Abraham and the ram BEHIND him

[fromIslam2Christ]

12 And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”

13 Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 And Abraham called the name of the place, The-LORD-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of the LORD it shall be provided.” (edited to add the reference : GENESIS 22)

I was attending a Bible study back in february when the pastor said that this has some kind of "prophetic" meaning. He said there is a mystery in the fact that Abraham lifted his eyes and looked and saw "behind" him.

Some sort of past-present-future connection of some sort. He kind of threw it at us without elaborating. I wrote it down and now months later I found it.

I was wondering if anyone ever thought about this passage and the meaning of this?

I understand the ram is also symbolic of Jesus... also the only son of God. What interests me here is the "behind".

Normally, when you lift up your eyes, you look in front of you, or at least, above you.

Edited August 6, 2010 by fromIslam2Christ

[~candice~]

I wonder if he was hinting at this

1 Peter 1

¹⁸For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, ¹⁹but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. ²⁰He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. ²¹Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.

[turtletwo]

Good topic, fromIslam2Christ. Interesting thought, Candice. I am stumped on this one. Hope others will participate in this discussion and speculate on the possible significance of this.

[1Mind1Spirit]

A ram caught in a thicket was most likely makin' some noise, telling Abraham here I am, the sacrifice sent by God.

As far as the ram being behind him, if we look back to the very beginning even Adam was a pre figure of Christ who was to come.

Romans chapter 5 verse 14

Never the less death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them who had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression,

who is the figure of him that was to come.

Interesting that Adam was a prophesy of Christ. Could it be that the " plan " was already in effect before the creation of Adam?

Seems so does it not?

Edited August 6, 2010 by 1Mind1Spirit

[nebula]

I don't thing the looking behind means anything prophetic imo.Abraham simply looked and saw the ram.

Not so sure about that.

The Bible is not written like our literature, recording events like news stories.

Every word, every description, is carefully selected and for a specific purpose.

You just got to find what the purpose is.

[fromIslam2Christ]

The Bible is not written like our literature, recording events like news stories.

Every word, every description, is carefully selected and for a specific purpose.

You just got to find what the purpose is.

AMEN. That's exactly why it is the Word of God, and not mere words of men!

Candice, that verse you quoted is definitely ringing right to me.

The ram -- the sacrificial animal that God provided Himself -- behind as in before Abraham.... I think this other passage in John confirms the verse you quoted:

John 8:58 Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am."

[UncleAbee]

I don't believe there is anything to the verse. I may study it some more later but I don't think there is anything to it.

[HitmanR2]

In studying this passage I have found this quote concerning this part of the story:

Some have said that, in providing the ram as a substitute for Isaac,

[Guest man]

12 And He said,

[Fez]

Maybe the writer did not want to bother adding " he turned around and saw a ram", just "he saw a ram behind him"

Sort of like in a conversation one of us might say "I saw this car coming up behind me".