Day 10 – Genesis: The story of Isaac

Reading: Genesis 21:1 to Genesis 26:35

“the Lord kept his word and did for Sarah exactly what he had promised.” Genesis 21:1 NLT

At the age of 100 years, Abraham held the fulfilment of God’s promise in his arms. After repeated promises, a visit by two angels, and the appearance of the Lord Himself, Sarah gave birth to their son, Isaac. But was this joy to last? Around the age of Isaac’s adolescence, God commanded Abraham to offer his precious son. God tested Abraham, not to punish him or see him fall, but to deepen his capacity to obey God and develop a deeper relationship. God refines us too through difficult circumstances of our obedience, stretching us to develop in us the faith necessary to be His followers. That morning, Abraham began one of the greatest acts of obedience recorded in history and through this act, God taught Abraham (and us) that He is Jehovah Jireh – The God who provides. This foreshadowing of Jesus Christ – God’s Son – is a beautiful demonstration and reminder of our provided salvation through Jesus who was indeed offered as the ultimate sacrifice for our sin.

Isaac inherited everything from his father, including God’s promise to make his descendants a great nation. As a boy, he did not resist as he was prepared as a sacrifice and as a man, he gladly accepted the wife which was chosen for him. As Isaac pleaded with God for children, the Bible teaches us to plead to our Father for our personal and important requests. Seeking Him is an act of obedience.

God blessed Isaac abundantly and he accumulated a wealth which evoked jealousy from the Gentiles, the Philistines, who filled his wells with dirt. Those days this was a serious crime and an act of war because water was as precious as gold in the dry wilderness. The digging of a well-meant a claim to the land, and after moving to Gerar and the digging of the third well, Isaac gained the respect of the Philistines for keeping the peace. Would you be willing to forsake an important position or valuable possession for the sake of peace?

Prayer: Father, thank You for the continued Abrahamic covenant through Isaac and what we can learn from his struggles and peacekeeping. Thank You that we can see the continuous threat of Your promise through generations. Amen.