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In part 1 we saw that the figure of The Akedah of Isaac prophetically pictured The Akedah of Jesus. We learned what the Akedah meant, what a figure or picture was and we saw how Christ fulfilled much of the Akedah but we did not have a chance to get through it all. For more detail on this first post please do go to The Akedah of Isaac fulfilled part 1 and then read this post but in quick review here is what we saw:

1) We saw Jesus as "the Lamb of God" via John the baptist in John 1:36 as Isaac was "the lamb" in Genesis 22:8.
2) We saw Jesus as the "Son of God" via John the baptist in John 1:34 as Isaac was the "son" of Genesis 22:8.
3) We saw that Jesus and His Father went alone together to the place of the burnt offering via Jesus in John 16:32 just as Isaac and his father went alone together Genesis 22:8.
4) We saw Jesus being offered as a burnt offering via Hebrews 13:10-14 just as Isaac was a burnt offering in Genesis 22:8.
5) We saw Jesus as God's "only...son" whom "the Father loveth" via John the baptist in John 1:18, 3:35 as Isaac was Abraham's "only son" "whom" he "lovest" in Genesis 22:2.
6) We saw that the Hebrew word for "love" is introduced for the first time in Genesis 22:2 and then the very next time in Genesis 24:67. Both times having to do with Isaac, first, in his relationship with his father and then in his relationship with his wife. Interestingly, enough we see Jesus in a "love" relationship with His Father in John 3:35 and His wife in Ephesians 5:29-32 as two major themes in the New Testament.
7) We saw how God for the second time calls Abraham to "get thee" to a place: The first, into the promised land in Genesis 12:1 which pictured a better promise that being the "better country...the heavenly" in Hebrews 11:16 and then the second time, to a place to offer the promised son for a burnt offering in Genesis 22:2 which then pictured the "better sacrifice" in Hebrews 9:23 and "mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises" in Hebrews 8:6.
8) Lastly, we saw how this "land of Moriah" that Abraham was to "get thee" to offer Isaac as a burnt offering connects with the temple that another son of a significant father built. The place this father (King David) chose to have his son (King Solomon) build the temple on was interestingly enough called "Mount Moriah" "at Jerusalem" in 2 Chronicles 3:1. Interestingly enough these are the only two instances of the Hebrew word for "Moriah" in the scriptures. But not only was it built "at Jerusalem in Mount Moriah" but further description and meaning is given in 2 Chronicles 3:1: "...where the LORD appeared unto David his father, in the place that David had prepared in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite...". We then learn more about this peculiar and monumental event in 1 Chronicles 21 and 22. But for now to only point out what connects here with "Moriah" is that King David himself committed a priestly act of a burnt offering at this "threshingfloor" which then becomes the very reason why David chooses this place to build the temple. It is noted in 1 Chronicles 21:28-22:1: "At that time when David saw that the LORD had answered him in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite, then he sacrificed there. For the tabernacle of the LORD, which Moses made in the wilderness, and the altar of the burnt offering, were at that season in the high place at Gibeon. But David could not go before it to enquire of God: for he was afraid because of the sword of the angel of the LORD. Then David said, This is the house of the LORD God, and this is the altar of the burnt offering for Israel." And then if we go back and consider point 4 and 7 this gets prophetical picturesque and quite interesting but that will be for another time to discuss yet another prophetic picture.

For now we will stick with our figure of the Akedah of Isaac prophetically picturing for us even more than the above 8 points. Let us continue now with The Akedah of Isaac fulfilled part 2...

"And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of."-Genesis 22:2.

