Introduction

The importance of the trio of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the ecclesiastical structure of the Hebrews is one that cannot be over emphasized. The trio constitutes a patriarchal hierarchy in Israel for an everlasting covenant. It is therefore very difficult to see a true Hebrew pray without mentioning these three personalities. They form the bedrock of Israel as a nation.

It is therefore with these three that God actually summarized his plan to bring forth Israel as a nation. It took a total period of 200 years to perfect the literal plan and a period of 200 scores will also be require to perfect the global or spiritual plan from Abraham in both cases. From the time Abraham was called out of Babylon at 75 years till the birth of the promise son Isaac was 100years. Isaac grew up and at the age of 60 the bible has it that he had a set at twins. However, the promise was confirmed with the younger-Jacob.

The choice of Jacob against the elder Esau did not augur well with the latter who sought to pay him back with his blood. Thus, Jacob ran away and was separated from his brother Esau and started the process of bringing forth his twelve children who later became known and addressed as the twelve tribes of Israel. An account has it that Jacob was 40 years when he was separated from his brother. Thus, bringing a total of 200 years from Abraham. It is therefore the resolution of this article to critically examine these Three Great Pillars and the times between them from the literal to the global that led to the birth of the twelve sons of Jacob who were later known as the twelve tribes of Israel.

The Calling Of Abraham

Abraham as he was later called was 75 years when he was called out of Babylon. God may have appeared to him in a trance and asked him to “come out” of Babylon to a place where he will make him a “great Nation” (Gen 12:2). This was not easy for Abraham who was quiet a wealthy man and was at the verge of settling down. He had in his household, about 175 servants: a situation than can only be compared with kings in contemporary times. One can therefore imagine what he might have gone through when he received the message to leave Babylon.

Abraham left Babylon under the direction and guidance of God. Abraham was not told the end point of his destination rather he was asked to go to a place where he will be made a “great nation” This simply implies that Abraham’s steps were determined by God through series of divine visitations either in a trance or intuition. And for 25 years he sojourned to a place he did not know. It was only when he got to the land of Canaan that God informed him that he was going to have possession of the entire land that he was standing upon.

The Birth Of Isaac At 100

Abraham was 100 years at the time he settled in Canaan and he was very much aware of the fact that “a tree cannot make a forest,” This was because Abraham was hunted by his wife’s sterility. However, there was a relief when God blessed Abraham with a son called Isaac. Abraham was 100 years when Isaac was born. Isaac was not supposed to go through the same turmoil as his father – Abraham. However, he continued from where Abraham stopped. At the time Isaac was born, the plan of God left the house of Abraham but because Isaac was supposed to go through the natural infant socialization process, he continued in his father’s house until he was matured to have his own household.

The Ministry Of Isaac/Birth Of Jacob At 60

Isaac’s ministry or household was very remarkable in the sense that he was born by promise. But most importantly, he was made to carry the cross that was meant for his sacrifice. While Abraham was the faith man, Isaac became known as the cross man or the man of sacrifice. His ministry or household did not witness much events like that of Abraham, However, God had to appear to him and confirm the promises he made to Abraham. The confirmation of the promise marked or gave legitimacy to Isaacs’s ministry.

For any ministry to be born God must confirm it with a promise and the promise must be in line with all the others and a continuation of the last. Isaac grew and at the age of 60, he gave birth to a set of twins – Esau and Jacob. However, it was with Jacob that God decided to continue his plan. The choice of Jacob against his brother was a clear demonstration of predestination by the power of grace. The two boys were quiet innocent when God chose Jacob and rejected Esau ever before they saw the light of the world.

The two boys constituted a high drama in the house of Isaac until maturity when they were separated from each other. Esau was a great hunter while Jacob was a shepherd boy. Morally his father more than Jacob held Esau at high esteem. The name Jacob that means “cheat” may just tell how morally bad Jacob was. His choice by God against Esau clearly depicts a situation of selection by grace and not works lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:9). This we shall examine later.

The Separation Of Esau And Jacob

Throughout the internal crisis at Isaacs house between Esau and Jacob, God did not visit Jacob. It was only after he was separated from his brother after the birthright saga. The separation was as a result of Jacob’s maneuvering of the birthright of his brother. However, let us bear in mind that Esau had chosen instant material benefit as against a long term one when he exchanged his position as the first son with Jacob (Hebrew 12:16-17). Esau hunted for Jacob and it required the wisdom of Rebecca their mother to separate Jacob from the brother.

