Foreshadowing is a term my high school English teacher ingrained within my head. Whether our class was reading Canterbury Tales or Romeo and Juliet, she would always urge students to think about the foreshadowing of a scene. In the passage below, Moses points to the foreshadowing of Jesus, initially mentioned in Genesis 3:15 following original sin, Adam and Eve’s fall from grace in the Garden of Eden.
Then Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and laid it on [the shoulders of] Isaac his son, and he took the fire (the firepot) in his own hand, and a knife; and the two of them went on together. 7 And Isaac said to Abraham, My father! And he said, Here I am, my son. [Isaac] said, See, here are the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt sacrifice? – Genesis 22:6-7
As God puts Abraham’s faith to an unbelievable test, Bible scholars believe that the concept of a resurrection was conceived within Abraham’s mind. This is one of the few explanations that makes sense for a guy who had a tendency to rely on his own instincts rather than fully trust God. If this is true, Isaac’s hypothetical resurrection is a foreshadowing of Jesus coming back to life on Easter Sunday.
[Urged on] by faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed and went forth to a place which he was destined to receive as an inheritance; and he went, although he did not know or trouble his mind about where he was to go. 9 [Prompted] by faith he dwelt as a temporary resident in the land which was designated in the promise [of God, though he was like a stranger] in a strange country, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was [waiting expectantly and confidently] looking forward to the city which has fixed and firm foundations, whose Architect and Builder is God, Hebrews 11:8-10.
All Christian’s hope that their life will leave behind some sort of legacy, to inspire others to elevate and take their own faith to new heights. The author of Hebrews nominates Abraham for the Bible’s Hall of Faith in the passage above. God’s initial promise to Abraham while residing in the land of Uz is a foreshadowing of the birth of a great nation, Israel. However, even Abraham struggled to believe in this promise until Isaac was finally born. As you read and study the Bible, may the Holy Spirit open your eyes to other foreshadowing’s found in this book.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 