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As we stroll through Hebrews 11 and the list of faith heroes, we come across some that may be unsung heroes. Take Isaac, for example. His father Abraham, and his son Jacob, have more chapters of the Bible devoted to their story than Isaac does. He seems left out. Most people probably remember him from the story of Abraham offering him as a sacrifice to God. Many may not realize why he is in this hall of fame lineup. He’s here for blessing his sons. Hebrews 11:20 says, “By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.”(NIV)
Are you puzzled? If you know the story, you should be! Jacob deceived Isaac and took the blessing traditionally given to the oldest. In essence, he stole the blessing from Esau. So, why didn’t Isaac change his blessing when he discovered the deception? How is this an act of faith on Isaac’s part?
I’m not sure, but I can speculate. When Isaac’s wife was pregnant with Esau and Jacob, the Lord told her that the older would serve the younger. Therefore, Esau would serve Jacob. Isaac intended to bless Esau, but was tricked. Did this call to his mind what God had told Rebekah? Did he trust that God was in control of the future, even when things didn’t turn out as he intended? I’d like to think so. We should all have faith that God holds the future even when our current plans fail!
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Bumper music “Landing Place” performed by Mark July, used under license from Shutterstock.