Isaac - Father Figure

A Father Prays

***Ge 25:19–21***

The Birth of Esau and Jacob

19 These are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham fathered Isaac, 20 and Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, the sister of Laban the Aramean, to be his wife. 21 And Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was barren. And the Lord granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Ge 25:19–21

A Father Makes the Best of Difficult Situations

***Genesis 25:22-23***

22 The children struggled together within her, and she said, “If it is thus, why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the Lord. 23 And the Lord said to her, 

“Two nations are in your womb, 

and two peoples from within you shall be divided; 

the one shall be stronger than the other, 

the older shall serve the younger.” 

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Ge 25:22–23). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

***Ge 27:34–40***

Bless me, even me also, O my father!” 35 But he said, “Your brother came deceitfully, and he has taken away your blessing.” 36 Esau said, “Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has cheated me these two times. He took away my birthright, and behold, now he has taken away my blessing.” Then he said, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me?” 37 Isaac answered and said to Esau, “Behold, I have made him lord over you, and all his brothers I have given to him for servants, and with grain and wine I have sustained him. What then can I do for you, my son?” 38 Esau said to his father, “Have you but one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, O my father.” And Esau lifted up his voice and wept. 

39 Then Isaac his father answered and said to him: 

“Behold, away from the fatness of the earth shall your dwelling be, 

and away from the dew of heaven on high. 

40  By your sword you shall live, 

and you shall serve your brother; 

but when you grow restless 

you shall break his yoke from your neck.” 

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Ge 27:34–40). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

A Father Submits to God

***Hebrews 11:17-20***

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau.

***Genesis 25:23***

23 And the Lord said to her, 

“Two nations are in your womb, 

and two peoples from within you shall be divided; 

the one shall be stronger than the other, 

the older shall serve the younger.” 

And in what sense did Isaac bless Esau? He pronounced the only benediction left: you get the desert and the droughts and violence and rebellion.

You might think about these people, and wonder why the Lord didn’t choose better people to further His plan.

But the truth is that there are no better people, only people whose sins and wrongs aren’t as offensive as others might be. As long this age continues, God can only work through sinners. He can only choose sinners. He could have picked people who were better than others, that’s true, but then His choice would be have based on them, and not on His own sovereignty and freedom as Creator.

Among all the shameful, embarrassing, and perplexing things in this story, there is a single light of hope: By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau.

We can point to all the things that shouldn’t have been, but the one thing that actually mattered was firmly in place. Isaac believed Yahweh. He believed that the son whom he blessed would be blessed by Yahweh. That’s why after he and Esau learned what had happened, Jacob makes it clear that he can’t undo his blessing: “Yes, and he shall be blessed.”