GOD’s Covenant Reaffirmation To Isaac – A Deception By Isaac (G-26-HBS)

GOD REAFFIRMS HIS COVENANT TO ISAAC

This chapter is about Isaac. In fact, it is the only chapter that is really about Isaac, and it just isn’t very thrilling. All he does is dig wells.

God has a message for us in this also. In fact, it is a very important message, and Paul stated it quite accurately: “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope” (Rom. 15:4).

This is a chapter that teaches patience, and some of us need that—certainly I am in that category.

Yet, we would not have you get the impression that patience is all that God wants of us.

The Lord also had men like Abraham, like Jacob, and like David, men who were real go-getters and who were aggressive.

God can use that also.

But the life of Isaac has a great message for many of us. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Tim. 3:16–17). With that in mind, let us come to this chapter.

Isaac, the beloved son, has the covenant confirmed to him. Then we find him dropping into the same sin of unbelief as his father Abraham had done.

Finally, we see him digging wells in the land of Gerar. This doesn’t seem to be very exciting but there is a message here for us; so let us not miss it.

Genesis 26:1-5 KJV

[1] And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar.

[2] And the LORD appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of:

[3] Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father;

[4] And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;

[5] Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

Genesis 26:1 KJV

And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar.


  • This is now the second famine that is mentioned.
  • You remember the famine in the days of Abraham when Abraham and Lot took off for Egypt.

Genesis 26:2 KJV

And the LORD appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of:


  • Why did God say that to Isaac?
  • Well, he had an example before him of his father who had run off down to the land of Egypt.
  • This reveals the fact that “like father, like son,” sins are carried from father to son.
  • You can talk about the generation gap all you want, but there is no generation gap of sin.
  • It just flows right from one generation to the other.
  • Generally, the son makes very much the same mistakes that the father did, unless something intervenes.
  • So God gives definite instructions to Isaac at the time of famine.
  • And He confirms the covenant which He had made with Abraham.

Genesis 26:3 KJV

Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father;


  • God says to Isaac, “Don’t leave this land, don’t go down to Egypt. I want to confirm with you the covenant which I made with Abraham.”

Genesis 26:4 KJV

And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;


And He repeats the threefold promise:

  • (1) the land—“I will give unto thy seed all these countries”;
  • (2) the nation—“I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven”;
  • (3) the blessing—“and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.”

Genesis 26:5 KJV

Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.


  • At this point God had not yet given the Mosaic Law; Abraham was not under the Mosaic system.
  • However, the important thing is that, when God told Abraham something, he believed God and acted upon it.
  • He demonstrated his faith by action.

 

We have too many folk today who complain of a lack of reality in their Christian lives.

A lady came in to talk to me some time ago who said that she believed but that she just couldn’t be sure and that she didn’t feel anything.

Such uncertainty!

I didn’t have to talk to her long to find out that there was no action in her life.

She was just sitting in the corner, twiddling her thumbs, saying, “I believe,” and then expecting some great something to take place.

That just doesn’t happen.

When you believe God, you act upon His promises.

If you would call me right now to tell me that there is a certain amount of money in a bank in downtown Los Angeles and that you have put it in there for me and I should go down to get it, do you think I would just sit right here the rest of the day?

My friend, if you know me, you would know that by the time you hung up the telephone I would have my hat on my head and I’d be going down there.

Faith is what you act on.

Faith is something that you step out on. Abraham believed God, and God counted it to him for righteousness.

God is now telling Isaac that He wants him to be that same kind of man.

I hope that you have really enjoyed this post,

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