Genesis 22:1-18 - Abraham, Isaac and a ram

Genesis 22:1-18 records Abraham being asked by God to take his one and only son whom he dearly loved and sacrifice him on a mountain in the region of Moriah. Imagine how Abraham would have felt! He would have been totally shocked and completely confused - after all Isaac was his only son and he was far too old to have any others - indeed, even the conception of Isaac was miraculous. However, Abraham obeyed God and did as He asked. He had absolute faith in God. Note, however, that he did not take a completely blind leap into the dark. God had previously made an everlasting covenant with Abraham, promising that he would be the father of many nations (see Genesis 17). Therefore, it would not only be senseless for God to allow Isaac to die, it would also be a violation of the covenant He made with Abraham. It seems that Abraham was confident that God would not allow Isaac to die. He may have even expected God to bring Isaac back to life. In any case, Abraham was confident that "God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering" (Genesis 22:8). Indeed, God did provide an offering - a ram caught by its horns in a thicket. It should also be noted that this event has often been viewed as an analogy (or type) of God sacrificing his one and only Son, Jesus. However, this is an incorrect interpretation since Isaac was never actually sacrificed. Rather, it is the ram that is the type of Christ - it died in the place of Isaac just as Christ died in our place.