God Of Isaac Series

The Godfathers

Pt. 3 - God of Isaac

I. Introduction

The movie, directed and written by Francis Ford Coppola and released in 1972, is considered to be one of the greatest films of all time. The film paints a chilling portrait of the Corleone family's rise and near fall from power in America and focuses on this powerful Italian-American crime family. There are many famous quotes from the movie . . . “Time erodes gratitude more quickly than it does beauty!” However, the quote from the movie that has been our focus is this statement . . .

“Italians have a little joke, that the world is so hard a man must have two fathers to look after him, and that’s why they have godfathers.” – The Godfather

I am thankful for our Father. However, it struck me a while back as we sang a song that states "I call on the God of Jacob" that we too have godfathers. In over a dozen passages a statement is made in Scripture that continues to be quoted today. God is referred to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. These three men (Father, Son and Grandson) are singled out as God Fathers. This phrase is used because God makes and repeats a covenant with these three men. Scripture declares in Galatians 3:6-7 - Just as Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness, so then, understand that those who believe are the sons of Abraham.

We even sing "Father Abraham had many sons and I am one of them." However, I question whether we really have any understanding of the powerful nature of the promises made to them and ultimately to us since

We have examined the God of Abraham. Now I want us to move to the 2nd godfather and learn from the God of Isaac.

Text: Genesis 22:6-13 (NIV)

22:6-13 - Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?” “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied. “The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together. 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. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.” Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”

Although we know that Isaac was born to Abraham and Sarah when Abraham was 100 years. The text does not state how many years have gone by since this test from God came to Abraham. It simply says in verse 1 . . . "after some time". We can pick up some clues from the text. In 22:5, the servants that accompanied Abraham and Isaac are referred to as “young men” (22:3,5,19). The word “servants” is precisely the same term that is used in verses 5 and 12 to refer to Isaac. So, you can get a picture that these were not toddlers. Commentaries and historical writers debate Isaac's exact age. Some say 18 while others say 25 or even 33. What we know is that Isaac had sufficient strength to carry a load of wood adequate in size to produce a fire large enough to consume a human body up a steep mountain apparently with no problem.

When the passage and account is read that we read we almost inevitably focus on the providing aspect of God. The miracle ram caught in the bush catches our attention as much as it catches the attention of Abraham. The response of Abraham is documented. However, there is a noticeable silence regarding Isaac in this account other than the "Captain Obvious" question he asks regarding the need for a sacrifice to accompany this load of wood he was hauling up the mountain. Yet, in this silence I want us to listen carefully to the lesson that is shouted to us about The God of Isaac.