Isaac in God's Covenant
Gen. 25:19-23
Isaac is the Son of Promise. In Gen. 15:2, 3 Abraham was resigned to accepting Eleaser as his heir. Then he had an illegitimate son named Ishmael. In Gen. 17:18 he was ready to accept him as the covenant son. This was not God's will. God promised a son that would be miraculously born when Abraham and Sarah were both passed childbearing age Gen. 17:16, 17, 19. In the New Testament Paul tells us that the covenant people, Israel, are the descendents of Isaac Rom. 9:6, 7.
God had originally made a covenant with Abraham to give him a multitude of children, to give him the land from the Mediterranean Sea to the Euphrates River, and that one of His descendents would bless the world. In Gen.17:19, 21; 26:14 God confirmed that covenant with Isaac. This comes also in answer to Abraham's prayer for a son in Gen. 25:20, 21.
Like Abrabam had loved Ishmael, Isaac afterwards loved his first born, Esau Gen. 25:24-26. Again God's choice was different. He passed over Esau and chose Jacob. In Gen. 25:22, 23; 27:27-29; 37, 39, 40 Esau would serve Jacob. In Mal. 1:1-5 God expressed His love for Isaac's second son, Jacob and His hatred for his first son, Esau.
These choices were not made without purpose. God was working out His plan for the ages. When He said to Abraham, and in thee shall the families of the earth be blessed, He was speaking of Jesus Who is in the flesh a descendent of Jacob. God promised to them all the land of Eden from the River of Egypt to the Euphrates River. The River of Egypt flows into the southeast corner of the Mediterranean Sea. I believe this will yet be given to them.
God chose also to reveal His plan of salvation through election. He chose Abraham out of all the men of the time. He chose Isaac out of Abraham's two sons, and He chose Jacob out of Isaac's two sons. When we come then to the New Testament in Rom. 9:10-13 we are told that the choice of Jacob was for the purpose of establishing election, "And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated." Notice that clause, "that the purpose of God according to election might stand." It is also made clear that it is not of works, but of Him that calleth.
Isaac also showed us the coming of Christ in atonement. In Gen. 22 being commanded of God Abraham took Isaac to the mountain that God showed him and purposed to obey God in sacrificing Isaac as a burnt offering unto God. Going up the mountain Isaac called his father's attention to the fact that they had the wood and the fire, but he questioned, "where is the sacrifice?" Abraham prophesied that God would provide Himself a lamb. When Isaac was on the altar about to be slain, God called out of Heaven and stopped Abraham. The vicarious nature of God's sacrifice is seen in the ram that Abraham offered instead of Isaac. Abraham's prophecy was not fulfilled until one day by the banks of Jordan John the Baptist proclaimed "Behold the lamb that taketh away the sin of the world." God provided His Lamb in the person of Jesus Christ Who did die the vicarious sacrificial death for our sins.
Gen. 25:19-23
Isaac is the Son of Promise. In Gen. 15:2, 3 Abraham was resigned to accepting Eleaser as his heir. Then he had an illegitimate son named Ishmael. In Gen. 17:18 he was ready to accept him as the covenant son. This was not God's will. God promised a son that would be miraculously born when Abraham and Sarah were both passed childbearing age Gen. 17:16, 17, 19. In the New Testament Paul tells us that the covenant people, Israel, are the descendents of Isaac Rom. 9:6, 7.
God had originally made a covenant with Abraham to give him a multitude of children, to give him the land from the Mediterranean Sea to the Euphrates River, and that one of His descendents would bless the world. In Gen.17:19, 21; 26:14 God confirmed that covenant with Isaac. This comes also in answer to Abraham's prayer for a son in Gen. 25:20, 21.
Like Abrabam had loved Ishmael, Isaac afterwards loved his first born, Esau Gen. 25:24-26. Again God's choice was different. He passed over Esau and chose Jacob. In Gen. 25:22, 23; 27:27-29; 37, 39, 40 Esau would serve Jacob. In Mal. 1:1-5 God expressed His love for Isaac's second son, Jacob and His hatred for his first son, Esau.
These choices were not made without purpose. God was working out His plan for the ages. When He said to Abraham, and in thee shall the families of the earth be blessed, He was speaking of Jesus Who is in the flesh a descendent of Jacob. God promised to them all the land of Eden from the River of Egypt to the Euphrates River. The River of Egypt flows into the southeast corner of the Mediterranean Sea. I believe this will yet be given to them.
God chose also to reveal His plan of salvation through election. He chose Abraham out of all the men of the time. He chose Isaac out of Abraham's two sons, and He chose Jacob out of Isaac's two sons. When we come then to the New Testament in Rom. 9:10-13 we are told that the choice of Jacob was for the purpose of establishing election, "And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated." Notice that clause, "that the purpose of God according to election might stand." It is also made clear that it is not of works, but of Him that calleth.
Isaac also showed us the coming of Christ in atonement. In Gen. 22 being commanded of God Abraham took Isaac to the mountain that God showed him and purposed to obey God in sacrificing Isaac as a burnt offering unto God. Going up the mountain Isaac called his father's attention to the fact that they had the wood and the fire, but he questioned, "where is the sacrifice?" Abraham prophesied that God would provide Himself a lamb. When Isaac was on the altar about to be slain, God called out of Heaven and stopped Abraham. The vicarious nature of God's sacrifice is seen in the ram that Abraham offered instead of Isaac. Abraham's prophecy was not fulfilled until one day by the banks of Jordan John the Baptist proclaimed "Behold the lamb that taketh away the sin of the world." God provided His Lamb in the person of Jesus Christ Who did die the vicarious sacrificial death for our sins.
No comments:
Post a Comment