Tag Archives: Isaac

JACOB, DECEIVER TURNED DEPENDENT – 1

January 28, 2024Bible StudyDeceiver, Isaac, JACOBLuella Campbell

Although Isaac was one of the patriarchs, his story is relatively uneventful. He seems to be the bridge between his father, Abraham, and his son, Jacob.

He was the miracle son of Abraham, the object of Abraham’s faith. His birth in his parents’ old age confirmed the start of a string of promises that stretched unendingly into their future.

For Jacob, his son, Isaac was the victim of trickery and deceit, disrespect and dishonour, possibly fuelled by the favouritism Isaac showed his brother, Esau, for purely selfish reasons.

‭Genesis‬ ‭25:28‬ ‭NLT‬
[28] “Isaac loved Esau because he enjoyed eating the wild game Esau brought home, but Rebekah loved Jacob.”

So, we come to Jacob, younger son of twins born to Isaac and Rebekah in answer to Isaac’s prayer. From before their birth, these two boys were in conflict. Rebekah asked the Lord why they struggled in her womb and, once again as in many other times, God revealed that He had chosen the younger brother over the elder to fulfill His purposes. How often God bypassed the older son in favour of the younger to be the vehicle of His purposes.

‭Genesis‬ ‭25:21‭-‬23‬ ‭NLT‬
[21] “Isaac pleaded with the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was unable to have children. The Lord answered Isaac’s prayer, and Rebekah became pregnant with twins. [22] But the two children struggled with each other in her womb. So she went to ask the Lord about it. “Why is this happening to me?” she asked. [23] And the Lord told her, “The sons in your womb will become two nations. From the very beginning, the two nations will be rivals. One nation will be stronger than the other; and your older son will serve your younger son.”

Scripture does not reveal how God would carry out His plan to build His nation through Jacob rather than Esau. Perhaps He was revealing to Rebekah what would happen through human conniving rather than how it would happen according to His will.

Like her grandparents-in-law, Abraham and Sarah (in the birth of Ishmael), Rebekah tried to help God in this process, only to sour relationships between the brothers and cause unnessary conflict in her family. Since Jacob was her favourite son, Jacob was to be God’s favoured one, and she would make sure it happened!

To be continued…

DIARY OF THE FATHER OF FAITH – 7

January 20, 2024Bible Studyfear God, Isaac, sacrificeLuella Campbell

How do we know when we have finally graduated from the “University of hard knocks”? Does our faith continue to be tested to the end of our days? For some, I think the answer to the second question is “Yes” because they never learn the lesson of faith that trusts and obeys without question whatever the situation.

‭Genesis‬ ‭22:1‭-‬2‬ ‭NLT‬
[1] Some time later, God tested Abraham’s faith. “Abraham!” God called. “Yes,” he replied. “Here I am.” [2] “Take your son, your only son—yes, Isaac, whom you love so much—and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you.”

So, Abraham spent the night agonising over God’s instruction? Cutting off every male’s foreskin was bad enough. Now God was telling him to murder his son! This son, this precious young boy who was born through a miracle! Kill him! “God, you must be crazy!”

No, not one word of resistance, argument, or refusal. Abraham’s faith, years in the growing, must leap this final hurdle. God wanted his best. Would he give Isaac willingly without a moment’s hesitation?

‭Genesis‬ ‭22:3‬ ‭NLT‬
[3] “The next morning Abraham got up early. He saddled his donkey and took two of his servants with him, along with his son, Isaac. Then he chopped wood for a fire for a burnt offering and set out for the place God had told him about.”

How could Abraham comply without putting up a fight?

‭Romans‬ ‭4:17‬ ‭NLT‬
[17]”That is what the Scriptures mean when God told him, “I have made you the father of many nations.” This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing.”

The promise! Abraham’s faith was securely anchored in God’s promise.

‭Romans‬ ‭4:16‬ ‭NLT‬
[16]” So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham’s. For Abraham is the father of all who believe.”

No matter what God asked him to do, even to kill his son, the son of promise through whom God’s
nation would be born, it was okay with him. So strong was Abraham’s confidence in God’s promise, a covenant ratified by blood, that he would even kill Isaac because he believed that God would raise him from the dead.

