Portal:Bible/Featured article/May, 2008

Isaac is the son of Abraham and Sarah, and the father of Jacob and Esau. He was the longest-lived of the patriarchs, and the only biblical patriarch whose name was not changed. He is mentioned by name more than 70 times in the book of Genesis but only 33 times elsewhere. Chapters 17-28 of Genesis contain the stories of Isaac. Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was born. God gave the news of the birth of Isaac to Abraham and Sarah. Sarah was beyond the age of having children and privately laughed at the prediction. God tested Abraham by commanding him to sacrifice his son. Without murmuring, Isaac let Abraham bind him and lay him upon the altar. At the last minute, an angel of the Lord prevented him from doing so. Abraham sent his steward to find a wife for Isaac. Rebekah was sent and became his wife. She was barren, so Isaac prayed for her. She gave birth to twin boys, Esau and Jacob. Isaac favoured Esau, and Rebekah Jacob. A famine obligated Isaac to move to Gerar, where Abimelech was king. As his father had done, he referred to Rebekah as his sister, but Abimelech discovered the deception. As Isaac grew very rich, the Philistines of Gerar became envious, so he eventually returned to Beersheba. Here the Lord renewed the promise of blessing him. When Isaac was 137 years old and blind, he called Esau, his eldest son, to bring venison. While Esau was hunting, Jacob misrepresented himself as Esau and obtained his father's blessing. The New Testament contains few references to Isaac. In Galatians 4:21-30, Paul contrasted Isaac (symbolizing Christianity) with the rejected older son Ishmael (symbolizing Judaism). James 2:21-24 argues that the sacrifice of Isaac shows that justification requires both faith and works. Hebrews 2:19 views the release of Isaac from sacrifice as analogous to the resurrection of Jesus. (more...)