When God appeared to Jacob, he once again confirmed the promises he made to his fathers- Abraham and Isaac. It was at that stage that the ministry of Jacob became legitimized. History has it that Jacob was 40 years at that time of the separation. Thus, commencing a 20-year period of service that also saw the birth of the tribes of Israel. Hence we can clearly see that the process from Abraham to Jacob was a period of 200 years.

This is the whole truth of the literal pattern of how God intends to bring forth the ministry of the multitudes. It started in the house of Abraham - the father of faith and at 100 years Isaac the cross man was born. He justified his name by carrying the cross of his sacrifice and at 60 Jacob and Esau were born. The two constituted a problem of hatred, and betrayal that led to their separation, thus making Jacob the separation man. For it was in him that the separation took place and the plan of God from that point-started moving from one house to twelve houses. We are therefore going to examine this pattern in the global perspective using the score as our amplifying factor.

The Amplifying Factor

In determining the global pattern of 200 years from Abraham to Isaac we are going to use the score (20) as our amplifying factor. This is so because the difference between the literal Sarah and Abraham is 10 years. That is to say, Abraham was 100 years while Sarah was 90 when Isaac was born. This same Sarah was metaphorically represented as Israel when Abraham arrived Egypt, epitomizing a pattern of how Israel as a nation will be taken into bondage in Egypt. Hence, if the gap between Abraham and Jacob who later became known, as Israel is 200 years, and that between Abraham and Sarah the metaphorical Israel is 10, then, we will have to look for a figure that will multiply or amplify 10 to give us 200. Thus, the score (20) perfectly fill the gap.

In addition, we can still divide the total time period from Abraham to Jacob (Israel) by the differences of the metaphorical Israel (Sarah) that is 200/10 = 20. Thus, 20 or the score becomes our amplifying factor.

The Global Abraham At 75 Scores

We have already seen that Abraham was called out of Babylon at the age of 75. The message was very clear “come out of Babylon,” Hence, we expect to see the same event of coming out of Babylon at 75 scores having established the scores as our amplifying factor. 75 scores will therefore be 1500 year (75 x 20). Thus, we expect that at 1500 year from Abraham, the children of Israel should be leaving Babylon.

History has it that Nebuchadnezzar the Babylonian king destroyed the Davidic kingdom around 606BC and Israel went into captivity in Babylon. During the time of king Nebuchadnezzar, Israel as a Nation was in captivity in Babylon. The bible has it that Babylon grew so great in religion and politics, erecting great images that every one was compelled to worship. However, Daniel who had risen to the status of a senate president disobeyed and refused to abide by the culture of the city. This act of faith in God by Daniel led to the prophesy of how God will make Israel a great nation. A déjà vu of how God told Abraham he will make him a “great nation” while he was still in Babylon. Others who demonstrated the faith of Abraham were Shedrack, Mitshake and Abednego. The trio refused to abide by the social system of Babylon and even when it was clear to them that they will be thrown into the fire, they insisted on their faith in the God of Israel.

However, it was with Nehemiah, Ezra and co that God started the process of leaving Babylon. Just as Abraham did not receive any major opposition so also did Nehemiah received the lesser passer by the king of Babylon to take Israel back to their land. History has it that the event took place around 487-400BC, which is about 1500 years from Abraham bearing in mind that the Davidic kingdom was established around 1055 to 975 BC and at the same time, some 1000 years from Abraham giving a perfect pattern of 75 scores or 1500 years. Thus, the journey towards the birth of Isaac the cross man started and as it took 25years in the literal, so also did it take 25 scores for the cross man to emerge by promise

The Global Isaac At 100 Scores

It will not be complex anymore to determine 25 scores which is 500 years. And this period marks a total of 100 scores from Abraham and we expect a child to be born out of promise who will also carry the cross by which he will be sacrificed. Without much emphasis, this period falls within the time in Bethlehem when the Messiah was born. The circumstances surrounding his birth was mysterious and was not different from that of the literal Isaac except for the fact that one was the literal while the other, the actual fulfillment. Thus, Christ was born after a promise was made and at the early stage of his ministry, he carried the cross by which he was sacrificed.

The circumstances surrounding the birth of Christ is not different from that of Isaac. Before Isaac was born, a promise was given as well as Christ. It was an impossibility biologically for Sarah at 90 to have given birth likewise it is impossible biologically for a woman and not only that a virgin to give birth without sexual intercourse. However with all these impossibilities, Christ was born at exactly 100 scores that is 2000 years from Abraham. The ministry of Christ was climaxed in its early stage by the carrying of the cross by which he was later crucified. Fulfilling the same pattern of how Isaac carried his cross. Thus, Jesus Christ is the cross man or the sacrificial lamb.

