September 3, 2004

Genesis 26

ISAAC: LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON

How many of you are middle children in the birth order of your family of origin? In the literature on the effect of birth order on personality and character, one of the stereotypes is that of the "forgotten middle child." He/she is not the firstborn, with all the expectations and pressure and honor that go with it. Nor is he/she the last born, with the pampering, spoiling and special attention that goes with being the "baby" of the family. According to the stereotype, the middle child is often neglected or forgotten in the shadow of his/her more charismatic or demanding siblings.

In our message this morning, we are studying the life of Isaac. It occurred to me that in the book of Genesis, Isaac is the "forgotten middle child" in the chronology of the lives of the patriarchs. I realize that the patriarchs were not brothers, but different generations of fathers and sons. But in the unfolding of the story of Genesis, Isaac is largely a character in the shadow of his godly father Abraham, and his more colorful son, Jacob.

When his name occurs, it is usually as a minor character in someone else’s story. He is the promised son and heir, born to Abraham and Sarah in their old age. He appears in the dramatic story of Abraham’s testing in Genesis 22. Some commentators have marveled over his submissive nature in that story when God instructs Abraham to sacrifice his precious son. But such comments are largely speculative, because the story of Genesis 22 is really Abraham’s story and the crisis of faith lies between Abraham and God. We see Isaac again in Jacob’s story, as the aging, blind father who is duped by Jacob in his attempt to steal the blessing and birthright from his brother Esau. Even in the chapter given over to his marriage, Isaac is actually a minor character. The real action is carried by Abraham and his servant in the selection of the lovely Rebekah as Isaac’s bride.

In between the stories of Abraham and Jacob, however, there is one chapter that is given over to the story of Isaac, a chapter in which he emerges as a character in his own right. It is Genesis 26. As I studied this chapter this week, I found Isaac to be a remarkable man of character and faith from which we can all learn some valuable lessons.

Before we look at the story, let us first quickly sketch in some background and review material. The Book of Genesis unfolds on two levels. First, there is the big picture of what God is doing in history. It is the record of God’s unfolding plan for the redemption of the world. God promises, after the fall of Adam and Eve in Genesis 3 to send a descendant of the woman who would destroy the evil work of Satan. In Genesis 12, God chooses one particular man, Abraham, and says to him: You are the one. Through your seed, your descendants, will come a great nation and a line of descendants through whom the Messiah, the Redeemer will come. And the book of Genesis then traces that line of descent through the first 4 generations. So it is always helpful to ask, as we work our way through Genesis: What is God doing?

But the Book of Genesis also unfolds on a very human level. As the different individuals interact and respond to the larger plan of God, we learn valuable lessons about God and his dealings with his people.

When we studied the life of Abraham in the spring of 2003, we found that there were 5 threads that were woven throughout the account of his life. These threads were: The call of God, the promises of God, challenges/obstacles to God’s plan, faith, and fellowship.

It is not unexpected, then, that we find those same 5 threads woven through the life of Abraham’s son Isaac.

First of all, the call of God is repeated. In v. 2 we read: The LORD appeared to Isaac and said, "Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land where I tell you to live. Stay in this land for a while.

If you will recall, the call of God to Abraham was to go "to a land that I will show you." Now God gives a similar charge to Isaac. "Stay in these lands." This call is immediately followed by a repetition of the promises that God made to Abraham.

So God clearly takes the promises he gave Abraham and personalizes and applies them to Isaac. But as the chapter unfolds, we find that, like Abraham, Isaac faces a series of challenges and obstacles. Let me just highlight them quickly.

First of all, we are told in verse 1 that there was a famine. It was a time of scarce water, scarce food, scarce resources. The logical solution was to flee the famine, to go down to Egypt, where the Nile River’s steady flow ensured the food supply. But God said, "No. Do not go down to Egypt. Stay in the land I show you." That’s a challenge to faith, isn’t it? Can God provide for us in a time of famine, when resources are scarce?

Secondly, Isaac feared for his physical safety and the safety of his family. He was especially fearful because of the beauty of his wife Rebekah, that he would be killed by wicked men who wanted to take Rebekah for their own.

Thirdly, we find that as time went on and Isaac prospered, he became the object of jealousy from his Philistine neighbors. In v. 14 we read: He had so many flocks and herds and servants that the Philistines envied him.

This led to the final challenge, that of the strife over water and wells. We’re told that the Philistines had filled the wells that Abraham had dug with dirt, so Isaac couldn’t use them. Then they told him to move away. He moved, and dug some more wells. And the Philistines followed right along, either filling the wells with dirt, or claiming them for their own. How do you survive, particularly in a time of drought, without access to water?

