Interestingly enough, this took place before Abraham was even circumcised! This shows that acceptance before God was never determined because of what we do for God. Abraham is in heaven because he had faith in God. But because Abraham was a good man he was richly rewarded by God here on earth.

Let's go forward in Israel's history to the time of the prophet Isaiah (750 BCE), where he wrote, "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall upon him."

The prophet Isaiah includes himself among those who have gone astray and he foretells of a day when all sins are going to be placed on someone who, like the Passover lamb, would avert God's judgment.

That someone is the Messiah.