The ministry of Isaac globally continued even after Christ had left the scene. The statement of Paul confirms this when he stated in the book of (Galatians 4:28-31) that “we, as Isaac are born free…” the apostle therefore carried on the ministry of Isaac. The apostles continued in this capacity as the cross bearers as it was demonstrated in their martyrdom. They represented a global Isaac ministry of sacrifice that continued until 60 scores when Jacob and Esau were born.

The Birth Of Jacob At 60 Scores

The birth of Jacob and Esau epitomizes two ministries that originated from one house but the younger one was chosen while the older one rejected. One is characterized by the hunting nature of Esau while the other the shepherded nature of Jacob. 60 scores will therefore land us around 1200 AD when the two stream of ministries that fully blown out 40 scores later commenced. Thus, that period of around 1200AD, two different ministries stated emerging. One that was inclined to material benefit and the other that continued in the original ministry of Abraham and Isaac, which is the raring of “sheep” for future benefit. Just as much was not heard of the childhood life of the two boys until the time of their separation so also were these two ministries silent. However, there rose great preachers such as Zwingly, Martin Luther, Wycliff and William Branham to mention but a few who continued in the same doctrines and teachings of the apostles. The same old sheep-raring ministry for future benefit.

The Separation At 40 Scores

We find ourselves in a period of 200 scores from Abraham that is 4000 years. From the time of Abraham to Christ was 2000 years while from Christ to date is another 2000 years and we hope to see the total separation of Jacob from his brother Esau. This is a separation of two ministries of Esau that is based on hunting for immediate benefit on the one hand and Jacob the shepherded boy for future benefit on the other.

The hunting profession of Esau is an allegory of a type of ministry in the last days that will focus more on material things rather than the true gospel of the forefathers. The profession of a hunter is meant to hunt and kill wild annuals for the stomach. A ministry that is today glaring in Christendom that emphasizes more on material prosperity rather than the true programme of God. A kind of ministry that centres on hard work (works of the flesh) as a basis for pleasing God and it would be recalled that Isaac loved Esau and if not for the will of God he would have blessed Esau with the promise.

Esau was a very good man morally and a great hunter and Isaac loved him for that while Jacob was morally bad and a shepherded boy. It is very obvious that God is impressed by the fighting nature of these ministries in Christendom and there is no doubt that they are prospering materially but the promise was rather given to Jacob by grace.

Thus, in 1986 the separation took place. 1986 therefore marked the separation from the ministry of works of the flesh as a criterion for inheriting the kingdom lest any man should boast. It was at that year that the ministry of grace was fully separated from the ministry of works as a basis for inheriting the Promised Land. I will fully discuss this date and the separation in a subsequent article.

Conclusion

We have clearly seen therefore how God intends to bring forth the ministry of the multitudes or the ministry of the twelve. From the time of Abraham to Jacob that is 200 years in the literal and 4000 years in the global, God concentrated his effort in single houses. It all started in the house of Abraham the faith man to that of Isaac the cross man. After which Jacob and his brother Esau were separated and Jacob chosen by grace as we have discussed above. The separation marked the beginning of another stage towards the manifestation of the ministry of the twelve. The whole period from Abraham to Jacob was 200 years and a global period of 200 scores or 4000 years and it is today a historical fact that from the time of Abraham to date is 4000 years.

This article has been able to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the plan and programme of God is not static and can never be. God does not stop at calling us out or giving us salvation. Rather his plan is to take us through series of stages until we arrive at the Promised Land. Abraham was called out and if he had stopped at that and be claiming by faith that God has promised him a land he would never had gotten it. He took the first step and Isaac followed suit before Jacob. The truth of the matter is that God does not stop at saving us only rather salvation is just one of the stages that was fully demonstrated by Jesus Christ.

We have today gone through those three patriarchal stages and we find ourselves in a stage where the earnest expectation of the world awaits the manifestation of the sons of God (Romans 8:19). This is therefore the whole truth of how God in His ultimate programme will bring Israel to an expected end. The time when the true worshippers shall worship him in truth and in spirit. For the spiritual laws of God (the patterns) cannot be broken. For the children of Abraham by faith and not decisively by physical birth shall inherit the Promised Land under the leadership of Joshua (Hebrew 4:8) by grace and not of works.

He who has knowledge, let him descend the spirit of his day.