Abraham’s implicit faith is expressed in his words to his servants and to his son…

‭Genesis‬ ‭22:4‭-‬8‬ ‭NLT‬
[4] “On the third day of their journey, Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. [5] “Stay here with the donkey,” Abraham told the servants. “The boy and I will travel a little farther. We will worship there, and then we will come right back.” [6] So Abraham placed the wood for the burnt offering on Isaac’s shoulders, while he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them walked on together, [7] Isaac turned to Abraham and said, “Father?” “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied. “We have the fire and the wood,” the boy said, “but where is the sheep for the burnt offering?” [8] “God will provide a sheep for the burnt offering, my son,” Abraham answered. And they both walked on together.”

No fuss, no resistance, no fury, just quiet confidence in the One who is utterly trustworthy. “We will go and worship, and we will come back…”

And so, when they arrived at the spot God had chosen, Abraham got on with the job of building a rough stone altar, tying up his son in case Isaac decided to make a run for it, and lifting the knife to plunge into Isaac’s heart, a quick and merciful end to the agony.

Why Mount Moriah? This was the very spot God had chosen, before the world began, for the sacrifice of His own Son whom He did not withhold from death, as He did Isaac. Isaac’s death could not save the world but, through Isaac would come the One who would save sinners from eternal death.

A voice from heaven calls out,

‭Genesis‬ ‭22:10‭-‬12‬ ‭NLT‬
[10] “Abraham! Abraham!” “Yes,” Abraham replied. “Here I am!” [12] “Don’t lay a hand on the boy!” the angel said. “Do not hurt him in any way, for now I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld from me even your son, your only son.”

Now I know! Of course, God knew the details and depth of Abraham’s trust. He didn’t need a physical demonstration, but Abraham did. “Don’t tell me, show me!” This event would, forever, be etched on Abraham’s mind, God’s verbal approval of the greatest quality any believer can acquire, a trust so implicit that no adversity, no hardship, no trial, not even an instruction from God can overcome. No reasoning, no questions asked. Just simple, implicit, unhesitating obedience. That’s the fear of the Lord!

From this moment on, it’s all plain sailing for Abraham – no more tests, just a life of quiet confidence in a faithful God.

How can we acquire a faith like that, a trust in God that puts an end to the constant crises that God allows to see what we will do? Yes, we will have trouble in this world but… how do we handle trouble? Faith in God’s promises.

‭2 Peter‬ ‭1:3‭-‬4‬ ‭NLT‬
[3] “By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. [4] And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.”

When we can keep sailing, no matter how hard the wind blows, God will say of us, as He said of Abraham, “Now I know that you fear God…”

To be continued…

Election And Predestination

August 12, 2014Bible Studyelection, Isaac, purposes, Rebekah's childrenLuella Campbell

ELECTION AND PREDESTINATION

“Not only that, but Rebekah’s children were conceived at the same time by our father Isaac. Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad – in order that God’s purpose in election might stand: not by works but by Him who calls – she was told, ‘The older will serve the younger.’ Just as it is written, ‘Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.'” Romans 9:10-13.

This election thing is mighty confusing, isn’t it? It seems as though God is unfair. How can He choose some people to salvation and others to condemnation before they are even born? But wait a minute. Before we jump to such conclusions, we need to get rid of some assumptions.

Take predestination, for example. Does the Bible imply that God sits in heaven sorting people out and saying, “One for heaven, one for hell,” like a love-sick teenager picking petals off a daisy and chanting, “He loves me, he loves me not”? Not at all! What kind of God would He be to do that? What does the Bible say?

Predestination is not about eternal salvation but about destiny. So what’s the difference? Look at it this way. If I choose to make medicine my career, the moment I walk through the doors of the university and begin my studies, I am destined to be a doctor. I will study medicine and be trained in the skills and practices of a medical doctor and when I Ieave the university and go out to practice what I have learned, I will be able to give myself the title, Dr So-and-So because that is I have been trained to do.

The only difference between what happens to me in my career which is earthly and temporary and my eternal destiny is that God pre-destined me, not to be a doctor but to be conformed to the image of His Son. Before the foundation of the world, He decided that those who believe in His Son will perfectly resemble Him when God has completed His work in them. Can you see the difference? It’s not about who will be saved and who will not be saved. It’s about who we will be like when we have followed Jesus and lived out this life.

