Genesis 25: After Sarah's death, Abraham takes another wife, has some more kids, leaves his inheritance to Isaac, and dies. The decendants of Ishmael are discussed. Jacob and Esau are introduced, and tension begins in the womb. Genesis 26: There's another famine. God tells Isaac not to go to Egypt, he doesn't. He tells King Abimelech that Rebekah is his sister (seen this somewhere before hunh?). Isaac receives 100 fold increase on his sowing, Abimelech kicks him out. Isaac leaves, builds wells, Abimelech takes them. They make an oath, Isaac finds water.
Genesis 25: Verses 5 and 6 are very interesting to me. I'm not exactly sure what to make of them. Abraham has other kids, outside of his marriage to Sarah, and he sends them away from Isaac and gives them gifts, but gives all he has to Isaac. Is it because God told him that his seed would be multiplied greatly through Isaac? Maybe, I don't have the answer. But I DO like that fact that Abraham held on to the promise God gave him. Another thought, although he gave his other children "gifts", Abraham was a very wealthy man. So a gift from him could be something really great, like land or cattle, not a tie...lol.
Esau sells his birthright for soup. I know those of us who have read this story probably think he is really crazy, but think about it like this:
How many times have we sacrificed something very important for temporary gain?
An immediate need was in the forefront of Esau's mind. He was hungry. VERY hungry. So he sold his birthright. Not a big deal to him at that moment when he felt faint from exhaustion and hunger. We've "sold" more important things for less than subsentence.
Chapter 26: In the first few verses I thought to myself, "whew, Isaac is not making the same mistakes as his dad", but then he tells Abimelech that Rebekah is his sister...
It's interesting to me how we can make the same mistakes as our parents/forefathers even if we weren't around to experience them. Isaac was not alive when Abraham lied to another King and said Sarah was his sister, but he did the same thing. OUT OF FEAR. It's really crazy the things we do as a result of fear. Abraham and Isaac had the same fear, I will be killed because my wife is beautiful, but even after the kings found out, they didn't kill them! Unnecessary fear can really trip us up.
Isaac wasn't even kicked out of Gerar for the lie, he got kicked out for being too prosperous. It was really great to see how this man, because he was lead by God, was blessed during economic turmoil. Even when Isaac moved to the valley of Gerar, and began to dig wells, he freely gave the wells to Gerar when tension arose. I would like to believe that he knew God has blessed him tremendously and that he would find water again.
So if we can't even count the times God has blessed us, we should not worry when contention and enmity come against us. God will still provide. He's not afraid of our problems. They are small to Him, PLUS He knew waaaaay in advance that they would happen and He's already made provision!
Anywho, not only did Isaac freely give up the wells, he also built an altar to make sacrifices to God. Of course, we don't sacrifice fatted calves and spotless lambs, but to put it in present day terms: Isaac praised God and worshiped Him (animal sacrifice = money) although there was strife and tension with his neighbors. I think that's something that we lose sight of at times. If we're supposed to praise God at all times, isn't strife still a part of "all"? Therefore we need to praise Him and make sacrifices even then!
So in the end, his enemies (or "haters") came to make an oath and covenant with him. Abimelech saw how blessed Isaac was (in the time of famine mind you) and contributed it to the Lord AND wanted to connect with him (Isaac). Isaac could have taken that time to blast Abimelech for kicking him out of Gerar, but he did not. They made an oath, he even had a large feast prepared.
After the oath....THEY FOUND WATER! Walking in love has it's benefits. (1) We further God's agenda by spreading his love and drawing people to Him and (2) we are blessed for obedience. How cool is that?
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