resurrection

We are going to look at one of the most confounding and embarassing narratives in the Bible, and I’m going to make some suggestions on how we are to understand the story. As a back drop, Abraham has already been promised by God to have numerous offspring through Isaac. These promises came through angels as well as a dramatic experience of covenant in Genesis 15. Abraham has been growing in faith and trust in his relationship with God. Earlier in the scriptures, Abraham is called a friend of God.

Genesis 22:1-18 (ESV)
1After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 2He said, “Take 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.” 3So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. 4On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. 5Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” 6And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. 7And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 8Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.
9When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. 11But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” 13And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”
15And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven 16and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, 18and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.”

What? This is a crazy story, and if we’re honest we have trouble fathoming God testing Abraham like this. If we take an objective look at this, it appears that God is asking Abraham to murder his son. It’s premeditated. He has intention. He has the knife in his hand. Why would God do this, and what kind of God is this? It seems monstrous on the surface. For those of us with children, it’s really unthinkable. We could intellectually rationalize that this event occurred before the law of Moses was given which said do not murder, and therefore no transgression (violation of a law) was being committed. However, God makes it clear in Genesis, chapter 4, that murder is not OK. Later, in the book of Leviticus, we learn that child sacrifices to a foreign god like Molech are an abomination. We also have scriptures that say God doesn’t tempt anyone to sin, yet that seems exactly what God is asking of Abraham.

The other crazy thing in this narrative is that Abraham doesn’t question God at all. I would ask questions like “Is this you, God?”, “Am I hearing you right?”, “Are you sure about this?”, “Why?”, “Isn’t this the son of promise where our blessings are supposed to come from?” Most of us would ask these questions, even of our spouse or best friend. In the account with Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham bargained with God. Why wouldn’t he do this now, when the son whom he loves and his future offspring are on the line? ‘Olah’ is the Hebrew word used for burnt offering and really means whole burnt offering, but it can also mean to ascend. Did Abraham understand God’s instructions?

I read recently that Abraham’s obedience demonstrated the level of Abraham’s friendship with God, but that doesn’t help me understand it any better. What kind of friend would ask me to murder my son?

Additionally, what about Ishmael? God doesn’t even acknowledge him as being a son in this narrative even though he technically would be a first born. Didn’t Abraham love him, too? He seemed to care for him. I believe that the language is deliberately used to point us to something bigger and more important.

I believe there are three concepts that help us get any kind of resolve in this story.

1) Cultural context.
2) Abraham believed that God could raise him from the dead.
3) The central character of the story is God (not Abraham)

Let’s look at the first concept:

Cultural context

Abraham is in a culture from at least 3500 years ago which seems very foreign to ours. For example, how did Abraham know that he was to use a knife for a burnt offering? The instructions given to Moses in the book of Leviticus wouldn’t come until at least 400 years later. For that matter, how did any of the people before Moses know to bring an offering to God? Culturally, making offerings to appease their gods was common in ancient cultures. Sacrificing children was also common in this age, which is perhaps why we don’t see Abraham arguing with God. He was born into culture, as are we.

Let’s look at the procedure that was prescribed to Moses in Leviticus for preparing a burnt offering (Lev 1:1-9).

1) The offerer was to bring an unblemished male
2) The offerer was to lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering so it can be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for him.
3) The offerer was to slaughter the male before the LORD.
4) The priests were to present and sprinkle blood on the four sides of the altar.
5) The offerer was to skin the burnt offering and cut it into pieces.
6) The priests were to prepare a fire, arrange the wood and pieces.
7) The offerer was to wash the entrails with water.
8) The priests were to burn all of it as a burnt offering as a pleasing aroma to the LORD.

I don’t know about you, but I would venture a guess that most of you haven’t done anything like this. Deer hunting is about as close to this as most of us get. I don’t even like preparing a turkey. This kind of procedure was fairly common to the culture.

As mentioned, ‘olah’ is a Hebrew word for whole burnt offering. How is the burning of animal flesh pleasing to God (it wasn’t bacon)? 🙂 In ancient cultures, animals were provision and a reflection of what you owned. You might say meat was money. This offering was essentially setting their money on fire and watching it burn and go up in smoke. This seems ridiculous to the world, but the kingdom of God is upside down. ‘Olah’ as mentioned, also means to ‘go up.’ In the book of Leviticus, when this burnt offering was made to God, the offerer would “watch the smoke and sparks ascend heavenward and know that God had accepted him as he identified himself with the sacrificial animal.” (Hebrew Word for the Day, Dr. J.D. Watson, p.110).

