Isaac, son of Abraham and Sarah, is a significant figure in the narrative of the Book of Mormon due to his role in the overarching covenant God made with Abraham’s lineage. Born miraculously to his aged parents (Genesis 17:17; 18:11), Isaac’s birth paralleled the later miracle birth of Jesus Christ from a virgin (Luke 1:34). His life is highlighted within the Nephite record primarily through references to the Lord as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (1 Nephi 6:4; 19:10; Mosiah 7:19; Alma 29:11; 3 Nephi 4:30; Mormon 9:11), underscoring his position in the divinely established covenantal lineage that carried forward the promises of salvation and inheritance among the house of Israel.
Isaac’s experience as the subject of a sacrificial offering by his father Abraham is notably recognized as a typology of God the Father and Jesus Christ (Jacob 4:5). In this profound event, while Isaac was spared by divine intervention (Genesis 22:9-13), Jesus Christ would not be, signifying the ultimate sacrifice for the sins of humanity. The Book of Mormon prophet Jacob calls this event “a similitude of God and his Only Begotten Son” (Jacob 4:5), drawing a parallel between Isaac’s near sacrifice and the atonement of Jesus Christ.
Isaac’s character and his episodes in the Old Testament narrative, such as his arranged marriage and his peaceful nature when dealing with the Philistines over water rights (Genesis 24; 26:12-22), also resonate with his portrayal in the Book of Mormon as a patriarch who worshipped God and observed the Law of Moses as instructed (Jacob 4:5), living a life of righteousness and piety. His compliance with Abraham’s search for a wife signifies a deep respect for his father’s authority and trust in God’s providential care.
Through Isaac, the Book of Mormon acknowledges the continuity and fulfillment of God’s promises to His covenant people across dispensations and testifies of the divinely orchestrated lineage from which the Messiah, Jesus Christ, would come to redeem all who believe in Him (Helaman 3:30; Alma 5:24; 7:25). Isaac’s faithfulness and obedience to God’s commands are exemplary, as visualized by his symbolic role in the salvation narrative and his place in spiritual genealogies recited by Nephite prophets. His legacy, as one who has “entered into [his] exaltation” (D&C 132:37), stands as an eternal testament to the efficacy of God’s promises to His faithful servants.