God Go Provide Di Lamb

One papa and im son dey climb mountain together. Di boy carry firewood for im back. Di papa carry knife and one small pot of fire. And di boy ask one question wey im papa no fit even bear to answer.

Dis na Abraham, many years after e comot from Haran. God don keep im promise. Abraham and Sarah, for dia old age, get one son, Isaac, wey im name mean laughter. Every promise wey God make, one great family, stars wey no get number, blessing for all nations, dey hang on top dis one boy. Then Genesis tell us something wey go make us hold our breath. God test Abraham. God talk, “Carry your son, your only son, Isaac, wey you love, and go di land of Moriah. Offer am there as burnt offering on top one of di mountains wey I go tell you.” We know one tin wey Abraham no know. Dis na test. But Abraham no know how e go end.

Early di next morning Abraham wake up. E put saddle for im donkey, cut wood for di offering, and e comot with Isaac and two young servants. For three days dem travel. Bible no record any argument, any running away. For di third day, Abraham look up and see di place from far. E tell di servants, “Una stay here with di donkey. Me and di boy go go there go worship, and we go come back meet una.” We go come back. Both of us. Di book of Hebrews for di New Testament talk say Abraham believe say God fit even raise dead person. Then e put di wood for Isaac shoulder, e carry di fire and di knife, and di two of dem continue to waka together.

Isaac talk. “My papa?” “I dey here, my son.” “See di fire and di wood, but where di lamb for burnt offering dey?” Na di question wey every listener don dey fear. And Abraham answer, “God imself go provide di lamb for burnt offering, my son.” And Genesis talk am again: di two of dem continue to waka together. Dem reach di place. Abraham build altar and arrange di wood. E tie Isaac and lay am for di altar. E stretch im hand and carry di knife.

And dat very moment, one voice from heaven. “Abraham! Abraham!” “I dey here.” Di angel of di Lord talk, “No put your hand for di boy, no do am anytin. Because now I know say you fear God, since you no hold back your son, your only son, from me.” Abraham raise im eye. There, for im back, one ram dey wey im horns hook for bush. E carry di ram and offer am instead of im son. Isaac go free. And Abraham give di place one name: Di Lord Go Provide. People still dey talk am hundreds of years after: for di mountain of di Lord, e go dey provided. One lamb, wey God give, so dat di son go live. Christians don dey hear for long time one echo here of anoda Papa, and anoda only Son, and di Lamb of God.

Where Moriah dey? Genesis only call am one of di mountains for di land of Moriah. But much later, di second book of Chronicles talk say Solomon build di temple for Jerusalem on top Mount Moriah. Di Jewish historian Josephus, wey write for di first century, talk di same tin. So Jewish tradition remember dis hilltop as di place where, for one thousand years, dem go dey offer lambs for di temple.

God go provide di lamb. You fit read am for Genesis chapter twenty-two, verse one reach fourteen. When John di Baptist first see Jesus, e talk: See di Lamb of God. So see one question wey you go carry dey go. Wetin you need make God provide for you, and you fit trust am with am?