This is the title that stuck with me for this Bog. But I am sure you know I am not about to write about Isaac Newton or any other wrl=renowned Isaac. I am writing about the Bible-renowned Isaac. So far as I know, nobody else shared that name with Isaac in the Bible! I love that name! Because Isaac means laughter. And I personally can never resist a good laugh. Laughter is such a wonderful thing, and it takes someone with a sense of humour to really enjoy it. I tend to think that only people who can laugh at themselves can have a sense of humour. Therefore in some way, laughter can be linked to genuine humility. Besides, the Bible does say in Proverbs 17:22 that laughter is good medicine???
In spite of our many faults, my compatriots have a great sense of humour. One of the reasons I love my compatriots so much. We can create laughter out of even the worst tragedy. And most of the time, you won’t be able to resist although some of the jokes can be extremely tasteless. The name Isaac originated from a laughter expressing unbelief but our gracious God chose to turn it into a laughter of wonder and joy. This brings to mind the Glad tidings of great joy that the birth of our Lord and Master Jesus Christ represents to a sinful world through the Great Salvation it brings. No wonder Hebrews 2:3 warns us not to neglect it!
So what’s the big deal about Isaac, you may ask. After all, the Real Deal has come in Jesus Christ. And you would be perfectly right for saying that. Isaac was mostly known for being the son of Abraham who is known as the ‘father of faith’, and as the father of Jacob the ‘Usurper’ whose name was changed to Israel by God because he wrestled with God and with men and prevailed (Genesis 32:28). From all appearances therefore, Isaac was no big deal when compared to his father and his son… apart from his beautiful name of course. And of course I must not forget to mention the fact that I have a thing about the name, Isaac.. but that is another story for another day…
Meanwhile, I was deeply struck by verse 9 which was the culmination of the event during my most recent reading of Genesis 22. It occurred to me that Isaac’s demonstration of faith was far above that of Joshua the son of Nun, and prophet Elijah.
Just to set the picture straight, please be reminded that Joshua, the leader of God’s people after Moses, prayed for time to stop in Joshua 10:13 and God answered his prayer and the sun and moon stopped moving for a whole day to ensure total victory for God’s people over their enemies.
As for Elijah, James 5:17 states that “Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are“. This bible text is therefore challenging our faith by stressing the fact that Elijah was an ordinary human being with the same physical, mental, and spiritual limitations as you and I. Yet his ‘earnest’ prayer, made with great sincerity, passion and intensity, for what would otherwise have been impossible, received a positive answer from God. It stopped raining in Israel for three and a half years. And when he prayed again prayed for rain to fall, it did.
I don’t know about you, but while I understand the objective of those verses, and believe it is still relevant for today, I have never been inspired to pray to change the course of nature in prayer. I confess that my puny faith may have a lot to do with this, but I am somehow quite happy to leave things as they are even if I am convinced that should the need arise, the Holy Spirit will bolster up my faith to do so. Which brings us back to the question of the topic, What about Isaac?
Apart from his intercessory prayer for his wife to get pregnant, which by all standard is great, Isaac has little in common with Joshua and Elijah apart from the fact that they were all faithful servants of God. But what is amazing about Isaac that I have missed for so long, and have heard no preacher teach, is the amazing faith he demonstrated as a youth, which to my mind surpasses that of Joshua and Elijah! You see, Isaac, not under duress or after a long period of consideration consciously, determinedly, submissively yielded his life! Reminds you of someone? Of course. Now here’s how I imagine what must have occurred.
According to Bible scholars, Isaac was likely to have been, between 14 and 30 plus years old the day he wakes up one day, only to be told by his father that they would both be going on a 3-day trip to mount Moriah (Jerusalem today), to offer a burnt offering. I wonder if Isaac asked himself why they had to go so far away to offer a burnt offering since this might probably have been a normal routine at home. But let’s just suppose he did ask his father aloud even if there is no such record in the Bible. He must obviously have been satisfied with his father reply that God wanted it to be that far away because, off he went with his father without missing a beat…. This was the first yielding.