Now let us look at "offer him" as we compare this with Isaiah 53. Here we have a human as an offering in Isaiah 53. We already discussed the "burnt offering" but not the offer and a human offering at that. In Isaiah 53 we have yet another human offering but this time at the hand of God himself. The JPS Commentary mentions nothing of Isaiah 53 which is odd. They point out many interesting points that I have commented on in part 1 of this post but nothing of Isaiah 53 which is just as oddly interesting in that as far as I know there are only two times God involves himself with a human offering and both are equated to "a lamb". One here in Abraham and then in Isaiah 53. There may be others but I can not remember them if there are. So it is curiously missing from the JPS Commentary. Even if they do not believe it is Jesus why not make mention of this at least in passing. To me it is a huge omission. I wish I had the JPS Commentary on Isaiah but I do not so I will have to take this on by my lonesome. But let us head over to Isaiah 53:

"...the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all....he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter...he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken...Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin...by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities...he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors."-Isaiah 53:6-8,10-12

Now we know that from Genesis 22:14 that the Akedah of Isaac pointed to yet a future fulfillment. Isaiah 53 has to much imagery to be missed here. Let us call this The Akedah of the Righteous Servant. We will compare this "righteouse servant" to Isaac.

1) Isaac was to be made an offering in Genesis 22:2 and so was this servant in Isaiah 53:10.
2) Isaac was the lamb that was to be provided for an offering in Genesis 22:8 as this servant was to be brought as a lamb to the slaughter in Isaiah 53:7.
3) Isaac was submissively silent as his father binds him in Genesis 22:9 so is the servant in his affliction here in Isaiah 53:7.
4) Isaac was innocent in his Akedah so this servant "...had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth..." and the very description as a "righteouse servant" and yet experienced the Akedah-Isaiah 53:9.
5) Abraham laid on Isaac the wood of the burnt offering to carry in his Akedah in Genesis 22:6 so is the servant in Isaiah 53:4 laiden with the griefs of others and carries their sorrows on him in his Akedah.
6) Abraham brought a knife to cut Isaac with in Genesis 22:6,10 as this servant was to be "cut off" and face "shearers" both from the same Hebrew word for cut in Isaiah 53:7,8.
7) As the Akedah of Isaac pictures the resurrection (Hebrews 11:19) so does the Servant here in that Isaiah 53:8 says "For he was cut off from the land of the living" and just to be sure we understand that this servant was going to die the very next verse says this "..his grave was set among the wicked, -And with the rich, in his death-.." but yet in Isaiah 53:10 we read "..the Lord chose to crush him by disease, That, if he made himself an offering for guilt, He might see offspring and have long life" (JPS version). So how will he have long life after and see offspring after he was cut off out of the land of the living being made an offering unless he were to rise from the dead. Now more will be said on this in a part 3 of the Akedah of Isaac fulfilled.

And maybe more could be said but enough to rest in for now and to make the point with. One major difference is that here we have an Akedah that is carried to its bitter end. Isaac was never sacrifice while this "righteous servant" actually is. Now for a Christian Jew or Gentile Isaiah 53 is a clear prophetic picture of what Jesus the Messiah himself would do. The heart of the gospel of Jesus Christ is but a fulfillment of Isaiah 53. Jesus experienced The Akedah to its bitter end. Jesus is this righteous servant!!! The New Testament connects Isaiah 53 to Genesis 22 via the pictures. First, check out Acts 8:30-35 for a direct quote connecting Jesus to Isaiah 53. But let us connect this sacrifice to Genesis 22 via the pictures of The Father, The Son and The Lamb.

Let us take one of the most famous verses in the Bible in John 3:16 and see how this connects Isaiah 53 with Genesis 22. John 3:16 reads:

"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."

You have "The Father" giving his "only...Son" which connects to The Akedah of Isaac that "whosoever believeth in him should not perish" which connects to The Akedah of the Righteous Servant in that Isaiah 53:1 opens up with "Who hath believed our report?" and then as Isaiah 53 is coming to close with "by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many".

But John 3:16 comes in context of John 3:14,15 which read:

"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life."

Here you have Christ using a picture from an event in Israel's history to point to his Akedah. Again, notice the theme of "believe" and the "righteous servant" who will "justify many" by "his knowledge" which is being said here in John 3:14-16. Notice it is in good context with Isaiah 53:11: "He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities." The travail of his soul is the cross where God made "his soul an offering for sin" and via this knowledge which was his he would justify many for he shall bear their sins. This is the "report" that is asked "who will believe..." and "his knowledge" that the "righteous servant" will "justify many" as he "bear their iniquities".

