THE VISION OF FAITH - ISAAC (Scripture Portions: Hebrews 11:20; Genesis 27:1-40) The great Old Testament characters whom we are studying together deserve far more than the very sketchy consideration which we are able to give to them. How much more time we would like to give to an examination of the life and ministry of Abraham! However, we must turn our attention now to Isaac and notice how the principle of faith operated in and through his life. In order to do this we must ink up Hebrews 11:20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. Genesis 27:1-40 for it is in connection with Isaac's faith in blessing Jacob and Esau 'in regard to their future' that the writer to the Hebrews calls our attention. No reference is made in Hebrews Eleven to the fact that Isaac is a beautiful type of the Lord Jesus, but we pause to point this out. Isaac like our Saviour, was the son of promise – Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Genesis 17:19 And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. a miracle was involved in his birth Genesis 21:1-5 And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken. 2 For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. 3 And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac. 4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him. 5 And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him. Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Matthew 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Luke 1:35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. he was offered by his father on the altar of sacrifice - look up Genesis 22:9 And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. Romans 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? he was a son of resurrection Hebrews 11:17-19 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son. 18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: 19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure. Romans 1:4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: and he was the son and heir Genesis 24:36 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. Colossians 1:19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; Colossians 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. We could say a lot more concerning Isaac as a type of our Saviour; but we must keep to the emphasis the Holy Spirit has made in Hebrews 11:20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. where we read that 'by faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future'. This means that Isaac pronounced a blessing upon his sons in respect of their future condition, and he did this by faith in God and in full confidence that He would accomplish all that He had promised. Isaac was about to die, but he believed that all that God had predicted would take place. That was the vision of faith, and in order that we may see how the vision of faith operates in a human life let us observe seven lessons concerning the principle of faith as we see it in the life of Isaac. 1. TRUE FAITH MUST ALWAYS HAVE TO DO WITH THINGS NOT YET REVEALED TO SIGHT.
Hebrews 11:20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. Hebrews 11:11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. Weymouth's translation of verse 1 is, 'Faith is a confident assurance of that for which we hope, a conviction of the reality of things we do not see' - notice the last five words, things we do not see'. Faith operates in the realm of the unseen, which means that the man of faith is of necessity a man of vision. He is not a visionary, but he is a man who sees the invisible. The world's popular saying is 'Seeing is believing!'; but the Christian says, 'Believing is seeing!' How does this apply to us? Here is one application: God has revealed certain things in regard to the future' in His Word - look up a few examples in John 14:1-3 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. Acts 1:9-11 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 2 Thessaionians 1:7-10 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; 10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. 2 Peter 3:10-13 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. 11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, 12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Revelation 20 The unbeliever does not accept God's revelation, nor believe about these things in regard to the future', for they are too far-fetched; the believer, on the other hand, does accept what God has revealed, and that is the vision of faith.
2. IT IS THE PRESENCE AND OPERATION OF FAITH IN A LIFE WHICH MAKES THAT LIFE PLEASING TO THE LORD. With faith it is possible to please God, whereas without faith there is no way we can please Him Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Isaac's life was full of tragic failures, but his name is recorded in the catalogue of the Heroes of Faith in Hebrews Eleven because, in spite of his failures, he believed God. Failure never glorifies God, but faith can still be operative in the midst of failure, and the perfect work of faith is to surmount failures and breakdowns Luke 22:32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
3. FAITH MAY BE SUBMISSIVE RATHER THAN CREATIVE IN ITS WORKING. The late Dr Campbell Morgan has pointed out that Isaac's faith did not initiate anything; it was not inventive, creative or adventurous. Isaac certainly displayed wonderful faith on Mount Moriah Genesis 22:9 And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. and In going out to meet Rebekah Genesis 24:62-67 And Isaac came from the way of the well Lahairoi; for he dwelt in the south country. 63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels were coming. 64 And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel. 65 For she had said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, It is my master: therefore she took a veil, and covered herself. 66 And the servant told Isaac all things that he had done. 67 And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death. but in each case his faith was the faith of submission; it was Abraham's faith which took the initiative. Can you think of some modem illustrations which show the difference between creative faith and submissive faith?
4. WHEN FAITH IS REAL IT WILL BE TESTED AT EVERY TURNING-POINT ON LIFE'S JOURNEY. Faith was kindled in the heart of Isaac when he was quite young, but at each crisis of Ns life a fresh test of faith came: on Mount Moriah, when he was 33 years old; when he met Rebekah at the age of 50; and at the end of his life when he blessed his sons; but a test of faith came also on a thousand other different occasions as well 1 Peter 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: James 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
Faith will go on being tested until it is lost in sight.
5. FAITH SOMETIMES SHINES OUT MORE CLEARLY IN TIMES OF DEFEAT THAN IN TIMES OF VICTORY. This sounds paradoxical, but it is nevertheless true. Isaac's faith must have nearly failed when he blessed his sons, but he believed that God had overruled in the matter, and he quickly accepted the situation - see what he said in Genesis 27:33 And Isaac trembled very exceedingly, and said, Who? where is he that hath taken venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of all before thou camest, and have blessed him? yea, and he shall be blessed. Matthew 11:26 Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight. God does sometimes let us falter and fail in order that we may accept His verdict concerning our weakness and His power. Faith can shine out brightly in the midst of failure, as Jonah's did
Jonah 2:1-10 Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish's belly, 2 And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice. 3 For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me. 4 Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple. 5 The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head. 6 I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God. 7 When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple. 8 They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy. 9 But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD. 10 And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.
6. FAITH ACCEPTS EVERY SITUATION PERMITTED BY GOD AS HIS WAY OF ACCOMPLISHING HIS PURPOSE. Genesis 27:1-40 What a very amazing story it is, demonstrating as it does the wonderful way in which God sometimes allows our plans to be upset in order to accomplish His divine purpose! We need to tread very softly when we read this chapter.
7. FAITH IS BEAUTIFUL WHEN ITS VISION IS KEEN AT THE END OF LIFE. Genesis 27:1 And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto him, Behold, here am I. In we read that Isaac was old, feeble and blind, and yet he could see 'Him who is invisible' for he had the vision of faith. Blind, yet seeing - that is the vision of faith! How beautiful such faith is at the end of life! Hebrews 11:27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.