Lessons from Abraham Sacrificing Isaac

Genesis 22:11-14

But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!”

So he said, “Here I am.”

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.”

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.

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.”

Comment: Image source: Abraham Sacrificing Isaac (1650), Laurent de La Hyre (1606–1656)

Lessons: Here God teaches His people

1. That there is no higher test of covenant loyalty than to give up one's beloved son for another (consider John 3:16-17)
2. That God will preserve the seed of His promise so that it will certainly be fulfilled. 
3. That a substitutionary offering is nevertheless necessary (Genesis 22:8)
4. That God thus provides for His people in all of their needs, their greatest being the forgiveness of sins. Cf  Mark 2:8-10

Source: John Frame, Apologetics: A Justification of Christian Belief, p 140.