They were well on their way before he asked the only question recorded in the Bible about their trip and objective. His very insightful enquiry in Genesis 22 verse 6 was: The fire and wood are here… but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?
And surprise of all surprises, he was satisfied with his father’s reply that God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son. Was that faith or what???!! It’s one thing to believe it because you heard it directly from God’s mouth. It’s another thing to believe it because your father said so! And can you imagine a teen ager or worst still a 30 year old man taking his father’s word for it? A 3-day unplanned journey to make a sacrifice, and still no animal for the special purpose on approaching this site???!!! And all dad had to say was that God would provide the lamb???!!! Clearly an unheard of approach to making a sacrifice to God! Are you with me? Can you understand that why I feel so awed by this level of submission of faith? This helps me understand better what our Lord Jesus Christ meant when he declared in John 20: 29: ‘…blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. What a privilege to be of their number today! Alleluia!! This was Isaac’s second yielding.
But there’s more! So much more!! Just imagine this scene: Father and son arrived at the site for the burnt offering… still no lamb. And no records of questions asked. Third yielding.
They built the altar… still no lamb. No questions asked. Fourth yielding.
And then… Do you suppose his father suddenly lunged at him, catching him by surprise, and proceeded to tie him up? Somehow I don’t think so, and I am sure you’ll agree with me on this. In which case, I take my creative liberty again to present the record of accounts I see in my mind’s eye at this point.
Isaac: Father, now that we are ready for the sacrifice, what about this lamb God was to provide?
Abraham: Son, sit down here beside me.
Isaac obeys – Fifth yielding, and we keep counting…
Meanwhile, Abraham stares blankly at the sky even as he says a little prayer…
Abraham: You know how much I love you, don’t you son?
Isaac: Yes father.
Abraham: And you know I will never harm you, don’t you?
Isaac: Yes father.
Abraham: And I have told you many times how good the God we serve is have I not?
Isaac: Yes you have, father.
Abraham: And since your birth, I have taught you Son, I have taught you about the Almighty God and good and kind and merciful He has been to our family in spite of all our disobedience.
Isaac: Yes father
Abraham: And you remember the story of your birth and how you are a miracle child. And that He even gave you your name Himself before you were born.
Isaac: Yes father
Abraham: And you have brought laughter and joy to our family because you alone are the promised son who will inherit all I have, and propagate our lineage to become the father of many nations.
Isaac: Yes father
Abraham: And I have told you over and over again that He wants us to obey Him at all times because it is for our own good, have I not?
Isaac: Yes father
Abraham: And that it pleases Him when we do not lean on our own understanding of things, or depend on what our own senses perceive before we do what He tells us to do?
Isaac: Yes father
Abraham: And you have come to experience this truth by yourself and now believe without any shadow of doubt that this is true?
Isaac: Yes father.
Abraham: Do you believe our God who created all things and gave them life can also raise up a dead person if He so wills?
Isaac: Yes father.
Abraham: So if our God asks me to use you as the lamb for the burnt offering, you believe He can raise you up?
A long pause here and finally, with assurance, boldly, even excitedly, the son’s response reverberated on the lonely mountain top:
Isaac: Yes father!
Another long pause as the two reflected on the implications of this last answer. Then a deep sigh from the father who then declares:
Abraham: Well, my beloved son Isaac, that is exactly what God has asked me to do.
