22.Of what is the offering of Isaac a type?

Of the complete consecration of the saint to the Lord.

The saint must die to the love of the world, the love of sin, and the love of self. It is the third death, the death of self-love, self-will, self-centeredness, that is the most difficult to endure.

The offering of Isaac represents the third death, the death of the self. The soul of Abraham, all of his hopes and dreams, was rooted in Isaac. To sacrifice Isaac was to place himself on the altar of God.

The overcomer must die to the world, to sin, and to self. God often uses suffering and various forms of imprisonment to slay our self-will and self-centeredness. The third death is exceedingly painful but it is the only route to the fullness of fruitfulness and dominion.

By putting Isaac to death (which he did in his heart), Abraham was giving up the earthly hope of realizing the promise of God. So it is true that we must always be ready to give back to God that which God has promised us. To cling to the promise of God is to prevent its fulfilment.

We must place our hope of joy beyond the grave. It is God’s choice whether or not He wishes to give us our desires in the present world. Our treasures must be established solidly in Heaven or we will fail in our pursuit of God. True Christianity is a hope for future joy.