Objective

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(No Transcript)
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Objective The Purpose of this lesson is to show
how the story of Abraham and Isaac is a type and
a shadow of the resurrection of Christ.
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Introduction One of the most poignant stories
in the Old Testament is the story of Abraham and
Isaac. The process of following Abraham in his
life to the point where, under a commandment of
God, was told to sacrifice his own son is beyond
our comprehension. When we internalize the
feelings we would have if we were somehow asked
to take the life of one of our children, is more
than we can contemplate. The story of Abraham
and Isaac is equally perplexing when Abraham is
asked to offer a human being as a sacrifice, a
concept that his father practiced which was so
egregious that Abraham was instructed to leave
his own household and his own land. As a young
man, Abraham himself was saved by Jehovah from
being sacrificed by the false priests of Pharaoh
(Abraham 15-20). However, the story takes
on a different meaning when we understand that
Moses is using the story of Abraham and Isaac as
a stepping stone to teach us about God giving his
only Begotten Son as an infinite sacrifice in
order that all mankind might be saved. We
will first take a look at the major characters in
this great religious epic and then we will
analyze the scriptures associated with Abraham
and Isaac.
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Sarah The wife of Abraham Beautiful and
fair Unable to have children Gave her handmaid to
Abraham Was told she would have a son She named
her son Isaac She sent her handmaid away The
world will rejoice in Isaac
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Hagar Handmaid of Sarah Mother of Ishmael Was
cast out with her son Was comforted at the well
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Ishmael Son of Hagar Abrahams first
born Circumcised at age thirteen Mocked Isaac Did
not believe in Christ Cast out of the presence of
Abraham Abraham mourned for him To be a father
of nations
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Isaac The promised son of Sarah and Abraham
Circumcised at the age of eight days Kept his
covenants with God The promises of Abraham given
to Isaac Was married under the covenant All that
will hear about Isaac will rejoice Isaac
believed in Christ
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Abraham Called as a Prophet of God Taken to a
promised land Made everlasting covenant with
God Wealthy in sheep, cattle and gold Promised
riches in the eternities His seed to be as
numerous as the stars Loved Isaac as his only son
God would provide the lamb
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The Calling of Abraham (Abraham 12-4)  2 - And,
finding there was greater happiness, peace and
rest for me, I sought for the blessings of the
fathers, and the right whereunto I should be
ordained to administer the same having been
myself a follower of righteousness, also to be
one who possessed great knowledge, to be a
greater follower of righteousness, and to possess
a greater knowledge, and to be a father of many
nations, a prince of peace, and desiring to
receive instructions, and to keep the
commandments of God, I became a rightful heir, a
High Priest, holding the right belonging to the
fathers. 3 - It was conferred upon me from the
fathers it came down from the fathers, from the
beginning of time, yea, even from the beginning,
or before the foundation of the earth, down to
the present time, even the right of the
firstborn, or the first man, who is  Adam, or
first father, through the fathers unto me. 4 - I
sought for mine appointment unto the Priesthood
according to the appointment of God unto the
fathers concerning the seed.
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Commentary As cited in the first chapter of
the book of Abraham, Abraham sought for the
blessings of the fathers, to be ordained a High
Priest and to become a prince of peace and a
father of many nations. He desired happiness and
peace, and to be a follower of righteousness.
That same desire is instilled in the hearts of
every righteous Latter-day Saint as it implies
that we, like Abraham, may have rest, or as Alma
stated, And then shall it come to pass, that
the spirits of those who are righteous are
received into a state of happiness, which is
called paradise, a state of rest, a state of
peace, where they shall rest from all their
troubles and from all care, and sorrow (Alma
4012).
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Abraham, the Record Keeper (Abraham 131) 31 -
But the records of the fathers, even the
patriarchs, concerning the right of Priesthood,
the Lord my God preserved in mine own hands
therefore a knowledge of the beginning of the
creation, and also of the planets, and of the
stars, as they were made known unto the fathers,
have I kept even unto this day, and I shall
endeavor to write some of these things upon this
record, for the benefit of my posterity that
shall come after me.
