“Then Isaac spoke to his father Abraham and said, ‘My father.’ And he replied, ‘Here I am, my son.’ Isaac said, ‘The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?’” (Genesis 22:7)
That haunting question was asked atop Mount Moriah 4,000 years ago. Little did ten-year-old Isaac know that he was the intended sacrifice. When Isaac asked, “Where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” he was looking for the sacrifice that would make father and son right with God and fix their broken world.
We still hear the question: “Where is the lamb to make things right and fix the world?” We don’t phrase the question quite like that today. After all, sacrifice is taboo and relegated to the ancient world. We’re much too sophisticated nowadays. But we do ask, “What will it take to fix the world?”
With Adam and Eve removed from Eden and the ground cursed, nature became inhospitable. Tsunamis, hurricanes, tornadoes, ice in Texas once a year…and we might add to that, viruses. Paul describes it like this: “For the creation was subjected to futility—not willingly, but because of him who subjected it—in the hope that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage to decay into the glorious freedom of God’s children. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together with labor pains until now.” (Romans 8:20–22)
Even worse than a sin-ravaged planet is a sin-ravaged people! Since Cain killed Abel, war and strife haven’t ceased. Cain’s great, great grandson, Lamech, bragged of his murders and that he was 10 times as cursed as Cain.
Much of the horror the modern world has faced has come from humanistic attempts to answer Isaac’s question, “Where is the lamb?”
Our world is broken. No one has a working plan to get us back to paradise. Our problem, as Paul reminds us: “For God’s wrath is revealed from heaven against all godlessness and unrighteousness of people who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.” (Romans 1:18)
But God had a plan: sacrifice. Isaac realized it on the mountaintop that day. Only a perfect sacrifice would make humans right with God and fix this broken world. And that spotless lamb, of course, is Jesus.
Join us Sunday as we discuss life’s big questions. This week: “Where’s the Lamb?”