What about election? Again we must set aside our assumptions and read what the Bible actually says. Election is also not about salvation. It’s about God’s choice of what people will do with their lives. He chose Jacob to be the ancestor of the people through whom He would create a nation that would belong to Him. He wanted a group of people with whom He would be in a covenant relationship and through whom Messiah would come.

He chose Jacob over Esau before their birth, not because of anything they had done but because of His grace. It was about Him, not about them; about His purposes, not theirs. Why did Paul quote the verse, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated”? This is not about emotion but about intention. Jesus used the same idea to describe what a disciple’s attitude should be towards Him in comparison with his relationship to his closest relatives. Love – hate is about priorities, not attitudes.

God chose and focussed His attention on Jacob because He had chosen him to be a forefather of Jesus. That did not mean that Esau was chosen for hell. It meant that God had a different purpose for him and his descendants and it was up to him to obey God and fulfil his purpose in God’s scheme of things.

God’s purposes for us are all different, but that does not mean that we are not part of His big plan. If we obey Him, we are all part of what He is doing even if we are not in the limelight as His people were. What is most important to us is that we are accountable for our choices and for the way we live our lives, whether we fulfil our destiny or not.

So let’s not misjudge God. Let’s check His word and see for ourselves that His dealings with us are always in love and grace. That we have any part in His plan is because of His mercy. When we are in Christ, we have a destiny to be like Jesus and to be part of God’s plan to reach others in whichever way He calls us and fits us for our calling. Our response should always be one of thanksgiving for His mercy and trust that He will perfect His will in us as we follow and obey Him.

Acknowledgement

Descendants of Abraham

August 11, 2014Bible StudyAbraham's children, Isaac, promiseLuella Campbell

DESCENDANTS OF ABRAHAM

“It is not as though God’s word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. Nor because they are his descendants are they Abraham’s children. On the contrary, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but it is the children of promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring. For this was how the promise was stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.” Romans 9:6-9.

Who, then, are the true children of Abraham? Although Ishmael was Abraham’s first child, he was the son of Sarah’s slave and not entitled to be Abraham’s heir. It was Isaac, Abraham’s son by his wife, Sarah, who was reckoned as Abraham’s firstborn and therefore entitled to inherit Abraham’s property but, even more important than that, the promises of God to Abraham and his offspring.

According to the Scriptures, there are three streams of people who claim descent from Abraham. The ancient Israelites and now the Jews, are his physical descendants and are the rightful heirs of the land of Israel. God promised it to Abraham and gave it to the nation born through him by divine intervention. Although it is the source of bitter conflict and bloodshed, and although the rest of the world refuses to recognise their rightful ownership, God’s mandate to the Jews has never been withdrawn.

The second group of people who claim legitimate descent from Abraham are the offspring of Ishmael. God promised that He would also make him a great nation (Genesis 21:13, 18) but he and his descendants were not included in His covenant with Abraham (Genesis 21:12). They have no legal right to the land of Israel.

But there is a third group whom God recognises as the true sons of Abraham. During a heated debate with Jesus, the religious leaders vehemently defended their legitimate descent from Abraham. Jesus promised freedom to those who followed Him. The Jews responded:

“We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?” John 8:33.

Had they conveniently forgotten that they were descendants of those who had been enslaved by the Egyptians and by the Babylonians and, even as they spoke, they were under Roman oppression? Did not God identify Himself to them as the God who delivered them out of Egyptian bondage?

Jesus’ reply was scrutinising:

“I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me, because you have no room for my word. I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence, and you are doing what you have heard from your father… As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me, a man who told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. You are doing the works of your own father… You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires.” John 8:37-38; 40-41; 44a.

A true son is one who resembles his father. Since the Jewish religious leaders were bent on killing Jesus, they were reflecting the nature of their spiritual father, the devil. The true sons of Abraham, then, are those who reflect him in their faith in God’s promises. Without denying natural descent, spiritual descent, from God’s point of view, is far more important than natural birth.

“So then, he is the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them. And he is then also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.” Romans 4:11b, 12.

But what about the Jews who are natural descendants of Abraham but who reject Jesus as their Messiah? Is God finished with them? Do they no longer have a place in His plans? Although there are those who firmly believe and adamantly teach that the Christian church has replaced the Jews, we need to find out what the Scripture teaches about the future of God’s chosen people.