Comparative Study: Isaac vs Jesus in the Bible

Understanding the difference between God's testing and temptation

God tests us to promote us and help us grow spiritually

Abraham was a man of faith who allowed God to test him

We must test the spirit and not be swayed by external circumstances

Praise the Lord my dear brothers and sisters. A warm welcome to one and all of you and I greet you in the name of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. As always I am very very glad and happy that we are together in this discussion meditating from the word of God. That's very important for each one of us and that's what takes us closer towards eternity. And Bible says in James 4.8, draw nearer to God and he will draw nearer to you. And what is the mechanism? What is the method? What is the methodology? That's involved, that helps you to take yourself nearer to God, is nothing but this Word of God. And that's why you've got to be grounded and rooted in the Word of God. You've got to always make these meditations in the Word of God as part of your discipline. It's part of your DNA. Every day you don't forget to brush your teeth. similarly you don't forget to read the word reading the word means not like just you know glancing some people have the habit to glance not talking about the glance glancing things but read it really from your heart Bible is talking about the word of God is to which what that pierces your heart and it separates the carnal deeds from the spiritual deeds and therefore it makes that way for you to stick to the plan of God the divine will of God God bless you Today's session is going to be a very interesting subject. Always we pick these kind of subjects only, which will keep you away from sleep. Even I also don't want to bore you. All right. So this is about a simple comparison between Isaac, son of Abraham, and Jesus, son of God. All right. You might have heard this before, but then we are making always tremendous efforts to bring the maximum light upon some of these concepts which you may not get it from others but you may be aware but we will see what what was to do now here in genesis 22 you will see about you you all know this incident right that abraham so abraham and he said sorry now it came to pass Genesis 22 verse 1 That God tested Abraham And said to him Abraham And he said here am I How many of you know that God will test us Nobody believes this Some people think God is tempting us So let me give this significant difference Between tempting and testing Tempting means showing something attractive Little children no You go and show the toys They will be attracted That's how they kidnap children Our God is not somebody who will show the toy either you are a child you are a grown-up adult mid-age doesn't matter he doesn't have to attract anyone our God is God of truth and he tells you the truth he will help you to understand the difference between good and bad the difference between the evil and the holy deeds right and he tells you if you embrace the holy deeds it takes you where where is your destiny predestined kind if you embrace the evil things your destiny is elsewhere it's all about eternity so our god doesn't tempt and in the book of james very well he has written many things there and i i love reading the book of james the book of james if you see he has written our god is not somebody who tempts us temptation is always from devil why because he will go to any extent to tempt you all that he needs is your soul correct not winning your soul destroying your soul many people think God, the devil is so mindful of me. Yeah, he's mindful of you because he needs a big company while he is burning in the lake of fire. He doesn't want to swim in the lake of fire. He don't think it's like a swimming pool. You can dive and relax and chill out. Nothing like that. It's a lake of fire. Can you imagine? And he doesn't like to swim there alone and he wants you. You're ready to go there? I'm not ready to go there. And that's why he's a tempter who always tries to attach you and leads you towards destruction. Now, our God is testing us. It's not tempting. He will test. Why? For one reason. He wants to promote you. All of us know interview. Can anyone forget this? Interview is common. Correct? Interview is done. Why? Because they want to test your skills. You might have given a very attractive CV, but it's in ink printed on paper. Nobody is ready to believe based on what details you furnished in the CV. Everyone would want to talk to you, understand and there will be many rounds of interviews. I remember going through 10 or 11 rounds of interviews through my career. And then I understood different people at different levels would be testing me. Why? Because as you grow up the ladder, if you are a senior person, you will end up working with almost all the people in the company. Therefore, everyone wants to meet you. Similarly, our God wants to meet with you. Why? Because He is omnipotent, omnipresent. Only one round of discussion. Good, no? In the world for this job which is going to sustain 58 years old you are retired For that job you are having patience to go through this 11 rounds of interview But you're going to live your life in eternity with God the Father. You don't have patience to attend one interview per job. And multiple jobs you change, multiple interviews like that. Why is God testing? He's the God who is after our love and He wants to promote you. He wants to help you grow. He wants to move to the next level. And in your spiritual ladder, he doesn't want you to be stagnant. He doesn't want you to stick to one job or one mission or one vision. The divine will and plan of God is so versatile, right? It's so fascinating and it's fantastic. Don't lose that great opportunity to move ahead in your life. Abraham was one of that kind. And Abraham was a very strong man of faith. yeah he might have done few mistakes calling Sarah as a sister and all that technically Sarah was a sister only that's what he meant now also if you meet Abraham in paradise he would say hey what's my sister man and I told the truth only I was joking but anyway except for that couple of things no always a man of faith sticking to his vision and he allowed God to beat him thoroughly no problem right and one such incident was this God is testing now all of you understood God is testing you means what? He will allow temptation. What are the different ways of testing? Allowing temptation