Hebrews 11:17-22

17: By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son;
18: it was he to whom it was said, “IN ISAAC YOUR DESCENDANTS SHALL BE CALLED.”
19: He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type. 
20: By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even regarding things to come.
21: By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.
22: By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders concerning his bones.

*** 

Paul went back to Abraham in his continuation of examples of faith, still considering that the righteous shall live by faith (Hebrews 10:38). This is what pleases God and was not a new thing introduced by Jesus when He came to earth. Faith has been around since the beginning, and throughout history. Paul gave these examples of faith to make his point that God intended for His people to live by faith, not Law, all along. Abraham was chosen to be the father of the nation of Israel not because he kept the Law (which wasn’t even given yet), but because of his faith—because he believed God and obeyed his call.

Abraham’s faith was tested when God told him to offer up his son Isaac as a sacrifice (Genesis 22:2). This was the son of promise—the son he and Sarah had when they were old—Sarah having no other children and past child-bearing years. God had promised Abraham his descendants would be numerous—as the stars of the heavens and sand by the sea (Genesis 22:17). So, for Abraham to sacrifice him, even while he was still a child with no children of his own, would have been killing the very promise of God. His faith was put to the test.

Yet he was so sure of God’s promise that he knew God could raise Isaac from the dead, if necessary, to fulfill the promise. Of course, God stopped him before he sacrificed Isaac (Genesis 22:10-12) but the test was complete and God Himself would one day send His only Son to be sacrificed for the sins of mankind, and raise Him from the dead (Genesis 22:18, Galatians 3:16).

By faith, when Isaac was grown with children of his own, and dying, he blessed his sons Jacob and Esau in regards to the promise to come (Genesis 27:27-29, 39-40). Jacob did the same to the sons of Joseph—his grandsons—while he was dying (Genesis 48:1, 5, 16, 20), and Joseph ordered his bones to be removed from Egypt when God moved Israel out of Egypt and into the Promised Land (Genesis 50:24-25).

They made these blessings and instructions by faith, knowing God would be faithful to keep His promises. Their faith pleased God and moved Him on our behalf. They are examples for us.


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