Lawrence Butler, The Bridge Church, Pembroke

Perhaps it is somewhat remarkable that despite living longer than his father or his son, less is recorded about Isaac than any of the patriarchs.  There are 12 chapters devoted to Abraham, and a similar amount written concerning Jacob (his father) and Joseph (his son).  There are references to Isaac before and after, but most of the history of Isaac is found in just 2 chapters in Genesis (26 & 27).

The most compelling picture of Isaac is that he represents Sonship.  He was appointed heir of all Abraham’s wealth, as well as his covenant relationship with Jehovah.  Eliazer, Abraham’s servant, said to Bethuel, future father-in-law to Isaac,  “And Sarah my master's wife bare a son to my master when she was old: and unto him hath he given all that he hath” (Gen. 24:26).  This came to pass as recorded in Gensis 25:5, “And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac.”  Isaac, thus, came to be a type of Jesus Christ.  According to Hebrews 1:1-2, “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners in times past spake unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds.”  This is God speaking to us through the book of Hebrews and revealing the Sonship of Jesus Christ.  The Apostle Paul further teaches us that the children of faith have also become the heirs of God.  Listen to the words of Romans 8:16-17.  “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”  As it happened to Isaac, so shall it be with the Christians of our time.  All the wealth of the Father is ours through Jesus.  We are heirs with Him and through Him.  Of all the patriarchs of the Old Testament, Isaac is the only one who is never seen outside of the promised land.  Abraham wandered away in search of better living conditions, Jacob fled from his brother, and Joseph was sold into slavery, but Isaac remained at home through everything.  When we remember that Canaan represented the promised land, and therefore to us represents heaven, there is the understanding that once heaven is attained, we shall never have to leave God’s presence.  We have the promise of Jesus that He was going to prepare a place for His children, and would one day come back for us (John 14:1-3).  Paul also told us that then we shall ever be with the Lord (I Thess. 4:17), never leaving the promised inheritance.