In the record of Isaac’s life the experience of grace is implied. Isaac experienced the inheriting of God’s grace.
After God dealt with Abraham’s natural strength and self-effort, Isaac was born. This means that Isaac was born of grace, which is signified by Sarah (Gal. 4:24-28, 31).
Isaac was grown up in grace (Gen. 21:8). From his history we know that he did not labor to do much. He was born in grace, and he was also grown in grace.
Isaac also became the heir in grace (Gen. 21:9-12). All that his father had was his, for Abraham gave all his riches to this unique heir. It was by grace, not by his effort, that he became the heir of his father’s riches.
Isaac inherited not only all that his father had, but also the promise which God had given to his father, especially the aspect concerning Christ as the blessing to all the nations of the earth (Gen. 26:3-5).
Isaac’s entire life was a life of rest and enjoyment without much suffering. He was always calm and restful. Isaac was not a laboring person; he was a person of enjoyment. His father and his servant did everything to secure a bride, Rebekah, for him (Gen. 24:61-67). Throughout his entire life, he never suffered thirst. Wherever he went, whether to a wrong place or a right one, there was always a well. In sowing, Isaac received a hundredfold harvest and became very great (Gen. 26:12-14).
Jacob was chosen before his birth, even before the foundation of the world. “And the children struggled together within her;...And the Lord said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels;...and the elder shall serve the younger” (Gen. 25:22-23). Before the children were born, God had already said that the elder would serve the younger, for God had chosen the younger Jacob. According to Ephesians 1:4, God’s choosing is long before the foundation of the world.
Romans 9:11, referring to Jacob and Esau, says, “The children not yet being born, nor having done anything good or bad, (that the purpose of God according to selection might remain, not of works, but of Him who calls).” In this verse we see that God’s selection does not depend on our works, but on God who calls.