Genesis 38;1-30; Psalms 15:1-16:11; Matthew 21:33-22:14
God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac. Genesis 17:19
Take now…thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest…and offer him. Genesis 22:2
Abraham and Isaac typified God the Father and the Son of His love. Isaac means “laughter”, an unforeseen joy for this aged couple. With no substitute, God offered His only Son, upon the altar. Knowing the joy set before Him required enduring the cross and despising the shame—Christ willingly accepted. Having defeated death, the Father anointed Him with the oil of gladness that we might experience that unforeseen joy—the oil of joy for mourning. Is our joy evident? —D. J. Reed
Sow thou sorrow and thou shalt reap it,
Sow thou joy and thou shalt keep it. —Richard Gilder