The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob

 

The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob 

Exodus 3:6 He said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Moses covered his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

Exodus 3:15 Then God said to Moses, “Say this to the Israelites: The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you. This is my name forever, and my memorial to all generations.”

I. Overview: The Three Patriarchs and the Names of God

Item	The God of Abraham	The God of Isaac	The God of Jacob
Characteristic / expression of God	The God of  justification	The God of grace	The God who transforms man through divine discipline
Focus of experience	Justification by faith  (Gen. 15:6; Rom. 4:2-3)	Freely receiving and enjoying grace  (2 Cor. 13:14)	Receiving divine discipline and being transformed  (Gen. 32:28; 2 Cor. 3:18; Heb. 12:5-11)
Man’s standing	One chosen and justified by faith	An heir of grace  (the son given by God)	Changed from a “supplanter” into a “prince of God”
Ultimate outcome	The father of faith	One who enjoys the grace of God	Became the God of Israel (Gen. 33:20; Exo. 5:1), that is, the God of the transformed Jacob
Common features	All are the God of resurrection, the God of the tabernacle, Jehovah Elohim, and the self-existing and ever-existing Triune God

II. The God of Resurrection and the God of the Tabernacle

Aspect	The God of Resurrection	The God of the Tabernacle
Scripture	Exo. 3:6, 15; Matt. 22:23-33; Acts 3:13	Exo. 40:34-35; Gen. 12:8; 13:18; 26:17, 25; 33:18; 35:21; Heb. 11:9-10; Rev. 21:2-3
Meaning	Although the three patriarchs had died, God still called Himself their God, because He is the God of the living, not of the dead; this proves that they will be resurrected	The three patriarchs all lived in tents, indicating that they were sojourners and pilgrims who did not take root on the earth
Revelation	God is the source of resurrection; His relationship with believers transcends death	They eagerly awaited God’s eternal tabernacle, the New Jerusalem
Ultimate goal	Resurrection life	The New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:2-3: the tabernacle of God with men)

III. Jehovah Elohim (Gen. 2:4-22; Exo. 3:15)

Name	Meaning	Key point
Elohim	The faithful Mighty One	Genesis 1 uses only this name, emphasizing God as Creator; God is faithful and mighty
Jehovah	The One who was, who is, and who will be forever (the self-existing and ever-existing One)	From chapter 2 on, God enters into relationship with man and is the covenant God of His chosen people
Jehovah Elohim	The two names combined (appearing repeatedly in Gen. 2:4-22)	Indicates God’s relationship with His chosen people: the mighty and faithful God who is also the eternally self-existing One

IV. The Self-Existing and Ever-Existing Triune God, and the Triune God Who Was, Is, and Will Be

Aspect	The self-existing and ever-existing Triune God	The Triune God who was, who is, and who is to come
Scripture	Exo. 3:13-14; Rev. 22:13	Rev. 1:4; Psa. 90:2
Meaning	“I AM WHO I AM”; self-existing and without beginning, also ever-existing and without end	In the past He was; at present He is; in the future He will be
Time dimension	The beginning and the end are both in God: the Alpha and the Omega	From eternity to eternity; the One who remains forever
Significance for the three patriarchs	What the patriarchs worshipped was a God who transcends time and never changes	God’s relationship with the patriarchs is living and continuous in the past, present, and future

V. Integration: The Patriarchs’ Course of Experiencing God

Stage	Patriarch	God’s work	Inward progress	Outward sign
Beginning	Abraham	Justification	Believing into God and having a part with Him	Building an altar and pitching a tent (Gen. 12:8; 13:18)
Middle	Isaac	Grace	Enjoying all that God gave (inheriting)	Digging wells, building an altar, and pitching a tent (Gen. 26:17, 25)
Maturity	Jacob	Discipline and transformation	The natural man broken and renewed; disposition changed	Building an altar, setting up a pillar, and pitching a tent (Gen. 33:18; 35:21)
Consummation	Israel (the transformed Jacob)	The corporate expression of God	Becoming a prince of God and the people of God, sharing His glory	The tabernacle of God, the New Jerusalem  (Rev. 21:2-3)

VI. Summary Points

1.      The three are one: Justification (Abraham) → grace (Isaac) → transformation (Jacob) forms a complete path of salvation experience, from being justified, to enjoying grace, to being transformed and matured.

2.      The same God: The God served by all three patriarchs is the same Jehovah Elohim, who is the Creator and also the God who makes covenants, redeems, and transforms man.

3.      Resurrection as the assurance: Because God is the God of resurrection, the three patriarchs, though dead, are alive before Him and will be resurrected.

4.      The tabernacle as the destination: They lived in tents all their lives, and what they hoped for was God’s eternal tabernacle, the New Jerusalem, the final mingling and dwelling together of God and man.

5.      Eternity in time: The God who was, is, and will be guarantees that His relationship with His chosen people remains unchanged from generation to generation, forever.

 

*Please refer to the 2026 Autumn Training for Elders and Responsible Brothers, General Topic: The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Chapter 1: Introduction