Now all the children of Israel had to do was look at the serpent on the stake and they were healed from the deathly bites of the serpents that were sent as a consequence of their sins. This pictures Christ bearing our iniquities and becoming our consequences being nailed to the cross and all we have to do is "believe the report" and trust in this servants "knowledge" which he has revealed in the New Testament as he comes to bear our iniquities. And if we truely believe we will then naturally follow Him.

Now we see The Father and The Son but we need The Lamb in context of sin. Well let us head over to John 1:29:

"The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."

John the baptist who claims to be the very figure of Isaiah 40:3 just some chapters before Isaiah 53 claims Christ to be "the Lamb of God" which is pictured in Genesis 22 and here in Isaiah 53. Not only is this a Lamb but a Lamb that "taketh away the sin of the world". Which fits nicely in with Isaiah 53 as "the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all" and "he shall bear their iniquities" and "he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.". Is this not the central theme and message of The Akedah of Jesus??!!

Now some have concluded that the servant of Isaiah 53 is Israel and not the Messiah. They will point to Isaiah 49:3 that reads:

"And He said to me, "You are my servant, Israel in whom I glory."-JPS

I quote this from the JPS translation of Isaiah just for fairness sake and to show that even in their translation what I am pointing out is out of their translation. Now the very answer to this is just some verses down which makes it impossible for this servant to be Israel as:

"He who formed me in the womb to be his servant - to bring back Jacob to himself, that Israel may be restored unto Him."-Isaiah 49:5 JPS.

So this servant who is called Israel in vs 3 is to restore Israel. But just for double emphasis let us head to vs 6:

"For He said: "It is too little that you should be My servant in that I raise up the tribes of Jacob and restore the survivors of Israel: I will also make you a light of nations, that my salvation may reach the ends of the earth."-JPS.

So there are two Israel's spoken of here not just one. Isaiah 53 is speaking of Israel that is described as "my righteous servant" who is to "bear the sins of many" and whose involvement results in God's "salvation" reaching "the ends of the earth". Which fits well with the description of the Israel in Isaiah 49. Notice in Isaiah 53 this righteous servant is being "cut off" "Through the sin of my people, who deserve the punishment" (JPS Isaiah 53:8). So the Righteous Servant called Israel is contrasted with another Israel in Isaiah that needs to be brought "back" and "restored" but the Righteous Servant called Israel also is the one "to bring back Jacob...that Israel may be restored" by bearing their sins but not only theirs but as we will see many of the nations also.

Now Christ (the Righteous Servant called Israel of Isaiah 53) has so inspired and enabled those who bring "the report" to "believe" to the utter ends of the earth like no other. Because of Christ and His followers called His Bride in the New Testament more people know about the Creation, the flood, Abraham and Isaac, King David, Jonah and Moses, the law and the prophets than maybe any other message on earth. More people know about the Tanakh via Christ and His Bride than via any other means. Who but knows that if it weren't for Christ and His Bride that the message would have dissappeared into oblivion millenia ago? But instead it spreads and continues to do so ever since Christ came into the world and fulfilled The Akedah of Isaac via His Akedah fulfilling the Akedah of this Righteous Servant bearing the sins of others. Christ has indeed spread the knowledge of God as revealed in the Tanakh like no other and continues to do so via the same vehicle he has been doing it for the last 2000 years.

And is it not most interesting when we read Isaiah 49:1 concerning this "Righteous Servant" that this "Righteous Servant" says this "Listen, O coastlands, to me, And give heed, O nations afar: The LORD appointed me....And He said to me, "You are My servant, Israel in whom I glory."...and restore the survivors of Israel, I will also make you a light of nations, That My salvation may reach the ends of the earth." (JPS Isaiah 49:1,3,6,7) And look at the gospel of Jesus Christ since it was birthed on the earth some 2000 years ago!!!

