April 21 – A Lively Type of Greater Things

Hope for Today: A Daily Devotion from Reasons for Hope*Jesus

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“Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering.” Genesis 22:2

Abraham desired earnestly to see into the mystery of redemption. And God, in order to affect his mind most sensibly with the intenseness of Divine love as beaming forth from that mystery, caused Abraham to feel, by anticipation, what it was to lose a beloved son:“Take now your son, your only son, your Isaac, the staff of your age, the hope of your family (none else do I require), and offer him up for a burnt offering. In this transaction, see My love to sinners, when I shall give My only Son Jesus to be a sacrifice for them.”

Abraham obeyed. He virtually sacrificed his son with a ram substituted in his place, and blessings were poured upon the faithful patriarch. In the whole narrative, we have a lively type of greater things:

• the day when God spared not His own Son, when He was bound with cords, when He bore His cross, and on this mountain was offered up an offering for sin.
• the day when He rose again to live forevermore.
• His seed, even His redeemed people, whom no man can number and whose possessions are the glories of Heaven and eternity.

Gracious Savior, help me to be faithful, to keep back nothing from You. When You have tried me, crown the faith You have bestowed with the unfading glory You have promised to them that are faithful unto death. Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift!

Devotion by Karl Heinrich von Bogatzky (1690—1774)