While our culture is now very different, the matters of the heart remain the same.

The burnt offering showed their love for God. They gave up something of value (essentially their money) for God, and in turn believed that God would accept their sacrifice as an expression of that love.

If you believe and follow Jesus, a new covenant has been presented where we don’t have to slaughter animals anymore to believe that God will accept our sacrifice. Jesus is the only sacrifice needed (by faith) to be acceptable and pleasing to God. Scripture also writes that obedience is better than sacrifice (Jesus was sacrificed once for all time).

That said, there are things we can do in this present age and in light of a new covenant.

‘Qorban’ is the Hebrew word for any general kind of offering (Lev 6:13).

I believe we bring an offering to God whenever we walk in faith, hope, and love. Especially if it costs us something.

Obviously, we can bring an offering to God with how we give (with our money, time, resources, and gifting).

We can love God by how we steward our hearts, how we spend our lives, and our choices with our bodies.

Romans 12:1 (HSCB)
Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship.

A sacrifice costs us something, but when directed by the spirit, brings God pleasure.

In a cultural context, perhaps God was inviting Abraham into a familiar experience (child sacrifice) to teach him first hand that child sacrifice is not the way any more, and that God will provide the Lamb needed to make atonement.

Secondly, let’s look deeper beyond the culture and the sacrifice. This is really about faith in a resurrection.

Abraham believed that God could raise Isaac from the dead.

The writer of Hebrews is speaking to a Jewish audience and writes this:

Hebrews 11:17-19 (ESV)
17By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, 18of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 19He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.

How do we know that Abraham knew that God could restore Isaac from the dead in the book of Genesis? We don’t, but I would suggest that it is only through Christ, that we see the possibility of a resurrection from this text.

Jesus suggests that Abraham actually was looking forward prophetically to the time of the lamb coming as a substitute.

John 8:56
Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.

In the 1970s there were toys for little kids called “Weebles”. Their tag line was that “weebles wobble, but they don’t fall down.” If you knocked a weeble over, it would wobble, but bounce right back up. Abraham somehow believed that God would make things right. Abraham had faith that God had resurrection power. Even toward the very end, Abraham is expecting God to provide a lamb in his place. He has to look “up” in order to see it.

One of the characteristics of God that we don’t hear much about any more is that God is a jealous God. He wants relationship with us above everything else. Jesus was angry with the Pharisees because of how difficult they were making it to have any kind of relationship with God. Above the people and things we love, and even above our understanding of the promises He’s made, God wants relationship with us.

Finally, let’s look at the even more profound idea that God is the main character of the story and not Abraham.

The central character of the story is God (not Abraham)

In this story, we will substitute our heavenly Father for Abraham and Jesus for Isaac.

In the Genesis 22 account, Abraham doesn’t finish the slaughter. In the case of God with his son Jesus, he does finish the slaughter, allowing him to be crucified. Rather than just being a burnt offering, Jesus is the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Through this sacrifice, relationship with man can be restored.

John 1:20 “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world!”

Abram means exalted father. Abraham roughly means father of a multitude. Our Heavenly Father wanted to move from exalted Father to Father of a multitude.

John 1:12 (ESV)
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,

Isaac means laughter in Hebrew. I wonder if God the Father had to sacrifice the laughter and mirth He had with His Son in order to redeem mankind from his sin and in three days get it back.

In Genesis 22:2, the echoes of the “only son whom you love,” point to God’s love towards Jesus as revealed in the New Testament (Mark 1:11, Matthew 17:5). God reveals this in the baptism of Jesus (as well as his transfiguration), highlighting his divine nature and the quality of the relationship between them.

Mark 1:11 (NLT)
And a voice from heaven said, “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.”

We know Jesus wasn’t offered up as a burnt offering, but rather for the sins of the world (John 1:29, John 3:16). Additionally, Jesus was placed on an altar in the shape of a cross. Like Isaac, Jesus didn’t open up his mouth to complain (Is 53), and like Jesus, he seems to be innocent. While Jesus was innocent, we aren’t told of any sin that Isaac commited to warrant the death penalty.

