Isaac

“Now the LORD was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what he had promised.

Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age,

at the very time God had promised him.Abraham gave the name Isaac

to the son Sarah bore him.”Genesis 21:1-3

Genesis – first book of the Bible

Four great events• Creation• Fall• Flood• Spread of Nations

Four great men• Abraham• Isaac• Jacob• Joseph (We don’t

really know much about him!)

This is the family history of Isaac …• Abraham had a son named Isaac.• When Isaac was forty years old, he married Rebekah, who came

from Northwest Mesopotamia. • Isaac's wife could not have children, so Isaac prayed to the LORD

for her. • The LORD heard Isaac's prayer, and Rebekah became pregnant.• While she was pregnant, the babies struggled inside her. She

asked, "Why is this happening to me?" Then she went to get an answer from the LORD.

This is the family history of Isaac …• The LORD said to her,

– "Two nations are in your body, – and two groups of people will be taken from you. – One group will be stronger than the other,

and the older will serve the younger."

• When the time came, Rebekah gave birth to twins.• The first baby was born red. Since his skin was like a hairy robe, he was named

Esau (meaning ‘robe’).• When the second baby was born, he was holding on to Esau's heel, so that

baby was named Jacob.• Isaac was sixty years old when they were born.• When the boys grew up, Esau became a skilled hunter. He loved to be out in

the fields. • But Jacob was a quiet man and stayed among the tents.

– Isaac loved Esau because he hunted the wild animals that Isaac enjoyed eating.

– But Rebekah loved Jacob.

Isaac … nothing special?

• No heroic, daring acts• Bit of a fibber (e.g. in Gerar about his wife)• Had favourites (Esau not God’s favourite, but

Isaac’s)• Sons not well-disciplined or well-raised …

behaved badly• In his father’s shadow?

Isaac … one thing special

• God had saved his life• God had provided a lamb for the burnt

offering• ‘Substitute’

Isaac … one thing special

• God had saved his life• God had provided a lamb for the burnt

offering• ‘Substitute’

Isaac … one thing special

• God had saved his life• God had provided a lamb for the burnt

offering• ‘Substitute’

Substitute!“Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.”