April 21, 2024
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in Genesis? Here’s today’s reading:
Genesis 26 (NIV)
Isaac and Abimelek
1 Now there was a famine in the land—besides the previous famine in Abraham’s time—and Isaac went to Abimelek king of the Philistines in Gerar. 2 The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land where I tell you to live.……Continue Reading
Genesis 26. Good on Isaac for remaining obedient to the Lord. Shame on Abimelek for being hostile towards Issac and his wife, especially after the incident with Abraham’s wife Sara.
I’m a little confused on the last bit with Isaac and Rebekah having grief for Jacob. I’ll rely on Pastor or anyone with more knowledge than me to clear that up!
This lie AGAIN! My goodness now its a generational lie and still God provides protection in it!
The coolest part of this chapter is how God uses circumstance to guide and direct Issac where He wants him to go. Through situation and logisitcs, most obviously wells and the need for water, He sends Isaac to the lands He wants him to be in and away from the places He does not want him to be. It makes you look at your own life and some of the things that happen that lead you into a place we didn’t expect but can look back after the fact and see how God’s provision and plan were acted out in our lives.
Genesis 26
There was hunger in Issacs land. God said not to go to Egypt. God said stay in this land I will bless you and your descendants. God said He would keep the oath of Abraham and would bless because Abraham obeyed his commands degrees and laws. So Isaac stayed in Gerar.
Now Issac does the same thing and says Rebekah is his sister due to her beauty. Said he was afraid he would be killed. I guess there was no way to know his father had done the same thing. No documentation at that time. When the king found out he gave orders not to touch either Rebekah or Issac. When Issac became so wealthy the king ordered him to leave. There was so much jealousy. Wells were fought over. Finally picked one and they stayed.The Lord appeared again to Issac saying I will bless you and increase you for the sake of his father Abraham. Abimelech came to Issac. He said it showed that God favored Issac so wanted a sworn Treaty put into place saying Issac would do them no harm. They reminded Issac they had treated him well and sent them away peacefully. Issac fed them, signed a treaty and sent them peacefully on their way. It says Esau and his wife were a source of grief to Issac and Rebekah. It’s amazing how Abraham’s oath with God blesses the generations of himself! All to obedience!
I observe that Isaac’s lie was not as Abraham’s. “A half truth, masquerading as the whole truth, is a complete untruth.” In no way was Rebecca his sister.
Not seeing a connection with Abimelek chapter 20 and Abimelek king of the Philistines chapter 26.
Vandalism. Rather an immature, impetuous response to a situation one does not like. I get it, why is Abraham so blessed, and we are not? Good question, my friend, perhaps you know the answer, but reject the application to yourself, and its implications. I would say, everyone knows that Abraham and Isaac were directly blessed by God. Yea, rather, 12:3 makes clear, “I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee.” Philistia is on the wrong side of the tracks, and will pay dearly.
God does not speak to me by voice, He never has. He speaks directly to me by the Holy Scriptures. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to me, and He gives me understanding. Scriptures are very clear, but my flesh is very rebellious, as the Philistines. I sin, because I want to, in direct opposition to Scriptures. It is just like vandalism, attacking in ignorance that to which one does not agree. Rebellion is willfulness against God, and it is a spirit of confusion and contradiction in my life. I cannot praise God and willfully sin at the same time. -reb
Genesis 26
Genesis 26
Genesis 26
Genesis 26
Genesis 26
Lying to a foreign king part 2. One wonders what communication happened between Abraham and Isaac with regard to the wrong choices Abraham made so Isaac could avoid them. How important for us to share our weaknesses to our children so they do not fall into the traps that we have. But once again we see in this account how important it is not to give into fear. But in his grace, God still provides and blesses Isaac to show that His hand is upon him….to the extent it is unmistakable even to a foreign king. So a treaty is made similar to that with Abraham. It is interesting to read here the conflicts that happened over wells and water…one can imagine very common in an arid land. Yet God provides again to make sure His chosen race would have a strong foundation to grow from. How amazing His grace is on us even today!
Isaac hears directly from God where to go/not go and affirmation of His promise to Abraham continuing through him, yet he still is afraid that he will be killed because of his wife’s beauty. He has heavenly life insurance!
It is also interesting that these foreign kings recognize the moral standard of not sleeping with another man’s wife.
God tells Isaac directly that he will be with him and bless him. And right after that, Isaac lies because he is afraid that someone will hurt him (doing exactly what his father did). Fathers (and mothers) must be aware that their behavior has a direct influence on their children. Let us keep that in the forefront of our minds and strive, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to live the life that God intended for us.