Isaac: The Child Of The Promise Series

Abraham was a man of faith. God spoke to Abraham on numerous occasions. Five times in Genesis records Abraham building an altar to God.

The Altar at Bethel

The LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him. (Genesis 12:7)

The altar at the oak of Moreh

From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD. (Genesis 12:8)

Again, at the altar of Bethel

and where he had first built an altar. There Abram called on the name of the LORD. Genesis 13:4

At Hebron By the oaks of Mamre

So Abram moved his tent and came and settled by the oaks of Mamre, which are at Hebron, and there he built an altar to the LORD. (Genesis 13:18)

Mountain at the region of Moriah

When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. (Genesis 22:9)

Abraham obeyed God. He left his homeland when God told him to. Regarding Isaac, the child of promise Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness. The Lord was very clear to Abraham that this child Isaac was the child of promise. There is nothing like the experience Abraham had at the altar of Mount Moriah.

Isaac is portrayed throughout his life as a man of faith like his father. When we read the account of Mount Moriah we do not specifically read the reaction of Isaac. But we get the idea. If Abraham is trusting God with this, then so would his son Isaac.

All the way to make the sacrifice we do not know he was not willing to obey his father. We read he asked questions, like where is the sacrifice but not protesting. We assume he was ten years old with a simple faith. We know that Abraham was in submission to God, and it seems that Isaac was trusting his father.

Isaac must have grown up hearing from his father and mother that he was a special child of promise. He would undoubtedly have heard the story of how his parents received the promise and waited 25 years for the fulfillment.

My wife and I have a son name Isaac. We named him after the Isaac of our story here. I know we have told our Isaac many times why we laughed when we found out we were expecting him. Why wouldn’t Abraham and Sarah have told their Isaac many times the miraculous way he became the son of promise.

At Mount Moriah Abraham heard God speak. and through your offspring[a] all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.” (Genesis 22:18) God was speaking to Abraham regarding Isaac. He would have undoubtedly known he was a child of destiny of promise.

Not only did Isaac hear God declare him as the child of promise, but he saw how obedience to God was connected with blessing. Isaac had a godly heritage, but it is never enough to rest on the laurels of the parents. Each person must own their faith.

God calls each one to personal faith. Isaac had that personal faith. He himself was listed in the Hebrews 11 hall of faith. By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future. And Isaac passed on the faith to his children.

Jesus acknowledged the faith of Isaac. When he affirmed the faith of the centurian speaking of heaven he said, those with faith When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. 11 I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 11:10-11)

God often reveals himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He is the child of promise. Isaac becomes a man of faith.

We see Isaac the man of prayer and devotion. We see Isaac built an altar and he was dedicated to worship and prayer. Isaac built an altar there and called on the name of the LORD. There he pitched his tent, and there his servants dug a well. (Genesis 26:25). As the child of promise it was significant who Isaac married. Much prayer went in to who Isaac would marry.