Isaac’s Remarkable Faith
“By faith
Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.”
–Hebrews
11:20
Read Genesis 27, the passage to
which Paul refers, and you will see why Isaac is held before us here as a man
of remarkable faith. The Holy Spirit specifically declares that Isaac, in an
act of faith, blessed both his sons, both Jacob and Esau. Here are eight things
I have gleaned from the record God has given us of this event.
1. God almighty
saves whom he will.
Let men rant and rave all they
may, gnashing their teeth upon the Word of God, the fact remains —“Salvation is of the Lord!” God has mercy on whom he will. He chooses some and
passes by others. The purpose of God according to election stands firm. “The foundation of God standeth sure: the
Lord knoweth them that are his!” Read Romans 9:11-16.
1. God’s elect are
almost always those we least suspect might be.
God’s ways are not our ways. God’s
thoughts are not our thoughts. And God’s choices are not our choices. Isaac
chose Esau; but God chose Jacob (1 Cor. 1:26-29). Let us never imagine that we
know the purpose of God concerning another person. None are beyond the reach of
omnipotent grace. And none, no matter how excellent they may appear to our
eyes, have anything to commend them to God’s favor.
2. Faith cherishes
and prizes Christ above all things.
Faith chooses Christ. Faith seeks
Christ. Faith counts Christ precious and all things but dung in comparison to
him (1 Pet. 2:6-8).
3. Unbelief despises
Christ and cherishes the lusts of the flesh.
Esau despised Christ. Jacob chose
him. Esau counted Christ but dung for the momentary gratification of his lust.
Jacob counted that dung which Esau cherished, that he might win Christ and be
found in him (Phil. 3:3-14). Multitudes there are like Esau. The sons of Korah,
Elimelech, Judas and Demas stand before us as glaring examples of men in whose
heart the world was so set that they could not behold the works of God (Ecc.
3:11). Jacob preferred Christ to anything and everything. Few there are like him.
The birthright Jacob chose represented Christ and God’s salvation in him. For
that, Jacob was willing to incur his father’s wrath, a life of separation from
family and friend, and anything else.
4. God gives every
one of us exactly what we want.
This is a fact deserving much
thought and consideration. – If you
desire Christ, I am fully aware that God himself has made you want him; but if
Christ is what you want, Christ is what you shall have (Jer. 29:11-14). If you want
the world, if you want self-gratification, if you want what all men naturally
want and choose, if you despise Christ and choose your own lusts, God will give
you that. Oh, how I pray that God will cause you to seek Christ. But if you
despise him and choose to serve your own lusts, God will give you what you
want. Esau found enough to gratify his heart in the portion with which he was
blessed (“I have enough” – Gen.
33:9). His blessing proved to be his everlasting curse (Pro. 1:23-32). Jacob,
when he had given everything away, found that which gratified his heart and
soul in his blessing (“I have enough”
– Gen. 33:11). His blessing is Christ!
5. When the Lord God
shuts a sinner up in reprobation, he is doomed forever.
If God gives a person up, if God
turns a sinner over to himself and lets him have his own way, he is as good as
in hell. When God shuts the door, the door is shut! He shut the door going into
the ark before the first raindrop fell from heaven! Esau set his heart upon the
world; and God set the world in his heart (Ecc. 3:11).
6. Nothing stands in
the way of or in any way hinders the purpose of God.
Yes, blessed be his holy name, God
always has his way, overruling our wills, our desires, our purposes, and even
our most reprehensible behavior, to accomplish his everlasting purpose of grace!
The purpose of God shall stand.
7. Faith ultimately
bows to the will of God, because that is what every believer truly wants.
Faith says, “Thy will be done!” This is what we see in Genesis 27:33-41 and
Hebrews 11:20. Though the purpose of God was in direct opposition to all that
Isaac wanted, purposed, planned and worked to secure, in the end, he bowed to
God’s will.