6.0 Abraham, Isaac and Jacob
March 2008
Topics:
The Everlasting Covenant:
A Covenant Mandate
Isaac is Promised
Isaac
The Sacrifice
Meaning of the Sacrifice
Jacob
References
After the Flood people quickly returned to idolatry. The knowledge and worship of God was best preserved in the family line of Shem. From his great-grandson Eber, came the term “Hebrew” (Genesis 10:21-15; 11:10-16) used to describe those who feared God.
Abram’s father, Terah, gathered the family together and left Ur of the Chaldees and set out for Canaan (Genesis 11:31, 32). He got as far as Haran on the Euphrates River, stopped and settled there. After Terah died, God made the first of seven presentations of the covenant(1) to Abram and called him to continue “unto a land that I will shew thee.” The trip was summarized in this sentence: “And they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came” (Genesis 12:5). It seems that Abram did whatever he set out to do. Shortly after Abram moved to Canaan, he marshaled a small army and rescued Lot from the Babylonians. That was the kind of man Abram was!
At the third repetition of the everlasting covenant it was said of Abram, “he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness” (Gen 15:6). God was pleased with this demonstration of faith and the covenant was confirmed with animal sacrifices. There were important details.
“Then the LORD said to him, Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years. But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions. You, however, will go to your fathers in peace and be buried at a good old age. In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure” (Genesis 15:13-16 NIV).
Abram had been in Canaan about eight years. He was still childless. He still did not own any land. Time was running out. Then God informed him that it would be another 400 years before they took possession of the land of Canaan (6). During that time they would be enslaved. The reason for delay: “for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure” (Genesis 15:16).
While Abram was not perfect it is not recorded that he fell into any sin of selfishness or rebellion. “Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws” (Genesis 26:5). He had faith but he failed in several tests of his faith. More tests were given. A difficult test for him was to wait for the promised child years beyond any possibility of his having a child. Even here Abram finally learned to be patient. The supreme test was yet to come. The “father of many nations (7)” must have faith!
Humans become impatient with God’s timing. Why did God keep Abram waiting so long? Why did it still take generations to bring Israel into Canaan? We can pose several answers: God is very patient and does everything He can to save people from destruction (2 Peter 3:9). God was still working with the Amorites! He was still hoping that they would turn back to Him. He would give them time. And, face it, God’s people themselves are sometimes so stubborn!
The Covenant was first offered to Adam and Eve, then to Noah, and then to Abram. To Abram the covenant was more fully revealed, and to Abram was given the greatest tests as to his commitment to the covenant. He was tested on his obedience. He showed sensitivity to the voice of God and willingly did God’s will. To Abram the covenant was sealed by the blood of a sacrifice (Genesis 15:9-16) in answer to Abram’s question, “Whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it (the land of Canaan; Gen 15:8)?”
The covenant was given to Abram seven times (1). At first reading, the promises were different from the promises given to Adam and Eve, and the promise given to Noah. Yet it was called the “everlasting covenant.” Everlasting into the future and everlasting into the past? What else can everlasting mean? Everlasting can have limitations when dealing with the life of a person (Samuel 1:22, 28) or with the punishment of the wicked (Matthew 25:41). But when everlasting describes a promise given by the eternal God, everlasting would need to be eternal.
“And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.
“Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.
“And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God” (Genesis 17:1-8).
Abram was to “multiply exceedingly” and to be father of many nations (7). Further he was given the land of Canaan “for an everlasting possession.” These two features of the Abrahamic covenant echo the instructions of God to Adam:
“And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth” (Genesis 1:28).
There was also the promise “to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee” (Gen 17:7) and “I will be their God” (Gen 17:8). Abram’s name was changed to Abraham and Sarai to Sarah. Circumcision was given as “a token of the covenant betwixt me and you” (Genesis 17:10-27).
Abraham had shown faith but had also failed several times in his faith. There came a time when Abraham was tested more severely on his faith than any other person in history. God asked him to sacrifice his only begotten son, the miracle child, the son through whom the covenant would be fulfilled. In this event, Abraham heard and recognized the voice of God. He obeyed without hesitation. He, as well as Isaac, gained the victory of faith. The covenant was again confirmed to Abraham (Gen. 22:15-18). God had found a person who not only kept the covenant, but through whom his family would become a covenant people.
With blessings come responsibilities. Along with the promises of the covenant were important responsibilities.
1. Abram was promised a son, and through his seed Jesus Christ would come (Gal 3:16). And it is through Christ that “all families of the earth would be blessed” (Gal. 3:16).
