“我儿，神必自己预备作燔祭的羊羔。” – 创 22:8
亚伯拉罕经过了多次信心的考验。神呼召亚伯拉罕去到另一个地方，他照做了（创12:1-7）。神应许给亚伯拉罕一个后嗣，他也相信了（15:4-6）。神说，亚伯拉罕家的所有男子都要受割礼，成为神与他和属他的后裔所立之约的标记，亚伯拉罕也照做了（17:9-27）。
但现在亚伯拉罕面临着一个最艰难的考验。在得了他的儿子以撒并在他的成长中看到神的应许成就之后，神告诉亚伯拉罕要把以撒献上。因此，亚伯拉罕信神甚至可以使死人复活来成就祂的应许（见来 11:19），他最终以顺服回应了神。亚伯拉罕爱以撒，但他更爱神。而且神持守了祂所有的应许。所以亚伯拉罕信靠神。
以撒说：“火与柴都有了，可是献燔祭用的羊羔在哪里呢？”亚伯拉罕说：“我儿，神必自己预备作燔祭的羊羔。”亚伯拉罕就筑了一座祭坛，准备把他的儿子在那里献上。
但神不希望以撒被献祭；神所要的是亚伯拉罕的舍己之爱。在这动人心魄的信仰考验中，神预先向我们表明，祂的独生子耶稣将为救赎我们被献上。对于以撒，神预备了一只替代的羔羊，而耶稣为我们成了神预备的羔羊。神“没有顾惜自己的儿子，为我们众人舍了他的命”（罗 8:32）。
祷告
主神，感谢你舍弃你的独生子为我而死。奉耶稣的名，阿们。
创世记 22:1-19
1这些事以后，神要试验亚伯拉罕，就呼叫他说：“亚伯拉罕！”他说：“我在这里。”
2神说：“你带着你的儿子，就是你独生的儿子，你所爱的以撒，往摩利亚地去，在我所要指示你的山上，把他献为燔祭。”
3亚伯拉罕清早起来，备上驴，带着两个仆人和他儿子以撒，也劈好了燔祭的柴，就起身往神所指示他的地方去了。
4到了第三日，亚伯拉罕举目远远地看见那地方。
5亚伯拉罕对他的仆人说：“你们和驴在此等候，我与童子往那里去拜一拜，就回到你们这里来。”
6亚伯拉罕把燔祭的柴放在他儿子以撒身上，自己手里拿着火与刀，于是二人同行。
7以撒对他父亲亚伯拉罕说：“父亲哪！”亚伯拉罕说：“我儿，我在这里。”以撒说：“请看，火与柴都有了，但燔祭的羊羔在哪里呢？”
8亚伯拉罕说：“我儿，神必自己预备做燔祭的羊羔。”于是二人同行。
9他们到了神所指示的地方，亚伯拉罕在那里筑坛，把柴摆好，捆绑他的儿子以撒，放在坛的柴上。
10亚伯拉罕就伸手拿刀，要杀他的儿子。
11耶和华的使者从天上呼叫他说：“亚伯拉罕！亚伯拉罕！”他说：“我在这里。”
12天使说：“你不可在这童子身上下手，一点不可害他。现在我知道你是敬畏神的了，因为你没有将你的儿子，就是你独生的儿子，留下不给我。”
13亚伯拉罕举目观看，不料，有一只公羊，两角扣在稠密的小树中。亚伯拉罕就取了那只公羊来，献为燔祭，代替他的儿子。
14亚伯拉罕给那地方起名叫耶和华以勒，直到今日人还说：“在耶和华的山上必有预备。”
15耶和华的使者第二次从天上呼叫亚伯拉罕说：
16“耶和华说：‘你既行了这事，不留下你的儿子，就是你独生的儿子，我便指着自己起誓说：
17论福，我必赐大福给你；论子孙，我必叫你的子孙多起来，如同天上的星，海边的沙；你子孙必得着仇敌的城门；
18并且地上万国都必因你的后裔得福，因为你听从了我的话。’”
19于是亚伯拉罕回到他仆人那里，他们一同起身往别是巴去，亚伯拉罕就住在别是巴。
The Replacement Lamb
“God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” – Genesis 22:8
Abraham had already passed through several tests of his faith in God. God had called Abraham to move to another land, and he did (Genesis 12:1-7). God had promised to give Abraham an heir, and he believed (15:4-6). God had said that all the males in Abraham’s household were to be circumcised to be part of God’s covenant with him and his descendants, so Abraham did that too (17:9-27).
But now Abraham faced the hardest test of all. After receiving his son Isaac and seeing him grow in fulfillment of God’s promises, Abraham was told by God to offer Isaac as a sacrifice. So, trusting that God could even raise the dead and keep his promises (see Hebrews 11:19), Abraham responded in obedience. Abraham loved Isaac, but he loved God more. And God had kept all his promises. So Abraham trusted God.
Isaac said, “The fire and wood are here, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” And Abraham said, “God himself will provide the lamb, my son.” Abraham then prepared the altar and got ready to offer his son there.
But God did not want Isaac sacrificed; God wanted Abraham’s love. In this gripping test of faith, God was pointing ahead to show that Jesus, his only Son, would become a sacrifice for us. For Isaac there was a substitute lamb, and Jesus became the Lamb of God for us. God “did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all” (Romans 8:32).
Prayer
Lord God, thank you for giving up your only Son to die in my place. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
