The death of Isaac

21 And Israel journeyed, and spread his tent beyond the tower of Edar.  22 And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine: and Israel heard it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve:  23 The sons of Leah; Reuben, Jacob's firstborn, and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun:  24 The sons of Rachel; Joseph, and Benjamin:  25 And the sons of Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid; Dan, and Naphtali:  26 And the sons of Zilpah, Leah's handmaid: Gad, and Asher: these are the sons of Jacob, which were born to him in Padanaram.  27 And Jacob came unto Isaac his father unto Mamre, unto the city of Arbah, which is Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac sojourned.  28 And the days of Isaac were an hundred and fourscore years.  29 And Isaac gave up the ghost, and died, and was gathered unto his people, being old and full of days: and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him (Genesis 35:21-29).

     The first verses in this passage reveal that Reuben, Israel’s first born, sinned against his father.  Israel’s family was far from perfect and yet God would use them to bring hope to the world.  The passage then transitions to summarizing the 12 sons of Israel.   Remember that God promised to Isaac that the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham would be through him.  So, prior to Isaac’s death, all the Children of Israel were born.  God’s promises are always true and occur in His time.  The world would wait for the ultimate fulfillment of the promise in Christ Jesus.