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Commentary Abraham reaffirms the importance of
having authority from God. He also makes it clear
that he has access to previous records, or
scriptures, and he informs us that he will also
write that which he considers expedient for his
posterity to read and to understand. The
importance of record keeping cannot be
underestimated. Every righteous father, mother,
grandfather or grandmother hopes that their
progeny knows what they know. In our vocabulary,
we want our offspring to know that we know that
Jesus is the Christ, that Joseph Smith was the
prophet of the Restoration and that the Book of
Mormon, that ancient record that whispers from
the dust, along with other canonized scriptures,
is true. Indeed, collectively we bare witness as
we endorse the words of the Prophet Joseph Smith,
that the Book of Mormon is the most correct of
any book on earth and the keystone of our
religion, and that we can get nearer to God by
abiding by its precepts, than by any other book
(Introduction, The Book of Mormon, Another
Testament of Christ).
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A Personal Letter A member of a stake
presidency in Guatemala, speaking at a ward
conference, said that his father had passed away.
He then expressed how he would cherish a letter
from his father. He then held up a copy of the
Book of Mormon and said, we have such a letter
from our fathers. He went on to emphasize the
importance of having the words of their
forefathers who once walked the lands where they
now live. As descendants of Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob, we have the records in our hands in the
same manner that Abraham had the record of his
forefathers in his hands.
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The Faith of Abraham (Gen 153-6)   3 - And
Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no
seed and, lo, one born in my house is mine
heir. 4 - And, behold, the word of
the Lord came unto him, saying, This shall not be
thine heir but he that shall come forth out of
thine own bowels shall be thine heir. 5 - And he
brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now
toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be
able to number them and he said unto him, So
shall thy seed be. 6 - And he believed in
the Lord and he counted it to him
for righteousness.
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Faith like unto Abraham What woman in Zion who
has not been able to have offspring for one
reason or another does not feel the pain of not
having a child? While we do not know all the
answers, the experience of Abraham and Sarah,
when carried beyond the veil is indeed
comforting. As we shall see in the following
scriptures, the account of Abraham and Isaac is
meaningless without taking into consideration the
next life. The major point here may be that
although Abraham had been given no seed, he
believed in the Lord. That is, we hope for things
which are not seen, which are true (Alma 3221).
Whether it be as a result of a pre-mature death,
of never being married, or just being unable to
conceive, does not mean that having seed is
withheld forever. These blessings may be
preserved for the resurrection. Nevertheless,
they are still blessings.
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A Deep Sleep Fell upon Abraham Gen 158-12 8 -
And he said, Lord God, whereby shall I know that
I shall inherit it? 9 - And he said unto him,
Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she
goat of three years old, and a ram of three years
old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon. 10 -
And he took unto him all these, and divided them
in the midst, and laid each piece one against
another but the birds divided he not. 11 - And
when the fowls came down upon the carcases, Abram
drove them away. 12 - And when the sun was going
down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram and, lo, an
horror of great darkness fell upon him.
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Joseph Smith Translation Gen 159-12 Abraham
saw in vision the Son of God and knew of the
resurrection. (compare Genesis 151-6)   9 -
And Abram said, Lord God, how wilt thou give me
this land for an everlasting inheritance?   10 -
And the Lord said, Though thou wast dead, yet am
I not able to give it thee?   11 - And if thou
shalt die, yet thou shalt possess it, for the day
cometh, that the Son of Man shall live but how
can he live if he be not dead? he must first be
quickened.   12 - And it came to pass, that
Abram looked forth and saw the days of the Son of
Man, and was glad, and his soul found rest, and
he believed in the Lord and the Lord counted it
unto him for righteousness.
