Where in the Book of Genesis do you see the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ mentioned?
The prediction of Jesus’ death and resurrection in its complete declaration through symbolism was first seen in Genesis 22:1-8.
After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 2 He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”
- Abraham was a symbol or an archetype of God the Father.
- Issac Abraham’s son symbolized the Son of God.
Abraham was told by God as a test to sacrifice his only son whom he loved very much to the Lord.
The LORD was displaying through Abraham what He was going to do with His only begotten Son Jesus Christ (John 3:16).
3 So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. 4 On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. 5 Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.”
In verse 5 we see a picture of the resurrection because Abraham believed that even though his son Isaac would die God would resurrect him and give him back to his father. Abraham was so sure of this that he had no problem telling the young men that he and his son would come back down again.
6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together.
Isaac carrying the wood for the burnt offering symbolized Jesus carrying His own cross for His sacrifice as seen in John 19:16-17 which says, 16 So he delivered him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus, 17 and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha.
7 And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”
Issac’s question to his father Abraham about the whereabouts of the animal that he thought was the one being the sacrifice was going to be answered with the revelation of the cross.
8 Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.
God used Abraham’s answer, foreshadowing His plan of redemption for the world that just as Abraham was going to sacrifice his only son whom he loved, God the Father was going to send His one and only Son whom He loved to be the ultimate sacrifice for the sins of the world with the expectation of His resurrection so that whosoever believes in Jesus will not see death but will have everlasting life.
29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
At the end, God withheld Abraham’s knife from striking his son because the self-sacrifice was only reserved for the sinless Son of God.