Genesis 26:1-11 A severe famine now struck the land, as had happened before in Abraham’s time. So Isaac moved to Gerar, where Abimelech, king of the Philistines, lived. 2 The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt, but do as I tell you. 3 Live here as a foreigner in this land, and I will be with you and bless you. I hereby confirm that I will give all these lands to you and your descendants,[a] just as I solemnly promised Abraham, your father. 4 I will cause your descendants to become as numerous as the stars of the sky, and I will give them all these lands. And through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed. 5 I will do this because Abraham listened to me and obeyed all my requirements, commands, decrees, and instructions.” 6 So Isaac stayed in Gerar. 7 When the men who lived there asked Isaac about his wife, Rebekah, he said, “She is my sister.” He was afraid to say, “She is my wife.” He thought, “They will kill me to get her, because she is so beautiful.” 8 But some time later, Abimelech, king of the Philistines, looked out his window and saw Isaac caressing Rebekah. 9 Immediately, Abimelech called for Isaac and exclaimed, “She is obviously your wife! Why did you say, ‘She is my sister’?” Because I was afraid someone would kill me to get her from me,” Isaac replied. 10 “How could you do this to us?” Abimelech exclaimed. “One of my people might easily have taken your wife and slept with her, and you would have made us guilty of great sin.” 11 Then Abimelech issued a public proclamation: “Anyone who touches this man or his wife will be put to death!”
Isaac had lived with the same fear, the same doubt of the Lord's protection, and therefore used the same ruse that his father Abraham did when Abraham went down to Egypt with Sarah and again when he lived among the Philistines.
Genesis 13:10-15 10 At that time a severe famine struck the land of Canaan, forcing Abram to go down to Egypt, where he lived as a foreigner. 11 As he was approaching the border of Egypt, Abram said to his wife, Sarai, “Look, you are a very beautiful woman. 12 When the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife. Let’s kill him; then we can have her!’ 13 So please tell them you are my sister. Then they will spare my life and treat me well because of their interest in you.” 14 And sure enough, when Abram arrived in Egypt, everyone noticed Sarai’s beauty. 15 When the palace officials saw her, they sang her praises to Pharaoh, their king, and Sarai was taken into his palace.
Genesis 20:1-5 Abraham moved south to the Negev and lived for a while between Kadesh and Shur, and then he moved on to Gerar. While living there as a foreigner, 2 Abraham introduced his wife, Sarah, by saying, “She is my sister.” So King Abimelech of Gerar sent for Sarah and had her brought to him at his palace. 3 But that night God came to Abimelech in a dream and told him, “You are a dead man, for that woman you have taken is already married!” 4 But Abimelech had not slept with her yet, so he said, “Lord, will you destroy an innocent nation? 5 Didn’t Abraham tell me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘Yes, he is my brother.’ I acted in complete innocence! My hands are clean.”
My first thought was that Isaac saw Abraham do this, so he followed in his father's footsteps...but no, that didn't seem right, I knew Isaac wasn't born when Abram and Sarai went down to Egypt. And then I checked to make sure Isaac was not born when Abraham went down to Gerar in the second instance. Just as I suspected he was not. So where did Isaac learn this little trick? Seems like a trait passed down from father to son.
Okay, so that is the background to this God visit. After study we went into service. It was a wonderful time of worship. As usual, our teaching was interesting and gave me some good stuff to chew on for the week. But it was one of our worship songs that amazed me. Our worship team sang "The Old Rugged Cross." I couldn't believe it. God opened up my heart to remember...and to see. My Mom used to tell me this was my Grandmother's favorite hymn, and thus had become hers as well. And you know what, it's one of mine also! Incredible. I never met my Grandmother, she died quiet a few years before I was born.
And so as the joyful tears rolled down my face, I realized that in contrast to Abraham's fear and lying being passed down to Isaac, something beautiful had been passed down to me....The love of this sweet old hymn, the deep appreciation for it's lovely words and melody etched in my genetic structure. How totally cool is that!!
I just love the Lord !! Thank You Father.
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