The life of faith is never an easy life. There will always be challenges and obstacles. The question is, how will we respond to the challenges? How did Isaac respond?

First of all, the account records one significant and conspicuous failure. That is in respect to the physical threat posed by Rebekah’s beauty.

Let’s pick up the story:

Read 26:7-11

Not only did Isaac fail, but rather remarkably, he failed in exactly the same way his father Abraham failed. And Abraham had failed not once, but twice.

It is ironic, is it not? It would seem logical that families would learn from their mistakes. That sons would see or hear the outcome of their father’s failures and resolve not to repeat them. Certainly, sometimes that is the case. But all too often, it seems that we tend to repeat the failures of our parents. In this case, Isaac resorted to the same flawed strategy that Abraham had used. He lied and said that Rebekah was his sister. Like Abraham, he found himself unable to trust the promise of God to protect him and his family, and so he resorts to deceit to "help God out."

The strategy, of course, fails. Abimelech, the Philistine king, one day looks out the window of his house, and sees Isaac and Rebekah interacting in a very unbrotherly/sisterly way. He summons Isaac and rebukes him sharply. It is another one of those cases where the ungodly man actually appears in a better light than the servant of God.

But God is full of grace, and the outcome of the matter is that Abimelech gives stern instructions to protect the safety of Isaac and Rebekah. In spite of his failure of faith, God protects Isaac and his family.

But, almost like a runner who stumbles early in a race and then finds his stride, Isaac then runs strongly and smoothly for the duration of his life, trusting in God and enjoying his provision.

Read Genesis 26:12-21

We see in these verses Isaac’s walk of faith. He remains in the land as God instructed him, in spite of the famine. He plants crops and God blesses him with abundance. He prospers and becomes wealthy. When this wealth produces feelings of envy in his Philistine neighbors and they begin an effort to drive him out by stopping up his wells, Isaac refuses to resort to violence. At this point in time, Isaac is rich enough and powerful enough to fight for his rights. But he refuses to do so. He recognizes that his blessing, his prosperity, would come only from the blessing of the Lord, and not through his own strategies.

Until finally we read these wonderful words in v. 22: He moved on from there and dug another well, and no one quarreled over it. He named it Rehoboth (which means "room") saying, "Now the Lord has given us room and we will flourish in the land."

I love the way the story is concluded: (read v. 23-33)

As I studied the life of Isaac, three other passages of Scripture came to mind as apt descriptions of his life.

Romans 12:17-18: Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

Proverbs 10:22: The blessing of the LORD brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to it.

Proverbs 16:7: When a man’s ways are pleasing to the Lord, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him.

This last proverb is so clearly illustrated in the conclusion of the story, when Abimelech comes to him with a delegation of vip’s. Isaac says: Why have you come? You were hostile to me and sent me away?

Abimelech’s answer is classic. "We see clearly that God is with you and that your prosperity comes from his blessing. We want to establish a treaty with you, so that you will not harm us." The passage concludes with an account of Isaac providing a feast for these men, making a covenant, and sending them away in peace. When a man’s ways are pleasing to the Lord, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him.

Last week, in the message from Jeremiah 6:16, we were instructed to Stand at the Crossroads and Look and Ask for the Ancient Paths. As we have studied the life of Isaac, what ancient path have we discerned? What lesson can we take away?

It’s pretty clear, isn’t it? TRUE BLESSING COMES ONLY THROUGH TRUSTING THE PROMISES OF GOD.

God says it so clearly in v. 3: Stay in this land and I will be with you and will bless you.

Then in verse 22, Isaac so clearly states: Now the Lord has given us room and we will flourish in the land.

When Isaac acknowledges that fact, the Lord appears to him again: I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bless you and will increase the number of your descendants for the sake of my servant Abraham.

Over time this blessing of God was so clear that even his godless neighbors could see it: We saw clearly that the Lord was with you…you are blessed by the Lord.

We all want true blessing and true prosperity. We all want to flourish in this land to which God has brought us, if only for a time. But that blessing, that prosperity will not come through our own efforts, through our own strivings, through our own strategies. It comes when we seek the Lord. It comes when we put our trust and confidence in him and his promises. It comes when we fight our battles, not with our fists, but on our knees.

When we fight our battles that way, not only will we experience true prosperity, but it will come without conflict and without strife. It will come without compromise. It will come without regret. It will come with no bitter after-taste. It will come with no "trouble added to it."

What’s more, this is a path that leads to fellowship with God. At the conclusion of Genesis 26, we find Isaac where we so often found his father Abraham, beside an altar, worshiping and calling on the name of the LORD. This is true joy. This is true delight. This is where the ancient path, the good way, the path to true blessing, leads us.

Isaac found that rest. I trust that we will as well.