Let us head over to Isaiah 42 quoting once again from the JPS version we read God himself talking about this "Servant": "This is My servant, whom I uphold, My chosen one, in whom I delight. I have put My Spirit upon him, He shall teach the true way to the nations....He shall bring forth the true way. He shall not grow dim or be bruised Till he has established the true way on earth; And the coastlands shall await his teaching...And I have grasped you by the hand. I created you and appointed you a -covenant people,- a light of nations." (Isaiah 42:1,3,4,6). Now JPS makes a note about the translation of "covenant people" in their translation and says that if it were translated more literally it would read "covenants of a people". KJV translates it that the Servant God would "give thee for a covenant of the people".

Now as a Christian Jew or Gentile this speaks volumes of the New Testament/Covenant and is quite consistent with Isaiah 53. So in conclusion in this post we have dealt with the offering of Isaac in connecting it to the offering of the Righteous Servant which both connect with Christ as the fulfiller of both. So Christ fulfills both the Servant and the Son of both Akedahs. Which goes well with Galatians 3:16, 4:1 and Phillipians 2:7-9.

Let us conclude by quoting Phillipians 2:7-9 to note the similarity of Christ the Servant to the Servant here in Isaiah 53:

"But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him...."

Sound familiar!!! This will lead us well into the resurrection of the Righteous Servant here in the Akedah of the Righteous Servant and the resurrection in the Akedah of Isaac which of course the resurrection of the Akedah of Jesus fulfills. But that will be for part 3 and to be continued....

Again found pictures at wikipedia...The second picture is of all of Isaiah 53 from the Dead Sea Scrolls dated about two centuries before Christ.

Below is the only conversation recorded in Scripture between Abraham and Isaac and the conversation is quite interesting.

"And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together."-Genesis 22:7,8

I am going to use The Jewish Publication Society (JPS) Commentary on their English translation of the Tanakh to use as a launching pad for our discussion here. The JPS is not at all a Christian group but rather a Jewish group. Now I understand you can be a Christian Jew so to make this more clear this is a non-Christian group. They do not ascribe to the idea that the Tanakh is the Old Testament for they do not ascribe to the New Testament nor believe Christ mediated a New Covenant as Christian Jews believe. So the Old Testament is not Old to them. So they call what we Christians would call the Old Testament simply the Tanakh. So just a heads up if I accidently use that term again you will know I am referring to the Old Testament and for those non-Christian Jews if I use the term Old Testament you will also know what I am referring to.

Now the above translation that I quoted of Genesis 22:7,8 is the KJV version and just for fairness sake I will place the JPS translation of those same verse here:

"Then Isaac said to his father Abraham, "Father!" And he answered, "Yes, my son." And he said, "Here are the firestone and the wood; but where is the sheep for the burnt offering?" And Abraham said, "God will see to the sheep for His burnt offering, my son." And the two of them walked on together."-Genesis 22:7,8

There are very little differences. JPS translates "the lamb" as "the sheep" which I looked up the Hebrew and it can be either a "lamb" or a "sheep". A lamb is a sheep and vice a versa so it doesn't matter that much. Also, the JPS translates "provide" as "see" both conveying that God will see to the sheep or provide the lamb. More literally though it is "see". Also, the JPS includes a definite article before "the sheep" where the KJV doesn't in vs 8 and in the Hebrew the definite article is indeed there. Now with that all said lets jump start with the JPS commentary on these two verses from pg 152 of "The JPS Torah Commentary" on Genesis in 1989 or as they put it also in 5749 as they do not ascribe to Christ as the mediator of the New Covenant which the 1989 calendar is based upon:

"The poignant tension inherent in the situation is heightened by the repetition of the words "father" and "son." The bond between the two remains unbroken. The brief dialogue over-the only such recorded between Isaac and his father-they continue their fateful trek in perfect harmony."

