The Patriarchs

2100–1800 BC

Books of Genesis & Job

~ Before: From Noah’s descendants, nations of peoples spread out, built cities, and raised families. During the days of the patriarchs, Job, our biblical brother, persevered and was rewarded by God.

Whenever we hear “biblical patriarchs,” we are talking about the founding fathers of Israel: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (who God renamed Israel).

God chose Abraham and made a covenant with him, promising to make him a great nation—and a blessing to all nations. The land where Abraham sojourned was promised to his descendants after him.

Isaac, son of promise, was born when Abraham was one hundred years old and Sarah, his wife, was ninety. God tested faith-filled, obedient Abraham by asking him to sacrifice Isaac, but provided a ram in Isaac’s place.

Abraham and Sarah’s descendants multiplied through Isaac.

Isaac and Rebekah gave birth to Jacob and Esau.

In the third generation, the twelve sons of Jacob became the tribal leaders of the twelve tribes of Israel.

God confirmed His covenant with each patriarch.

~ After: During Jacob’s lifetime, a severe famine struck the land. Joseph, who had been sold into slavery by his brothers, rose to great power in Egypt. (This is a fascinating story and covers the last fourteen chapters of Genesis.) Jacob moved his family to Egypt, where stored grain was plentiful. The Israelites multiplied greatly. Not long after Joseph’s generation, a new Pharaoh, fearing their multiplying population, cruelly enslaved the Israelites. They remained slaves for four hundred years.

Significance

• As Christians, we understand that when God made Abraham’s seed a blessing for all nations, He was promising that the Messiah would come from his descendants. Abraham’s promise is the second major Messianic prophecy in Scripture (the first was Gen. 3:15).
• A beautiful truth—Abraham is the father of all disciples of Jesus! The Apostle Paul tells us that the Church is a wild olive branch grafted into our Jewish heritage, the natural, cultivated olive tree. Our study of the Old Testament together helps us understand in part our very own heritage! (Rom. 11:17–24)
• The story of Abraham’s call to sacrifice Isaac is a clear foreshadowing of God’s sacrifice of His Son, Jesus. "Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!" (2 Cor. 9:15)
• God revealed Himself as the covenant-keeping God to the patriarchs.
• Faith, faith, faith! The patriarchs lived by faith. They were commended for their faith, proved by obedience, and it was attributed to them as righteousness. (Heb. 11:8–22)
• Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob formally and specifically blessed the next generation, and we can glean the benefits of their example with each of our children.