Rhymes

Teaching children's Bible studies is a good way to learn things. A while back I noticed this little piece of scriptural symmmetry (I'm sure I'm not the first):

First, Genesis 22:2:

“Take your son, your only son—yes, Isaac, whom you love so much—and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you.”

And John 3:16:

For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

The author of Hebrews goes out of his way to point out that, long before the Law of Moses, Abraham was considered the bearer of the Old Covenant because of his faith. In this case, the faith to be willing to offer his son as a sacrifice.

It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God’s promises, was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac

The old covenant prominently features a father willing to offer a son as a sacrifice - as does the new. It's the pivotal theme of both, in a lot of ways.

And this just jumped into my head while teaching 7-9 year old kids.