Now I would just like to add a bit to the commentary. As JPS notes this is the only dialogue in the Scripture recorded between Abraham and Isaac which hightens the significance of what is being said and what is being said it self is quite significant in itself. So let us pay attention. Remember Abraham at this point and as far as Abraham knows Isaac is the burnt offering. He says God will see to the lamb or sheep so at this point Isaac is the lamb or sheep which later Isaac finds out.

Now as a Christian it is interesting to note that Christ said that Abraham "rejoiced to see my day"-John 8:58. Now what is this all about? I believe at least in a significant part right here in what Jews whether Christian or not call The Akedah of Isaac is a prophetic picture that Abraham foresaw that one day would be fulfilled that has something to do with what I as a Christian gentile as far as I know will call The Akedah of the Son of God. Akedah is Hebrew for bind as Isaac was bound to the wood. So we are talking about the binding of Isaac picturing the binding of the Son of God. Now for Christians both Jewish and Gentile Isaac (the promised seed/son) pictures Jesus (the ultimate promised seed/son) as we read in Galatians 3:16 and here in The Akedah of Isaac (an Akedah that is so obvious of a picture for Christians that even though there is no specific mention of it in the New Testament it is clearly a picture of The Akedah of the Son of God/The Seed of Abraham (Galatians 3:16)). And then when you compare Hebrews 11:17-19 it gets all the more interesting but leaving that alone for now you can always remember this reference in Galatians 3:16 if you have John 3:16 down as both passages speak about Jesus in John 3:16 as God's son and in Galatians 3:16 as the seed of Abraham. But for now I speak of this only to make that connection that Isaac pictures Christ for the Christian. But here the picture is of Isaac being bound to wood as a burnt offering probably by some rope so the Son of God was bound by nails to wood as a burnt offering outside the gates. You say burnt offering? How so? Well, we will get to that but before we do we have to start somewhere.

First, let me establish as evidence that Abraham and his descendents themselves saw something prophetic about this event called The Akedah of Isaac in Genesis 22. The evidence is in Genesis 22:14 where we read that Abraham "...called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen."

Notice that a saying went out amongst the descendants of Abraham after this event that speaks of a future fulfillment in connection with this event that includes a Father sacrificing His Son who at this moment is the Lamb that will be provided or seen. So Abraham is not lying he knows full well who the sacrifice is and Isaac is it, he is the lamb. But he was not sacrificed that day or night as we all know. Nor was the lamb provided that night but rather a ram and the Hebrew word for lamb/sheep is a different word than the Hebrew word for ram. But let us put the JPS translation of Genesis 22:14 side by side with the above KJV to notice an important difference but then we will reconcile the difference via JPS's own commentary on the Hebrew behind the translations:

“On the mount of the Lord there is vision”-JPS

“In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen”-KJV

Now there is a settle and important difference between the two translations. One implies a future aspect in that “it shall be seen” while the other is harder to see this implication and may not even imply it though one could. But what settles this settle yet meaningful difference is the JPS themselves. I am going to quote from the same JPS commentary as noted above but on pg 154 of these three words “there is vision”:

“Hebrew yera'eh, literally “He/it shall be seen.””

Well that settles it. Clearly there is a prophetic implication. The Hebrew even according to the JPS commentary reads how the KJV version translates it except that it could also be “He shall be seen”. Now let me read the rest of the JPS commentary on this “He/it” portion as they further comment on the Hebrew:

“The subject of the verb is unclear, although the apparent reference to verse 8 would favor the impersonal rendering, referring to the sheep. A different exegetical tradition is represented by the Septuagint, which renders, “On the mount the Lord appears”.

Now verse 8 is "the sheep" or as the KJV translates it as the "lamb" that Abraham said God would see to or provide as a burnt offering. But it is possible that it could be rendered "He". So now we have four translations of this phrase and so let us put them next to each other.