Genesis 22:12 – “for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me”

It was God’s obedience to fulfill his word. Does God fear God in this context? It’s an interesting concept to think about. We know from Isaiah 11, that Jesus would delight in the fear of the LORD and would even have this as a double portion (Isaiah 11:3).

God, in obedience did not withhold his only son from the slaughter (in the form of a brutal crucifixion) (Gospel accounts, Romans 8:32).

We are blessed because of this obedience and what the sacrifice made possible.

In Christ, the New Testament reveals that we are grafted into being part of Abraham’s seed and part of the blessing.

Galatians 3:29 (HCSB)
And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, heirs according to the promise.

Did Abraham have to sacrifice Isaac to receive this blessing? Studying out the previous chapters in Genesis, the blessing that God had already promised to Abraham was already pronounced, with one exception. The additional blessing reads “And your offspring will possess the gate of his enemies and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.” We have these as an additional blessing because of Abraham’s obedience and God’s fulfillment of this blessing through Christ.

We are blessed because of Abraham’s faith in God’s ability to raise his son from the dead. We are blessed because Jesus’ resurrection made a way for us to be grafted in to the seed of Abraham, regardless of lineage.

In Christ, you are blessed. Your family name is blessed because of it. You are blessed because of Abraham and God’s obedience (yes, I know that sounds funny). You have authority over entry points of the enemy (gates). Give thanks for the blessings you have received. Walk in them. Use them for His glory. In realization of the blessings that we have received, we can go and be a blessing to others. That is our calling.

The Sign of Jonah

Luke 11:29-30 (HCSB)
As the crowds were increasing, He began saying: “This generation is an evil generation. It demands a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.
For just as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation.

One of the things that we often forget is that Yeshua (Jesus), like Jonah, was also a prophet. Yeshua fulfilled the sign of Jonah. So what does that mean? I have been studying the book of Jonah for the past month as part of a Biblical Hebrew course I have been taking. I have discovered some fascinating symbols in the Hebrew as part of my spiritual journey.

Today, I want to look at the book of Jonah as a typology that Yeshua (Jesus) fulfilled and consider both how the type applies and how the type differs. Let’s start with the gospel accounts and work backwards into the book of Jonah.

Like all prophets, some of what Yeshua shared was not always popular.

Matthew 12:40-41 (HCSB)
40 For as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.
41 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at Jonah’s proclamation; and look, something greater than Jonah is here!

You are free to disagree with me, but I believe that Yeshua fulfilled the sign of Jonah and was in Sheoul (the place of the dead – the belly of the fish) for three days and three nights before his resurrection (being delivered from the belly of the fish). Why? I am more inclined to take Yeshua at his word rather than the traditions of men. What was Yeshua doing during this time? In the belly of the fish, Jonah had an opportunity to repent and be saved (delivered). In like manner, I believe that Yeshua was giving the people who had died before Him a chance to repent and be saved (delivered) (Acts 2:31 – Ephesians 4:8-10).

Now let’s turn to our text in Jonah. Since this is four chapters of scripture, I will summarize the narrative for you, and draw out key symbols and points as we go.

Jonah was called by God to proclaim a message of repentance to those living in Nineveh, as the evil of the people had risen before the face of God. Jonah rebelled (transgression) against God’s direction, and went to Joppa to find a ship headed to Tarshish, which was the opposite direction of his calling.

Jonah literally went in the opposite direction (nearly 180 degrees), and headed due West – Tarshish, instead of East – Nineveh. In Hebrew idioms, East is considered facing front or the direction of the Sun (Son), and West is turning towards death or away from God. See the map posted below:

Let’s look at some interesting names and symbols in the beginning of the narrative.

Jonah, son of Ammitai

Jonah – “dove” in Hebrew. This represents his calling (to walk by the spirit) as much as it represented a struggle for him to get there. The dove was also appointed to be a messenger of peace (shalom).
Ammitai – “My truth” in Hebrew. Jonah was called to be Fathered by the truth found in the Son of Man (Yeshua), not his own understanding of truth.
Tarshish – while a shipping hub, represented a place of commerce. This name also has a double meaning of yellow topaz as worn on the breastplate of Aaron and may have represented the familiar and comfortable for Jonah. An interesting implication for the name seems to be “soul urge.”
Joppa – meant “beautiful.” This was the place Jonah found a ship to go to Tarshish. This port town may have represented a ‘gate’ for Jonah and indicated a way of the flesh. There is a way that seems right to a man but ends in death (Prov 14:12).
Nineveh – capital city of Assyria, a Gentile nation. while the etymology isn’t clear, the most fitting seems to be from Nuna, house of fish. Just as Peter was to become a fisher of men, Jonah was to proclaim a message of repentance to the people of Nineveh.

