Who was Isaac in the Bible?

Answer

The name Isaac, which means “he laughs,” was derived from his parents’ reaction when God told Abraham that he, at 100 years old, and his wife Sarah, at the age of 90, would have a son (Genesis 17:17;Genesis 18:12). Isaac was Abraham’s second son; his first, Ishmael, was born to Sarah’s maidservant, Hagar, due to Sarah’s impatience in providing Abraham with a family (Genesis 16:1-2). Once Isaac was weaned, Sarah insisted that Abraham send Hagar and her son away to ensure that the family inheritance would pass to Isaac (Genesis 21:3-12).

Many years later, Isaac accompanied his father up a mountain where Abraham, in obedience to God, prepared to sacrifice him (Genesis 22:1-14). Abraham, Isaac, and two of Abraham’s servants loaded up donkeys and embarked on a three-day journey to Mount Moriah. After leaving the servants behind, Abraham and Isaac carried the wood, knife, and fire materials up the mountain, stating that they would worship and then return. Curious, Isaac inquired about the whereabouts of the lamb for the offering. Abraham assured Isaac that God Himself would provide the lamb. Abraham proceeded to construct the altar and bind Isaac to place him on top of it. The Bible does not indicate that Isaac resisted. As Abraham prepared to sacrifice Isaac, an angel intervened. Subsequently, Abraham noticed a ram caught in a thicket and offered it as a substitute. This account holds a profound analogy reflecting God’s sacrifice of His only Son, Jesus. God indeed provided the Lamb—literally for Abraham and Isaac then, and symbolically for all humanity willing to accept Jesus’ sacrifice (John 1:29; Hebrews 10).

Sarah passed away when Isaac was in his late thirties. After her death, Abraham dispatched one of his servants to seek a spouse for Isaac from their clan, as Abraham was resolute that his son should not wed a Canaanite woman (Genesis 24:1-51). Abraham’s servant entreated for success in finding a suitable spouse, and God guided his endeavor. At the age of forty, Isaac married his cousin Rebekah «and Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to be his wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan-aram, the sister of Laban the Syrian. », (Genesis 25:20). The Scriptures inform us that “he loved her; and Isaac found solace after his mother’s passing” «And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.», (Genesis 24:67).

At the age of sixty, Isaac became the father of twins—Jacob and Esau. While Isaac favored his elder son, Esau, Rebekah favored Jacob. This sparked intense rivalry within the family, resulting in Jacob, the younger son, receiving the inheritance and paternal blessing that rightfully belonged to Esau, the older son, after Rebekah and Jacob deceived Isaac and Esau. Although Isaac discovered the deception, he could not retract his blessing on Jacob (Genesis 27). Rebekah got wind of Esau’s plot to harm Jacob following Isaac’s demise and persuaded Isaac to send Jacob to her brother Laban to find a spouse among her kinsfolk. Isaac once again bestowed his blessing upon Jacob before sending him off, praying that God would grant Jacob the blessing bestowed upon Abraham.

Abraham passed away when Isaac was approximately seventy-five and bequeathed everything to him «And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac. », (Genesis 25:5). Although Ishmael had been sent away when Isaac was weaned, both Isaac and Ishmael buried Abraham «And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, which is before Mamre; », (Genesis 25:9). The Bible does not specifically mention their relationship, and the descendants of Ishmael and those of Isaac have historically been enemies; animosity remains to this day. However, it is interesting to note that the two men apparently united in mourning their father.

When there was a famine in the land, God appeared to Isaac and instructed him not to go to Egypt but to stay in the land. God promised to be with Isaac, bless him, and give the land to Isaac’s descendants. God reaffirmed the covenant He had made with Abraham, stating that He would make his descendants as numerous as the stars and bless all the nations of the earth through them (Genesis 26:1-6).

Isaac remained in the land of Canaan. However, similar to what his father had done years before his birth, in fear, Isaac presented Rebekah as his sister rather than his wife (Genesis 26:7-11). Nevertheless, just as God had protected Sarah, He also protected Rebekah. God blessed Isaac with abundant crops and wealth, to the extent that the Philistines became envious and stopped up the water wells Abraham had dug. The Philistine king requested Isaac to relocate, and Isaac complied, moving from place to place digging new wells when his adversaries quarreled with him over the water. The Philistine king soon acknowledged that Isaac had been blessed by God and established a peace treaty between them (Genesis 26:26-31).

Isaac di

Isaac died at the age of 180 and was buried by both of his sons. God affirmed His covenant with Jacob, the son of Isaac, whom He renamed Israel.

Although much of Isaac’s story is narrative without many readily applicable lessons to our lives, we do see in Isaac a heart surrendered to God’s will. For example, he was obedient to Abraham and Sarah and apparently trusting of their guidance. He obeyed when God told him to remain in the land despite the famine and the attacks of his enemies. When Isaac discovered that he had been deceived by his son Jacob, he accepted and submitted to what he recognized as God’s will, despite it being completely against the accepted tradition at the time. Just as Isaac discovered, we too must remember that God’s ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not the same as ours “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.”, (Isaiah 55:8). Isaac’s story also demonstrates God’s faithfulness to His promises—He had made a covenant with Abraham and would continue to uphold it with Isaac and with Isaac’s son Jacob.

Although there are no great achievements to speak of concerning Isaac’s life, it was Isaac whom God chose to continue the covenant line, the same line that would produce the Messiah, Jesus. For many generations, the Jewish nation described their God as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Indeed, there are several passages of Scripture where God describes Himself in the same manner e.g., Exodus 3:6. Isaac is listed with the other patriarchs and has a place in God’s kingdom “There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.”, (Luke 13:28). And there is no greater honor we can hope to achieve.