God's Hand on Isaac
Notes
Transcript
In today’s text we see the re-statement of the Abrahamic blessing as God promises Isaac. If we zoom out just a little bit so that we can see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob all in the same view, we can realize this is the connection between the promise and its fulfillment. At least in the person thru which it will be fulfilled. Jacob/Israel
1 Now there was a famine in the land, besides the former famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Gerar to Abimelech king of the Philistines.
2 And the Lord appeared to him and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; dwell in the land of which I shall tell you.
3 Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you and will bless you, for to you and to your offspring I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath that I swore to Abraham your father.
4 I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and will give to your offspring all these lands. And in your offspring 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.”
6 So Isaac settled in Gerar.
12 And Isaac sowed in that land and reaped in the same year a hundredfold. The Lord blessed him,
13 and the man became rich, and gained more and more until he became very wealthy.
14 He had possessions of flocks and herds and many servants, so that the Philistines envied him.
15 (Now the Philistines had stopped and filled with earth all the wells that his father’s servants had dug in the days of Abraham his father.)
16 And Abimelech said to Isaac, “Go away from us, for you are much mightier than we.”
17 So Isaac departed from there and encamped in the Valley of Gerar and settled there.
18 And Isaac dug again the wells of water that had been dug in the days of Abraham his father, which the Philistines had stopped after the death of Abraham. And he gave them the names that his father had given them.
19 But when Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and found there a well of spring water,
20 the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, “The water is ours.” So he called the name of the well Esek, because they contended with him.
21 Then they dug another well, and they quarreled over that also, so he called its name Sitnah.
22 And he moved from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it. So he called its name Rehoboth, saying, “For now the Lord has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.”
23 From there he went up to Beersheba.
24 And the Lord appeared to him the same night and said, “I am the God of Abraham your father. Fear not, for I am with you and will bless you and multiply your offspring for my servant Abraham’s sake.”
25 So he built an altar there and called upon the name of the Lord and pitched his tent there. And there Isaac’s servants dug a well.
26 When Abimelech went to him from Gerar with Ahuzzath his adviser and Phicol the commander of his army,
27 Isaac said to them, “Why have you come to me, seeing that you hate me and have sent me away from you?”
28 They said, “We see plainly that the Lord has been with you. So we said, let there be a sworn pact between us, between you and us, and let us make a covenant with you,
29 that you will do us no harm, just as we have not touched you and have done to you nothing but good and have sent you away in peace. You are now the blessed of the Lord.”
30 So he made them a feast, and they ate and drank.
31 In the morning they rose early and exchanged oaths. And Isaac sent them on their way, and they departed from him in peace.
32 That same day Isaac’s servants came and told him about the well that they had dug and said to him, “We have found water.”
33 He called it Shibah; therefore the name of the city is Beersheba to this day.
The Good in our LIves
Sometimes our blessing begins with someone else’s obedience.
Abraham to Isaac. The example of Abraham’s obedience was something witnessed firsthand. It was also something God referenced to Isaac when reaffirming the promise.
There are few things in life more powerful than for a kid to have a dad who lives a Godly example.
Gaylon to Jason. The example of my dad’s obedience to God was something I witnessed firsthand. Personal devotion. Business. Investing in other. Facing adversity. Obeying God.
6 but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.
5 You must not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the fathers’ sin, to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,
6 but showing faithful love to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commands.
Exodus 20:5
9 Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations,
Deuteronomy
Always our obedience is the beginning of someone else’s blessing.
What if? Cant use always statements. Deserted island.
God pointed the blessing from Abraham to Isaac. Where will He point the blessing of your life? At whom?
The Difficulty in our Lives
Sometimes we deal with the sins of our fathers. Isaac did. The example of deception when in a foreign land is almost word for word.
God chooses weakness to show His strength. Where we think we cant, He can. Instead of floundering or scheming we just give way to His plan. To His way.
So the best way to avoid suffering under the sins of your father is to start a new heritage of obedience. Obedience is the great sin defeater!
Sometimes we battle an enemy.
Obedience is the best defense. It allows God to fight our battles.
God is always fighting on our behalf!
Obedience provides blessing. Obedience defeats sin.
In both/all times of life, God is always for us.
If God is for us, who can be against us? Romas 8 is that great encouragement to believers!
There is now no condemnation. Now? Those who are now believers. Those who are not are not living in the now.
All things work together for good - love Him and called…
Since we are His, we are destined to become like Christ.
We have been saying these past few months: God is aiming His goodness and truth and might at us. Budget meeting.
The text reminds us of this truth in the lives of Abraham and Isaac. There was great blessing associated with being on the receiving end of God’s goodness and truth and might. There still is!
Why? Why did God bless Abraham to the point of being powerful and influential? Why did that blessing continue to and through Isaac as both power and influence grew? Why did Esau tell Jacob “Let’s go! Imagine what we can accomplish together!”. Why was Joseph sold to slavery? Why was there a famine in the land of promise AGAIN? Why did Israel have to be in slavery 400 years? Because God had a plan! And He still does!
Why is He aiming Himself at us? Because He has a plan! And part of that plan is to bring as many to God as possible.
23 And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled.
Everyone is to be invited! God is aiming Himself at us because He is aiming us at everyone else! Our obedience, in this particular part of our faith, will create TREMENDOUS blessing on others!
Their blessing will begin with our obedience! Will we rob them of that blessing or will we...