only, right? Or sometimes he will be, you know, permitting certain struggles. Sometimes not always bad things. God allows certain riches to come and embrace you. He will give you double promotion. He will give you suddenly a salary hike of 50 percentage and he will give you bonus of some what? 100,000 dollars he will see how is your attitude changing are you the same person or are you the person who is Changing and becoming a spendthrift and you end up spending money for yourself and this and that Our God is not somebody who will believe anyone He will test the spirit and he asks you also to do the same in 1 Thessalonians 5 21 and 23 You got to test the spirit. Sorry. My message was not actually about testing but I thought I will have to explain this because without this you want to understand why Abraham was asked to do this it's it might appear to be a cruel thing too many people have not understood God's love and what God is trying to do through you if you don't understand this divine will and plan obviously God will look like a saddest why is he permitting all this what is the need for this now only I came out of the this problem under problem how long no No one will question like this. I mean, if you are a man of God, if you are spiritually matured, you will never make such statements. Abraham never made such statements. I am tired. But Elijah made that statement. Man of God, great man of God, taken in the fire chariot. He went and leaned by a tree and said that, you know, let me die. What a statement, man. Yeah, some people are like that. They go very well. But at human standpoint, there is a breaking point. right? Whoever withstands that breaking point, endures the temptation, they shall have crown of life. Paul is one kind, Abraham is another kind, Jesus is another kind, Peter is another kind. They never broke like that. Show me anywhere in the Bible. James 1.12 is the verse I told you now. Enduring the temptation. Abraham is very strong. Old covenant person, but still very, very strong. And Abraham, and he said, here are my Lord. We also make the same. Here are my Lord. Listen to the next statement. And he said, Take now your son, your only son, Isaac. Yes, God. Now also full excitement. What? He thought he was going to give him an Oscar award or something like that. Right? Full excitement. Yes, Lord. Whom you love. Now see, when God allows testing, no? He will allow various degrees of testing. First degree, okay. Okay, you pass second degree, third degree, you know, four or five degrees together he is, you know, testing Abraham. Emphatically he is telling something. Take your son, your only son, the son whom you love, your only begotten son whom you got after several years of waiting time, 25 years of waiting time, one child born. Imagine, no? It's very, very tough. And whom you love, go to the land of Moriah. Okay, Lord. and Lord offer him there as a burnt offering you know if I would be there my heart would stop what only child my love is on him and he is everything to me and how can I burnt offering you mean tie him up and burn him this was not the reaction of Abraham that's why he is called as the heaven itself is the bosom of Abraham bosom bosom of Abraham lap of Abraham or bosom of Abraham they call it as wonderful no in Richmond and Lazarus you will see bosom of Abraham that why he called as the father of faith and there is no one who could beat his track record wonderful man of God Always get attracted when I talk about him And on the mountains of which I shall tell you Mark the word mountains. This session is going to be 20 minutes at least. Because I cannot cover. All of you understand this. It's a very detailed subject. And I definitely need to take a lot of time. I won't take more than 20 minutes. On the mountains you circle. Mountain. Now what is this topic all about? Isaac was his Jesus. And then I'm going to skip few verses. 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 to which God told him. You all understand this. No explanation needed. But one thing make a note. Arose early in the morning. Early in the morning. No time. What I would have told God. Give me two days to think. Or give me one month. Let me hug my son, kiss him, play, spend maximum time, 24 hours maybe with him. Nothing. He arose early in the morning. Now what he says, this is called as test for faith. And look at the words of his mouth and the reactions of his heart. First of all, obedience. Rose up early in the morning and he saddled his donkey. Let me proceed. Right? This is what God, you wanted me, no? Done. Immediately he proceeds. Thus on the third day, Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place of her of an Abraham. said to his young man, collected all the materials and said to his young man, stay here with the donkey, the lad and I will go yonder and worship and we will come back to you. This is called as the statement of faith because he is pretty much aware the God whom he, the God who called him is so faithful. He will never put me to shame. The God who gave me, gave me the son Isaac is capable to save. He is aware of God's plan. He is pretty much aware God is testing me and let me take and go. And he did it truly from his heart. But he has the faith. The statement of faith, you know, will always be very positive. You don't have to make any efforts. You don't have to consult any psychiatrist. Stay positive. Stay positive. You don't have to do anything like that. You will be positive man because you are a man of faith. Because you always have that spiritual weapon called the shield of faith. That shield of faith will safeguard your belief system, your value system, your confidence in God, your trust in God can never be shaken. Yeah. And that was the situation of Abraham. Right. All of you are with me. So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering. Mountain you already circled, no, right? Abraham, I will already compare because there is no time. Isaac was made to climb up the mountain. Jesus also was made to climb up the mountain. One and a half kilometers only from Pilate's court, but still it was a hilly place. It's called as place Golgotha, right? Golgotha. About that I will talk in the next session, okay? Golgotha, how that name came? What is the secret behind it all that we will discuss, right? He climbed up that mountain. Isaac climbs up the mountain. Mountain, mountain. Matching, no? Next. Abraham said to his young