Where's Isaac?

In Genesis God tests Abraham’s faith by telling him to offer up his son Isaac as a sacrifice (Gen 22:1-19). Abraham was faithful and God intervened at the last moment. This is a story most of us are familiar with and you might have noticed a similarity between this event and what God does through His own Son in the New Testament. In both events, a father is offering up his only son as a sacrifice for others. Casually reading the Genesis account you might have thought that the ...

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In Genesis God tests Abraham’s faith by telling him to offer up his son Isaac as a sacrifice (Gen 22:1-19). Abraham was faithful and God intervened at the last moment. This is a story most of us are familiar with and you might have noticed a similarity between this event and what God does through His own Son in the New Testament. In both events a father is offering up his only son as a sacrifice for others. Casually reading the Genesis account you might have thought that the stories stop being similar when God spares Isaac, after-all Jesus did allow Himself to be a sacrifice for us, but the similarities do go on just a bit further. Let’s take a close look at Genesis 22:19 which occurs at the end of the event…

“Then Abraham returned to his servants, and they set off together for Beersheba. And Abraham stayed in Beersheba.” (Gen 22:19) (NIV)

Where’s Isaac? Obviously he was there, where else would he go? So if he was there why was he not mentioned? He was mentioned as they were going up the mountain, so what’s different now?

In fact we are not told what Isaac is doing after this event for two whole chapters. Let’s see what he is doing the next time we are told about him…

“Now Isaac had come from Beer Lahai Roi, for he was living in Negev. He went out to the field one day to meditate, and as he looked up, he saw camels approaching. Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac”...

...“Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah and he married Rebekah.” (Gen 24:62-64, 67) (NIV)

So the next time we “see” Isaac in the Bible is when he is receiving his bride, which his father’s servant found for him. Now, this is very subtle but this exactly what is occurring right now. Jesus has left earth, His Father’s servant (the Holy Spirit) is retrieving His bride, and we will not see Him again until He receives us as His bride.

Have you received Jesus in your heart as your Lord?