[Pastor Rune Enoe]

Brethren and Sistren

Today I will talk about one of the most overlooked miracles in the Bible: The resurrection of Abraham's beloved son, Isaac.

We are all familiar with how God tempted Abraham and ordered him to offer Isaac for a burnt offering (Genesis 22:2).

As is well known, God is not a man, that he should repent (Numbers 23:19, 1 Samuel 15:29), so from that moment on, Isaac was as good as dead. He was what we today would call "a dead man walking". Quite literally as it turns out, since Abraham saddled an ass for himself but not for his son.

Genesis 22:3 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.

The troupe of travelers reached Mount Moriah (the future Temple Mount) on the third day, meaning that Isaac had now been dead for three days.

Genesis 22:4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.

As we all know, The LORD in his infinite mercy let his angel call out to Abraham from heaven saying, "Lay not thine hand upon the lad" (Genesis 22:12), and thus Isaac was made alive again. And on the third day !

An ordinary reader may not perceive the theological implications of this deed, but as True Christians™ we must always follow the principle of letting scripture interpret scripture, and what scripture tells us quite clearly is that Abraham in his heart of hearts knew that the Lord would resurrect his son, and that this was exactly what happened:

Hebrews 11:17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
Hebrews 11:18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:
Hebrews 11:19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

Abraham knew God would resurrect Isaac because of "the promises offered up his only begotten son" (as promised in Genesis 17:19), and God who never repents (Numbers 23:19, 1 Samuel 15:29) made good his promise and raised his son up and delivered him from the dead on the third day.

The moral is that the Lord may smite us and bind us, but on the third day He will raise us.

Hosea 6:1 Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.
Hosea 6:2 After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.