Isaac, the forefather of the Israelites, was born to Abraham and Sarah as a precious son, fulfilling God’s promise when Abraham was 100 years old. The story of Abraham’s obedience to God’s command to offer Isaac as a burnt offering is well-known to many. Later, Isaac married Rebekah and became the father of Jacob, from whom the twelve tribes of Israel descended.
Isaac, renowned as Abraham’s son and Jacob’s father, harbors a significant prophecy within his life, unbeknownst to many. This prophecy pertains to the heir of God who will inherit the kingdom of heaven.
The Heir of Abraham Represents the Heir of God
The Bible describes the saints who will be saved as “children of promise like Isaac.”
Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise. Gal 4:28
Why are saints often likened to Isaac among various figures? Considering Isaac’s status as Abraham’s son and heir, understanding the analogy requires exploring the history and significance of Abraham’s inheritance in the Bible. Let’s begin by examining the parable Jesus told about the rich man and Lazarus.
“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me . . .” Lk 16:19-31
When Lazarus died, the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. If we are saved and enter the kingdom of heaven, whose side will we be carried to? It will be God’s side. In heaven, it is only God who can be called “Father,” yet, Abraham was called “Father” here. From this, we can infer that Abraham symbolizes God in the Bible.
Therefore, Abraham’s heir represents God’s heir who will inherit the kingdom of heaven (Gal 3:29). The history of Abraham’s family is not a person’s family history, but it serves as a prophecy elucidating the qualifications for inheriting the kingdom of heaven.
Three Candidates for Abraham’s Heir: Eliezer, Ishmael, and Isaac
In the process of determining Abraham’s heir, three candidates emerged to potentially inherit his estate. The first was Eliezer, his servant; the second was Ishmael, and the third was Isaac. Initially, since Abraham had no son, he intended to designate Eliezer, his servant, as his heir.
But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” . . . Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.” Ge 15:2–4
God clarified that Eliezer would not be Abraham’s heir, but rather a son born from his own body would inherit. Consequently, as a servant, Eliezer was disqualified from becoming Abraham’s heir. Let us now consider the second candidate, Ishmael.
So Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram gave the name Ishmael to the son she had borne. Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael. Ge 16:15–16
Hagar was a maidservant of Sarah, Abraham’s wife (Ge 16:1). Ishmael was indeed born to Abraham, but his mother was a slave woman. Abraham desired to pass on his estate to Ishmael, his own flesh and blood. However, God declared that Ishmael could not be Abraham’s heir.
And Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!” Then God said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.” Ge 17:18–19
Ishmael was indeed born to Abraham, but that alone wasn’t sufficient. God stipulated that the heir had to be born of Sarah. Thus, Isaac, Sarah’s son, was chosen as Abraham’s heir. Ishmael was subsequently cast out, while Isaac inherited all of Abraham’s estate (Ge 21:8–14).
The Decisive Reason Why Isaac Became Heir
Among these three candidates, Isaac ultimately received the inheritance. What led to this decision? Let’s explore the answer through the Bible.
| Father (Freeman) | Mother (Freewoman) | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eliezer | × | × | × |
| Ishmael | ○ | × | × |
| Isaac | ○ | ○ | ○ |
First, let’s consider Eliezer. He was not born to the free man Abraham, and his mother was not Sarah, a free woman. Therefore, he was ineligible to inherit. Second, Ishmael, though born to the free man Abraham, couldn’t inherit because his mother was a slave woman. Isaac, born to Abraham and Sarah, both free, was the rightful heir to Abraham’s estate.
In ancient Israel, the firstborn son typically received the birthright. If inheritance was determined solely by paternal lineage, Ishmael, the eldest son, would have been the heir. However, Isaac’s selection as the heir underscores the importance of maternal lineage in inheritance.
Prophecy in the History of Abraham’s Family
The history of Abraham’s family serves not only as a record of the past but also as a prophecy guiding us toward the kingdom of heaven. As established earlier, Abraham symbolizes the Heavenly Father, and his heir symbolizes the heir of God who will inherit the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, when and how will the prophecy embedded in Abraham’s family history be fulfilled? It is fulfilled twice as a “shadow of things to come” (Heb 10:1; Ecc 3:15).
First Fulfillment of the Prophecy
First, it was fulfilled when Jesus came to this earth and established the new covenant.
For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. . . . These things are being taken figuratively: The women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother. Gal 4:22–26
Hagar symbolizes the old covenant established by Moses on Mount Sinai, while Sarah represents the new covenant established by Jesus. During that period, those who clung to the old covenant, such as the Jews, couldn’t be heirs of God. Instead, it was the saints who embraced the new covenant who became heirs of God. Just as Ishmael, the son of Hagar the slave, represented those who adhered to the old covenant, the saints who accepted Jesus and embraced the new covenant were akin to Isaac, the son of Sarah the free woman.
Second Fulfillment of the Prophecy
This prophecy isn’t fulfilled solely at its initial occurrence but will be realized once more during the second coming of Jesus in the last days. The Bible prophesies that in these last days, Jesus will return to bring salvation to humankind (Heb 9:28), but He will not come alone; rather, He will appear with His Bride.
The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life. Rev 22:17
The Holy Spirit refers to the Second Coming Jesus. Then, who is the Bride?
One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” . . . and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. Rev 21:9–10
The Bride, the Wife of the Lamb, is the heavenly Jerusalem. In the Bible, the One who is represented by the heavenly Jerusalem is our Heavenly Mother.
But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother. Gal 4:26
Therefore, the Bride who bestows the water of life, eternal life, is identified as the Heavenly Jerusalem, who is free—God the Mother. This signifies that in the era when the Holy Spirit and the Bride appear, one cannot inherit God’s kingdom solely by believing in God the Father. Just as Isaac, the son of Abraham and Sarah, inherited Abraham’s legacy, those who believe in both God the Father and God the Mother become heirs of God’s kingdom (Lk 16:22–24; Gal 4:26).
“Children of Promise Like Isaac”
In this era, to inherit the kingdom of heaven, we must become the children of Heavenly Mother, who is free. Therefore, the Bible refers to us as the children of promise.
Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise. Gal 4:28
Isaac obtained his inheritance through Sarah, who was the freewoman. Similarly, in New Testament times, saints receive God’s inheritance through Heavenly Mother. Without being the children of Heavenly Mother, we cannot become heirs of God.
But what does Scripture say? “Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.” Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman. Gal 4:30–31
Ishmael, the son of Hagar, was unable to inherit Abraham’s blessings and was cast out from his family. The Bible explicitly states that even in the last days, the “son of the slave woman” will not share in the inheritance. Therefore, in the era of the Holy Spirit and the Bride, if we acknowledge only God the Father and reject God the Mother, we will resemble Ishmael and be unable to inherit the kingdom of heaven. Let us receive God the Mother and truly become the “children of promise like Isaac,” thereby entering the eternal kingdom of heaven.
