Today begins Passover, and while having a conversation with my mother, our attention turned to Mary, Yeshua’s mother. It started me on a line of thinking and connection that I had never thought about before. This is the story of two parents, one from the Old Testament, one from the New, both people of tremendous faith. Both show us that no matter how much we love our children, the purposes of Adonai are greater even than parental love.
[1] After these things, God tested Avraham. He said to him, “Avraham!” and he answered, “Here I am.” [2] He said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love, Yitz’chak (Isaac); and go to the land of Moriyah. There you are to offer him as a burnt offering on a mountain that I will point out to you.” [3] Avraham got up early in the morning, saddle his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, together with Yitz’chak his son. He cut the wood for the burnt offering, departed and went toward the place God had told him about. [4] On the third day, Abraham raised his eyes and saw the place in the distance. [5] Avraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey. I and the boy will go there, worship and return to you.” [6] Avraham took the wood for the burnt offering and laid it on Yitz’chak his son. Then he took his hand, the fire, and the knife, and they both went on together. [7] Yitz’chak spoke to Avraham his father: “My father?” He answered, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “I see the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” [8] Avraham replied, “God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son”; and they both went on together. [9] They came to the place God had told him about; and Avraham built the altar there, set the wood in order, bound Yitz’chak his son and then Avraham put out his hand and took the knife to kill his son. [11] But the angel of Adonai called to him out of heaven: “Avraham? Avraham!” He answered “Here I am.” [12] Don’t lay your hand on the boy! Don’t do anything to him! For now, I know that you are a man who fears God, because you have not withheld your son, your only son from me.” Genesis 22:1-12
The story of a father.
[26] In the sixth month, the angel Gavri’el was sent by God to a city in the Galil called Natzeret, [27] to a virgin engaged to man named Yosef, of the house of David; the virgin’s name was Miryam. [28] Approaching her, the angel said, “Shalom, favored lady! Adonai is with you!” [29] She was deeply troubled by his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. [30] The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Miryam, for you have found favor with God. [31] Look! You will become pregnant; you will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Yeshua. [32] He will be great; he will be called the Son of Ha’Elyon. Adonai, God will give him the throne of his forefather, David; [33] and he will rule the house of Ya’akov (Jacob) forever – there will be no end to his Kingdom.
[46] Then Miryam said, “My soul magnifies Adonai; [47] and my spirit rejoices in God, my Savior, [48] who has taken notice of his servant-girl in her humble position. For – imagine it! – from now on, all generations will call me blessed! [49] “The Mighty One has done great things for me! Indeed, his name is holy; [50] and in every generation he has mercy on those who fear him. [51] He has performed mighty deeds with his arm, routed the secretly proud, [52] brought down rulers from their thrones, raised up the humble, [53] filled the hungry with good things, but sent the rich away empty. [54] “He has taken the part of his servant Isra’el, mindful of the mercy [55] which he promised to our fathers, to Avraham and his seed forever.” Luke 1:26-33; 46-55
[25] Nearby Yeshua’s execution stake stood his mother, his mothers’ sister, Miryam the wife of K’lofah, and Miryam from Magdala. [26] When Yeshua saw his mother and the talmid whom he loved standing there, he said to his mother, “Mother, this is your son.” [27] Then he said to the talmid, “This is your mother.” And from that time on, the talmid took her into his own home. [28] After this, knowing that all things had accomplished their purpose, Yeshua, in order to fulfill the words of the Tanakh, said, “I’m thirsty.” [29] A jar of cheap sour wine was there; so they soaked a sponge in the wine, coated it with oregano leaves and held it up to his mouth. [30] After Yeshua had taken the wine, he said, “It is accomplished!” And, letting his head droop, he delivered up his spirit. John 19:25-30 (Complete Jewish Study Bible Translation)
The story of a mother.
Until today, I had always looked at the parallels of the crucifixion and Abraham’s obedience when asked to sacrifice Isaac. There are beautiful commentaries written on this, tying it all together. The donkey, the wood, the mercy of God extended. Today however, I saw a father, and a mother, separated by time who both stood on that mountain and delivered their child up to God. Both parents are represented when looking at these accounts together.
I could not help but think of my husband, and how proud of his children he is. They are his legacy, his heirs. They are the continuation of his bloodline. They are his pride and joy. As a mother, my boys are my song and such a source of happiness in my heart. I understand Mary’s song simply because I am a mother. Your children bring that song to your heart, but for her, He was more than her son, He was also her Savior.
As my mother and I were discussing The Chosen and The Passion of the Christ, I was telling her that it was amazing to me the element that stood out from both the movie and S2E3 of the series was Yeshua’s mother, Miryam (Mary). I saw The Passion when it came out and the scene that imprinted on me the most, that I can still see clearly in my mind, was after Yeshua was flogged and taken away, she went to where the stripes were laid upon His back and began to try to wipe up the blood. In The Chosen episode, she has this moment of feeling that her son did not need her anymore, until the end of the episode, when He is exhausted from healing people and pouring Himself out to them. She runs to Him, helps Him wash His feet, hands, and face. He looks at her and said, “What would I do without you, Emma?” As a mother, both scenes wrecked me. As a mother, I have those feelings of not being needed by my children, but at the same time, when they are wounded (spiritually, emotionally, mentally, or physically), I want to run and sop up the blood that pours from those wounds. The world ravaged Mary’s son, and this world ravages our children in its way, so how could I not. But as Mary knew these things had to come to pass, so do I know that because they did, my boys have a hope. WE have a hope, because like He did for Abraham, God provided that Lamb for us in Yeshua.
As parents, we want the best for our children, even when they don’t see it. More than the best that this world can offer, I want the actual best for them, Yeshua. I cannot count how many times I have laid them at the foot of the cross and have prayed, “Not my will for them, but Yours, Lord.” If I am honest, there have been times that I have prayed that prayer that I didn’t really mean it because my heart was actually saying, “Your will for them Lord, as long as it lines up with mine.” Thankfully, my heart lately has been honest when I pray it. What can I give them or want for them more than salvation? What can I want from them greater than a relationship with Yeshua? There is nothing greater than that. I think about Abraham and the faith he had to have to be willing to offer Isaac, and I think about the faith of Mary, who watched her Son not only be sacrificed, but tortured in route, to fulfill the Messianic prophecies.
There is one parent that I haven’t mentioned. God the Father. [45] Now from the sixth hour, darkness fell upon all the land until the ninth hour. [46] About the ninth hour, Yeshua cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You abandoned Me?” Matthew 27:45-46 With the sin of the world upon Yeshua’s shoulders, the Father turned His back on His Son, as sin separates us from Him. Sin separated Father from Son, and all for us. For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him. John 3:16-17
Today, we look upon the cross. We think about the stripes upon His back, the thorns upon His head, the blood He willingly spilled for the world. Shabbat begins at sundown. The day He rested from His work. Just as God rested on Shabbat after the creation, Yeshua rested on Shabbat after making it possible for creation to be born again. Sunday, the day we know as Easter or Resurrection Sunday, is actually the Festival of Firstfruits. [20] But now Messiah has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. [21] For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead also has come through a Man. [22] For as in Adam all dim so also in Messiah will all be made alive. [23] But each in its own order: Messiah the firstruits; then, at His coming, those who belong to Messiah; [24] then the end, when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father after He has destroyed all rule and all authority and power. 1 Corinthians 15:20-24 Yeshua is the firstfruit of the resurrection, bringing new life to all who come to Him. I look at this weekend through the eyes of a parent as well as those of a child. For as a parent, I am willing to lay my children at the foot of the cross, and as a child, I am willing to accept that precious gift salvation from my Father.
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