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Chapter 8

The History of Isaac

1. Hagar and Ishmael Are Cast Out to the Wilderness of Paran (Gen 21:8–21), 2063 BC, 19th Year of the Covenant of the Torch

Abraham’s age, 103; Ishmael’s age, 17; Isaac’s age, 3

Abraham drove out Hagar and Ishmael after Isaac was weaned (Gen 21:8–14). According to the Hebrew custom, children normally were weaned at three years of age (Exod 2:9–10; 1 Sam 1:22). Thus, Hagar and Ishmael were driven out presumably three years after Isaac had been born (Gen 21:8). Since Ishmael was 14 years older than Isaac, he was most likely driven out around the age of 17 (Gen 16:16; 21:5).14 Although Ishmael was the son of a maidservant, Abraham had loved and cared for him for 17 years. Thus, their expulsion caused him much agony.

Hagar and Ishmael were driven out because Ishmael had mocked Isaac (Gen 21:9). In Genesis 21:9, the Hebrew word means “to laugh” or “to mock.” When Isaac was weaned and a great feast thrown for him, Ishmael mocked Isaac, most likely out of fear that Isaac might become the rightful heir of their father Abraham’s inheritance.

Later, the apostle Paul applied this episode to the situation in the church during his time.

Galatians 4:29 But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now also.

Here, he who was “born according to the flesh” refers to Ishmael, and he who was “born according to the Spirit” refers to Isaac. During Paul’s time, those who were born according to the flesh (i.e., the followers of Moses’ law) rejected the gospel and persecuted those who were born of the Spirit through the gospel.

This conflict will continue until the end of this world. The word persecuted in Galatians 4:29 is an imperfect active indicative form of the Greek verb signifying that Ishmael’s persecution did not end at once, but would continue until the end of time. Likewise, the persecution of the believers, the descendants of the promise, by those born of the flesh will also continue. History proves that the Arabs, the descendants of Ishmael, have continued to cause suffering for the Jews, the descendants of Isaac. However, in the end, those born of the flesh will be driven out, and the descendants of the promise will triumph and receive the kingdom of God as an inheritance (Gal 4:30).

2. Isaac Is Given as a Burnt Offering on a Mountain in Moriah (Gen 22:1–18), 2041–2030 BC (Estimated), 41st through 52nd Year of the Covenant of the Torch

Abraham’s age, 125–136; Isaac’s age, 25–36

Abraham received the final confirmation of the covenant after he obeyed God’s command to offer up Isaac as a burnt offering on a mountain in Moriah (Gen 22:1–18). This same mountain in Moriah would later become the place where King David built an altar for the Lord and where King Solomon built the house of the Lord (2 Chr 3:1).

Abraham offered up Isaac when Isaac was younger than 37 years old (somewhere between the ages of 25 and 36). After the incident in Genesis 22, Sarah died at the age of 127 when Isaac was 37 years old (Gen 23:1). Since Sarah was still alive when Abraham offered Isaac in Genesis 22, Isaac must have been between the ages of 25 and 36 when this event occurred.

It must have been difficult for Abraham to have offered up Isaac since Isaac was a grown man strong enough to carry the wood for the sacrifice up the mount. The offering was possible because of Isaac’s complete trust in the faith of his father, and his personal faith in the God he served. In Genesis 22:6–8, the Bible twice reports that “the two of them walked on together,” suggesting that the two men had become one in faith regarding this offering.

The scene of Isaac carrying up the wood for the sacrifice in total obedience foreshadows Jesus Christ’s act of carrying His own cross up to Golgotha to be offered as a sacrifice for all mankind in total obedience (Matt 20:28; John 1:29). Just as Abraham received the confirmation of the covenant by offering up his only son on the mountain in Moriah (Gen 22:16–18; Heb 11:17–19), so too, did God demonstrate His love for sinners by allowing His only begotten Son to be nailed to the cross in Golgotha (Rom 5:8).

In Genesis 22:12, God acknowledged Abraham’s faith when He said, “Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” Then He gave Abraham the blessing of Jehovah Jireh (Gen 22:14), the blessing of great blessings (Gen 22:17), the blessing of his seed multiplying greatly, the possession of the gate of their enemies (Gen 22:17), and the blessing that all nations of the earth will be blessed in his seed (Gen 22:18).

Even today, we may face the trial of having to offer up what is most important to us: “Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac” (Gen 22:2). If we have the faith to offer up what is most important to us without holding anything back in times like this, our trials will turn into great blessings.

