Why Was a Ram Sacrificed in Genesis 22 Instead of a Lamb?

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Ram Sacrificed in Genesis 22 Instead of a Lamb

In Genesis 22, the father, Abraham, prepares to sacrifice his son, Isaac, according to God’s will. But God stops him and supplies a ram as a substitute. Since Genesis 22 foreshadows Jesus being sacrificed, and since lambs would be the Levitical sacrifice for atonement of sins, why did God provide a ram instead of a lamb as the substitutionary sacrifice?

Before answering that question, let’s read the passage.

Gen 22:2-3

Then [the Lord] said, “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 on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.

Gen 22:9-13

Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the Angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” So he said, “Here I am.” And he said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son.

Why a Ram Instead of a Lamb?

We know that Jesus came as the Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world (John 1:29). We also know that Jesus was our Passover Lamb, sacrificed for us (1 Cor 5:7). So why wouldn’t God have provided a lamb rather than a ram? The answer is really quite simple.

Young sheep are lambs.
Adult female sheep are ewes.
Castrated male sheep are wethers, and
Intact (not castrated) adult male sheep are rams.

While the Passover sacrifices were lambs (young sheep), like the ram God provided, Jesus was an adult. Just as the ram was a male, Jesus was a male. And, just as the sheep were perfect and without blemish, Jesus was sinless, having lived his life in perfect obedience.

For these reasons, the ram God provided clearly pointed to the Lamb of God that He would one day provide. As the sacrificial, pure and sinless Lamb of God, Jesus was able to take our sins upon Himself and make atonement for them. He was able to pay the penalty by His death, and His great love made Him willing to do so.

In Summary

God providing a ram on Mt. Moriah, as a substitute for Isaac, clearly pre-figured Jesus being sent by God and being offered on Mt. Calvary as a substitute for us.

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