Little is known about the promised son of Abraham. One would expect the Bible to focus on the child for whom Abraham and Sarah waited twenty-five years to receive. One would expect Scripture to say much about the life of the man who was willing to lay down on an altar and be killed as a sacrifice to God. The Bible says little about Isaac. The argument can be made that only one chapter in Genesis focuses on Isaac, compared with ten chapters that focus on Abraham, seven that focus on Jacob and ten that focus on Joseph. Isaac has a background role in the book of Genesis.

Isaac was the son of Abraham and Sarah, born when Abraham was one-hundred years old and Sarah was ninety. He was the son promised to Abraham as the first of countless descendants and the beginning of a great nation. Isaac was proof God would keep all His promises to Abraham.

The little known about Isaac suggests he was a man of faith who trusted his father and, more importantly, trusted God. Isaac’s faith is first seen in Genesis 22 on the way to make sacrifice at Mt. Moriah. Isaac’s age at that time is not known, but he was old enough to carry the bundle of wood required for the sacrifice. Many pounds of wood would have been needed to consume any animal sacrifice. Isaac’s ability to carry the heavy load of wood suggests he was no younger than his early teen years.

When it came time to make the sacrifice, Isaac was placed on the altar. The Bible says only Abraham and Isaac went up the mountain to make sacrifice to God. Abraham had no servants to help him restrain his son. Isaac was old enough that it would have been impossible for Abraham to put him on the altar without resorting to violence. The Bible is silent about what transpired between Abraham and his son before Abraham reached for the knife to kill Isaac, but Isaac was almost certainly a willing participant. He lay on the altar of his own accord. This readiness to be offered showed a great trust in Abraham and an even greater trust in God.

Hebrews 11:20 says, “By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.” Isaac transferred to Jacob the promises God had first given to Abraham. The Abrahamic covenant was handed down to Isaac who then passed it to Jacob. Isaac said to Jacob, “Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be those who bless you.” (Genesis 27:29) Isaac’s words are nearly identical with the promise God gave to Abraham. (Genesis 12:3) Isaac later said to Jacob, “May God Almighty bless you . . . and give you the blessings of Abraham.” (Genesis 28:3-4) Isaac had not seen any particular evidence his descendants would be a great nation or would multiply to become as numerous as the stars, but he obviously believed God would keep all His promises to Abraham. Isaac believed he was the beneficiary of those promises. By faith he gave the promise of God to Jacob in confidence God would keep His Word.

Otherwise, the life of Isaac is somewhat unremarkable. He lived in Canaan as a nomad. The Bible records a time when his faith wavered and shows that he acted foolishly in his dealings with his sons. Isaac did not commit any remarkable sins or perform any remarkable deeds. He appears to have a lived an ordinary, faithful life in which he simply trusted God to keep His Word.

Isaac is the overlooked patriarch of Israel whose unremarkable life ought to encourage people today. Isaac is praised in Scripture as an example of faith, but not because he did any incredible deeds. He is praised because he believed God. So it is today. God is seeking those who will trust Him in their daily lives. The faith of some people will be shown in a remarkable trust in God which leaves home to venture far away in service to the Lord. The faith of some will be an unshakeable trust which gives all in sacrifice to God. For the majority of people, trust in God will be exercised in the mundane events of daily life. Most are called to live a life of faith which works a job, raises a family, serves in a church and walks with God. This faith is unremarkable because it is the faith required of the majority of Christian. Isaac shows that God is pleased with the unremarkable faith which simply obeys Him, trusts His promises and is faithful to Him in the boring routines of life.