“And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together” (Genesis 22:6).
The familiar story of Abraham’s willingness to offer up Isaac his son, in obedience to God’s command, is rightly cited as a prime example of Abraham’s great faith. It is also a testimony to the remarkable faith of Isaac, for it is recorded twice in Genesis 22 that “they went both of them together” (see also v.8).
This emphasis on the fellowship of both father and son in this tremendous act of obedient faith is surely given by divine inspiration, for our edification.
Isaac was a grown young man at this time, not a little boy. Isaac soon understood what was happening, yet he willingly carried the wood himself and then submitted to being bound on the altar of sacrifice. Abraham fully intended to slay his son (and Isaac to allow himself to be slain), for they understood this to be God’s word. Actually, however, God had commanded Abraham only to “offer him there for a burnt offering” (v.2) and, when he did that, God stayed his hand, and provided a ram as a substitute for his son.
The New Testament, of course, makes it clear (see Galatians 3:16; Hebrews 11:17–19) that this was a beautiful type of the mutual love-gift of the heavenly Father and His beloved Son, providing salvation for all who would receive it by faith. They went both together, to the cross!
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son” (John 3:16). “The life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). The Father loved the Son before the world began (John 17:24), but they both loved us so much that they both went to the place of sacrifice, together, for us! HMM
