Friday, October 21, 2005
Genesis 26
Genesis 26
“Cultural Impact”
Vs. 1-6 “The Lord appeared to Isaac”
Our emerging generation, where Isaac is now the patriarch, is in full swing. God is speaking to Isaac, and directing his steps. God basically tells Isaac, I will bless you if you follow my instructions. Live like your father Abraham did.
Vs. 7-11
I don’t think when God called Isaac to live like Abraham, that this is what he meant! Isaac gets weak and does the same dumb thing that Abraham did in a foreign land. Isaac fears for his own life due to the beauty of Rebekah, and decides to not trust God to do what He had promised, and instead to take things into his own hand.
Isaac tells people that his wife is his sister. Abraham, Isaac’s father, did that very same thing twice (Genesis 12:13, and Genesis 20:2). Why is it a problem? Not only does Isaac lie, but also it shows that at this very moment in time he is not trusting God. Isaac is not living in the faith that God will fulfill the promise He gave him in the first few verses of this chapter. Just as Abraham had to learn his own lessons on faith, so too must Isaac.
Vs. 12-22 “Quarreling”
Despite the lack of faith in the prior verses, God now blesses Isaac. Isaac is so blessed that the neighbors can see it. In time the herdsmen of the neighbors and Isaac’s herdsmen become quarrelsome. Eventually, since the disputes are not able to be reconciled, Isaac moves to a new area.
Vs. 23-end
God blesses Isaac again. God continues to reaffirm the covenant through Isaac. It is not a covenant dependant on Isaac, fortunately. God will continue to keep the blessings coming, but Isaac must learn how to deal with others, as well as himself, better. Abimelech has to ask Isaac to make a treat to deal honestly with him, and not to take advantage of him.
Thoughts:
How does Isaac look from the outside?
As the patriarch representing God, how does he appear to others?
Isaac is in a foreign land, and is the only real representative of the faith. It is just like Christians today in the workplace, school, or their neighborhoods. How do we come across to others?
Isaac was faithless and a liar:
We are often much the same. Do people that know you are a Christian see a strong, faith-filled person? Or, do they see someone who goes to church on Sunday, but lives like there is no God Monday through Saturday?
Isaac’s workers were quarrelsome:
Jesus taught us, “be at peace with each other” (Mark 9:50), and Paul says, “make every effort to live in peace with all men” (Hebrews 12:14). So, why are we so quarrelsome within, and outside of, the church? How does that make us appear when we can’t even love one another?
Isaac is asked to treat others fairly:
Abimelech asks Isaac to make a promise that he and his people will deal fairly with those around them. We as people in the church often have this asked of us as well. Why is it that we (the church) are commanded by Jesus to love our neighbor, yet we are so often seen as the worst people to do business with?
Closing:
How do people that are not a part of the church see us in the church? Do your neighbors, co-workers, fellow students, and friends see you in a way that honors God? Are we, those who are called to be different, setting the example for those around us, or are we just another bad example of the faith?
“Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ”
1 Corinthians 11:1
“Cultural Impact”
Vs. 1-6 “The Lord appeared to Isaac”
Our emerging generation, where Isaac is now the patriarch, is in full swing. God is speaking to Isaac, and directing his steps. God basically tells Isaac, I will bless you if you follow my instructions. Live like your father Abraham did.
Vs. 7-11
I don’t think when God called Isaac to live like Abraham, that this is what he meant! Isaac gets weak and does the same dumb thing that Abraham did in a foreign land. Isaac fears for his own life due to the beauty of Rebekah, and decides to not trust God to do what He had promised, and instead to take things into his own hand.
Isaac tells people that his wife is his sister. Abraham, Isaac’s father, did that very same thing twice (Genesis 12:13, and Genesis 20:2). Why is it a problem? Not only does Isaac lie, but also it shows that at this very moment in time he is not trusting God. Isaac is not living in the faith that God will fulfill the promise He gave him in the first few verses of this chapter. Just as Abraham had to learn his own lessons on faith, so too must Isaac.
Vs. 12-22 “Quarreling”
Despite the lack of faith in the prior verses, God now blesses Isaac. Isaac is so blessed that the neighbors can see it. In time the herdsmen of the neighbors and Isaac’s herdsmen become quarrelsome. Eventually, since the disputes are not able to be reconciled, Isaac moves to a new area.
Vs. 23-end
God blesses Isaac again. God continues to reaffirm the covenant through Isaac. It is not a covenant dependant on Isaac, fortunately. God will continue to keep the blessings coming, but Isaac must learn how to deal with others, as well as himself, better. Abimelech has to ask Isaac to make a treat to deal honestly with him, and not to take advantage of him.
Thoughts:
How does Isaac look from the outside?
As the patriarch representing God, how does he appear to others?
Isaac is in a foreign land, and is the only real representative of the faith. It is just like Christians today in the workplace, school, or their neighborhoods. How do we come across to others?
Isaac was faithless and a liar:
We are often much the same. Do people that know you are a Christian see a strong, faith-filled person? Or, do they see someone who goes to church on Sunday, but lives like there is no God Monday through Saturday?
Isaac’s workers were quarrelsome:
Jesus taught us, “be at peace with each other” (Mark 9:50), and Paul says, “make every effort to live in peace with all men” (Hebrews 12:14). So, why are we so quarrelsome within, and outside of, the church? How does that make us appear when we can’t even love one another?
Isaac is asked to treat others fairly:
Abimelech asks Isaac to make a promise that he and his people will deal fairly with those around them. We as people in the church often have this asked of us as well. Why is it that we (the church) are commanded by Jesus to love our neighbor, yet we are so often seen as the worst people to do business with?
Closing:
How do people that are not a part of the church see us in the church? Do your neighbors, co-workers, fellow students, and friends see you in a way that honors God? Are we, those who are called to be different, setting the example for those around us, or are we just another bad example of the faith?
“Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ”
1 Corinthians 11:1
