The Loves Of Isaac

by J. W Archibald, Wembley, England | Category: General | Feb 1994

In attempting to understand any subject of spiritual importance it is helpful to go back to the first introduction of that subject in the Scriptures.

Many of the great themes developed in the Word of God have their origins in the book of Genesis, and the way that God introduces those themes assists greatly in understanding them. This is true of the many splendoured subject of love, which is a fundamental attribute of the divine character and is central to all God's revelation of Himself to mankind.

The first mention of love in the Scriptures is found in Genesis chapter 22, where we read that God said to Abraham, "Take now thy son, thine only son, whom thou lovest, even Isaac... and offer him". Thus the first love that is portrayed in the Bible is the love of a father for his only son. Isaac was the subject of God's most precious promises to Abraham, and God had clearly told Abraham that His purposes of blessing for mankind were vested in Isaac. But this scripture also tells us that Abraham loved his son. Love makes the lover vulnerable, as Abraham knew full well in responding so obediently to the divine command. He was called upon to give up the son of his love.

This vivid narrative of deep human emotion under stress leads our understanding towards the far greater picture of the love of God for His only begotten Son. On the night before their Lord's death the disciples heard Him say to God, His Father, "Thou lovedst Me before the foundation of the world" (John 17:24). We share the awe that must have filled these men from Galilee as they were privileged to hear this declaration of love that is without beginning or end and knows no limits. Surely this is the love from which all other true love derives.

Then, following the story of Abraham and Isaac, we consider the divine pronouncement, "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son" (John 3:16). What a supreme example of vulnerability and suffering arising from the love of Deity! Unspeakable joy floods our souls as we recognize that God loves us so much that He gave His Son for us. And unlike the story of Isaac, there could be no substitute for Christ at Calvary. God "spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all" (Rom. 8:32).

In this introduction of the subject of love to the pages of Scripture God reveals to us His heart, and discloses something of His most cherished purposes for the deliverance and blessing of the human race. The cost is beyond all our reckoning. "Having found one pearl of great price, He went and sold all that He had, and bought it" (Mat. 13:46).

The second reference to love in the Bible follows shortly after in Genesis chapter 24: "And she said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant said, It is my master ... And Isaac ... took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her" (vv. 65, 67). It was journey's end for Rebekah when she saw her bridegroom Isaac, the son who in parable was received back from the dead by his father. God in the development of His revelation thus brings before us the love of a bridegroom for his bride.

Paul in the New Testament unfolds the glorious mystery foreshadowed by this portion. "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the Church, and gave Himself up for it" (Eph. 5:25). What a sublime portrayal of the heavenly Bridegroom in His unquenchable love for His bride, the Church which is His Body! This instruction through the apostle puts marriage on a very high plane. The quality of the love of Christ is to be the example for Christian husbands.

Today many Christian marriages are under stress. Satan hates successful marriages, and the more the marriage resembles the relationship between Christ and the Church the greater that hatred becomes. The Devil hates faithfulness and commitment and he ceaselessly seeks to destroy love. In these last days before the return of Christ for the Church, it is particularly important that husbands look to the quality of their marriage and respond to the opportunity of reflecting something of that wonderful heavenly relationship described in Ephesians 5.

The third Scriptural reference to love is of a different character. Once more it concerns Isaac and is found in Genesis chapters 25 and 27. "Now Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison" (25:28) "Make me savoury meat, such as I love" (27:4). In contrast to the beauty and splendour of those great examples we have already considered, we are now introduced to the powerful but unworthy love of self. It distorted Isaac's judgement and brought grief in its train. It besets us still and it cannot coexist with the love of God and Christ. One of the forms love of self takes is love of the world. John warns us, "If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him" (1 John 2:15).

The way of love is the way of commitment and sacrifice, and those who follow it will be glad in the day of Christ's return, when they will lift their eyes to greet Him and acknowledge "It is my Master".

"The love of Christ constraineth us... And He died for all, that they which live should no longer live unto themselves, but unto Him who for their sakes died and rose again" (2 Cor. 5.14,15).

J. W Archibald, Wembley, England | Feb 1994
General