While on his journey, God appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah ended up in the place of the dead – the belly of the fish for three days and nights until Jonah remembered God and repented (Jonah 2:7-10). God then appointed the fish to deliver him onto dry land (vomited out of Hades, you might say). Jonah was given a second chance to carry out God’s word and went to Nineveh to deliver the word to the nobles and king. Much to Jonah’s disappointment, the king subsequently proclaimed a 40-day fast and repentance from evil and violence, not just for the people, but for the livestock too! When food is withheld from cattle, they will cry out too (moo)! LOL! It wasn’t just the people who were crying out to God to save them, but the livestock too! God withheld his judgment towards the city as a result.

There are several verses in Jonah chapter 4 which reveal things about Jonah’s heart and about God’s heart.

Instead of pity towards the people of Nineveh, Jonah has a pity party. Jonah, clearly doesn’t understand God’s heart towards this Gentile nation. We don’t know all that was in Jonah’s heart, but we do know that often Assyria was considered to be an enemy of Israel. Jonah didn’t want this Gentile nation (them) to be saved, but rather wanted them to be judged and destroyed.

Jonah 4:1-3 (HCSB)
1 But Jonah was greatly displeased and became furious.
2 He prayed to the LORD: ‘Please, LORD, isn’t this what I said while I was still in my own country? That’s why I fled toward Tarshish in the first place. I knew that You are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to become angry, rich in faithful love, and One who relents from sending disaster.
3 And now, LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.’

Jonah doesn’t want God to be a God of mercy, but one of judgment. How often do we see that in today’s so-called prophets and churches? How often do we want God’s judgment towards those we think are our enemies?

Jonah had heard about God’s good nature (revealed to Moses and David – Ex 34:6-8, Ps 103), but didn’t really want to come to know this kind of God, especially towards those who didn’t “deserve” mercy.

John 3:17
17 For God did not send His Son into the world that He might condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.

God transacts a trial for Jonah having to do with a castor-oil plant. Jonah chooses not to repent, but to stay in his attitude of judgment and pride (the flesh) versus choosing God’s way which is the life of the spirit (represented by the “oil plant” placed above him for a time).

Jonah 4:10-11 (HCSB)
10 So the LORD said, ‘You cared about the plant, which you did not labor over and did not grow. It appeared in a night and perished in a night.
11 Should I not care about the great city of Nineveh, which has more than 120,000 people who cannot distinguish between their right and their left, as well as many animals?’

The number 12 is a type which represents the fullness of a people group. That the king, his nobles, and a town of 120,000 people would all be saved is nothing short of miraculous.
God’s heart was that none would perish, but that all would be saved through him.

Unlike Jonah, Yeshua was without sin and always did what pleased His Father out of a relationship of love and unity.
Unlike Jonah, Yeshua didn’t need to repent in order to qualify for his resurrection.
Unlike Jonah, Yeshua knew the compassion and goodness of God.
Unlike Jonah, Yeshua immediately embraced the death of his flesh (not my will) and accepted His cross.

Like Jonah, Yeshua experienced separation from this world and from God (when he took on our sin).
Like Jonah, Yeshua offers a message to the Gentiles for salvation and that the fullness might be saved.
Like Jonah, Yeshua witnessed miraculous signs and wonders when he simply did what the Father asked him to do.

Going back to our opening text, the sign of Jonah is really about God making a way of salvation and deliverance for the world (Nineveh). This opportunity comes through Christ who died on a cross, was swallowed up in death and was raised up to life again after three days and three nights. There is an invitation to the world to turn from evil and our violent ways and towards Yeshua and His way of love. While the cross of Christ is offensive and foolishness to some, it is the power of God to save those who believe.

Do you ever wonder if you have avoided the really difficult things we are called to do (our Ninevehs), and instead chosen the ways that are comfortable and prosperous (Tarshish)? I do. I work in commerce, and sometimes wonder if I have chosen the way of Tarshish for my life, but I have to trust in the grace of God to both help me in the choosing and to work out the plans that He has prepared for me.

May the grace of God be with you all as you make your choices and help you fulfill all that our divine Conductor has set in motion for you to accomplish.