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Commentary Abraham didnt doubt. He just asked
how, or in what manner, the Lord would give him
the land as an everlasting inheritance. President
Kimball told a great story about a man that owned
a lot of property and who at the same time
boasted of what he had done. The farmer was
reminded of two things, (1) It is God who gives
the increase to the crops, and (2) It is very
temporary. Abraham was told to offer
sacrifices to the Lord. This means that he knew
that about 2000 years later a Savior of the world
would be born. The scripture states that a
horror of great darkness fell upon him, or in
other words Abraham would die. The Joseph Smith
translation states that, though thou was dead,
yet am I not able to give it to thee? Because
the day cometh that the Christ shall come to
earth and then die and then break the bonds of
death. And then, blessed are the meek, for they
shall inherit the earth (3 Ne 125).
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The Birth of Ishmael Gen 1614-16   15 - And
Hagar bare Abram a son and Abram called his
sons name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael.   16 -
And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when
Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram Commentary The law
justified Sarah in giving her maid servant as a
proxy to Abraham in order for Abraham to have
seed. The law also meant that even though Hagar
gave birth to Ishmael, it was though he was
Sarahs son, because Hagar was her servant. Even
at birth, tradition tells us that when Hagar gave
birth to Ishmael, the mid wife would deliver the
child to Sarah, as though she had given birth to
Ishmael.
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The Covenant of Circumcision Gen 1714   14 And
the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his
foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall
be cut off from his people he hath broken my
covenant. Commentary Abraham was instructed to
circumcise every man child as a covenant that
they would keep the commandments of God. The
cutting of the flesh is a reminder that if they
did not keep the commandments, they would be cut
off from the presence of God. The word of the
Lord was fulfilled regarding Laman and Lemuel.
The Lord said to Nephi, Inasmuch as they Laman
and Lemuel will not hearken unto thy words they
shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord.
And behold, they were cut off from his presence
(2 Ne 520. Ishmael was circumcised at the age
of thirteen years, but because of disobedience,
he was cut off from the presence of God.
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Sarah gives Birth to Isaac and Rejoices Gen
1716-18 16 - And I will bless her, and give thee
a son also of her yea, I will bless her, and she
shall be a mother of nations kings of people
shall be of her. 17 - Then Abraham fell upon his
face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a
child be born unto him that is an hundred years
old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old,
bare? 18 - And Abraham said unto God, O
that Ishmael might live before thee!   Gen
212-6 2 - For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham
a son in his old age, at the set time of which
God had spoken to him. 3 - And Abraham called
the name of his son that was born unto him, whom
Sarah bare to him, Isaac. 4 - And
Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight
days old, as God had commanded him. 5 - And
Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son
Isaac was born unto him. 6 - And Sarah said, God
hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will
laugh with me.
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Commantary Three men came to the tent of Abraham
and informed him that his wife, Sarah, would have
a child and that she would be a mother of
nations. In some ways, Sarahs life is a parallel
with both Eve, the mother of all living, and
Mary, who gave the seemingly impossible birth to
the Savior of the world. Sarah wondered how,
being ninety years old and passed the age of
child bearing, she could have a child. She
laughed inside herself. When Abraham learned that
Sarah was to have a child, he fell on his face
and laughed (Gen 1717). And Sarah said. God hath
made me to laugh, so that all that hear will
laugh with me (Gen 216). The word is REJOICED.
Abraham and Sarah rejoiced in the birth of their
son Isaac. The Hebrew word for laugher and
rejoice is the same. Sarah desired that all that
hear about Isaac would rejoice with her. And that
has indeed been the case. They named their son
Isaac, which in the Hebrew language, means
laughter or to rejoice.
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A Little Humor What mother or father does not
rejoice upon finding out they are going to have a
child? And when the child is born, the joy is
indescribable. I recall when our first son was
born and how I thought that the whole should be
as excitied as I was. So I bought a few boxes of
almond joys (in place of cigars) and handed them
out to everyone. However, they seemed to enjoy
the candy bar more that the news that I had just
become a father. I often tell the story, of how
I told me wife how excited I was. Although the
story isnt true, it could be. I said, he looks
just like me. My wife smiled and said, thats
alright, we will keep him anyway.
