Isaac: A Story About Nothing.

In the patriarchal narratives in Genesis, the story of Isaac is unique. Compared to Jacob, he doesn’t do much to make things happen. In not taking matters into his own hands and following plan of God, Isaac had more in common with Abraham than Jacob. Is this a model for understanding what Paul means when he says in Galatians that “we, like Isaac, are children of promise”?

Show Notes

In this episode we compare key details  
in the marriage stories of Isaac and Jacob in Genesis. Jacob leaves home, works hard to get exactly what he wants and it results in slavery. Isaac, on today other hand, stays at home, does nothing and receives grace. His cycle, a story “about nothing”,” parallels the episode in Genesis 22 in which Abraham’s faith is tested. He responds by doing nothing, except obey the will of the Lord. Which is everything. 

What is A Light to the Nations?

A Light to the Nations is a bi-weekly podcast examining all parts of the biblical story from a functional perspective. Instead of asking what words means, we consider instead their function, i. e., how they are used in other parts of the Bible. In each episode will discuss the functionality of words and how that allows us hear the teaching.