Blessings Upon Blessings

Blessings Upon Blessings

Genesis 26: ¹² Then Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the Lord blessed him. ¹³ The man began to prosper, and continued prospering until he became very prosperous; ¹⁴ for he had possessions of flocks and possessions of herds and a great number of servants. So the Philistines envied him. ¹⁵ Now the Philistines had stopped up all the wells which his father’s servants had dug in the days of Abraham his father, and they had filled them with earth. ¹⁶ And Abimelech said to Isaac, “Go away from us, for you are much mightier than we.”

 

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Isaac stayed in the area that had a famine which was in the land of the Philistines in Gerar. There he was able to plant in fields. Supernaturally, his fields grew faster and more plentiful than anyone else’s.

 

My Observations:

• GOD blessed Isaac because HE promised HE would.
• Isaac did not do anything special, BUT GOD did.
• Abimelech became a hater because Isaac was blessed.

 

Seeing Isaac prosper made the Philistines jealous. Isaac followed in his father’s footsteps by believing and trusting in the LORD. I believe it was JESUS who met Isaac and told him to “Dwell in this land, and I will be with you and bless you.”  HE did as HE said.

 

Blessings kept coming towards Isaac. Crowds flocked to him and soon he was growing stronger than the Philistines. Following GOD was attractive to people. Abimelech knew that the way of the Philistines was being threatened. He sent Isaac away before war broke out. GOD blessed Isaac tremendously!

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD tell Moses about blessing Isaac?
• Has GOD kept you all these years?
• Will you praise GOD for all the blessings HE has given you and will continue to give you?

Protected Anyway

Protected Anyway

Genesis 26: ⁶ So Isaac dwelt in Gerar. ⁷ And the men of the place asked about his wife. And he said, “She is my sister”; for he was afraid to say, “She is my wife,” because he thought, “lest the men of the place kill me for Rebekah, because she is beautiful to behold.” ⁸ Now it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked through a window, and saw, and there was Isaac, ^[a]showing endearment to Rebekah his wife. ⁹ Then Abimelech called Isaac and said, “Quite obviously she is your wife; so how could you say, ‘She is my sister’?”

 

Isaac said to him, “Because I said, ‘Lest I die on account of her.’ ”

 

¹⁰ And Abimelech said, “What is this you have done to us? One of the people might soon have lain with your wife, and you would have brought guilt on us.” ¹¹ So Abimelech charged all his people, saying, “He who touches this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.”

 

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Abimelech was older. He had the same conversation with Abraham about men lurking around his wife. Now Isaac was having the same problem. The men or Gerar wanted to take Rebekah. Traditionally they would kill the husband but leave the brother alive. I

 

My Observations:

• Isaac lied about Rebekah being his sister because he was afraid.
• Abimelech saw Isaac showing affection to Rebekah that was not like a brother.
• Abimelech saw through the lie and protected Rebekah despite the deception.

 

Isaac was put in a difficult spot. He wanted to find a solution to the famine so he went to the king. He was told not to go to Egypt, but Gerar was just as bad. He lied about his relationship to Rebekah, probably to keep her and him alive. Whatever the case, it was a lie.

 

Abimelech knew Isaac was related to Abraham. He may have remembered what happened when Sarah showed up. All the women became barren. He did not want something like that to happen again. He ordered every man to stay away from Rebekah. They were protected anyway.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD explain this lie to Moses?
• Have you ever lied out of fear or insecurity?
• Can you begin your day with praising GOD for forgiving you of all your sins?

Obedient Blessings

Obedient Blessings

Genesis 26: There was a famine in the land, besides the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines, in Gerar.

 

² Then the Lord appeared to him and said: “Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land of which I shall tell you. ³ Dwell in this land, and I will be with you and bless you; for to you and your descendants I give all these lands, and I will perform the oath which I swore to Abraham your father. ⁴ And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands; and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed; ⁵ because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.”

 

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A second famine in history was wiping out all food. Like Abraham, Isaac went to the king, looking for answers. He may have wondered if there was a plan that could warrant him moving to Gerar. BUT GOD appeared to HIM.