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Ishmael Mocked Isaac Gen 21 7-9 7 - And she
said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that
Sarah should have given children suck? for I have
born him a son in his old age. 8 - And the child
grew, and was weaned and Abraham made a great
feast the same day that Isaac was weaned. 9 - And
Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which
she had born unto Abraham, mocking. Mocking is
not a good thing. It means to ridicule, make fun
of, to scorn or to have contempt. The story of
Isaac and Ishmael is repeated several times in
the scriptures such as in the stories of Cain and
Abel, Jacob and Esau, Judah and Joseph and Laman
and Nephi. In each case, it is the fulfillment of
a prophecy wherein, the birthright son is
relegated to a secondary position, and the second
son, often referred to as the spiritual son, is
exalted. It is as if the first born, Ishmael in
this case, represents death because of his
disobedience, and the second son, Isaac in this
case, represents life Eternal Life, because he
believed in Christ.
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Commentary In Lehis vision of the Tree of
Life, he explains that those who were in the
great and spacious building were in the attitude
of mocking and pointing their fingers towards
those who had come at and were partaking of the
fruit (1 Ne 826-27). In 1 Nephi 831-33, we
read the following. 31 - And he Lehi also saw
other multitudes feeling their way towards that
great and spacious building. 32 - And it came to
pass that many were drowned in the depthsd of the
fountain and many were lost from his view,
wandering in strange roads.  33 - And great was
the multitude that did enter into that strange
building. And after they did enter into that
building they did point the finger of scorn at
me and those that were partaking of the fruit
also but we heeded them not.
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Commentary Ishmael may well represent that pride
spoken of, as he mocked Isaac for believing in
Christ. We also see hints of Laman and Lemuel in
the story of Ishmael and Isaac. Laman and Lemuel
mocked Nephi, and yet, like Ishmael before them,
became fathers of a great nation. Ishmael became
a father of nations, and his followers like, the
Lamanites rejected Christ. To this day, the Arab
world, the nations of Ishmael, have not accepted
Christ. And sadly speaking, the Law of Moses
became a stumbling block for the Jews. Today, the
tribe of Judah, the older son and the tribe of
Joseph, the younger son, fulfill the scripture
wherein, the last shall be first and the first
shall be last (1 Ne 1342). The Jews are involved
in a physical gathering. The tribe of Joseph
(members of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints) is concentrating on a
spiritual gathering.
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Abraham and Isaac Gen 226-12 6 - And Abraham
took the wood of the burnt offering,
and laid it upon Isaac his son and he took the
fire in his hand, and a knife and they went both
of them together. 7 - And Isaac spake unto
Abraham his father, and said, My father and he
said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the
fire and the wood but where is the lamb for a
burnt offering? 8 - And Abraham said, My son, God
will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering
so they went both of them together. 9 - And they
came to the place which God had told him of and
Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood
in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him
on the altar upon the wood. 10 - And Abraham
stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to
slay his son. 11 - And the angel of
the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said,
Abraham, Abraham and he said, Here am I. 12 -
And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad,
neither do thou any thing unto him for now I
know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast
not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.
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Commentary We are not able to understand the
story of Abraham and Isaac without putting it
into a spiritual context. We read in Jacob 45 in
the Book of Mormon the following.  Behold, they
believed in Christ and worshipped the Father in
his name, and also we worship the Father in his
name. And for this intent we keep the law of
Moses, it pointing our souls to him and for this
cause it is sanctified unto us for righteousness,
even as it was accounted unto Abraham in the
wilderness to be obedient unto the commands of
God in offering up his son Isaac, which is a
similitude of God and his Only Begotten Son. The
minute that Moses tells us that Isaac was
Abrahams only son, alerts us to the fact that we
are talking about God and his Only Begotton Son,
even Jesus Christ. The Nephites were taught
that the story of Abraham and Isaac was a
similitude, or a type and shadow. of that which
would transpire 500 years later when, as recorded
in John 316 that, God so loved the world, that
he gave his Only Begotten Son as a ransom, that
whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but
have everlasting life.
