Was the Ram always in the bushes????

[Major]

Genesis 22:13......
"And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son."

After Abraham was stopped from sacrificing Issac, he "looked" and there was a ram in the bushes. Why didnt Abraham see that ram before he went to sacrifice his son. Was it not there or did he just not see it?

Just like the Lord Jesus Christ, He is has always been there for us. Sometimes it takes a tragedy for us to see Him. Sometimes it takes sickness.

However, just like the ram in the bushes, He is right there waiting for us to "see" Him! Abraham and Isaac not only got a taste for the grief of God in the death of his Son, but the joy of salvation.

 

[Cosia]

Hi Major,
If the ram was already there, I can understand how Abraham would have missed it. His whole mind set had been on Isaac and the heartbreaking ordeal ahead of him.

Perhaps that is why people do not notice Jesus is there. Their minds are on other things and they need someone to point Jesus out to them.

 

[crossnote]

Whatever the answer, it would have to coincide with Abraham's prophecy about God providing...

Genesis 22:8 BSB
Abraham answered, “God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two walked on together.

some translate it ...God will provide Himself

Genesis 22:8 ASV
And Abraham said, God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt-offering, my son: so they went both of them together.

 

[Major]

Whatever the answer, it would have to coincide with Abraham's prophecy about God providing...

Genesis 22:8 BSB
Abraham answered, “God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two walked on together.

some translate it ...God will provide Himself

Genesis 22:8 ASV
And Abraham said, God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt-offering, my son: so they went both of them together.

Yes.

 

[bobinfaith]

Genesis 22:13......

After Abraham was stopped from sacrificing Issac, he "looked" and there was a ram in the bushes. Why didnt Abraham see that ram before he went to sacrifice his son. Was it not there or did he just not see it? However, just like the ram in the bushes, He is right there waiting for us to "see" Him! Abraham and Isaac not only got a taste for the grief of God in the death of his Son, but the joy of salvation.

Good morning, Major;

"Why didn't Abraham see that ram before he went to sacrifice his son. Was it not there or did he just not see it?"

In sharing my thoughts, I don't know if Abraham was aware the ram was in the shrubs or trees. He was focused at that moment on sacrificing his only child Isaac in obedience to God. Without making a request to God, the Lord took charge of two things;

God commanded Abraham not to slay his son. God also provided the ram as the substitute.

I think how horrid in the Old Testament of others who sacrificed their children, for example, to Molek the Canaanite god. But God was not like these other gods who sacrificed people, especially children.

In those moments of extreme circumstances I would "force myself to succeed" from a lack of trust. Then out of nowhere God would deliver or make a way out for my wife and me. I wish I had that Abraham moment of faith.

God bless you, Major, and thank you for sharing Was the Ram always in the bushes????

 

[crossnote]

I wish I had that Abraham moment of faith.

I believe that Abraham's 'moment of faith' took years of molding and shaping of Abraham's character climaxing in his obedience in sacrificing Isaac. His previous stumbles revealed in Scripture.
.. Bringing Lot, when he was told to leave his kindred (Gen 12:1,4) . Went down to Egypt Gen 12:10, Compromised the truth about Sarai (Gen 12:11-13), faltered at God's promise (Gen15:2-3), swapped Sarai for Hagar at Sarai's request, Abraham laughed at the promise of Isaac to be born to him in his old age (Gen 17:17), pulled a 2nd 'Sarah is my sister' trick (Gen 20:2) before Ambimelech, etc.
.. By the time of God's calling on Abraham to sacrifice his son, I believe Abraham had grown so strong in the faith, compared to his beginning that when God said, "God, Himself will provide a lamb", Abraham had learned to take God at His Word, so it wouldn't have mattered much where the ram was...Abraham had learned God would provide either way.

Hebrews 11:8-12,17-19 ASV
By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out unto a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. [9] By faith he became a sojourner in the land of promise, as in a land not his own, dwelling in tents, with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: [10] for he looked for the city which hath the foundations, whose builder and maker is God. [11] By faith even Sarah herself received power to conceive seed when she was past age, since she counted him faithful who had promised: [12] wherefore also there sprang of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of heaven in multitude, and as the sand, which is by the sea-shore, innumerable. [17] By faith Abraham, being tried, offered up Isaac: yea, he that had gladly received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; [18] even he to whom it was said, In Isaac shall thy seed be called: [19] accounting that God is able to raise up, even from the dead; from whence he did also in a figure receive him back.

We who are justified, as with Abraham, are to grow in grace.

 

[bobinfaith]

I believe that Abraham's 'moment of faith' took years of molding and shaping of Abraham's character climaxing in his obedience in sacrificing Isaac. His previous stumbles revealed in Scripture... Bringing Lot, when he was told to leave his kindred (Gen 12:1,4) . Went down to Egypt Gen 12:10, Compromised the truth about Sarai (Gen 12:11-13), faltered at God's promise (Gen15:2-3), swapped Sarai for Hagar at Sarai's request, Abraham laughed at the promise of Isaac to be born to him in his old age (Gen 17:17), pulled a 2nd 'Sarah is my sister' trick (Gen 20:2) before Ambimelech, etc.
.. By the time of God's calling on Abraham to sacrifice his son, I believe Abraham had grown so strong in the faith, compared to his beginning that when God said, "God, Himself will provide a lamb", Abraham had learned to take God at His Word, so it wouldn't have mattered much where the ram was...Abraham had learned God would provide either way. Hebrews 11:8-12,17-19 ASV By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out unto a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. [9] By faith he became a sojourner in the land of promise, as in a land not his own, dwelling in tents, with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: [10] for he looked for the city which hath the foundations, whose builder and maker is God. [11] By faith even Sarah herself received power to conceive seed when she was past age, since she counted him faithful who had promised: [12] wherefore also there sprang of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of heaven in multitude, and as the sand, which is by the sea-shore, innumerable. [17] By faith Abraham, being tried, offered up Isaac: yea, he that had gladly received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; [18] even he to whom it was said, In Isaac shall thy seed be called: [19] accounting that God is able to raise up, even from the dead; from whence he did also in a figure receive him back. We who are justified, as with Abraham, are to grow in grace.

Hello crossnote;

You responded with an excellent post.

God bless you and thank you for sharing.