HALL OF FAITH—ISAAC

This character almost witnessed his own death! How awful and dreadful it must have been. And naturally, he would verily display scorn against God (the one who ordered the ‘attempted murder’) and his father, Abraham, for being the willing accomplice. Isaac did see more with the eyes of faith.

There’s a pattern here. Remember some few verses before, Isaac’s father is thorough and unyielding in displaying simple trust in God; now, his son, too, looked far ahead into and unpredictable and unknown future. But it was not about the future or the power of foresight he displayed; it was about the one who can be trusted to keep the future.

     Isaac closely observed his father in his trade, beliefs, lifestyle; he remembered the promise—a numberless generation of people from a once shriveled loins. It is not blind faith; it is a decision based on knowledge—knowledge about the one who can be trusted. The One who kept His word to his father and to him will keep His word to his two sons. As Thomas Edison says, “Faith, as well intentioned as it may be, must be built on facts, not fiction—faith in fiction is a damnable false hope”.

“[With eyes of] faith Isaac, looking far ahead into the future, invoked blessings upon Jacob and Esau”. (Hebrews 11:20)

So several years later, we see two sons, Jacob and Esau, commended to the same ever-present and imposing God. A move that was characterised by simple trust in the One who did amazing things in years past; and now, the future of his wards couldn’t be entrusted to anyone else.

        Our lives are shaped by experiences that point to the fact that God is dependable. When we are unsure about the uncertain future, we should look at the God of the past and have hope for the future.