Lessons from Isaac
Notes
Transcript
By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau.
Intro:
Intro:
Isaac is next in the covenant legacy. He was miraculously born to Abraham and Sarah as a fulfillment of God’s promise even though she was past any natural ability to have children. When Abraham was told of the coming child by the Lord, Sarah laughed so he was named Isaac meaning laughter. He received the covenant of Abraham.
He too is listed among the faithful biblical characters mentioned in Hebrews 11.
He later married Rebekah and had two sons, Esau and Jacob.
The story of Isaac started in Genesis 21 and continued on until chapter 27.
With this in mind, there is no doubt that we can learn a lot from His life. Isaac’s story must teach us lessons about how to be a man of God and a man for his family. Though not perfect, the life of Isaac will certainly teach us many lessons.
Lesson no. 1: Let God choose a spouse for you
Lesson no. 1: Let God choose a spouse for you
Next to baptism, choosing a spouse is one of the most important decisions that you will ever make in this lifetime. Once you are married to a person, you are bound by God’s blessing and grace.
Jesus Christ, Himself, said this about marriage:
(Matthew 19:4-6).
He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female,
and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’?
So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”
With the magnitude and impact marriage will have in your life, it is obvious we must give it a deep and serious consideration before we ever decide whom to marry.
When it comes to marriage, it is important for us to seek the will of God rather than our will.
When Isaac is seeking for a wife, it was his father who commanded that Isaac must look for a wife in the Abraham’s homeland. He strictly instructed his servant to never take a wife for Isaac among the daughters of the Canaanites.
They didn’t fear and worship God
They worshipped idols and false gods
They would bring evil practices into the covenant line
Here we see some principles to apply when choosing a spouse.
We need to consider the character of our future spouse.
Abraham knew the Canaanites are destined to ruin because of their wickedness. Isaac marrying a Canaanite would mean that he might be influenced to follow their sinful ways.
We need to listen to wise counsel.
Choosing a spouse is not a joke. Isaac knew this and he listened to his father’s counsel. He knew that Abraham was led by God and he will certainly give a good advice to Isaac.
In the same manner, we need to listen to our parents and friends when making a decision.
Consider the advise of the ones closest to you who have your best interest in mind
They might see something that we don’t even see because of our emotion.
Finally, we can also seek counsel from our pastors and mentors.
Let God write your love story and you will have a more blessed marriage.
Finally, when we read the story of how the servant of Abraham found a wife for Isaac, we can really see the hand of God working in the scene.
Abraham’s servant went to his homeland to begin his search.
Abraham’s servant prayed
(Genesis 24:12).
And he said, “O Lord, God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today and show steadfast love to my master Abraham.
As he finished his prayer, Rebekah approached the well and the rest is history
This illustrates to us that God will guide those who seek His will.
He is more than willing to help those who will submit to his commandments and purpose. Therefore, let God write your love story and you will have a more blessed marriage.
Lessons no. 2: Never play favoritism
Lessons no. 2: Never play favoritism
Just like his mother, Isaac’s wife is barren. .
They have waited on the Lord for about 20 years. Isaac fervently pleaded to God and
“the LORD granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived” (Genesis 25)
Isaac did have a son, not just one, but two. He had twin children, namely Esau and Jacob.
The problem quickly becomes evident.
(Genesis 25:28).
Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
The game of favoritism played by Isaac and Rebekah will soon show its ugly head. Instead of being close brothers, Esau and Jacob grew to become rivals.
The rivalry between the two siblings led to Rebekah and Jacob deceiving Isaac. They tricked Isaac to give the blessing upon Jacob, instead of Esau.
As parents and even Christians, we must not play favorites. We know from the scripture that God shows no favoritism
So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality,
For God shows no partiality.
James repeatedly instructed early Christians not to show favoritism (James 2:1, 9).
My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.
But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
The life of Isaac shows us the negative effects of showing partiality or favoritism. As Christians, we need to remember that Jesus Christ died for all of us. He did not just died for a specific group of people.
(John 3:16-20).
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.
For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.
It is very clear that the biggest problems in the family of Isaac could have been avoided if they did not show favoritism.
It is vital for us Christians not to be selective to whom we show goodness.
Yes, Galatians 6:10 tells us,
So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
God expects to do good to all as the opportunity presents itself.
Lesson no. 3: Be submissive to the will of God
Lesson no. 3: Be submissive to the will of God
It is very obvious that Isaac favored his son, Esau more than Jacob. He surely is more than willing to give the double portion of his inheritance to Esau. Since it is also the custom of the land, the elder brother must receive more inheritance than his younger siblings.
But this did not happen in the case of Esau and Jacob.
Before Esau and Jacob were born, the Lord said to Rebekah: Gen 25:23
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.”
Isaac might have also known about this prophecy as Rebekah has told him. This is the will of God from the very beginning. However, it is important to note that God is not playing favoritism here as well. We will see later that Esau indeed possesses the wrong attitude.
Esau did not put enough importance on his birthright.
As a matter of fact, he sold it to Jacob for bread and a bowl of stew (Genesis 25:33).
The Genesis account further added, “Thus Esau despised his birthright” (verse 34).
When the time finally comes to give the blessing to Esau, Isaac was deceived to bless Jacob instead. When Isaac realized that he blessed the wrong person, he “trembled exceedingly” and wept (Genesis 27:33, 38).
At that point in time, he recognized that it was really the will of God. Isaac knew that what had transpired was contrary to the tradition of the land. He could have withdrawn the blessing he gave to Jacob since it was done in deceit. Nevertheless, he submitted to the will of God and said to Esau,
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?”
Like Isaac, we might have our own plans and wants in our lives. However, we must align our will to God’s will if we really want to live a life pleasing to Him. If there is one thing that you want to happen in your life, it must be the will of God.
God’s will is perfect and we can never improve that is already perfect.
We can always have the confidence that God’s plan is way better than our plans, far more than what we can imagine. Yes, it is undeniable that life is often unfair, but God is always fair, just, and merciful.
When our plans fail, we can take comfort from this beautiful passage:
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Lesson no. 4: Choose to be a peacemaker
Lesson no. 4: Choose to be a peacemaker
One of the most important commodities in the Middle Eastern region is water. Thus, if you found water by digging a well, it means a lot for you.
Isaac is a diligent well digger. However, when he and his servant found water, “the herdsman of Gerar quarreled with Isaac’s herdsmen” and unjustly took possession of the well. Instead of fighting over the well, Isaac moved from one place to another. This incident happened more than once.
Like Isaac, sometimes we must choose peace over victory.
We can see that Isaac preferred peace rather than being right.
Yes, there are times when we should fight for our right but Isaac recognized that
Vengeance belongs to God and He shall repay (Romans 12:19).
Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”
Isaac surrendered his problem to God and let Him handle it.
Even the most peaceable man will even find trouble in this world governed by Satan.
Psalm 120:7
I am for peace, but when I speak, they are for war!
Though Isaac knew that he rightly owned the well, he cleaved to his peaceable principle. He preferred peace over victory.
After digging a third well, the people of Gerar stop contending with him.
A great reward awaits for those who love peace. Jesus Christ, our Lord and Master, said:
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Isaac’s life may not be as exciting and powerful than his father, but we can see that God uses him to confirm his promises to Abraham. Jesus Christ came from the lineage of Isaac. Because of Isaac’s faithfulness and God’s grace, he is accounted to be in the future Kingdom of God (Luke 13:28).