ISAAC - SON OF ABRAHAM
Do we really THINK about how magnificent, scientifically exact, and proficiently perfect HE is?
Profile of Isaac, Son of Abraham and Father of Esau and Jacob
Isaac was a miracle child, born to Abraham and Sarah in their old age as the fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham to make his descendants a great nation.
Three heavenly beings visited Abraham and told him in a year he would have a son. It seemed impossible because Sarah was 90 years old and Abraham was 100! Sarah, who was eavesdropping, laughed at the prophecy, but God heard her. She denied laughing.
God told Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Will I really have a child, now that I am old?' Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son." (Genesis 18:13-14, NIV)
Of course, the prophecy came true. Abraham obeyed God, naming the baby Isaac, which means "he laughs."
When Isaac was a youth, God ordered Abraham to take this beloved son to a mountain and sacrifice him. Abraham sadly obeyed, but at the last moment, an angel stopped his hand, with the knife raised in it, telling him not to harm the boy. It was a test of Abraham's faith, and he passed. For his part, Isaac willingly became the sacrifice because of his faith in his father and in God.
Later, Isaac married Rebekah, but they found she was barren, just as Sarah had been. As a good husband, Isaac prayed for his wife, and God opened Rebekah's womb. She gave birth to twins: Esau and Jacob.
Isaac favored Esau, a burly hunter and outdoorsman, while Rebekah favored Jacob, the more sensitive, thoughtful of the two. That was an unwise move for a father and mother to take. Isaac and Rebekah should have worked to love both boys equally.
Isaac's Accomplishments:
- Isaac obeyed God and followed his commands. He was a loyal husband to Rebekah.
- He became a patriarch of the Jewish nation, fathering Jacob and Esau. Jacob's 12 sons would go on to lead the 12 tribes of Israel.
Isaac's Strengths:
- Isaac was faithful to God. He never forgot how God saved him from death and provided a ram to be sacrificed in his place. He watched and learned from his father Abraham, one of the most faithful men of the Bible.
- In an era when polygamy was accepted, Isaac took only one wife, Rebekah. He loved her deeply all his life.
Isaac's Weaknesses:
- To avoid death by the Philistines, Isaac lied and said Rebekah was his sister instead of his wife. His father had said the same thing about Sarah to the Egyptians.
- As a father, Isaac favored Esau over Jacob. This unfairness caused a serious split in their family.
Life Lessons:
- God answers prayer. He heard Isaac's prayer for Rebekah and allowed her to conceive. God hears our prayers too and gives us what is best for us.
- Trusting God is wiser than lying. We are often tempted to lie to protect ourselves, but it almost always results in bad consequences. God is worthy of our trust.
- Parents should not favor one child over another. The division and hurt this causes can result in irreparable harm. Every child has unique gifts that should be encouraged.
- Isaac's near-sacrifice can be compared to God's sacrifice of his only son, Jesus Christ, for the sins of the world. Abraham believed that even if he sacrificed Isaac, God would raise his son from the dead: He (Abraham) said to his servants, "Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you." (Genesis 22:5, NIV)
Occupation:
Successful farmer, cattle and sheep owner.
Key Verses:
Genesis 17:19
Then God said, "Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him." (NIV)
Genesis 22:9-12
When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!" "Here I am," he replied. "Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son."(NIV)
Galatians 4:28
Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise. (NIV)
Observation:
We might think there is little for us to learn from such a character as Isaac, and yet this isn't the case. When Isaac discovered, for instance, that he had been deceived by his son Jacob, he accepted and submitted to what he recognized as God's will, in spite of it being completely against the accepted tradition at the time. Just as Isaac discovered, we, too, must always remember that God's ways are not our ways or His thoughts the same as ours (Isaiah 55:8).
Though there are no great achievements to speak of concerning Isaac's life, it was Isaac that God chose to continue the covenant line, the same line that would produce our Messiah, Jesus. And for many generations the Jewish nation described their God as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Indeed, there are several Scriptures where God describes Himself in the same manner (e.g., Exodus 3:6). Isaac is listed with the other patriarchs and in Jesus' own words will be found seated in His kingdom (Luke 13:28). And there is no greater honor we can hope to achieve.
The Good Points:
- It seemed impossible = The birth of Isaac, the willing act of submission by Isaac to his father's requests (willing to trust his own father as well as the Father God).
- Is anything too hard for the LORD? "With God, nothing is impossible."
- Isaac willingly became the sacrifice because he trusted his father and his God. Evidently Abraham taught his son to trust God in all circumstances.
- Isaac prayed for his wife. We should also pray for our wives and family.
- Isaac accepted and submitted to what he recognized as God's will.
The Bad Points:
- Isaac Lied
- Unwise Parent(s) (Parents favoring one child over another)
- Isaac failed to build an altar
Jesus gave us an example of how we are to analyze and critique ourselves, our employees, and those entrusted to our keeping:
- (First...don't lie!)
- Commend them for the good
- Critique them for their faults/sins and Areas Needing Improvement
- Corrective Actions Needed. Be willing to give an answer when a fault is noticed.
- Challenges for Today and the Future. Provide methods and alternative ways to seek a successful outcome of our assignment, goals, and objectives. Be sure and leave an open space for new ideas from those entrusted to our keeping.
1 Timothy 4:12, "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity."
