Although Abraham was called by God, was justified and lived by faith in God, and lived in fellowship with God, he did not attain to maturity in his spiritual life. This is shown by the fact that, after Sarah died, Abraham remarried and brought forth six sons by the energy of his flesh. Furthermore, at the end of his days Abraham did not bless anyone, in contrast to Isaac and Jacob (Gen. 27:27-29; 48:13-20; 49:1-28; cf. Heb. 7:7).

As far as the experience of life is concerned, Abraham cannot stand as a complete person. He needed Isaac and Jacob (with Joseph) to complete him. See note Gen. 12:1¹, par. 2.

God considered Isaac as Abraham’s only son, the unique seed to inherit the promises given by God to Abraham for the fulfillment of His purpose (Gen. 22:2, 12, 16, 18; 17:19; 26:3-4). As such, he typifies Christ as the only begotten Son of the Father (John 1:14; 3:16), who was given by the Father all that the Father has (John 3:35; 16:15a). It was by grace, not by Isaac’s effort, that Isaac became the heir of his father’s riches.

In Genesis the records of Abraham (12:1—25:18) and Isaac (Gen. 21:1-8; 22:1-24; 24:1-67) overlap. Abraham’s life reveals that if we would enjoy God’s grace and have the full enjoyment of God’s riches, we must suffer loss and have our natural life circumcised, cut off. Isaac’s life reveals that our suffering to terminate our natural life is for the enjoyment of God’s grace. Throughout his entire life Isaac did nothing but enjoy God’s rich blessing (v. 11; 26:24b), which points to the grace of the New Testament (see note Gen. 25:11¹). Isaac was born in grace (Gen. 21:1-3; Gal. 4:23), grew up in grace (Gen. 21:8), and was made an heir of grace (v. 5). In the New Testament, all the called believers are heirs of grace, destined to enjoy God’s absolute and unconditional grace (Eph. 1:3, 6-8; 2:7).

See note Gen. 23:9^1a, note Gen. 23:9².

The blessing in the Old Testament corresponds to the grace in the New Testament (see note Eph. 1:3⁶). God’s free gift to us is His blessing. When God’s free gift in Christ is wrought into us to be the life element within us, it becomes grace. See note Rom. 5:2^2a.

Isaac’s need to have a son corresponded with God’s need to have a seed out of Isaac for the fulfillment of His eternal purpose. Because of this, God answered Isaac’s entreaty. Eventually, Isaac’s son Jacob not only met Isaac’s need but also fulfilled God’s purpose, for out of Jacob came Christ (Matt. 1:1-2), who brings in the church, the kingdom, and the New Jerusalem.

I.e., Israel (32:28) and Edom (v. 30; 36:1, 43; Jer. 49:7-8; Obad. 1:8).

This was God’s choosing, His selecting, of Jacob before he was born, corresponding with God’s choosing before the foundation of the world (Rom. 9:11a; Eph. 1:4). God’s choosing of Jacob was according to His foreknowledge (1 Pet. 1:2; Rom. 8:29), not of Jacob’s works but of God who calls and who shows mercy (Rom. 9:11, 16). God’s choosing is with His predestinating and is followed by His calling (Eph. 1:4-5; Rom. 8:30).

Meaning hairy, rough.

Even while he was still in his mother’s womb Jacob was striving to be the firstborn. His desire to be the first corresponded with God’s intention that he be the one who would receive the birthright. However, like his grandfather Abraham, Jacob exercised his natural ability and his natural strength to fulfill God’s intention and satisfy his desire. Although God had chosen him to be the first, God sovereignly caused Jacob to be born the second so that he might learn that his natural man was altogether unworthy and had to be cut off. Since Jacob’s natural man was not qualified, he needed to be transformed.

The record of Jacob’s life occupies more than half of the book of Genesis. This long record shows us that the purpose of God in His selecting, predestinating, and calling is to transform sinners into royal sons of God who bear God’s image to express Him and exercise God’s dominion to represent Him (cf. Gen. 1:26). God destined Jacob to live a struggling life all his days. Furthermore, God sovereignly arranged every circumstance, situation, and person in Jacob’s life and caused them all to work together for Jacob’s good, so that He could transform Jacob, a supplanter and a heel holder, into Israel, a prince of God. In particular, God used Jacob’s family, including his father, his mother, his brother, his uncle, and his wives and children, to deal with Jacob for his transformation. God’s dealing with Jacob is a full picture of the Holy Spirit’s discipline and His transforming work in the New Testament believers (Rom. 8:28-29; 12:2; 2 Cor. 3:18).

Meaning supplanter, heel holder.

Lit., game was in his mouth. Isaac’s preferential love for his firstborn son was altogether in the natural life and according to the natural taste and preference, as was Rebekah’s love for Jacob and Jacob’s love for Joseph (Gen. 37:3-4). Although Isaac lived in a natural way, he nevertheless enjoyed God’s grace. However, his living in the natural life caused him to suffer, as was the case with Rebekah and Jacob.

Meaning red.

Lit., today. So also in v. 33.

Concerning Esau’s despising of the birthright, see Heb. 12:16-17 and notes.