 

My Observations:

• GOD caused a second famine.
• GOD told Isaac to stay away from Egypt unlike what HE allowed Abraham to do.
• GOD spoke to Abraham through HIS voice, providing HIS charge, HIS commandments, HIS statutes and HIS laws.

 

Laws? What laws? Commands? What commands? Before Moses, Abraham was given information to live according to the LORD. I believe it was JESUS who delivered the message regarding how to live a Godly life to Abraham.

 

He obeyed everything told to him and was not manipulated into doing so. Many humans have tried to manipulate GOD’s words today. But Abraham heard directly from the LORD so he received full truth. Isaac followed in Abraham’s footsteps. His obedience to GOD would bring him blessings.

 

Challenge

• Why did GOD mention the second famine and Abraham’s prior obedience, to Moses?
• Have you ever struggled obeying GOD?
• Is obedience to GOD something that is valuable or a barrier to you?

What is Valuable

What is Valuable

Genesis 25: ²⁹ Now Jacob cooked a stew; and Esau came in from the field, and he was weary. ³⁰ And Esau said to Jacob, “Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary.” Therefore his name was called Edom.

 

³¹ But Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright as of this day.”

 

³² And Esau said, “Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright to me?”

 

³³ Then Jacob said,  “Swear to me as of this day.”

 

So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. ³⁴ And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

 

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After Abraham died, all was left to Isaac, the promised child. Isaac now had herds of cattle, sheep, goats and plenty of gold. Esau had access to the herds, but chose to hunt for his food.

GOD turns HIS explanation to one particular day in Esau’s life. This particular day, he came in from the field and asked Jacob for food.

 

My Observations:

• Esau did not seem to value his inheritance.
• Jacob had been planning to swindle Esau for quite some time.
• Esau did not care about what he gave away, as long as he was gratified at that moment.

 

For years, Jacob worked with cattle, slaughtering it and preparing food. Jacob was not lazy, rather he was cunning. Esau may have gone out on a hunting trip thinking he was going to catch his own food. He may have been able to cook food as well, but it took silence and lurking skills to catch animals. This day he caught nothing.

 

Esau may have been exhausted chasing his prey. He comes home and gets hit with a strange statement “Sell me your birthright.” Jacob would not give Esau any food unless he agreed to give him the birthright. He valued what he would get over his relationship with his brother.

Esau did not value herds and gold, so he sold it for a meal.

 

Challenge

• Why do you think GOD mentioned this day to Moses?
• Have you ever valued something, only to find out later that it did not have any value?
• Will you place your value in walking with the LORD today so HE can renew you from weariness?

Beginning of the Rivalry

Beginning of the Rivalry

Genesis 25: ²⁴ So when her days were fulfilled for her to give birth, indeed there were twins in her womb. ²⁵ And the first came out red. He was like a hairy garment all over; so they called his name Esau. ²⁶ Afterward his brother came out, and his hand took hold of Esau’s heel; so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.

 

²⁷ So the boys grew. And Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field; but Jacob was a mild man, dwelling in tents. ²⁸ And Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.

 

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During the birth of the twins, the first came out red and hairy. His name was Esau. But the second child grabbed his foot. Both parents noticed this and named him Jacob.

 

My Observations:

• Esau was wild in the womb, and Jacob was born with the desire to get what he wanted.
• Esau grew up as a hunter.
• Jacob may have figured out ways to not hunt, rather remain in the tent, cooking.

 

A rivalry began between Esau and Jacob before they were born. They wrestled in Rebekah’s womb, causing concern to her. She asked GOD what was going on and HE told her that two nations would be born from her and Esau would eventually serve Jacob.

 

This statement may have had an effect on her. She was told that Jacob would be the chosen one as a leader, so she catered to his every wish. Isaac may not have been aware of GOD’s words to Rebekah. He became enamored that Esau was a great hunter. Jacob would cook all the meals with the game Esau provided.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD tell Moses about the details of the birth of the twins?
• Is there something you are wrestling with that has become your adversary?
• Will you give your struggle to GOD so you can gain peace today?

