Isaac, Jacob and Joseph – The Heritage 

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff. By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones. (Hebrews 11: 17 to 22) 

God had referred Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob several times in the Bible. How did they represent God? We know that Abraham followed God’s commands and was close to God all his life. He left Ur and everything behind to enter a foreign land Canaan with his family as God commanded. He even tried to sacrifice his son Isaac as a test by God. Jacob was the same. He left Canaan and entered Ur empty handed. He was close to God and made a fortune in Ur. He came back to Canaan with a big family. We could see they both had intimacy relationships through faith with God. As for Isaac, the Bible didn’t mention many intimacy interactions through faith between him and God. Yet, God still referred Himself as the God of Isaac too. In fact, God chose them to represent Himself not because of what they had done. Instead, this is what God requested as described below. 

Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6: 7 8) 

God was not pleased by how much we could give Him, even by giving Him our firstborn. He wants us to do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with Him. Yet, as for Jacob, his life was full of cunnings. He even deceived his own brother and father. It’s not justice in many people’s eye. So, why did God choose Jacob to represent Himself too? That’s because Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, they all valued the promise of a great nation by God’s covenants a great deal. That’s why Abraham offered his son to God because he knew that God would somehow revive the child. That’s why Jacob put his life in danger to steal the firstborn blessing from Isaac because he valued the promise more than his own life. That’s why Isaac wouldn’t give Esau the same firstborn blessing even though he was deceived by Jacob because he knew that the promise was from God not him. That’s why in their last days; they blessed their children to continue the heritage because in faith they knew that God’s promise of a great nation would prevail. It certainly affected Joseph. Not only he valued the heritage seriously by resisting all of the trials and temptations in faith, but also in his last days, he gave directions concerning his bone to be carried during exodus. They all had their own shortcomings. Yet because they valued God’s heritage, God valued them of their faith. Because their faith fulfilled God’s heritage.  

Now, the promise would prevail through Christ as described below. 

And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,  

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, 
because he has anointed me 
to proclaim good news to the poor. 
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives 
and recovering of sight to the blind, 
to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.” 

And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4: 17 to 21) 

Also, the Holy Spirit would fulfill the promise through our faith not flesh as described below. 

In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” Then turning to the disciples he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.” (Luke 10: 21 to 24) 

So, the Holy Spirit would give us the same vision and assurance of the heritage as the Israelites ancestors and fulfill it in Christ. Immanuel.