Old Testament - Genesis 26 - February 23, 2022

 2/23/2022 – Genesis 26

This chapter starts with another famine, and we see that at this time “the Lord appeared unto him [Isaac], and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of: Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee…” As He described the blessings that would come to Isaac & his family, I feel that the most wonderful one was that “…in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.” This wonderful communication could not have happened unless Isaac…and Rebekah…had been keeping His commandments and communicating with Him regularly. (v 4)   Ah! I should have read further!  Verse 5: “Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.”

In v 15 -19 we learn that the Philistines envied Jacob, and they came and stopped up all the wells that Abraham had digged and filled them with dirt.  Isaac’s response to this was that he departed thence and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar and dwelt there. And Isaac digged again the wells of water, which they had digged in the days of Abraham….and found there a well of springing water.” This situation occurred four more times as he had moved on each time. That is when “the Lord appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham’s sake…” (v 24) Isaac’s response to the Lord’s visit was to build an alter and call upon the name of the Lord ( v 25).  This verse makes me want to try ever more strongly to keep Heavenly Father’s commandments in order to bring more blessings and guidance from Him to our children.  

Abimelech came from his home in Gerar to Isaac in Beer-sheba. Isaac’s first response to this visit was: “Wherefore come ye to me, seeing ye hate me, and have sent me away from you?” They both made promises not to hurt one another, and Isaac made a feast for them.” Isaac, once again, did not speak of the unfairness in the way they had treated him--instead he fed them and they left the next morning after promising to help one another. In v 32 we are told “And it came to pass the same day, that Isaac’s servants came, and told him concerning the well which they had digged, and said unto him. We have found water.”  So many times, Isaac had moved rather than promote bad feelings with those living near to him.  The Lord’s promised blessing DID come.

In the very end of this chapter, we are told that Esau married Judith, who was a Hittite. Isaac and Rebekah grieved this marriage, for the religious views and values that Esau had been raised with were so different from those that Judith had—for she did not believe in 

God, but worshiped idols instead. Because of this, Esau and Judith would not have access to the covenant of eternal marriage. That would affect, not just Esau & Judith, but also all of their children, and their children’s children.


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