Abraham's Faith and God's Promise

Jim ButlerGenesis 22

Genesis 22 presents the supreme test of Abraham's faith: the commanded sacrifice of Isaac, the son of promise. The passage is expounded under three headings — the presentation of the test (vv. 1–2), the obedience of Abraham (vv. 3–10), and the approval of God (vv. 11–19) — with close attention to the three-day journey, Abraham's silent faith, and his confession that 'God will provide.' The sermon moves from the historical narrative to its Christological typology: Abraham foreshadows the Father, Isaac foreshadows the Son, and the substitutionary ram of verse 13 foreshadows the Lamb of God, so that Yahweh-Yireh finds its ultimate fulfilment at Calvary. Hearers are called to the same contrary-to-hope, unwavering trust in the promising God that marked Abraham's life.