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Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.
– Genesis 22:8

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The gospel according to Abraham. I never noticed it being so clear in this verse, but this story always stuck out to me as one of the most undeniable foreshadowings of the cross in the old testament. The wood being cut for the sacrifice, Abraham taking his only son up a hill, Isaac submitting to the will of his father, etc. But this particular verse just really blew me away this morning.

This is something I could say to my own daughter today, it holds so true.

“God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering…”

• First, Abraham’s faith is displayed: God will provide
• Then, admitting even his faith is a gift from God: God will provide for himself (he knows it’s not owing to any of his work or wealth)
• Then, what he’s believing for: God will provide for himself the lamb 
• Then, he admits his debt: God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering.

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I owe God a debt I can’t repay. If I understood the weight of my offenses towards him, he could command me to take my own daughter up that hill and it would seem right to me, though that still wouldn’t cover my offense. He has to pay the debt for me. He has provided for himself the perfect spotless Lamb and has taken away my guilt forever. God sent his only perfect Son up that hill, once for all.

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Lord Jesus, only your blood was enough. Only you could cleanse me from my unrighteousness. One day I’ll understand my sin the way Abraham understood his, and I’ll know that my attempts to make myself better for you were so vain. Your word this morning has tuned my heart to trust your blood and not my righteousness.