Isaac sends Jacob away from his household to find a wife where Rebekah’s brother lives, in Paddanaram, Mesopotamia. Even though he knows of Jacob’s deception of tricking Isaac and stealing a blessing, Isaac gives Jacob the full blessing of the promises of Abraham, but Jacob must not marry a Canaanite woman. This is the full blessing of the covenant between God and Abraham’s descendants. Isaac asks God to bless Jacob by multiplying him with descendants. He prays that Jacob will become a community of peoples. God had promised Abraham that he would become a great nation. The offspring of Jacob will become the next generations of millions of people God had promised Abraham. Isaac will be blessed even though he has been told to travel to a foreign land.
Before we moved to the southern state of Johor, Malaysia, my husband Wilfred and I lived about 200 km away from our present place. We had a property there. My late father, Rev. T. Devairakkam, had suggested that we move south, so that we could assist him in his ministry. It was not easy moving south, because schooling arrangements had to be made for my children, Joanna and Jerusha. God opened doors for us so that we were able to get a transfer to the State of Johor. We followed my father into the oil palm plantations, in order to share Jesus and also to do community service. The people in the plantations (Indians) were very helpful and open to the gospel. The people in the plantations enjoyed listening to my father and many took baptism in the plantation rivers. Today, they have their own families, and they are living in different parts of Malaysia. Some of them still keep in touch with us.
Isaac obeyed Jacob when instructed to travel to a different land. He was blessed even though he was a stranger in the new place. When we are obedient to the call of God, he will surely open doors for us to overcome obstacles and challenges so that we can carry out his plans and purposes.
When we are obedient to the call of God, we are blessed to carry out his plans and purposes.
Ruth Devairakkam
Extended Scripture: Genesis 27–28 (NKJV)
