Hebrews 11:17-22 (WEB) By faith, Abraham, being tested, offered up Isaac. Yes, he who had gladly received the promises was offering up his one and only son, 18 to whom it was said, “Your offspring will be accounted as from Isaac,” 19 concluding that God is able to raise up even from the dead. Figuratively speaking, he also did receive him back from the dead. 20 By faith, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even concerning things to come. 21 By faith, Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. 22 By faith, Joseph, when his end was near, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.
V17 “By faith, Abraham, being tested, offered up Isaac. Yes, he who had gladly received the promises was offering up his one and only son…” Faith is the continuing theme showing its importance of believing God in the plain, normal sense. When Abraham was tested, he believed God literally. He did not interpret God’s words symbolically nor allegorically. This test is recorded in Genesis 22. His one and only son is better translated as his only begotten son. It is true that Abraham had 7 other sons. Hagar bore one, Keturah bore six. The only begotten son was the son of promise–Isaac (Genesis 18:13-14). Jesus is also the only begotten son and was the son of promise (John 3:16, Luke 1:26-38, and Isaiah 9:6-7). God the Father had only one son in this sense. Mary was His mother and God His father.
V18 “…to whom it was said, “Your offspring will be accounted as from Isaac,”… Isaac was the true heir of Abraham, for he was the son of promise. It is Isaac’s descendant (Jacob) that the promised offspring (plural) will come from. Jesus is also the son of promise (Isaiah 9:6).
V19 “…concluding that God is able to raise up even from the dead. Figuratively speaking, he also did receive him back from the dead.” When testing Abraham, God said that Abraham needed to take Isaac and offer him as a sacrifice. Since Abraham had already believed God’s other promises, which proved true, he believed that the promised descendants would happen. Thus, Abraham believed that Isaac would be resurrected (Genesis 22:5). The stability, truth, and immutability of God is the source of confidence.
V20 “By faith, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even concerning things to come.” The blessings are found in Genesis 27:27-29 (to Jacob, the deceiver) and Genesis 27:39-40 (Esau). Esau give up the firstborn’s birthright for a bowl of soup (Genesis 25:29-34), then was cheated from his blessing by Jacob (Genesis 27:18-29).
V21 “By faith, Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.” Jacob had gone through much from the time he deceived his father. Jacob, the deceiver, was deceived by Laban (Genesis 31:7) and many other things. The things in V21 are found in Genesis 49, especially Genesis 49:38-42. He wanted his bones in the Promised Land.
V22 “By faith, Joseph, when his end was near, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.” Joseph, who was sold into slavery, suffered in slavery and prison, became the Chief Assistant of Pharaoh. When he died he gave those instructions to the children of Israel (Genesis 50:22-26).