man, sorry. So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac, his son. Circle it. On Jesus also, wood was laid. And he was made to carry that wood. yeah the cross all the way to the mountain matching again laid on Isaac and he was made to carry that wood I will come to the point because it's a direct comparison Isaac was like a foreigner to Jesus symbolizing this is how Jesus the Messiah is going to go through the sufferings are all of you are with me or not so far right I'm not complicating reading from your Bible my Bible also says the same your Bible also same thing no I'm just kidding right it's same Bible same scripture only right and he took the fire in his hand and a knife and the two of them went together knife is to basically you know throttle the neck right and then the blood will have to be offered on the wood right and wood matching mountain matching now knife instead of knife, Jesus was pierced in his hands, pierced in his hands with a hammer, right? And blood was oozing, blood was shedding over the cross, that wood, right? Likewise, if Isaac were to be offered, he has to, you know, throttle his neck, blood would be, you know, sacrificed on the wood, matching, no? Right? Isaac versus Jesus. All of you are with me so far? I'm making a very simple conversation here don't never think it's a complicated topic Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said my father and he said here am I my son and he said look the fire and the wood but where is the lamb for a burnt offering Abraham said my sir so Isaac makes a statement my father my father why have you forsaken me Jesus makes the statement on the cross Likewise he also calls out my father my father where is the lamb and all that So the interaction with the father happens between I mean interaction happens between the father and Isaac Abraham and Isaac Likewise father and son another comparison Now, Abraham said, my son God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering and two of them went together. Look at the confession. This man of God is not ready to compromise on his faith. That is what attracts me. He made the confession to those guys, young men. Stay here, we will come down. Okay, we won't be dead. now this guy asks where is the lamp God will provide just come carry the wood and come let's go regardless of situation circumstances your faith the words of your mouth and the confessions of your heart which proceeds through your mouth will never be negative you will never say God is bad how long what is this why me why only me correct you will not make that statement why because your trust is so steadfast my time is running time is running like anything then they came to the place where which God is told 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 Isaiah 53 and 55 you will understand that he was bound Jesus was bound and led from the garden of Gestimunee when he was arrested he was bound and led another comparison fulfilled no and Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. And stretched out his hand and looked in him. But the angel of the Lord called him from heaven and said, Abraham, Abraham. And he said, here am I. The guy was not acting. Although his confessions were confessions of faith and he said, oh, we are going and coming back and all that. He was not acting. He really took the knife and he was about to kill him. Understand this. It was not an drama and acting something like that before God. No, he was not a hypocrite. Even if he were to kill and slay Isaac into pieces, God has the ability to stick him together and stitch him together and again present him back to life. That was the belief he was having. But he was somehow having that belief also, God will not allow my son to go through this suffering. He will somehow provide something. Angel said, here am I. And he said, do not lay your hand on the lad and take him away and all that. And then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked. Verse number 13, Genesis 22, 13. And there behind him was a ram caught in the thick head by his arms. You know who's the ram? You know what is the name of the ram? The name of the ram is Jesus Christ. Because Jesus Christ came as a symbolic representation in the form of ram, that lamb without blemish, that lamb of sacrifice, that lamb which has been predestined and earmarked for sin offering, is nothing but the replication of Jesus taking the place of Isaac. Jesus taking the place of me. Jesus taking the place of you. And for everyone's sin, Jesus was laid on the cross. You all understand now? Now Jesus was caught. The ram was caught. And instead of his son, he laid it on the altar and offered it as a burnt offering. And Abraham called the places Lord will provide. And it is said in the mount of the Lord, shall be provided and the angel of the Lord called Abraham a second time of heaven and said, Myself I have sown, says the Lord. Behold, you have done this thing and not withheld. I am blessing and blessing on all that you see. Right? In your seed, in verse number 18, I am going to read that for you. In your seed, all the nations of the earth shall be blessed because you have obeyed my voice. That seed, all the nations of the earth is nothing but Jesus again. Right? There is a strong connectivity between Isaac and Jesus. I hope you understand. Lastly, Abraham returned to his young men and they rose and went together to Bersheba. Sorry, Bersheba and Abraham dwelt at Bersheba. With that, we will close. Beloved, everything that is written in the Old Testament is about Jesus. Do not ignore anything. Always connect it with that one and only name, the name through which there is life, salvation, you know, the pathway to heaven. There is truth and there is, you know, there is a chance for you to repent. There is a chance for you to come to life. I hope this was a useful session. I think we did a short comparison. You want more details, more of this comparison. There is a beautiful series in our YouTube channel. It is Truth About the Cross. There are at least 20 different sessions in that I have spoken one hour only about Isaac and Jesus comparing more details, more facts are being revealed. This is a short session. I couldn't do anything better than this. God bless you. Take care. Stay safe. Stay healthy. Pandemic situation, please don't go anywhere. But be always grounded and rooted in the word of God and pray more. I'll meet you soon. God bless you. Take care.

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