Gen. 26:1-10
“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. And the LORD appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of.” vv. 1, 2.
Isaac was to prove, as had his father Abraham, that God’s people are subject to many of the trials that are common to the world around them. The promise of future blessings does not necessarily relieve from present testings of faith. Abraham had known a famine, too. But it will be recalled he did not wait on the Lord’s counsel at that time but took it on himself to go down into Egypt — a type of the world. This proved an unhappy error, resulting in serious trouble with Pharaoh before he escaped back to his own country.
Isaac headed in the same direction as his father, journeying as far as Gerar — on the route to Egypt. We do not know what he may have purposed to do from that point, but are pleased to learn that when the LORD appeared to him, telling him to go no further, he obeyed.
The Christian is warned also of God not to go where he does not belong, but rather “to keep himself unspotted from the world” Jas. 1:27. He is told to “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world... For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof.” I John 2: 15-17. It is harmful to the child of God to turn to the world for relief from trouble. Such counsel will never bring blessing to the soul. We are told rather, “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly.” Psa. 1:1.
Isaac was obedient to the Lord’s command, but yet did not fully wait on Him for further direction when a problem arose. “And the men of the place asked him of his wife; and he said, She is my sister; for he feared to say, She is my wife; lest, said he, the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah.” v. 7. Fearful to make known his true identity with Rebekah, he resorted to a falsehood. Perhaps today it might be called “a little white lie,” yet it was not the truth. We may find it difficult to think that Isaac, for whom God had so graciously provided a lovely companion, would fail now to turn to God for wisdom. Instead, fearful of his own safety, he put both himself and his wife in a dangerous position.
This is a reminder that the Christian’s actions have a broad-reaching effect. If fearfulness allows one to get in a false position it will not only mar his personal testimony, but will also be harmful to others who may be drawn into the circumstance. The believer also has a “Companion'' (even Christ) to own before the world. May we be more like the Apostle Paul who could say, “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ’ and remember the loving promise of God: “Them that honor Me, I will honor.”
ML-06/05/1966