3. The Death of Sarah (Age 127) and Purchase of the Cave of Machpelah (Gen 23:1–2), 2029 BC, 53rd Year of the Covenant of the Torch

Abraham’s age, 137; Isaac’s age, 37

Genesis 23:1 states, “Now Sarah lived one hundred and twenty-seven years; these were the years of the life of Sarah.” Adam died at the age of 930, but there is no record of when Eve died. Likewise, there are no records of the death of any other patriarchs’ wives; thus, Sarah’s death was the exception. Genesis 23 is entirely dedicated to the account of Sarah’s death and burial. This serves as an attestation to the greatness of her faith. Ever since Abraham set out from Ur of the Chaldeans, their lives together was a continuous sojourn. Yet, she faithfully stayed by him regardless of the circumstances (Gen 17:16; Heb 11:11–12).

Sarah was Abraham’s most faithful companion in his journey as a wanderer (1 Pet 3:6). She was with Abraham for 62 years after she departed from Ur of the Chaldeans with Abraham at the age of 65. She ended her life as his companion at the age of 127 and was buried in the cave of Machpelah (Gen 23:19). Her life was neither easy nor void of mistakes. Yet, she believed in God and considered Him faithful (Heb 11:11). She lived her life to fulfill the work of salvation and became a good example for all believers.

Abraham buried his wife in the cave of Machpelah (Gen 23:18–19). When Abraham first entered Canaan, he was called a “Hebrew” (Gen 14:13), meaning “to cross over,” because he had crossed over the Euphrates River from Ur of the Chaldeans. Abraham, who had been treated like a foreigner by the Canaanites, said of himself, “I am a stranger and a sojourner among you” (Gen 23:4). Thus, it is possible to imagine the difficulty when Abraham tried to purchase a tract of Canaanite land. However, upon Sarah’s death, Abraham proposed buying land for his wife’s burial from the sons of Heth (Gen 23:3). To his surprise, Ephron, a leader among the sons of Heth, offered to give the cave to Abraham at no cost (Gen 23:11), but he declined the offer and bought the land from Ephron for 400 shekels of silver.

This was an act of faith based on the covenant of the torch. He placed a seal on the land of Canaan as a sign that it belonged to the Israelites, thus establishing the first step toward ownership of the land that God had promised to them.

Faith is having a firm trust in God’s promise, looking toward it, and actually working to fulfilling it (Heb 11:1). Through the small cave of Machpelah, Abraham looked upon the enormous land of Canaan, which God had promised to him. The name Machpelah means “double cave,” and it became a family burial place for Abraham’s family. Besides Sarah, other people of faith—Abraham (Gen 25:9), Isaac (Gen 49:31), Rebekah (Gen 49:31), Leah (Gen 49:31), and Jacob (Gen 49:29–33; 50:13)—were buried there. Jacob, the last one to be buried at Machpelah, had died in Egypt, but his body was carried all the way to Canaan to be buried in the same cave. Years later, Moses used this same cave located in the Promised Land where their forebears of the covenant were buried, to justify leading the Israelites out of Egypt.

God’s promise regarding the land of Canaan began to bear fruit with the purchase of Sarah’s burial place. The burial of the ancestors’ bones in Canaan was like a seed of faith that was planted into the minds of Abraham’s descendants and allowed them to believe that the land of Canaan is their Promised Land where they must return.

4. The Marriage of Isaac and Rebekah (Gen 24; 25:20), 2026 BC, 56th Year of the Covenant of the Torch

Abraham’s age, 140; Isaac’s age, 40

When Abraham became old and well advanced in years, he sent his servant Eliezer to find a wife for Isaac, who was to inherit the covenant. By God’s providence, Eliezer met Rebekah, who was the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram and the sister of Laban (Gen 25:20). Bethuel was the son of Nahor and Milcah (Gen 22:20–23) (see Reference 1: “Abraham’s Genealogy”).

Laban and Bethuel realized that this marriage had come from God and consented to the marriage (Gen 24:50–51). Rebekah also consented to leave right away with Eliezer, although leaving her homeland for the distant land of Canaan must have been a difficult decision. She was essentially obeying God’s will in saying, “I will go” (Gen 24:58). She departed immediately, rejecting her family’s suggestion that she stay another ten days (Gen 24:55).

Isaac was meditating when Eliezer brought Rebekah (Gen 24:63). He was praying that his marriage would be established according to God’s will. When Rebekah came, Isaac married her, and the marriage was a consolation for him after his mother’s death (Gen 24:67).