Isaac, the son whom Abraham loves
Jesus, God’s beloved Son (Mt 3:17)
Willing, obedient victim
Willing, obedient victim (Mt 26:39)
Carries wood for sacrifice
Carries wood of the cross
Land of Moriah
Mount Calvary / Jerusalem (2 Chr 3:1)
Burnt offering
Offers himself for our sin (Is 53:10; Jn 1:29)
Worldwide blessing
Worldwide blessing of freedom from sin
What frames the story of Abraham from beginning to end is the call of Abraham and
his descendants to be a channel of blessing to all the nations. The
choosing of Abraham
and the election of Israel are not in spite of the other nations but for their sake. The Early
World ended with an entire race scattered and divided because of their rebellion against
God. Now, in the time of the Patriarchs, God chooses Abraham and blesses his family to
reunite and bring blessing to
all the nations, even those who have rebelled against him.
The story of Abraham and Israel makes sense only if we see it in this light: they have a
mission to undo the mess of Adam and Babel.
A
CT
3:
J
ACOB
,
THE
D
ECEIVER
Isaac and His Sons
After the long Abrahamic narrative, Genesis spends only a few short chapters on Isaac
before turning to his sons. In Genesis 24, Abraham sends one of his servants to find a wife
for Isaac among his kinsmen. The servant is blessed by the Lord and brings back Rebekah,
whom Isaac loves. All that Isaac does prospers. Isaac sows and reaps a hundredfold with
God’s blessing (Gn 26:12). Isaac is the only patriarch who doesn’t leave the Promised
Land and the only patriarch who
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is faithful to his wife. The reward of chastity is the
ability to live in the Promised Land unmolested.
Rebekah gives birth to twins, Esau and Jacob, and fraternal rivalry begins at birth:
Esau is the
firstborn, but Jacob comes out of the womb holding on to Esau’s foot, a sign
of things to come since “to grasp the heel,” from
which Jacob receives his name, is a
Hebrew idiom that can mean “to deceive” or “supplant.” As the brothers grow up, Isaac
favors Esau while Rebekah loves Jacob best. When Isaac is old and close to death, he calls
his firstborn son, Esau, to him and tells him to
hunt game and make a meal, after which
Isaac will pass on to Esau the blessing. However, God’s word at the twins’ birth indicated
that the blessing was to be given to Jacob (Gn 25:23); additionally, the earlier narrative
recounted how Esau despised his birthright, selling it for a bowl of pottage (Gn 25:29–
34). When Rebekah overhears Isaac’s conversation, she quickly devises a deceptive plan
to see that the blessing is given to Jacob. She tells Jacob to go quickly to the flock and get
two kids so that she can prepare a meal for Isaac.
The Faithful Firstborn
As in the Early World, the father’s blessing bestowed the family authority, including
the roles of
priesthood and kingship, upon the one blessed. This blessing was handed down from father to
firstborn son, but all too often the firstborn sons in Israel’s history cut themselves off from this
blessing by their sinfulness. Cain, Adam’s firstborn, kills his brother and is exiled, cut off from
the family blessing that is given instead to Seth. Isaac’s firstborn, Esau, despises and sells his
birthright. At the end of Genesis, it will be Jacob’s fourth son, the repentant Judah, who receives
the blessing of kingship for his line, when his older three brothers are passed over because of their
sinful acts. In Genesis, there is only one preeminent, faithful, firstborn son, Noah’s firstborn
Shem, who prefigures the eternal, faithful, firstborn Son of God, Jesus Christ.
Jacob then disguises himself as Esau and brings the meal to his father. Isaac, blind
with age, asks who is there. Jacob replies, “I am Esau, your firstborn.” This first
lie is
followed by others as the scene is peppered with Jacob’s deceitful words.
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Jacob takes
advantage of his ailing father and obtains the blessing by lying, trickery, and stealth. Jacob
was to have the blessing, but it was not to be taken by deception. Isaac puts his hand upon
Jacob and gives him the blessing, which passes on to
him the family authority, headship,
and priesthood, along with the promise of material prosperity.
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