“In the mount of the Lord He/it shall be seen”-The literal Hebrew according to JPS commentary

“On the mount the Lord appears”-Septuagint

“On the mount of the Lord there is vision”-JPS

“In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen”-KJV

But let me add a 5th and 6th translation combining all of the above along with the JPS commentary that the “it” refers back to “the sheep” and the other possible rendering would be for “He” referring to the Lord and the literal Hebrew:

“In the mount of the Lord He (the Lord) shall be seen”

“In the mount of the Lord it (the sheep) shall be seen”

And now let me add a final 7th translation to rest in for now combining the last two translations including both possibilities of the literal translation:

“In the mount of the Lord He (the Lord)/it (the sheep) shall be seen.”

Update: Upon further thought on this translation I got to thinking that the "He" could be referring back to Isaac as the "it" refers to "the sheep". So it would be possible for yet a third rendering which would combine the "He" and "it" in Isaac as "He" was "the sheep" that Abraham was about to sacrifice. So instead of revising all of the above I will rest upon second thought now in the below translation:

"In the mount of the Lord He (Isaac/the Lord)/it (the sheep) shall be seen."

Now let us consider the phrase before this phrase which reads:

“...as it is said to this day..”-(KJV) or “...whence the present saying...”-(JPS)

I think both translations are saying the same thing and the same implication is clear from both. Both agree in that this event lead to a “saying” well after the event that was even being said to the day of the writer of Genesis. In fact I like the JPS commentary on this phrase which reads:

“A popular saying arose based on this episode. This is not part of the narrative but an editorial note”-pg 154.

So in the day of whoever penned this phrase this “saying” was still being said well after the event itself which implies a future occurrence that this event for them pictured. Now some may say it was Moses that wrote this and others say not and for now I am not going to get into that debate but rather just to take note that all should agree that this saying arose after this event and the saying implies that this historical event is also a figure picturing for them something that was to come.

Now what I found interesting is that the first century Jewish believers in Christ saw what they called figures, types and shadows in the Tanakh/Old Testament much like these Hebrews in the days after this event saw in this historical event in Genesis 22. Some examples include:

1) Peter in 1 Peter 3:21 saw Noah's flood water as a figure picturing an aspect of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

2) Paul in Romans 5:14 saw Adam as “the figure of him that was to come.

3) And the author of Hebrews who is disputable but clearly Hebrew or thought like a Hebrew in Hebrews 9:9 saw the structure of the tabernacle itself as “..a figure for the time then present...”

4) But then you also have what is called a “shadow” which is “of things to come” as in Colossians 2:17, Hebrews 8:5 and 10:1.

5) And you also have “an allegory” of historical events in the Old Testament that apply to the future as in Galatians 4:24

6) And then you have similar thinking in the New Testament that imply such understanding of the Old Testament like in 2 Corinthians 3:14 and Galatians 3:16 and so forth.

7) But to really pin this down Christ Himself in the book of John all over the place talks with this type of talk. The bread from heaven under Moses pictured Jesus himself as the bread of life. Jacob's well pictured the well of living water that would spring up into eternal life having to do with the Holy Spirit. You also have the serpent lifted up in the wilderness so must He be lifted up and on and on. The historical miracles he performed were also figures picturing something more significant than just the miraculous happening itself. Just read the whole gospel of John or check out John 16:25: “These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father.” or better yet check out John 6:53-63 where Christ says this “Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life.” Clearly this is proverbially and figurative but here we have the picture going in a different direction. Christ is picturing for us that faith in Him is figuratively like feeding much like in the law of Moses where it reads something like “man can not live on bread alone”!!!

8) Look at the prophetic books in Jeremiah, Isaiah, Hosea and Ezekiel. God had these prophets at times do weird things but all pictured something that God was going to do in the future. Hosea's wife was a picture of something more than just a historical marriage. Isaiah's children were signs or pictures of something more significant than just his children in his historical setting. I can't remember the pictures and/or signs that are in Jeremiah and Ezekiel but I remember especially Ezekiel having to do odd things as a sign and picture painting and pointing to something that was to occur in the future.

9) Even the non-historical but rather visions and dreams that some of the prophets had like in Daniel and quite consistently in Revelation. You have beastly figures which picture future kings and kingdoms and even kingdoms that existed in the time of the writing.