2. Abram was promised to become a great nation; Canaan was to be his home, but as father of many nations his influence would spread to the whole earth.
3. Abram was to command his household after him, and to ”walk before me, and be thou perfect.” This was a charge to keep the commandments of God (Genesis 26:5).
4. God would be his shield, Abram would not need to be warlike (Genesis 15:1).
5. Placed at the crossroads of the world, they were to own the gates of their enemies (foreigners). As a kingdom of priests they could witness to all they came in contact with.
Significant is that God never gives an “unfunded mandate.” In the promised presence of God and His abundant blessings, they were enabled to fulfill their responsibilities. This mandate with some modifications is repeated at Sinai and again with the restoration from captivity.
The time came that God had made His covenant with Abraham six times!1 God had spoken to Abraham sometimes in a dream or a vision, or sometimes in a personal visit. Wonderful promises had been made, a promise of land so that Abraham could settle down and the promise of a son, a special son. God loved Abraham. He spoke to him as to a friend. His covenant promises included things that were near and dear to Abraham’s heart.
One day as Abraham sat in the door of his tent, he looked up and saw three dusty travelers coming down the road (Genesis 18). Hospitality was his habit and he ran to meet them, insisting that they stop for refreshment. As they ate and talked together, they asked, “Where is Sarah thy wife?”
“Sarah, my wife? How did they know her name?” He indicated no surprise, just saying, “Behold, in the tent.”
The One who spoke continued, “Lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son.”
When Sarah laughed, He added, “Is any thing too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son” (Genesis 18:14).
It was clear now Who these visitors were. The men rose and as they started down the road, One spoke to the others, “Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do?”
“For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; and that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him” (Genesis 18:19).
He continued, “The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great. . . . I will go down now and see.“
This was a conversation intended for Abraham to overhear. He quickly grasped the intent of their visit and took heart in the information given him. Sodom was going to be destroyed, but maybe, Lot could be saved! He managed to get in front of the Lord, turned and faced Him, “Abraham stood yet before the Lord.” The other two continued on their trip.
What followed was an intense negotiation whereby Abraham tested the judgment and mercy of God. “Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked ?” Pleased with the intercession of Abraham, the Lord eventually assents, “I will not destroy it for ten’s sake” (Genesis 18:22-32). Abraham is satisfied. Surely, Lot has at least ten servants. Why, it wasn’t long before that Abraham himself mustered a small army of 318 from his servant staff!
Abraham had done what he could for Lot. He had, with fear in his heart, interceded directly with God as far as he dared. But Lot, having chosen the environment of Sodom, was impotent in his witness, and ten righteous could not be found. See Genesis 19.
Abraham had become the “friend of God” (James 2:23), not because God was partial, but because Abraham was. Abraham loved God and had made Him first in his life. God was able to speak freely with him, because Abraham had faith to believe great things of God.
Shortly after the destruction of Sodom, Isaac was born. He was a remarkable person and deserves more space in the record than he gets. He was quiet, meditative, and avoided confrontation. People with these characteristics do not get high ratings in entertainment. Several things might be of interest. His half brother, Ishmael, had expected to be the heir of Abraham and all he had.
When Isaac was born, Ishmael was thrown into a crisis. At the festival of the weaning of Isaac, Ishmael had had enough and he “mocked” Isaac. This was probably not the first time and it came in addition to the trouble that brewed between Sarah and Hagar. Sarah demanded that they be sent away. Ishmael was also Abraham’s son and it became a “very grievous” issue for Abraham. It required that God Himself tell Abraham that Sarah was right. They needed to be sent away. Ishmael was sent away with God’s promise that he, too, would become a great nation.
Abraham failed to trust God completely with his beautiful wife, Sarah, in Egypt (Genesis 12:13) and with Abimelech (Genesis 20:2). When God told him that he would father a great nation, Abraham tried to help out by suggesting Eliezer (Genesis 15:2) and again by taking Hagar as a second wife (Genesis 16:2). All this showed lack of faith. Then God tested Abraham, telling him that Sodom was to be destroyed. Abraham immediately pled for the inhabitants of Sodom. Acting as a mediator with God, he hoped there were at least ten righteous in the city. In this Abraham showed a God-given love for souls bound for judgment. This was a trait copied from his divine Friend. He had begun to be more like God (Genesis 18:18-33).
God desired even greater victory in Abraham’s life. He knew His servant well enough to know that Abraham was ready for the final test (5). God instructed him to take his only son, Isaac; the son of promise; the son through whom he expected to fulfill the covenant with God, to a mountain and offer him for a sacrifice. See Genesis 22. During the night hours, God spoke to him:
“And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of” (Genesis 22:2).
