Isaac understood God’s power. God enabled a barren 90-year-old woman to give birth to a son. Isaac called her mom.

Isaac knew God expected His followers to obey His voice. When his dad, Abraham, held a knife over him, Isaac discovered that the fear of God leads to complete obedience.

Isaac learned about God’s mercy when God stopped Abraham from killing Isaac and supplied a ram to sacrifice instead.

Isaac found out what God’s sovereignty means. Though Isaac favoured Esau, Jacob tricked Isaac into giving him the blessing of the firstborn. Yet, God had decided beforehand that Jacob would rule over Esau when He told Rebekah, “the older shall serve the younger” (Genesis 25:23).

Isaac knew that fearing God meant revering God’s greatness, obeying His commands, and submitting to His authority. His fear of the Almighty became his defining characteristic.

Generations later, when Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, God spoke at Mount Sinai. God’s voice and His appearance in fire terrified the people. They promised to obey everything God commanded, if only Moses would listen and speak to God on their behalf.

God responded, “Oh that they had such a heart as this always, to fear me and to keep all my commandments, that it might go well with them and with their descendants forever!” (Deuteronomy 5:29). He wanted them to have the fear of Isaac.

God longs for us to fear Him — to rightly understand His authority and power — so that we will always obey Him. Then, like Isaac, we will experience His goodness.

Almighty God, you alone are God. Teach me to revere your holy name, to obey your word and to worship you only. Help me make reverent fear of you my defining characteristic. Amen.

Go Deeper — What would it take for the people around you to know God as “the Fear of _______ (fill in your name)? Do you doubt God’s power, authority, provision, or mercy? Ask God to reveal Himself to you that you might better understand who He is.



Tags: The Patriarchs Genesis 31
Photo Credit: Dan Grinwis