Mountain Movers

By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future. (Hebrews 11:20)

There is no doubt that Abraham's faith made an impact on the believers in the Bible for centuries afterwards. Stephen, one of the first Christian martyrs mentioned to the Sanhedrin in Acts 7:2 that "The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham." Even though many of the Pharisees at the time were violently opposed to the message of the early Christians, both sides agreed that Abraham was their father in the faith. Yet it was through Isaac, in Genesis 17, that God established his covenant that would bless the future generations.

While Abraham 'lit the torch', Isaac would be the one to begin carrying it. Just as God tested Abraham throughout his life, He also tested Isaac. Isaac was the one being offered as a sacrifice that Abraham was offering. Certainly it tested Isaac's faith in Genesis 22 when Isaac was bound and laid on top of the altar and noticed his father taking his knife out ready to slay him. However, there is no mention during the journey or sacrifice that Isaac tried to escape or questioned what Abraham was doing. He trusted in God and his father. And, through that experience, his faith and his relationship with his father was built in an eternally-sustaining way.

We read in Genesis 25, Abraham left everything he owned to Isaac just before he died. Isaac was ready to carry on his father's legacy.

God continued to test Isaac. In Genesis 25:21, Rebekah, Isaac's wife and the one from whom his descendants would be blessed, was stated to be barren. This great disappointment definitely challenged Isaac's faith and drove him to his knees before God in desperate prayer. God listened and answered by Isaac's prayer by delivering unto them twins.

An interesting note is that the Bible says Isaac prayed to God on behalf of his wife, yet God spoke to Rebekah directly rather than Isaac regarding the future plans of his twin sons. Rebekah was exposed to God's will that the older child would serve the younger one, the reverse of the cultural norm of the day.

Isaac lived by the old adage that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. In Genesis 25:28, it says that Isaac, who had a taste for wild game, loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob. Isaac was already planning to give his blessing to Esau-- the logical choice in Isaac's mind. However, in Proverbs 16:9, it says that "In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." Isaac would later see how true this really was.

While Esau was Isaac's favorite son, he made some decisions that bore long-term consequences. He married two Hittite women and sold his birthright for a bowl of stew. The two Hittite women were a source of grief for his parents as they were also not from God's chosen people.

Esau casually swapped his birthright for a bowl of stew, showing clearly that God was not a priority in his life.

Jacob also had his share of weaknesses. There were several occasions in which he was blatantly deceitful. Yet, we are told that it was ever Jacob's desire was to see God's covenant prevail. In Genesis 27, Isaac was finally ready to give his blessing. He told Esau about this and all Esau had to do was hunt some game, serve it to Isaac, and the blessings would be his. Truly, Esau was more than excited to hear this. Little did he know that both Rebekah and Jacob were coming up with a scheme to sabotage Isaac's plan. It was not difficult for Jacob to pass for Esau since Isaac was old with failing eyesight. So, once Jacob convinced Isaac that he was Esau and his father ate and drank to his satisfaction, Jacob received the blessing that was originally reserved for Esau. In Genesis 27:28ff, it says: "May God give you of heaven's dew and of earth's richness-an abundance of grain and new wine. May nations serve you and peoples bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you. May those who curse you be cursed and those who bless you be blessed." Jacob was without doubt given the best of blessings. Imagine the drama that followed when Esau arrived on the scene with food, prepared for his special blessing from his doting old father. Isaac, trembling violently after realizing he had been deceived, gave Esau his lesser blessing,written in verse 39ff: "Your dwelling will be away from the earth's richness, away from the dew of heaven above. You will live by the sword and you will serve your brother. But when you grow restless, you will throw his yoke from off your neck." Even though Jacob behaved deceitfully, Isaac shows in Genesis 27:33 that he was thoroughly convinced that Jacob should be blessed. He was unmoved by his favorite's appeal to have the blessing removed from his brother and re-instated for him. Isaac was firm in his decision, and what he said would happen, did. He was convicted that he couldn't change what God had planned even though it went against what he wanted to happen in his heart. By faith, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau regarding their futures. He could have rationalized the situation, considering that Esau was the firstborn and Jacob was deceitful. However, because of his faith, he was completely surrendered to God. He knew God's plan was greater than his, so he didn't change what God ultimately destined to happen.

Certainly, Isaac was surprised by what God's plan was, yet he still held firm to his faith in God. Often, in our lives, as Proverbs 16:9 reveals, our plans our changed by God. Yet, by surrendering to God in faith, we can be assured that God's will prevails and he will bring spiritual blessings to our lives. In the next chapter, we will follow Jacob's life and see how God continued to bless His people.