10) And so are we to believe that something so picturesque as “the seed” figure that runs from the historical Eve, barren matriarchs and their patriarchs, to Judah, David with Levi (Jeremiah 33:22, Psalm 110:1,4), and probably many that I have missed and all the way thru to Christ or rather The Seed of Abraham (Galatians 3:16) that this “seed” figure pictured for us in the very Son of God.

11) And second to lastly we have already seen here in this event in Genesis 22 an understanding of a historical event that pictured for them something that will be seen in the future.

12) And then lastly You even have numbers that are significant “...as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” which itself was a sign Jesus called “the sign of the prophet Jonas”. As I myself have 12 points of a figure picturing and consummating my point in a Hebraic way!!!! As I also did in the 7 translations of Genesis 22:14 above.

So both Hebrew writers in the Tanakh and the New Testament both included and understood figures which pictured something more significant than the historical event itself and so now in this same spirit let us get into The Figure of The Akeda in Genesis 22.

Now as a Jew or Gentile for that matter who believes in Christ you can really see this picturing the event of The Akedah of the Son of God.

First, John the baptist who is claiming to be the prophetic figure in Isaiah 40:3-5 (Compare with John 1:23) proclaimed that Jesus is "the Son of God" and "the Lamb of God" in John 1:34-36. Also, Jesus says in a conversation with some Jews concerning His Akedah that "...When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him." And he similarly says in John 16:32 to his disciples: "Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me."

Now notice here you have the picture of The Akedah of Isaac fulfilled in The Akedah of the Son of God. You have The Father going with His Son who is the Lamb that now has been seen in a provisional sense in the mount of the Lord. Let us mark in bold what has been fulfilled so far in this only conversation between Abraham and his Son:

"And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together."

What about this "fire" as Isaac was a "burnt offering"? How does this fit in with Christ and how does The Akedah of the Son of God fulfill this? Let us head over to Hebrews 13:10-14:

"We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come."

As Jesus predicted the city of Jerusalem was going to be judged within His generation and not only that but Christ predicted that the temple that took some 46 years to build according to John 2:20 was also going to be left without one stone upon another (see Matthew 23:36-24:2). This should make some further sense of the significance of Christ fulfilling the "burnt offering" aspect. He is calling Jews and for that matter Gentiles also out of the Old Covenant altar and sanctuary and into The Akedah of the Son of God (which The Akedah of Isaac pictured) whose blood was spilt to establish the New Covenant that was prophesied of in Jeremiah 31:31-34. But not so much on that for now. Just to mention that in passing and for further study on that if it has peaked your interest read Hebrews chapter 8 and 9 or better yet read Hebrews all the way through. Oh and Galatians 3:17-18 will be quite applicable and actually all of Galatians should be read.

So now we can say that Christ has indeed fulfilled the prophetic picture of the only conversation between Abraham and Isaac in Holy Writ but let us continue with the whole picture of the Akedah of Isaac picturing Christ that will further evidence forth and bind it all up with as there are loose ends.

You have Isaac described in Genesis 22:2 as Abraham's "only son" "whom thou lovest". It is interesting to note that this is the very first time this Hebrew word for love is used in the Scriptures. The JPS commentary on pg 151 makes note of this: “This is the first use of the key biblical stem '-h-v, significantly in the parent-child relationship. Its next usage (24:67) is in the husband-wife relationship.”. I would just like to add that both instances are with Isaac in relationship to his father and Isaac in relationship to his wife. Notice that the two major themes of love for the Isaac of the New Testament are between His Father and His Bride. Interestingly enough we do not hear about Isaac after this Akedah again until he meets up with his wife Rebekah. Also, you have once again John the baptist making these comments in John 3:29: "He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled." But let us stay here in The Akedah of Isaac for now.

Christ is described by John the baptist as God's "only...son" in John 1:18 and then as a son whom "the Father loveth" says John the baptist in John 3:35.

