The Christ Church Wednesday Bible Study Group is now studying the heroes of faith found in the Bible. In Hebrews 11, we find a remarkable chapter that introduces us to a cloud of witnesses, individuals who exemplified extraordinary faith. However our study will go beyond Hebrews 11 and include the lives of others that are examples of the blessings of having faith in God. We will also talk about other people that exhibited extraordinary faith, some of them are people we may know.
Throughout this Bible study, we will delve into the lives of these individuals, examining the specific trials they endured, the faith principles they embraced, and the lessons we can learn from their examples. Our goal is not merely to admire their accomplishments but to understand the underlying principles that fueled their faith and to apply those principles to our own lives.
As we explore the lives of these faith heroes, we will discover that faith is not merely a belief; it is a dynamic force that empowers us to overcome obstacles, persevere through difficulties, and live a life of purpose. This week we look at the life and faith of Abraham and Sarah's promised son Isaac.
Isaac demonstrates remarkable faith in God's promises, trusting Him for a son despite Sarah's barrenness and his own doubts. His willingness to be sacrificed by Abraham showcases his surrender to God's will. Isaac's legacy inspires us to trust God's sovereignty and provision.
I pray for this nation. I lift up all the issues and frustrations that affect the citizens of our country. I pray you would give us the ability to listen to each other and hear the concerns that we all have. Let sensibility, genuine compassion, and empathy rise in the hearts of people in our country. Remind us we are one nation, made up of people from all different nationalities and backgrounds, which is the beauty of our country. Help us realize that loving our country is not about flying a flag but loving our neighbor as ourselves. As you taught us, everyone is our neighbor, which means we are to love everyone as ourselves. That is an enormous responsibility and I pray your people would lead the way in doing that.
Finally, I pray for your people, because we are the ones who can lead the greatest transformation in our nation. We carry in our hearts the gospel of Jesus Christ. Let this message go beyond our hearts and flow into our actions and our speech. Help us not to get sucked into the temporary nature of elections and focus on the eternal things of your kingdom. Help us represent you well so that we would bring joy to your heart as your children. We ask all of these things in Jesus’ name,
After the results of any election, the emotions don’t suddenly tamp down, they still run high and probably more so in this divided political climate we now live in. If your candidate won this past election, then you probably feel excitement and optimism. However, if your candidate did not win, then you are probably feeling despair and pessimism. While those feelings are real and valid, as followers of Christ we can’t live in those feelings; our hope goes beyond who is in the White House.
We must also recognize that Washington, D.C. cannot solve the biggest problem in our nation, which is a sin problem. This applies to both democrats and republicans. The sin problem is at the root of every issue we face in our nation, and there is no politician on earth that can fix that, because that is not their job. That responsibility belongs to the followers of Christ.
Political commentators would have you believe that something significant happens in the power structure of a nation following an election. If an incumbent is reelected, it solidifies that party’s hold on the reins of power. It’s seen as an endorsement of current policies and leadership tactics. If a challenger is elected, it’s seen as a mandate for sweeping change.
Either way, a sizable portion of the voting population will be unhappy with the result. Some will be extremely unhappy. And they’ll look for scapegoats. It’s very easy in our polarized society today, especially in an election year, to view anyone who disagrees with us as our mortal enemy. We cringe at the idea of their having power or influence in the world. But as believers, we should never think of someone who holds a different view from ours or someone who doesn’t have our faith as an enemy.
Those aren’t the battles we should be fighting. We don’t take our marching orders from party leaders or media personalities. And the truth is that, after an election, nothing really changes in the power structure of the country. Psalm 22:28 says, “For royal power belongs to the Lord. He rules all the nations” (NLT). These words can’t be amended. Power always belongs to the Lord. He rules the nations. He rules our nation. That’s why we still have hope, no matter what the election results are.
It’s not unpatriotic to point out that every nation has a shelf life. The glory of Greece was eclipsed after 268 years. Rome lasted around nine centuries. The United States is 248 years old and counting. Only God knows how many more years this nation will exist. The days of every nation are numbered. Isaiah 40:15 says that “all the nations of the world are but a drop in the bucket. They are nothing more than dust on the scales” (NLT).
Revelation 15:3 says, “Great and marvelous are your works, O Lord God, the Almighty. Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations” (nlt). God is the true King of every nation, and He reigns for eternity. Unlike human leaders, He is sovereign. He will do what He pleases with whomever He chooses, whenever He wishes. Regardless of who wins an election, our responsibility as believers is to do God’s will and to trust Him. He doesn’t want political retribution. (And even if He did, He’s infinitely more capable of dishing it out than we are.)
Our sovereign God wants us to reach out to our so-called enemies. He wants us to be lights in their lives. He wants them to see Christ in us. He wants us to share the truth of the gospel with them. He wants us to truly care about their well-being—to embrace an attitude of humility and concern. He wants us to be ambassadors of His love. He wants us to help them experience His forgiveness and grace. He wants us to fill His kingdom with as many people as possible.
