature of God who abhorred the practice of child sacrifice, Abraham faithfully carried out the instruction, entirely trusting that God had better plans for him. The expression of his faith could also be seen in his reply to Isaac’s inquiry concerning the whereabouts of the sacrificial lamb.

“And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, … Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering”. (Genesis 22:7,8)

Abraham’s faith was also summed up by the words of the apostle Paul in his letter to the Hebrews where he described that Abraham believed that God was able to raise Isaac from the dead.

“By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, … accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.” (Hebrews 11:17-19)

Undeniably, when Abraham was put to the test, God tested the faith of Abraham. In the end, he proved that he had faith in God and displayed this fact by trusting and obeying God’s word and it earned him a place among the men and women of faith shortlisted by Paul in Hebrews chapter eleven. Consequently, he saw and experienced that faith could move “mountains” and prayers were answered. Perhaps it is for this very reason that faith is the main topic of discussion when it comes down to this story. And, almost every sermon that I have heard being preached on this account centres around the faith of Abraham. But, notwithstanding how powerful and inspiring the faith of Abraham was, there are greater lessons that God intends to teach us through this story.

Firstly, this account sheds light on the nature of the Godhead. Contrary to popular belief, the plan of salvation involved only two Individuals – the Father and the Son. There is no evidence in the entire Bible that suggests that there are three divine Beings involved in the plan to save the human race. Zechariah makes mention of the “counsel of peace” ¹ between two Beings – the LORD and the BRANCH – and not three. The prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah confirm that the “BRANCH” is none other than Jesus Himself. ² The story of Abraham’s test of faith reflects this truth so emphatically.

The sacrificial rite was a type that represented the death of Christ on the cross where the lamb represented Christ Himself. It is on this light that Jesus is constantly referred to in the Bible as the “Lamb of God”. In the case of Abraham’s fiery test, the lamb was now substituted by his very own son, Isaac. It is therefore, an undeniable fact that Isaac represented Jesus. The work of the heavenly Father in giving His only begotten Son to be sacrificed for our sins corresponds with the action taken by Abraham to give his “only begotten son” as a sacrificial offering on the altar. We can get a clearer picture when we compare John 3:16 with Hebrews 11:17.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son…” (John 3:16)

“By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac:… his only begotten son”. (Hebrews 11:17)

It is easy to see that these two verses have striking similarities. In John 3:16, Jesus is described as the “only begotten Son” of God whereas, in Hebrews 11:17, Isaac was named as Abraham’s “only begotten son”. It is true that Isaac cannot fully represent Christ as the only begotten because seven other sons were born to Abraham. But as far as the son of promise goes, Isaac was the patriarch’s only begotten son as mentioned in the book of Hebrews.

“By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered his only begotten son, of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:” (Hebrews 11:17,18)

In short, the events that unfolded in the land of Moriah prove that the Trinity doctrine is based on human assumptions and no conclusive evidence in the Bible can be found to support this erroneous teaching.

Secondly, the story in Genesis 22 paints a picture of God’s unimaginable struggle in giving His Son as a surety for the fallen race and to what extent He was willing to sacrifice in order to redeem man from sin. The sacrificial system was not something new in the days of Abraham. Ever since Adam and Eve fell into sin, they were instructed by God to perform the sacrificial rite wherein they were to offer on the altar an unblemished lamb. This ordinance was to be observed by God’s people thorough the ages past till the death of Christ on the cross would bring an end to its practice. By this rite, God intended that men should have a sense that sin would cause the shedding of innocent blood in order to save them from sin. Perhaps, this sense of guilt over the death of an innocent Man, as a result of one’s sin, was more pronounced in the case of men like Able whose occupation was to tend to the flock of the pasture. I reckon that it would have been a struggle for someone like him to witness the life of one of his own flock taken away especially, if that animal is still in its early stages of its life. But the agony did not end here. The sacrificial rite was so designed that anyone who offered the lamb on the altar should kill it himself before God should accept it.

However, in some cases there was a possibility that the killing of an animal may not be as difficult a task and its purpose may not have its intended effect on certain individuals, which was certainly the case for most of the Jews who passed off the rite as a mere round of formalism that should be fulfilled in order that they might be atoned on account of their sins. Sadly, such individuals did not comprehend the significance of the message that God desired to teach them through this system. I believe that it was for this reason that God chose to utilise Abraham and Isaac as teaching tools to send a more powerful message surrounding the plan of salvation. This message is that God was the one who actually took the life of His Son! This act was typified by Abraham having to take the life of Isaac.

Popular narrative has it that it was necessary for the Son to become man because in His divine form He could not die for He was immortal. So, in becoming man, Jesus also shed immortality and this made Him susceptible to death. However, I find this reasoning to be fraught with serious flaws primarily because in His incarnation, there is no indication in the Bible that He inherited the life of Adam which was separated from God. It is true that He came in the likeness of sinful flesh, but He did not come in the sinful life of man. If Christ possessed the sinful life of Adam, this would have made Him a sinner the moment He was conceived by Mary. But the words of Jesus Himself clearly indicate that His body had always been the temple of God but for a brief period of time when at the cross He was made to be sin.

“Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But He spake of the temple of His body.” (John 2:19-21)

Further, in His transition from the divine form to the human form, there was no break in Jesus’ life. Hence, before and after His incarnation, God’s Son possessed immortal life. This truth is seen in the following words taken from the gospel of John.

