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== The sacrifice of Isaac ==

== The sacrifice of Isaac ==

The lives of Abraham and Isaac are rich in [[typology]].  One of the types is of the death of [[Jesus Christ]] at the will of God the Father.  God commanded Abraham to go to a particular place, usually thought to be mount Moriah at [[Jerusalem]], and there to sacrifice Isaac to God as a burnt offering.<ref name=Ussher2>[[James Ussher|Ussher]], ''[[The Annals of the World|op. cit.'']], pgh. 91</ref> Since Isaac was strong enough to carry sufficient wood for the offering, he must have been a teenager and must have been strong enough to resist had he wished. (Indeed [[Flavius Josephus]] held that Isaac was 25 years old at the time.<ref name=Ussher3>[[James Ussher|Ussher]], ''[[The Annals of the World|op. cit.'']], pgh. 92</ref>) At the last moment, God told Abraham not to kill him but to use instead a ram that had got its horns caught in a nearby thicket.  This story foreshadows both the willing sacrifice of Jesus by command of the Father but also the provision of Jesus as a substitute to pay the penalty for the [[sin]]s of all the world.

The lives of Abraham and Isaac are rich in [[typology]].  One of the types is of the death of [[Jesus Christ]] at the will of God the Father.  God commanded Abraham to go to a particular place, usually thought to be mount Moriah at [[Jerusalem]], and there to sacrifice Isaac to God as a burnt offering.<ref name=Ussher2>[[James Ussher|Ussher]], ''[[The Annals of the World|op. cit.'']], pgh. 91</ref> Since Isaac was strong enough to carry sufficient wood for the offering, he must have been a teenager and must have been strong enough to resist had he wished. (Indeed, [[Flavius Josephus]] held that Isaac was 25 years old at the time.<ref name=Ussher3>[[James Ussher|Ussher]], ''[[The Annals of the World|op. cit.'']], pgh. 92</ref>) At the last moment, God told Abraham not to kill him but to use instead a ram that had got its horns caught in a nearby thicket.  This story foreshadows both the willing sacrifice of Jesus by command of the Father but also the provision of Jesus as a substitute to pay the penalty for the [[sin]]s of all the world.

== Marriage ==

== Marriage ==

Isaac was married to his cousin, [[Rebekah]], by an arrangement made by Abraham and blessed in its outcome by God. This marriage is a [[typology|type]] for the coming marriage of the Lamb to his bride, the church.<ref name=Ussher4>[[James Ussher|Ussher]], ''[[The Annals of the World|op. cit.'']], pgh. 94</ref>

Isaac was married to his cousin, [[Rebekah]], by an arrangement made by Abraham and blessed in its outcome by God. This marriage is a [[typology|type]] for the coming marriage of the Lamb to his bride, the church.<ref name=Ussher4>Ussher, ''[[The Annals of the World|op. cit.'']], pgh. 94</ref>

== Sons ==

== Sons ==

Isaac and [[Rebekah]] had two sons, [[Esau]] and [[Jacob]], when Isaac was 60 years old. These two are also typologically significant, in particular of the fact that God is not constrained by human preconceptions but will choose whomever he will.  Thus, God arranged for the promise to descend through the younger son, Jacob, rather than through his elder brother.<ref name=Ussher5>[[James Ussher|Ussher]], ''[[The Annals of the World|op. cit.'']], pgh. 99</ref>

Isaac and [[Rebekah]] had two sons, [[Esau]] and [[Jacob]], when Isaac was 60 years old. These two are also typologically significant, in particular of the fact that God is not constrained by human preconceptions but will choose whomever he will.  Thus, God arranged for the promise to descend through the younger son, Jacob, rather than through his elder brother.<ref name=Ussher5>Ussher, ''[[The Annals of the World|op. cit.'']], pgh. 99</ref>

== Death ==

== Death ==