Presidential elections are big events. Billions of dollars are poured into campaigns that run for two years or more. Candidates become fixtures on our television screens and social media feeds. And we start to invest ourselves in the process. We develop a rooting interest. Sometimes, that means rooting for a candidate; sometimes, it means rooting against one.
The more of a stake we have in the outcome of an election, the more likely we are to be anxious about it. The doom-and-gloom predictions about what will happen “if X becomes president” feed that anxiety.
Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:33–34 are a reality check: “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today” (NLT). The things that may change following an election are insignificant compared to the things that absolutely will not change. God still sees the future. He knows the outcome of every decision. His hand is on the steering wheel. He cares about you. And He will always be with you.
Faith and worry cannot coexist. One drives out the other. They’re bad roommates. When faith comes in, worry says, “I’m out of here.” When worry comes in, faith says, “I can’t live here.” That’s why Paul says in Philippians 4:6–7, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus” (NLT).
Jesus told His followers not to worry. If you are struggling with worry in your life, ask God to help you to trust Him and give you peace. If you’re not sure how to pray for God’s peace—in your life and in the lives of others who are worrying now—here’s a prayer to get you started:
God, I pray that You will help us. I know there are people in trouble right now, people who need divine intervention, people who need You to come through. You are all-powerful. You are bigger than our problem. And You’ve told us to pray about everything and not to worry about anything. But, Lord, You know that’s easier said than done. Even so, we’re going to cast our burden on You. We’re going to offer our questions to You. And we’re going to trust an unknown future to a known God with the confidence that You will get us through whatever we’re facing. You may answer our prayers at an unexpected time or in an unexpected way. So help us recognize the work of Your hand. And we will say, “Lord, that was You.” And we will give You the glory. So we cast all of our burdens and cares on You now, and we thank You that You’re a God who hears and answers prayer.
Isaac: A Silent Hero of Faith
Hebrews 11:6, 17-20 NIV [6] And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
[17] By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, [18] even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” [19] Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death. [20] By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.
Isaac, often overshadowed by his father Abraham and son Jacob, is a compelling figure in the Bible, particularly recognized for his unwavering faith in God. While he might not be as dynamic or prominent as other biblical heroes, his story offers valuable lessons about trust, obedience, and the power of divine providence.
The first thing that we know about Isaac was that he was a miracle baby. He was the naturally born child of two old people. Abraham was 100 and Sarah was 90.
Genesis 21:1-7 NIV [1] Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what he had promised. [2] Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him. [3] Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah bore him. [4] When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as God commanded him. [5] Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. [6] Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” [7] And she added, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”
We all know about the time that Abraham was told by God to sacrifice this promised child, and sacrificing would mean killing the child. Scripture doesn’t go into a lot of detail about what led up to the actual time that Abraham lifted the knife to kill the sacrifice but there is enough information for us to make some assumptions about Isaac's willingness to be sacrificed by his own father, at God's command, demonstrating ultimate obedience, highlighting Isaac’s faith and the depth of his trust in God's plan, even when it seemed incomprehensible.
We know that He didn't resist: When Abraham prepared for the sacrifice, Isaac didn't question or resist. He willingly went with his father.
Genesis 22:2-6 NIV [2] Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.” [3] Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. [4] On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. [5] He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.” [6] Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, He trusted his father: Isaac asked about the lamb for the sacrifice, showing he expected to be part of a traditional offering. His trust in Abraham's intentions is evident.
Genesis 22:7-14 NIV [7] Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?” “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied. “The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” [8] Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together. [9] When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. [10] Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. [11] But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. [12] “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.” [13] Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. [14] So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”
Isaac’s obedience to his father and God in this extreme situation is a testament to his character and likely a reflection of his faith. While he trusted his father, Abraham, to make righteous decisions, it was his underlying belief in God's divine plan that allowed him to submit to the seemingly impossible. His willingness to be sacrificed demonstrated a profound trust in God's sovereignty and His promise.
Genesis 22:15-18 NIV [15] The angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time [16] and said, “I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, [17] I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, [18] and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.”
Trust: Isaac's unwavering belief in God's promises is evident throughout his life. He trusted God to provide a wife, wealth, and protection.
We know that Abraham sent his servant to find a wife for Isaac and that Abraham did it in faith
Isaac trusted God to provide him with a suitable wife, even though his father sent his servants to find a wife for him from his family back home. God guided his servant to Rebekah, who became Isaac's beloved wife.
Genesis 24:1-9 NIV [1] Abraham was now very old, and the Lord had blessed him in every way. [2] He said to the senior servant in his household, the one in charge of all that he had, “Put your hand under my thigh. [3] I want you to swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living, [4] but will go to my country and my own relatives and get a wife for my son Isaac.” [5] The servant asked him, “What if the woman is unwilling to come back with me to this land? Shall I then take your son back to the country you came from?” [6] “Make sure that you do not take my son back there,” Abraham said. [7] “The Lord, the God of heaven, who brought me out of my father’s household and my native land and who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, ‘To your offspring I will give this land’—he will send his angel before you so that you can get a wife for my son from there. [8] If the woman is unwilling to come back with you, then you will be released from this oath of mine. Only do not take my son back there.” [9] So the servant put his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and swore an oath to him concerning this matter.