“For as the Father hath life in Himself; so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself.” (John 5:26)

The “life in Himself” that the Father possesses is none other than eternal life. And if this is the same life that He has given His Son, then it is safe to conclude that the Son also has eternal life. This life was once described as “original, unborrowed, underived” life. ³ There are those who are quick to conclude that if this is the life that Christ possesses, then if language means anything, it simply follows that He is a co-eternal Being and/or Person with the Father, without any beginning, thus making Him God Himself. In other words, the Trinity denies the plain words of scripture that Christ receives life from the Father. But for those who come to such conclusions, it is advisable that they should also consider the following words penned by the same author who described the life of Jesus as “original, unborrowed, underived.”

“In [Christ] was life, original, unborrowed, underived. This life is not inherent in man. He can possess it only through Christ. He cannot earn it; it is given to him as a free gift if he will believe in Christ as his personal Saviour.” (Christ the Life Giver by Ellen G. White, Signs of the Times, April 8, 1897, par. 2)

As per this statement, there is no disputing the fact that man can also receive “original, unborrowed and underived” life, the same life that many believe qualifies Christ as a co-eternal Person of the Trinity. Yet at the same time, it is illogical to conclude that man does not have a beginning and that he is from everlasting to everlasting, thereby making him god. Likewise, it is illogical to conclude that just because Jesus had “original, unborrowed and underived” life, He has no beginning.

Since Christ had eternal life, it stands to reason that He could not die. To put it in simple words, all the scorching He received, the nails that were driven into His hands and feet and the blood that almost endlessly drained from His wounds were powerless to end the life of the Son of God. Besides, death by crucifixion was an ignominious death, designed in such a way that the victim would remain alive for days before breathing his last breath. But a rather unusual thing occurred to Christ for He was the only one who died within a few hours after He was nailed to the cross. The executioners were surprised to witness such an unusual turn of events that one of them was compelled to confirm his suspicion by driving a spear through the Saviour’s side. This is proof that His death was not the result of mere human intervention but a divine hand had a role in causing the death of the Son of God. The words of the prophet Isaiah testify to this fact.

“Surely [Christ] hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: … Yet it pleased the [Father] to bruise Him; He hath put Him to grief…” (Isaiah 53:4-10)

How did God carry out this part of the plan? It was by withdrawing Himself from His Son. Cut off from the only Source of life, Christ eventually died. Therefore, it makes perfect sense that the wages of sin (a state of being separated from God, the only Source of life) is death.

Through the experience of Abraham and Isaac, God was trying to impress the truth in the mind of the patriarch and to us living today that if Abraham, as a sinner, struggled to take the life of his own son, how much more it was a struggle for God who is sinless and who is love to kill His only begotten Son. This sheds more light and adds meaning to the words, “For God so loved the world”. God’s love is larger than life itself that He was not only willing to send His Son but He went through with the plan to take the life of His own Son so that we might have a second chance. The apostle John once again aptly puts it when he said the following:

“In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.” (1 John 4:9)

Finally, in light of the truth that Christ’s humanity did not alter the fact that He could not die, it stands to reason that there are deeper and more significant purposes that His humanity was intended to accomplish. One such purpose was to lift the curse of sin. To understand this, the fact is worth mentioning that it was the first Adam who inflicted curse upon himself and the entire human race because of his sin, and it takes a man like himself to overcome sin and also lift the curse in the process. This principle is found in the life experiences of Esau. In selling his birth-right as the first born of Isaac to his younger brother, Jacob, Esau lost the blessing that was reserved for him and now he had placed himself under the dominion of his younger brother. The curses pronounced by Isaac upon Esau were revealed to Isaac through prophecy and there was no way that he could alter these statements because they were divinely inspired messages. But all was not lost for Esau, for Isaac clearly mentioned that after Esau came under the dominion of his brother, he would one day break the curse himself.

“And Isaac his father answered and said unto him, … And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother: and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck.” (Genesis 27:39,40)

These words of Isaac, were not limited to just Esau, but they also verily apply to Esau’s posterity. So, the breaking of the yoke from Esau’s neck also means that the curse will be broken by any member of the descendants of Esau. The fruits of this victory and freedom will be enjoyed by all the children of Esau. Similarly, if there is such a man who can be victorious over sin and break its curse, he should be able to impart his victorious life to all who believe and are willing to receives it. For this to materialise, at least two conditions should be fulfilled by him. Firstly, the life of such a man should never ever be contaminated by the sin. In other words, his life should be imparted from him and through him alone. He cannot use the aid of his spouse to pass this life to his posterity and to the entire human race because in his struggle against sin and temptation, he alone has gained power over sin but not his wife. Secondly, he should be able to offer and give this life to anyone and everyone who is willing to receive it at any given time. Broadly speaking, he has to be immortal, omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient. The only person who qualifies to accomplish this task is Jesus Christ alone because He rose from the grave with eternal life and at His glorification, His divine attributes, namely, omnipresence, omnipotence and omniscience, were once again restored. That is why He alone is the way, the truth and the life; and for this, He also earns the title of the last Adam.

¹ “And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD: even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both." (Zechariah 6:12-13)

: ²* “And there shall come forth a rod out of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:” (Isaiah 11:1)

“Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgement and justice in the earth.” (Jeremiah 23:5)

³ “In Christ is life, original, unborrowed, underived.” (The Desire of Ages by Ellen White, Chapter – 58, pg. 530)

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