Sensing Something is Wrong

Sensing Something is Wrong

Genesis 25: ¹⁹ This is the genealogy of Isaac, Abraham’s son. Abraham begot Isaac. ²⁰ Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah as wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan Aram, the sister of Laban the Syrian. ²¹ Now Isaac pleaded with the Lord for his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived. ²² But the children struggled together within her; and she said, “If all is well, why am I like this?” So she went to inquire of the Lord.

 

²³ And the Lord said to her:

 

“Two nations are in your womb,
Two peoples shall be separated from your body;
One people shall be stronger than the other,
And the older shall serve the younger.”

 

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Isaac’s genealogy starts off differently than Ishmael’s. It begins with trouble. Rebekah was barren. Isaac had his own relationship with the LORD, so he pleaded with HIM to provide a child. The LORD granted this plea. But then Rebekah, who never had children, knew something was wrong.

 

My Observations:

• Rebekah, like Sarah, was barren and needed a miracle.
• Isaac, like Abraham, spoke to the LORD about children HE promised.
• GOD granted the plea and explained to Rebekah the spiritual ramifications of her children.

 

You would think that GOD’s promise would come easy. Sarah, baren. Rebekah, baren. Both needed GOD’s intervention, so this may be been a supernatural situation that both women faced. It required faith that only GOD could work this problem out. Isaac showed the same faith of Abraham by asking the LORD for favor. HE showed favor.

 

But there was another barrier. Something was wrong with the pregnancy. Even though Rebekah never had children before, she could tell something was wrong. She went to the LORD and asked “Why am I like this?” GOD explained what was going on with the struggle. GOD answered Rebekah.

 

Challenge

• Why did GOD explain Isaac’s genealogy differently than Ishmaels’ to Moses?
• Has GOD made you a promise and you could sense something is currently wrong?
• If you sense something is wrong with the current situation, will you ask GOD to clear the path today?

Prophecy Fulfilled

Prophecy Fulfilled

Genesis 25: ¹² Now this is the genealogy of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s maidservant, bore to Abraham. ¹³ And these were the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations: The firstborn of Ishmael, Nebajoth; then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, ¹⁴ Mishma, Dumah, Massa, ¹⁵ Hadar, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. ¹⁶ These were the sons of Ishmael and these were their names, by their towns and their settlements, twelve princes according to their nations. ¹⁷ These were the years of the life of Ishmael: one hundred and thirty-seven years; and he breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people. ¹⁸ (They dwelt from Havilah as far as Shur, which is east of Egypt as you go toward Assyria.) He died in the presence of all his brethren.

 

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After Abraham’s death, GOD turns the conversation to Ismael. HE carefully and methodically expressed who Ismael was and how many kids he had. Ismael was Abraham’s son, but not through Sarah, rather through Hagar, Sarah’s servant. Sarah could not have children, so she came up with a plan to “help” GOD’s prophecy.

 

My Observations:

• Ismael was Abraham’s son, but not the chosen son who would provide the lineage of CHRIST.
• GOD promised Abraham that Ismael would have twelve princes would become great nations.
• Ismael had twelve princes that became great nations.

 

Ismael’s sons lived in a vast territory containing Havilah. I am not convinced this is the same Havilah that was a suburb to the Garden of Eden that contained gold and precious stones, but it could be. I believe the Garden was destroyed in the flood. I also believe that remnants of gold and precious stones were disbursed throughout the broken land masses.

 

Ismael’s prophecy came true, just as GOD said. He must have kept in touch with Isaac and his step brothers. There was probably very little fighting if any. The step brothers and children gathered peacefully at Ismael’s funeral. GOD’s prophecy was fulfilled exactly as HE said.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD go into meticulous detail to Moses regarding Ismael’s genealogy?
• Have you ever felt on the outside of blessings from GOD?
• Do you realize that you are part of GOD’s family and HIS plan for you is far greater than you think?