Abraham was terrified and stricken with grief. Could he be mistaken? No. He knew the voice of God all too well. But how could the promises of the covenant be fulfilled if his only begotten son were sacrificed? Abraham prayed and struggled with God for hours. He thought of waking Sarah, but then held back. She would simply refuse to allow this to happen. Finally, he roused Isaac, called two servants, saddled a donkey and set out early in the morning. When the camp awoke, they were gone (5).
The trip to Mt. Moriah took three days. There was not much conversation. When they came within sight of the mountain, a pillar of cloud rose from its summit. Abraham was reassured that God had spoken. The servants were bidden to stop and wait for them. Abraham and Isaac climbed the mountain.
“And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?
“And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together” (Genesis 22:7-8).
Abraham’s great test of faith came when God asked him to sacrifice his only son, Isaac. This was the severest test possible to give any father, and for Abraham it was even worse. All the promises of the covenant depended on Isaac. But it was a test for Isaac too! Isaac at that time was about 20 years old, and Abraham 120. Here is what one writer has said:
“It was with terror and amazement that Isaac learned his fate; but he offered no resistance. He could have escaped his doom, had he chosen to do so; the grief-stricken old man, exhausted with the struggle of those three terrible days, could not have opposed the will of the vigorous youth. But Isaac had been trained from childhood to ready, trusting obedience, and as the purpose of God was opened before him, he yielded a willing submission.” White EG: Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 152.
After this test, Abraham was again given the covenant (Gen 22:15-18). The covenant was repeated to Isaac after his twin sons were born. (Genesis 26:3-5).
Abraham had learned to recognize the voice of God. He had learned to trust God without question. He knew that God would fulfill the promises of His covenant. He did not know how God would fulfill His promises before Isaac was born; and He did not know how God would make him a father of a great nation if he sacrificed his only son (5). But he had learned to trust God. So they went.
There is deep symbolism in this event. In the first phase, Isaac, representing the only Son, Christ, willingly lay on the altar. He did not resist as his aged father bound him. He prepared to die. In the second phase, God redirected the procedure and ordered Isaac released. He provided the ram caught in the thicket, now representing Christ, and the sacrifice was completed. This was one of the clearest and most poignant prophecies of the coming Messiah. Abraham had passed the most severe test possible. God blessed him and again gave His covenant.
“And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:”
“That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;
“And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice” (Genesis 22:16-18).
This acted parable was given to instruct another Son, who many years later would visit the temple. He would observe the sacrifices and learn their meanings. And he would remember that Abraham was willing to sacrifice his only son. By this means, the boy Jesus learned at the age of twelve more of His Father’s will in His own life.
Isaac and Rebecca had twin sons. The covenant line went through Jacob, the younger of the two. Jacob had a checkered career to say the least. He had faith. He believed God. But he also had severe personality defects. He apparently was experienced in fraud and prevarication! He was exceeded in this only by his father-in-law, Laban. It took 20 years working for Laban for Jacob to begin to see himself.
When Jacob left home, Isaac blessed him with the covenant of Abraham (Genesis 28:3,4). After a day of travel, he lay at night with a stone for a pillow. He dreamed of a ladder reaching from earth to heaven. In his dream the Lord stood at the top of the ladder and repeated to him the everlasting covenant (Genesis 28:12-15).
After 20 years in Padan-aram, Jacob left to return home. It became a crisis when he learned that Esau was coming with 400 men. He divided his company into two so that one might escape if the other were attacked. He sent presents of sheep and cattle in waves – the first drove would arrive and be presented to Esau, then another, then another. In making presents he was trying to tell Esau that he did not desire the wealth of his father, as he had enough already.
Finally, after sending his wives, he stayed alone by the book Jabbok to pray. During the night Jacob was attacked. Thinking that this was a common thief, Jacob wrestled all night for his life. When his assailant “touched the hollow of his thigh” and put it out of joint, Jacob knew that he had been wrestling with more than a man. As the sun came up, his assailant said, “Let me go, for the day breaketh.” Jacob answered, “I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.”
27 “And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.
28 “And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed” (Genesis 32:27-28).
In Genesis 35:10-12 his new name, Israel, is given again, and the everlasting covenant of Abraham is repeated here and again in Genesis 46:3,4. From this point on the nation of Israel would refer to their heritage from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Each of these patriarchs had been given the covenant directly by God.
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