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Faith and Obedience Abraham had faith in God. He
knew that though obedience to God that Isaac
would not perish, but that he would have
everlasting life. He knew that even if Isaac
suffered death in this life, he would rise in the
resurrection. He also knew that Isaac would keep
the commandment to multiply and replenish the
earth which would result in Abrahams seed being
as numerous as the sands on the sea shore.
Abraham knew that sacrificing humans was an
abomination. In Deuteronomy 1231 we read Thou
shalt not do so unto the Lord thy God for every
abomination to the Lord, which he hateth, have
they done unto their gods for even their sons
and their daughters they have burnt in the fire
of the gods. There are a lot of details we dont
know about the story of Abraham and Isaac. We
dont know how Sarah reacted, or if she even knew
what her husband was about to do. We dont know
why Isaac was so calm throughout the ordeal. We
do know, however, that Abraham knew Christ. He
loved Christ and he had faith in Christ. He
basically said the same thing that Christ said to
God the Father. If it is possible, let this cup
pass from me. He knew that the key is the
resurrection of Christ. We read in Hebrews
1117-19 the following. By faith Abraham, when he
was tried, offered up Isaac and he that had
received the promises offered up his only
begotten son, Of whom it was said, That in
Isaac shall thy seed be called Accounting that
God was able to raise him up, even from the dead
from whence also he received him in a figure.
type.
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Types and Shadows Going to mount Moriah was a
type of Christ going to Calvary. Isaac carrying
the wood was a type of Christ carrying the cross,
and catching the ram in the thicket was a type of
Christ being captured and bound over. You see,
Abraham knew that the promise that God had
already given him involved Isaac raising up a
righteous seed. Even before Isaac was born,
Abraham believed that from his loins a son would
be born. And now at the moment of presenting his
son to God, he still knew that his seed would
number the sands of the sea shore. Whatever
detail seems strange, the principle is that
Abraham put his trust in God and he believed in
the resurrection. The concept of a similitude
is only good to the extent that it reminds us of
a greater spirtual event. Even if Abraham would
have gone through with sacrificing Isaac, it
would be irrelevant. Had he sacrificed Isaac and
returned home to Sarah, that sacrificial action
would not have resulted in breaking the bonds
both physical and spiritual death. Only Christ
could do that. That is why the story of Abraham
and Isaac is a type and a shadow of God and His
Only Begotton Son.
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Commentary It seems to me that we can aspire to
be like Father Abraham to the extent that we can
have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. I know
that when our oldest daughter was killed as a
result of an automobile accident, my ONLY concern
at that moment was, Is she all right The Lords
answer is clear and penetrable. Alma
4023-25  23 - The soul shall be restored to the
body, and the body to the soul yea, and every
limb and joint shall be restored to its body
yea, even a hair of the head shall not be lost
but all things shall be restored to their proper
and perfect frame. 24 - And now, my son, this is
the restoration of which has been spoken by the
mouths of the prophets 25 - And then shall the
righteous shine forth in the kingdom of God.
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Summary In summary, this lesson is more about
the Resurrection of Christ than it is about
Abraham and Isaac. Even if Isaac would have been
sacrificed, that would not have resulted in
breaking the bonds of death. It is Christ who
broke the bonds of death. By they way, Christ
not only broke the bonds of death for Abraham,
Sarah and Isaac, He broke the bonds of death for
Hagar and Ishmael, and you and me. In 2 Nephi
918, we read, But, behold, the righteous, the
saints of the Holy One of Israel, they who have
believed in the Holy One of Israel, they who have
endured the crosses of the world, and despised
the shame of it, they shall inherit the kingdom
God, which was prepared for them from the
foundation of the world, and their joy shall be
full forever.