Here we see the event described in Chapter 22 of Genesis, when Abraham attempted to sacrifice Isaac on Mt. Moriah. This mount would later be the site of the Temple, where the Jewish priests would offer blood sacrifices for the sins of Israel. When God tested Abraham's faith by commanding him to sacrifice his only legitimate son, Abraham immediately set about to obey Him. In this Scriptural story, and in this window, may be seen certain "shadows" of Christ's sacrifice on Calvary.
Abraham, the ancestral father of Israel's 12 Tribes (his name means "Father of nations"), is seen here with his knife in hand, ready to give his son to God. Isaac is bound on an altar of stone, topped by wood for the holocaust (the burning of the sacrifice). The stones of this altar and the stones seen scattered on the ground remind us of the words of St. John the Baptist when he warned the Pharisees and Sadducees, "Do not pride yourselves on the claim, 'Abraham is our father.' I tell you, God can raise up children to Abraham from these very stones" {Matthew 3:9}. By this John meant that what is critical is not corporeal lineage, but rather spiritual and moral descendancy: God is not limited to the people of Israel, but can make followers even out of the Gentiles, whom the Hebrews considered to be 'dead stones'.
Isaac obediently came to Mt. Moriah with his father, a presaging of Christ's obedience on Mt. Calvary. Upon his shoulders, Isaac carried the wood for his own sacrifice, just as Christ would later carry the wood upon which He would be sacrificed.
However, the "only son" will not be sacrificed on this day; this will wait until that day at Calvary when God gives up His own Son as a Sacrifice. Pleased with the faith and obedience of Abraham, God has sent an angel to stop the sacrifice. Abraham, with knife raised and ready to slay his beloved son, may be seen here looking up as the angel descends from Heaven with the message to spare Isaac. Before ascending Mt. Moriah, Isaac had asked his father, "Where is the sacrifice?", to which Abraham replied, "God will provide the sacrifice." Indeed He has, as in the background may be seen a ram caught by its horns in the thicket. This ram will replace Isaac on the altar.
Years before this event, God had promised Abraham that he would have many descendants through Isaac. Yet, when God asked him to slay Isaac, Abraham did not doubt or question the earlier promise. According to the Epistle to the Hebrews, this was because Abraham had faith that God would raise up the dead Isaac if necessary to keep His pledge. Abraham is thus seen as the first believer in resurrection.
It was after the angel came that God called out to Abraham and reiterated His covenant (promise) with him: "I will bless you abundantly and make your descendants as countless as the stars of the sky and the sands of the seashore; your descendants shall take possession of the gates of their enemies, and in your descendants all the nations of the earth shall find blessing" {Genesis 22:17-18}. In the New Testament, at the birth of his son John the Baptist, Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit, and knowing that Jesus had been conceived sang this canticle: "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; He has come to His people and set them free. He has raised up for us a mighty Savior, born of the house of His servant David. Through His holy prophets He promised of old that He would save us from our enemies, from the hands of all who hate us. This was the oath He swore to our father Abraham: to set us free from the hands of our enemies, free to worship Him without fear, holy and righteous in His sight all the days of our life" {Luke 1:68-75}.
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called and went forth to the place
he was to receive as a heritage;
he went forth, not knowing where he was going.
By faith he sojourned in the promised land as in a foreign country...
for he was looking forward to the city with foundations,
whose designer and maker is God.
By faith Sarah received power to conceive, though she was past the age,
for she thought that the One who made the promise
was worthy of trust...
By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac;
he who had received the promises was ready to sacrifice his only son,
of whom it was said, "Through Isaac shall your descendants be called."
He reasoned that God was able to raise from the dead,
and so he received Isaac back as a symbol...
By faith Moses kept the Passover and sprinkled the lamb's blood,
that the destroying angel might not touch the first-born of Israel.
By faith the Israelites crossed the Red Sea as if it were dry land,
but when the Egyptians attempted it they were drowned.
Yet despite the fact that all of these were approved because of their faith,
they did not receive what had been promised.
God had made a better plan, a plan which included us.
Without us, they were not to be made perfect.
- Hebrews 11: 8-11, 17-19, 28-29, 39-40
The God of Abraham praise,
Who reigns enthroned above;
Ancient of everlasting days,
And God of love;
To Him lift up your voice,
At whose supreme command
From Earth we rise, and seek the joys
At His right hand
There dwells the Lord, our King,
The Lord, our Righteousness,
Triumphant o'er the world and sin,
The Prince of Peace;
On Zion's sacred height
His Kingdom He maintains,
And, glorious with His saints in light,
For ever reigns.
- Daniel ben Judah Dayyah (ca. 1400)
translated by Thomas Olivers (1725-1799)