the lord is with you
“Then Abimelech came to him from Gerar with Ahuzzath, one of his friends, and Phichol the commander of his army. And Isaac said to them, “Why have you come to me, since you hate me and have sent me away from you?” But they said, “We have certainly seen that the LORD is with you… you are now the blessed of the Lord”
~Genesis 26:27 -29
A similar story, similar both in the way man acted and the way God responded would play out with Abraham's son, Isaac. It was not until I reached this far in my readings that I realized Abimelech was a title referring to King/Father of the Philistines. I had to do a little digging because it was highly unlikely perhaps more than 70 years later that Isaac was dealing with the same Abimelech that his father also faced. The ruler of Gerar, Abimelech, did encounter them both concerning a similar situation (Genesis 20 and Genesis 26). It would be almost correct to say a reenactment of events.
Is it really often the case that the sins of the fathers are found in the children? This may be because those sins of the flesh have been nurtured in the same environment and patterned by a previous generation, but that would be quite judgmental.
I can’t help but touch on the story briefly how Isaac was seen by Abimelech showing endearment to Rebekah, his wife. So Isaac, the son of promise was rebuked by a pagan king even as his father was. We find in Genesis 26:9-10 what Abimelech had to say:
“9 Then Abimelech called Isaac and said, "Quite obviously she is your wife; so how could you say, 'She is my sister'?" And 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?”
The monarch this time did something differently after the reprimand. He did not let Isaac and his household leave immediately. Isaac then sowed the land where they were and the Lord blessed them a hundredfold and even more that “he became very prosperous; for he had possessions of flocks and possessions of herds and a great number of servants.” The Philistines envied them so Abimelech commanded them to leave because they became mightier than them.
Wherever they dug the wells that were there during his father’s time, water gushed. The Philistines at one point quarreled with Isaac’s men over a well so they moved on and dug another one where they were not anymore disturbed by the Philistines. He called its name Rehoboth meaning roominess. It was far enough to cause a problem. Isaac saw this as a testament of God’s faithfulness and blessing than a result of his hard work.
He then moved up to Beersheba where the Lord appeared to him for the first time and the same promise given to Abraham was also given to him; that the Lord will bless him and multiply his descendants. He thanked God for everything and built an altar there.
Not too long after, Abimelech visited Isaac. The monarch was impressed to join hands in peace with Isaac, because he was convinced that the Lord was with him. What a witness, what a testimony!
God surely manifested His power, His faithfulness, His graciousness to Isaac and his household even though he stumbled along the way with a lie. His richest blessing is his forgiven life, and what followed was a life of peace and abundance of material blessings that served as a beacon of light that even Abimelech humbled himself and decided to establish a peaceful relationship with him.
How wonderful to know that we could bloom wherever we are planted by God, and be pronounced as “blessed of the Lord”, just like how Abimelech regarded Isaac. To be a favoured daughter and son, or family, full of blessings from above, regarded highly in the community and all around that people cannot help but connect with us and get to know the God we serve, is a gift and a privilege.
Thank you, Jesus, for blessing us so we will become your channel of peace.
#Godiswithyou #blessedoftheLord