Topical Bible: Children in Answer to Prayer: Isaac

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Isaac, the son of Abraham and Sarah, is a prominent biblical figure whose birth is a direct answer to prayer and divine promise. His account is primarily found in the book of Genesis, where he is depicted as a child of promise, born to parents who had long awaited the fulfillment of God's covenant.

Background and Promise

The narrative of Isaac begins with God's covenant with Abraham. In Genesis 12:2, God promises Abraham, "I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing." Despite this promise, Abraham and Sarah remained childless for many years. In Genesis 15:2-4, Abraham expresses his concern to God about having no heir, to which God responds, "This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir."

The Prayer and Fulfillment

The birth of Isaac is a testament to the power of prayer and faith in God's promises. In Genesis 17:16, God reiterates His promise to Abraham, stating, "I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her." Despite their advanced age—Abraham being 100 and Sarah 90—God's promise is fulfilled.

In Genesis 21:1-3, the Bible records the miraculous birth of Isaac: "Now the LORD attended to Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what He had promised. So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him. Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah bore him."

Significance of Isaac's Birth

Isaac's birth is significant not only as a fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham and Sarah but also as a pivotal moment in the unfolding of God's redemptive plan. Isaac is the child through whom the covenantal promises would continue, leading ultimately to the birth of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. His name, meaning "he laughs," reflects the joy and incredulity of his parents at the miraculous nature of his birth (Genesis 21:6).

Isaac's Role in the Covenant

Isaac's life further exemplifies the continuation of God's covenant. In Genesis 26:3-4, God reaffirms His promise to Isaac, saying, "Stay in this land for a while, and I will be with you and will bless you. For to you and your descendants I will give all these lands and will confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham. I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed."

Isaac's birth and life serve as a powerful reminder of God's faithfulness and the importance of prayer in the lives of believers. His account encourages faith in God's promises, even when circumstances seem impossible, and highlights the importance of patience and trust in God's perfect timing.

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Genesis 25:21
And Isaac entreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was entreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
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Library

Letter v. Prayer and Fasting.
... piety, and the judge and deliverer of Israel, was given in answer to the prayer
of his ... When the children of Israel were in danger of being overthrown by the ...
/.../letter v prayer and fasting.htm

Home Dedication.
... us to remark finally, that, in the dedication of our children to the ... to the work
of the ministry, and every indication of His answer to our prayer, given in ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/philips/the christian home/chapter x home dedication.htm

The Psalms and Hymns of Isaac Watts
... PSALM 85 PART 1 Waiting for an answer to prayer; or, Deliverance begun and ... HYMN 30
Prayer for deliverance answered. ... HYMN 143 Characters of the children of God. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watts/the psalms and hymns of isaac watts/

Prayer --The Forerunner of Mercy
... of Exodus, and ye will read, "The children of Israel ... he believes that they will come,
in answer to his ... Was there any prayer which went before the coming of the ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 3 1857/prayerthe forerunner of mercy.htm

The Source of Power in Prayer.
... of any prayer union or any prayer time statedly ... to the Father, "Bless thy church,"
and the answer comes from ... reflected in the hearts of His children, and where ...
/.../murray/the masters indwelling/xii the source of power.htm

The Children's Bible
... <. The Children's Bible Henry A. Sherman. ... HOW REBEKAH BECAME THE WIFE OF ISAAC.
HOW JACOB DECEIVED HIS FATHER. ... GOD'S READINESS TO ANSWER PRAYER. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/sherman/the childrens bible/

The Best Strengthening Medicine
... We read of the children of Ephraim that, being armed, and carrying bows, they turned ...
You cannot miss your way, for you shall be guided in answer to prayer. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 37 1891/the best strengthening medicine.htm

Things Unknown
... Now, God's children belong to a very different order of ... you and I have seen yet In
answer to prayer ... search God's Word, and give ourselves unto prayer, and then ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 46 1900/things unknown.htm

Jacob-Wrestling
... But with all these women and children and cattle"was ever a man taken ... the Jabbok
for this very purpose"to hear and to answer Jacob's prayer, and to ...
//christianbookshelf.org/whyte/lord teach us to pray/iv jacob-wrestling.htm

Constant, Instant, Expectant
... Lord, thou hast supplied our wants so long and so often in answer to prayer, that
we ... is like thee to keep thy word, We are poor dependent children, and thou ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 25 1879/constant instant expectant.htm