Bill Fitzhenry's Thoughts For Today…

Understanding important truths from the Bible….

Genesis 25:19-21 ESV

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.

Isaac’s story begins at Genesis 25:19. Isaac is always remembered in the Covenant with Abraham and Jacob - though he does not have the conflicts, the victories, or the personality of either his father or his son. Isaac is a meek man who lives a quiet life. He has no great exploits. He is not a hero but he is the Covenant heir and he is a man of true faith.

Genesis 25:19 through 28:5 gives enough information on Isaac to form an opinion about him. Isaac is presented in the following way.

1. As mentioned above he is a man with a very average personality. His acts and accomplishments are all very average. He becomes very wealthy (Genesis 26:12-13), but he does not appear to be greatly affected by it. He is a believer and lives like one. This should remind a Bible student that a believer can and most often will be an average person who lives a normal life within the bounds of faith.

2. Isaac, as a believer, is capable of effectual prayer, Genesis 25:21. Though there is not another illustration of his prayer life, it must be assumed that the example given above is the practice of Isaac, when confronted with a problem or a need he prayed to the Lord in whom he believed. Here again his experience is example for the normal believer. Prayer is a necessary part of the spiritual life of the believer.

3, Isaac was a man of strong faith, Genesis 26:24-25; 28:3-4. This is with us as it was with Isaac, a true faith does not guarantee there will not be times when it will fail. Isaac feared and his faith failed, 26:6-7.

6 So Isaac settled in Gerar.

7 When the men of the place asked him about his wife, he said, "She is my sister," for he feared to say, "My wife," thinking, "lest the men of the place should kill me because of Rebekah," because she was attractive in appearance.

But when it matters most he proved himself a believer. Genesis 26:24-25.

24 And the LORD appeared to him the same night and said, "I am the God of Abraham your father. Fear not, for I am with you and will bless you and multiply your offspring for my servant Abraham’s sake."

25 So he built an altar there and called upon the name of the LORD and pitched his tent there. And there Isaac’s servants dug a well.

4. He appears in the Scripture to be dependent on the strong women in his life. Genesis 24:6-7; 27:46-28:1-2. This might have contributed to his meekness. It does not seem to affect him adversely. But a believer – man or woman – should seek to be dependent on God alone.

5. Isaac’s lack of spiritual discernment seems to be the most troubling attribute for him. Genesis 25:27-28.

27 When the boys grew up, Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, dwelling in tents.

28 Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.

Rebekah’s knowledge of God’s election of Jacob and His intent for Jacob to be the one who continued the Covenant line is plain. Lack of spiritual discernment is the only explanation for Isaac’s failure.

The context of Genesis 27:30-40 strongly indicate Isaac’s sorrow at having given the blessing to Jacob. As his oldest son, Esau should have been his material and spiritual heir. But that does not excuse him for being reluctant to accept God’s will for his sons. Malachi 1:2-3.

2 "I have loved you," says the LORD. But you say, "How have you loved us?" "Is not Esau Jacob’s brother?" declares the LORD. "Yet I have loved Jacob

3 but Esau I have hated. I have laid waste his hill country and left his heritage to jackals of the desert."

Isaac might not stir a believer to great deeds of faith, but neither does he leave a bad impression of what a believer should be. And he truly was a meek man. Matthew 5:5

5"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.