We are not going to read it today but the servant saw Rebekah and she ended up going back with the servant to become Isaac’s wife. All of this is in Genesis 22
Isaac endured periods of hardship and uncertainty, such as the famine in Gerar.
Genesis 26:1-6 NIV [1] Now there was a famine in the land—besides the previous famine in Abraham’s time—and Isaac went to Abimelek king of the Philistines in Gerar. [2] The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land where I tell you to live. [3] Stay in this land for a while, and I will be with you and will bless you. For to you and your descendants I will give all these lands and will confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham. [4] I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, [5] because Abraham obeyed me and did everything I required of him, keeping my commands, my decrees and my instructions.” [6] So Isaac stayed in Gerar.
Isaac trusted God and stayed.
It was at this time when his faith can perhaps be questioned.
He did something similar to his father and because he was afraid of the people of Gerar said that his wife was his sister. Well God wasn’t going to have His plan of having derailed so in His providence He made sure that the people knew that Rebakah was indeed Isaac’s wife. Isaac became very wealthy so wealthy and powerful that the people of Gerar asked him to move and made a treaty with him
Genesis 26:16-17, 28-31 NIV[16] Then Abimelek said to Isaac, “Move away from us; you have become too powerful for us.” [17] So Isaac moved away from there and encamped in the Valley of Gerar, where he settled.
[28] They answered, “We saw clearly that the Lord was with you; so we said, ‘There ought to be a sworn agreement between us’—between us and you. Let us make a treaty with you [29] that you will do us no harm, just as we did not harm you but always treated you well and sent you away peacefully. And now you are blessed by the Lord.” [30] Isaac then made a feast for them, and they ate and drank. [31] Early the next morning the men swore an oath to each other. Then Isaac sent them on their way, and they went away peacefully.
Isaac was a peacemaker
Now we know that Isaac and his wife were not the best parents. Rebekah had twins Esau and Jacob. Isaac favored Esau and Rebekah favored Jacob. We know that God had already determined that the promise to Abraham would be fulfilled by Jacob’s descendants so that was God’s plan.
Genesis 25:21-28 NIV [21] Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was childless. The Lord answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant. [22] The babies jostled each other within her, and she said, “Why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the Lord. [23] The Lord said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.” [24] When the time came for her to give birth, there were twin boys in her womb. [25] The first to come out was red, and his whole body was like a hairy garment; so they named him Esau. [26] After this, his brother came out, with his hand grasping Esau’s heel; so he was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when Rebekah gave birth to them. [27] The boys grew up, and Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the open country, while Jacob was content to stay at home among the tents. [28] Isaac, who had a taste for wild game, loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
In ancient times, the firstborn son traditionally received the blessing. However, in this case, God had chosen Jacob to receive the blessing, regardless of birth order. However just like Sarah, Rebekah thought she needed to help God out so she and Jacob concocted a plan to fool Isaac into giving the blessing to Jacob. We know the story of the deception. All the sordid details are in Genesis 27.
Even though Isaac was deceived, he still pronounced the blessing. This suggests that God guided his words, ensuring that the right person received the blessing.
The situation tested Isaac's faith and trust in God's plan. By pronouncing the blessing, even though he was misled, Isaac demonstrated a deep level of faith and obedience. Even though Isaac was deceived, he still pronounced a blessing. This suggests a deep-rooted belief in God's sovereignty and His ultimate plan. Isaac may have trusted that God would ultimately guide the events, even if they didn't unfold as he expected. While Jacob's actions were deceitful, the Bible suggests that God was ultimately in control of the situation. He had already chosen Jacob to receive the blessing. True faith is demonstrated through obedience, even when it's difficult to understand.
Conclusion:
Isaac, though often overlooked, is a powerful example of faith and obedience. His story reminds us that true heroism lies not in grand gestures or public acclaim, but in quiet, unwavering trust in God. By studying his life, we can deepen our own faith and learn to rely on God's providence in all circumstances.
Isaac's life demonstrates unwavering faith in God's promises. Isaac's trust in God's sovereignty, provision, and protection inspires our own faith journeys.
Though Isaac may not be as well-known as other biblical figures, his life offers valuable lessons for believers today. By studying his life and faith, we can learn to trust in God's timing, obey His commands, seek peace with others, and communicate with Him through prayer.
Discussion Questions:
How does Isaac's patience in waiting for a child compare to our own experiences of waiting on God?
What can we learn from Isaac's willingness to sacrifice his son?
How can we apply Isaac's example of peacemaking to our relationships with others?
How can we improve our prayer life, following Isaac's example?
Bible Study Audio
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