A Journey Through The Old Testament - Elmer Towns

Isaac dwelt at Beer Lahai Roi” (v. 11), the well of Him that lives and sees. And so would be the
relationship with Jehovah in the life of Isaac as it had been with his father. As long as Isaac
would obey the heavenly vision, God would be both the source and fullness of his life.
Often the children of a great man are not recognized for their own greatness because they
are so easily compared to the strength of their father. Perhaps that is one of the reasons few
Christians seem to recognize the true greatness of Isaac. The high character of this man is hinted
at in the New Testament when Isaac is not only identified by name as a patriarch of faith but also
as a type of Christ (Heb. 11:17-20). The brief account in Scripture concerning his life after the
death of his father should not be misinterpreted by the reader to suggest he was insignificant in
the plan of God. As we shall see, Isaac too was an important part of God’s covenant plan. But
because Isaac was only a man and Scripture records his life accurately, we know also that as
great as Isaac was, he too stumbled at times in his pilgrimage of faith.
A FATHER OF TWINS
(Gen. 25:19-34) (2006 B.C.)
Isaac and his wife Rebekah were soon faced with what amounted to a tragic situation in
the family life of the Near East; Rebekah proved to be barren. As noted earlier, barrenness was
almost always considered an evidence of the judgment of God on a wife or couple. Children are
always described in Scripture as a blessing from God. In light of this, it is rather surprising to
note how many principal women in the Old Testament were barren. In the case of Rebekah, it
moved Isaac to pray for his wife (Gen. 25:21). The Scriptures are not clear as to when the need
for an heir became a family concern or when Isaac went to the Lord in prayer, but twenty years
would pass between his marriage to Rebekah and the birth of his first son. At that time, it became
evident his prayer was more than answered.
Though it would be the only time in her life when Rebekah would carry a child, Rebekah
suspected things were not normal. It was more than the discomfort she had heard other women
describe that was characteristic of being pregnant. It seemed as though there was a war going on
inside her. Puzzled, perhaps even confused, she prayed to the Lord (v. 22).
God’s answer must have been surprising to the expectant mother and any others who may
have learned about it. First she learned she would be the mother of fraternal twin boys. These
two boys would differ greatly from one another, so much so as to father two distinct nations with
their own unique ethnic characteristics. But perhaps the most surprising thing was the servile
situation that would exist between the two boys. “The older shall serve the younger” (v. 23).
When the boys were born, the second to exit the womb held the heel of the first, and even in
birth Jacob was struggling with Esau for preeminence (v. 26).
Traditionally, a number of distinct privileges belonged to the firstborn son in a family.
Called a birthright, this gave the oldest son, the firstborn, a special claim on the inheritance left
by his father and the unique privilege of carrying on the family name to future generations. In the
patriarchal family, this birthright had a special spiritual significance. The possessor of the
birthright was the one who (1) became heir of the covenant of God, (2) received the promises
given to Abraham, and (3) offered sacrifices for the family.
It is not uncommon in the Old Testament for God to select a son other than the physical
firstborn to be the recipient of the firstborn privileges including the birthright. The three greatest
men in the history of Israel, Abraham, Moses, and David, were all apparently the youngest sons
of their fathers, having older brothers. Even Isaac should have realized that principle; he was
chosen the heir of his father over Ishmael, who was fourteen years his senior. Isaac and Rebekah