Now you have yet another interesting commentary by the JPS on pg 150 concerning The Akedah of Isaac: "The Hebrew phrase lekh lekha, "go forth," does not occur again in the Bible, a fact that underscores the deliberate and meaningful nature of its use in these two passages." Now the "go forth" translation is from the JPS english translation and in the KJV it is translated "get thee". The first time God tells Abraham to "get thee" or "go forth" is when God called Abraham to the promised land and the second time is here when God calls Abraham to ".. get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.." (Genesis 22:2). So the first "get thee" is for Abraham to leave his family and country to go to the promised land and the second "get thee" is to take Isaac the promised son to offer as a "burnt offering". So one could say as the promised land pictured the "better country, that is, an heavenly" (see Hebrews 11:8-9,16) and The Akedah of the promised child here in Genesis 22 pictured The Akeda of the Son of God who was the "better sacrifice" (Hebrews 9:23) and "mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises" (Hebrews 8:6). So both picture the "better covenant, which was established upon better promises" which promises were of a "better country, that is, an heavenly" with a "better sacrifice.." that being that which The Akedah of Isaac foretold that being The Akedah of God's only son whom He lovedst. Again, check out Galatians 3:17,18 or better yet all of Galatians for more on that. But let us stay here in the picture of the better sacrifice.

Now God tells Abraham to "get thee into the land of Moriah". The JPS commentary on pg 391 notes that: "..."the land of Moriah" is never mentioned again in the Bible...". Not only that but they note that there is "the presence of the definite article in the Hebrew (lit. "the Moriah")...". Now they offer many different possible translations of this word for "Moriah" but I am just going to stick with the below comments. The land of Moriah is never mentioned again in the scriptures however "Moriah" is mention: here in Genesis 22:2 and interestingly enough in 2 Chronicles 3:1 where we read: "Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem in mount Moriah, where the LORD appeared unto David his father, in the place that David had prepared in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.". The Hebrew word is the exact same word and also includes the definite article and yet is described as a place. "Moriah" in the Hebrew means "seen of Yah (the Lord)" but with the definite article you have "the seen of Yah (the Lord)". Now when we consider what Abraham later called this place this would make sense. It is interesting to note that on "Mount Moriah" was where Solomon's temple was built. Now whether or not "the land of Moriah" and "Mount Moriah" may or may not be the exact same place and one place could have been named after the other but I wish not to get into that debate for our discussion here. But all should agree that these are the only two instances where the Hebrew word of Moriah is mentioned in the Bible and that alone is significant enough for our discussion.

It appears there is to much to say here that will distract us from the Akedah of Isaac but to only say that it appears that this event itself is quite picturesque and connects to "Moriah" via "the burnt offering" which connects to "the burnt offering" of Moses' tabernacle which connects then to the building of the temple and so connects to Christ as the "burnt offering" "without the gate" and yet the context of this event is yet another peculiar and momentuous event in Israel's history. We also have a King (King David) acting in the position of a priest and the very place of this priestly act becomes the very place of the altar of the burnt offering where David chooses to build the temple of God which David's son then completes which is at "Moriah" which is at Jerusalem where Christ himself was sacrificed whose sacrifice being outside the gates and so on and so forth. There is so much to be said here but it would require another post in the future as this one is getting long enough. However, for now I will suggest a read of 1 Chronicles 21 into 22 along with the above 2 Chronicles 3:1 but read in context of 2 Samuel 24:1. Then see 2 Samuel 7 and then Hebrews 9:10-14 and then Hebrews 10:1-10 and Hebrews 13:10-14 and then compare Genesis 14:18 with Hebrews 7 and 5 and then compare with Psalm 110 and Jeremiah 33:17-26 and Hebrews 7:12 and so forth and so on. We probably will review this event more closely in another post.

Now let us review in bold what we have discussed so far that the figure of the Akedah of Isaac pictured and was fulfilled in the Akedah of the Messiah/Seed of Abraham/Son of God.

"And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him. Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you. And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together. And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen. And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice. So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba." (Genesis 22:1-19)

We will leave this post as part 1 for now and end this post with a to be continued....

Found pictures at wikipedia.