Biblical Faith: An excerpt from Confronting the Wind
The Blessing of Isaac: Genesis 27
Isaac desired to give Esau, his first born, his blessing. However, Jacob seemingly stole Esau’s blessing through intrigue. The transfer of the blessing was real: Jacob got the blessing. Esau cried with an exceedingly great and bitter cry for a blessing from his father, but Isaac said Jacob had already taken it away and Jacob would indeed be blessed. The blessing’s transfer to Jacob was real and it was literal, yet, was given without Isaac’s ability to rescind or annul.
From the account in Genesis it seems like Isaac has authority to command the blessings. However, the OT is always to be viewed from NT illumination. Romans 9 sheds light on this account from Genesis:
And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac 11 (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls), 12 it was said to her, “The older shall serve the younger.” 13 As it is written, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.” 14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not! 15 For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.” 16 So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.
Romans 9:10-16
In Romans we see God was behind the scenes working His purposes. God ordained the older (Esau) to serve the younger (Jacob). The power to give the blessing didn’t reside within Isaac. If it had, Isaac would have given the blessing to Esau. If Isaac had the power to give the blessing, would he not have had the power to rescind it? The power to root and propel the blessing rested in God alone. Romans 9 further discusses Moses, Pharaoh, and all mankind, Gentiles and Jews alike, in this same light.
Hebrews 11 illuminates Genesis 27 further: By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come (Hebrews 11:20). “…concerning things to come” is a prophetic statement. Only God knows and can declare the future¹. Isaiah 46 marries the prophetic with the nature of God—only God:
“Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,’ 11 Calling a bird of prey from the east, The man who executes My counsel, from a far country. Indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it.”
Isaiah 46:9-11
When something is truly prophetic it is of necessity, then, also, truly from God. Additionally, the word “faith” always carries with it an object, meaning it always carries the assumed [in] with it. Faith is always pointing to an object of the faith. Faith means “faith in…” Faith is always attached to someone or something. For example, if I say “I have faith my house will sell today,” I mean I have faith in either my own intuition, my realtor, news I’ve received, or that God told me it would sell today. We cannot have faith in nothing. Faith is, by nature, attached to someone or something. “I have faith my chair will hold me.” My faith is [in] the structure of my chair. Many people say, “I have faith it will all end well.” That phrase, even by an unbeliever, is stating a belief in God, though they don’t realize it. It is stating that someone is in control of creation and is orchestrating events. (Great tool for evangelism.) So, when we see the words “by faith” in the Bible relating to God’s people, we must add “in God” to “by faith,” rendering, “by faith in God…” Hence Hebrews 11:20 would read: By faith [in God] Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
Following through in this line of thinking, when the Bible says “by faith…” we must also acknowledge that God was directly involved. Therefore: By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come means: By faith [in God] Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, concerning things to come [for he spoke, prophesying, as directed by God.] Furthermore, we must acknowledge that God is not in the business of being subservient to our words. (Mark 11:23 will be discussed in the next section on the NT.) God is interested in man hearing His words, believing Him, and speaking according to what He has said or is saying. That is the true nature of the power of man’s words: words that originate with God and are in agreement with what He has said or is saying. Our faith must be [in God] lest we step over a threshold, which many others have crossed, into a doctrine of demons: a little-gods theology.
