Story 45 The Trials of Isaac — His Glory In Our Story

Genesis 26 Part 2

Isaac and Rebekah lived in Abimelech’s land for quite some time, and everyone believed that they were sister and brother. It was quite a charade. But then one day, King Abimelech looked out a window of his royal palace, and he saw Isaac caressing Rebekah with the kind of tender affection that belongs only between a husband and wife! He was furious that Isaac had lied to him. He commanded that Isaac be brought before him for questioning.

“‘She is really your wife!’” he declared. “‘Why did you say “She is my sister’?” Isaac explained that he was afraid that someone might try to kill him to get to Rebekah. That didn’t make the king feel any better. If one of his countrymen had pursued Rebekah and taken her as his own, it would have brought guilt upon his people. Isaac’s lies had put his own wife at risk! He made it more difficult for Abimelech to protect his nation. Once he knew the whole truth, Abimelech gave out orders that both Isaac and Rebekah were under his royal protection. Anyone who tried to hurt them would be put to death! What a righteous king he was, upholding goodness among his people. Abimelech used his power well.

Isaac and Rebekah settled in the land for a time. He planted crops, and God blessed his work so wildly that they grew a hundredfold. Isaac was already a man of great

wealth, and this continued to grow and grow. His herds of cattle and flocks of sheep and goats covered the hillsides, and he had whole crews of servants to help him manage his vast properties. His blessings were so great that the Philistines, the people of Abimelech’s nation, grew envious of his success. They resented him so much that some of them began to sneak out to the wells that Abraham himself had dug. These wells provided precious, clear water in dry places. It is hard for us to understand just how valuable it was to the people of that time. If they didn’t have enough ways to get water, they would die. But the men of Gerar were so filled with malice that they took dirt and rocks and filled up the wells to make them useless.

King Abimelech finally asked Isaac to leave his area. The envy of his people was too great. The power of sin often drives people away from each other. He could no longer promise that Isaac was safe in his kingdom. Isaac was devouring all their land and taking over the wealth of his people!

Isaac did as the king asked. He moved to another area called the Valley of Gerar, beyond the boundaries of Abimelech’s kingdom. He set up their life there, redigging wells that Abraham had dug so many decades before. They would have plenty of water for the family and their servants and animals. Isaac renamed the wells the same names that Abraham had, each honoring the Lord who is the giver of all good things. They were claiming the land for their God!

When some of Isaac’s servants were digging a new well, they found a fresh, living spring of water! Some local herdsmen came along and fought them for it, claiming that the well belonged to them. So his men dug another well, and the same thing happened. Once again, Isaac moved and another well was dug. Can you imagine how exhausting it would be to move all those people and tents and animals? But this time, nobody tried to fight him over it, so he named that well “Rehoboth,” which means “room.” He said, “‘Now the Lord has given us room and we will flourish in the land.’”After three tries, there was finally plenty of space for his massive, moving nomadic tribe to stop and rest around a good supply of water!

After a time, Isaac move his clan once again, this time to a place called Beersheba. While he was there, the Lord himself came to him. He said, “‘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.’”

Once again, God came to Isaac and reaffirmed his promises to him. Just as with Abraham, God continued to initiate and pursue his servant, reassuring Isaac that he was surely going to do all that he had promised. The LORD understood the agony of waiting and the way it twists and pulls on faith. Isaac built an altar there in devotion to his God. He had the whole clan put up their tents and ordered his men to dig another well.

In the midst of all this activity and production, King Abimelech came with his chief advisor and the leader of his army. He meant business. This meeting was high and official, with the importance and formality befitting a negotiation between two powerful nations. For you see, Abimelech was nervous. Isaac and his properties and servants had grown very great, and they had settled only miles from his border. There had already been conflict over the wells. Their last parting had not been friendly, and he did not want to have such apowerful enemy so nearby.

Isaac asked Abimelech why he would come to him after being so hostile before. Abilmelech said that he knew God’s blessings were on Isaac. He didn’t want to war with him. He asked for a treaty of peace. Isaac agreed with enthusiasm. He threw a great banquet for them and they feasted together over their alliance. The next morning, King Abimelech went on his way with his men.

Part of Isaac’s faithfulness to God was that he was a lover of peace. He did not seek to expand his wealth and power by taking over his neighbors. When his neighbors were malicious or greedy, he meekly chose to move away from the conflict. And when they came to him seeking gracious peace, he offered it quickly and with joy. Yet even the kings of earth feared Isaac with reverent respect. Though he was not yet a great nation, his wide and vast blessings made it clear to all that God was with him. His life of righteousness was a model for all in the region to see. It was a testimony to the true and living God.

As Isaac carried out all of these journeys, God was doing a work in his family. His twin boys were born and grew into men. When Esau turned forty years old, he took two wives for himself. Both of them were Hittite women. He did not seek the wisdom or will of his parents in these important decisions, and he brought foreign women into their household. Their hearts were devoted to the pagan idols and their ways were very different from how Isaac and Rebekah wanted their family to live. In the midst of Issac’s faithful walk, Esau’s wives were a constant grief to his parents. For as much peace as God was giving him with his neighbors, Esau’s foolishness had brought an ongoing battle into their home.