Read Genesis 26: 1-35
1-5
It is absolutely vital to know the voice of
God and when He is speaking to you, before hard times come upon you. It is when times get tough we need to lean on
Him as never before. Isaac no doubt learned to hear His voice from his father
Abraham.
In Isaac’s day the famine was a shortage of food and
provisions [normally caused by a lack of rain]. However, famine may come in the
form of illness, old age, mere poverty, being barren, even a famine for hearing
the Word of the Lord, Behold, the days come,
saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of
bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: Amos 8:11. What is your famine? Do you
know the voice of the Lord your God?
In times of famine hearing God’s voice often means the
difference between merely existing of being blessed by God to the point of
prospering.
During this famine the Lord God specifically told Isaac:
·
Not to go to Egypt.
·
Stay in the land of the Philistines, Gerar.
The Blessing
The blessing promised Isaac
was the same blessing promised to Abraham so long ago. It is fitting that God
should reiterate it at this time, for God knows that from time to time we all
need to be refreshed in our minds and spirits lest we faint.
·
Isaac’s descendents would inherit the lands
promised to Abraham.
·
God would confirm His oath to Abraham.
·
Isaac’s descendents would multiply as the
stars of heaven.
·
Through Abraham’s offspring all nations on
earth would be blessed, because Abraham obeyed and kept God’s commandments.
Like father like son
Isaac lied to King Abimelech
concerning his wife, (telling him she was his sister), even as Abraham told
Pharoah concerning Sarai Gen. 12:10-20.
Isn’t it just like us, to
say one thing and behave another way? We either learn to trust Him or not. Even
like Abraham’s ruse for protection of his wife Sarai was found out, so also was
Isaac’s lie to the Philistines. Likewise it also angered the king that he
should be lied to. For there is nothing
covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that it shall not be known.
Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light;
and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon
the housetops. Luke 12:2-3.
That alone ought to send shivers to the bone just knowing
my sins will find me out! Today all one need do is watch the media expose how
people in high places are brought low because of some careless action or word; politicians,
celebrities, men of low degree, it matters not what affluence or influence—we
are all the same.
Mercy then blessing
9-16
After Isaac was found out he
humbled himself before Abimelech confessing his ploy by reason of thinking he
would kill Isaac and steal his wife (the same rational Abraham gave Pharaoh). Abimelech responded by decreeing that no man
should touch Isaac or his wife under penalty of death. +honesty is truly the
right and honorable thing to do—no matter what our feelings.
So Isaac
planted and reaped a great harvest even as the Lord had promised. So much so
that the Philistines became jealous and eventually ran them off (16). I wonder
what would happen if Christians were to just obey God’s voice and commandments
instead of striving for wealth like our worldly counterparts?
Have we become so caught up
in societies “rat race” that we’ve missed our heavenly cheese? Would not our
obedience to God’s Word provoke them to jealousy even as the Philistines? I
wonder!
Names
The
names of people, places and things have great meaning even today. The wells the
people of Isaac dug had names of value as well; they named them after the names
Abraham had given them, however now the Philistines were claiming them for
themselves causing strife between the herdsmen.
·
Esek: to
paint; dye; (for the eyes)
·
Sitnah: no meaning is given
·
Rehoboth: the Lord hath made room for us
[after all the striving with the Philistines finally they had their own well to
set up housekeeping
·
Shebah: satisfy;
fullness: a city in Beersheba.
23: Now Isaac moves from Gerar of the Philistines to
Beersheba which means: well of an oath.
24: The Lord God reaffirms the oath given to Abraham to
Isaac. Notice the oath has not changed because of circumstances.
25: An altar is built, tents erected and another well is
dug.
Peace and Divine favor
Proverbs 16:7 When
a man’s ways please the Lord, He maketh even his enemies to be at peace with
him
26-33
Recalling Isaac’s story, the
only wrong doing we find in him is that he lied to Abimelech. Otherwise Isaac
kept himself and his tribesman to themselves. When strife came over the wells
they simply moved on seceding the land and property rightfully theirs through
Abraham. Now we see Abimelech, after evicting him from the land, comes to Isaac
begging for a peace treaty. Interesting isn’t it?
I wonder what would happen if
we followed Isaac’s pattern of simply living a godly lifestyle, not causing
trouble… would our enemies come with an olive branch of peace?
The key appears to be their
holy lifestyle being observed by their enemies who are ever vigilant and
watchful over them.
Lesson: we may not think so, but all eyes are upon us. People are
observing our goings and comings our shortfalls and blessings from the Father.
They may not be able to explain it, but they
are watching none-the-less. As Paul said to the Corinthians; ‘Ye are our epistle written in our hearts,
known and read of all men: forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the
epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit
of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart.’
2Cor.3:2-3
·
Ours is to live a lifestyle exactly opposite
of our enemies.
·
Yes, Isaac lied, however it is the only
account of his misdeeds in this context; thus showing that even though it is
observed by others they maintain the option of overlooking our faults.
·
The lesson here is that we ought not to become
paranoid over our misdeeds, but to repent, forgive even forgiving our self [which
perhaps is sometimes the most difficult] and go on about our lives.
Esau
34-35
And
Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the
Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite: which were a grief of
mind unto Isaac and Rebekah.
Hittites: 1an ancient Canaanite tribe
descended from Heth who were [later] driven out of the land of Cannan by the
children of Israel under Joshua.1 Who’s Who in the Bible by Joan Comay and Ronald Brownrigg.
Remember, if you will:
1. Esau
was the firstborn son of Isaac and Rebekah thereby entitled to the birthright,
however he sold the birthright for a bowl of soup. Heb.12:16 [he was called a
profane (godless and sacrilegious) person]
2. Great
pains were taken to insure that the children did not intermarry with
unbelievers [those who were not blood related to Abraham and his descendents].
3. Esau
broke this vital link, thereby causing mental anguish to Isaac and Rebekah. My
assumption for his marrying outside the family is that he was a profane person
which gives credence to Isaac’s and Rebekah’s mental anguish and grief.
Faith
Building Practice and Review
1. What
famines have you faced in your life?
2. Are
you facing a famine presently?
3. Examine
yourself: does your Christian walk mirror God’s image and plan?
4. Read
Matthew 5:14-16. Are you a light? Or is your life darkness?
5. Are
you like Isaac whose lifestyle was seen by the Philistines? Why or why not?
6. In
Scripture Egyptians, Canaanites, Hittites, Jebusites, Philistines etc. are
representative of unbelievers, warning us against intermarrying with them. Why
do you think God prohibits such intermarrying?
7. What
potential problems are inherent with such unions?
8. What
do you see as predominant reasons for teaching your children not to marry
unbelievers?
Knowing
God
A brief [not complete, add
to the list] synopsis of the persona of God:
·
Love
·
Gracious
·
Merciful
·
Righteous
·
Longsuffering
·
Gentle
·
Faithful
·
Compassionate
·
Forgiving
·
Friend
The ultimate goal of Bible study is to
know God and not to merely memorize Bible trivia. As you study the lesson
identify the attributes of God. For instance: make a note when you read of God
extending His forgiveness or compassion, and remember how He has done the same
for you.
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