At this point, Isaac turns in shock to his father. Stares at his face for a seemingly endless period of time, and finally realizing he was not joking, he covers his face with both his hands for another long while, as if to make what he heard disappear. Then he utters groans from deep within his throat and finally raises his head to whisper calmly and quietly:
Isaac: Yes father. If indeed God took so much trouble to bring me to the world against all odds because I am the child of promise and must propagate our family seed by making your descendants as many as the grains of sand on the sea shore… If all you have told me about how loving, kind and merciful God has been to you in order to bring this to pass is true… then I believe He will raise me from death even if I am to be the lamb for the sacrifice. God’s will, not mine, be done…
This was no eager cry of a conquering warrior like Joshua desperate for total victory against the enemies of his people, nor the zealous appeal of an experienced prophet like Elijah for God to manifest Himself among his people. Nor even the embarrassing and emotional eagerness of a would-be martyr to die. Not at all.
Rather, this was a mild, inexperienced, unprepared youth in a lonely, unknown land, after a tiring 3-days journey, his only witness being his own father, who before now had shared so many wonderful stories about his future with him. And regardless of all the promises and dreams, this was a man submitting his life completely to the Will of God, even unto death! This was the ultimate yielding of faith!
Can you see Abraham at this point hurrying to get his task over with? Delaying would be unbearable. Weeping profusely, he rambles on as he picks up the rope from the bag to tie up his son.
Abraham: Son, I trust Him absolutely. He, the Great Promise Keeper has said you alone will propagate my dynasty. I know that one way or another, He will bring you back to life after I sacrifice you. Let His Peace reign in your heart. He is the Almighty God with whom nothing is impossible…
And Isaac, as if in response to his father’s rambling continues to whisper: God’s will be done… God’s will be done…
Now, picture what follows!
Since he was all alone, it would have been impractical and very difficult for Abraham to first tie up his son before placing him on the altar. But the tying up was absolutely necessary because, well restrained, the slaughtering process would be faster and Isaac’s death pangs would not be prolonged, and by extension, neither would his suffering. Therefore, Abraham tells Isaac to get up on the altar and Isaac docilely approaches the altar to obey his father.
After Isaac silently mounts the altar face down, Abraham ties up his son’s hands and feet even as his son continues to moth the words: God’s will be done… God’s will be done… God’s will be done…
I simply cannot get over the fact that Isaac, who was probably as strong, if not stronger than his well over one hundred year old father, allowed himself to be tied up like the required lamb and placed on the altar, waiting for the knife to fall and snuff out his young life!!
Nevertheless, it is after Isaac has yielded once again that Abraham could turn his tied son face up and position him in such a way that the blood running from his neck would fall on the proper place prepared for it on the altar when he cuts his throat. At this point, Isaac shuts his eyes, no longer able to whisper. His only comfort at that point was that he did not have to see his father perform the sacrifice.
Abraham, on his part, lifts up his head to the heavens to pray for strength to do God’s bidding then lifts his right hand high to gather enough force so as to ensure the slaughter of his son will be short, sharp and as painless as possible… and right then he heard God call his name:
Abraham!!! Abraham!!!
And God indeed provided Himself a lamb so that Isaac could live and fulfill his purpose! Alleluia!
By now I hope you understand why I am so struck by the faith of Isaac… and he was a man like us!!! The humble, quiet, un-acclaimed and submissive faith that trusted God unto death. The closest to the faith that our Lord Jesus Christ perfected when He submitted Himself to the death on the cross in our place declaring in John 10: 18: No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.
By now I do hope you understand better why I gave this article the title, What about Isaac? Should the laughter that his name implies not be qualified with the additional honour of being the greatest example of yieldedness and submissiveness to God’s Perfect will in the Old Testament?
And to conclude, thank God that our Lord Jesus Christ, perfected this for us in the New Testament, like all other things. He, Emmanuel, God with us, provided Himself the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the whole world. And marvelously made this clear distinction to us in that same passage that unlike Isaac: I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again!
Alleluia! Jesus did take up His life again when He resurrected from death to assure all who yield their life to Him like Isaac, that they too will also rise again after death on earth!
That is why we who believe can declare 1 Corinthians 15: 55 boldly:
O death, where is your sting! O grave, where is your victory! … Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen!!!
