Sermon Tone Analysis

Background

Last week we witnessed the death of Abraham, and the generations that came from his sons born to him by his concubines.

We also saw the children of Isaac born, Esau and Jacob.

For those who have been going through Genesis with us, this will seem like a very familiar story.

We saw similar scenarios with Abraham in Genesis 12 and in 20.

While sojourning through the land that God had promised to his descendants, Abraham traveled to Egypt because of a famine.

There he lied about his wife being his sister.

Abraham again lied about his wife to Abimelech in Gerar.

In both instances, the lie was revealed by God in dreams.

In Isaac’s story, he went to Gerar because of the famine.

God appeared to Isaac and told him not to go to Egypt as Abraham did.

This is the first recorded conversation between Isaac and God.

In the previous chapter, Isaac prayed to God and He opened Rebekah’s womb, but this is the first time God gave Isaac the promise that He had made to Abraham.

He continued the covenantal promises of land and descendants with Isaac.

Note the reason why: because of Abraham.

Isaac was the promised son, through whom God would fulfill these promises.

God is faithful to keep His promises.

Here we see Isaac repeating the sin of his father - lack of faith.

We discussed before that Abraham lied out of fear, and Isaac did the same thing.

This was right after God appeared to him and promised that He would bless him and his descendants in the land.

Abraham was guilty of this as well.

This was also with the same man, Abimelech.

Some think that this may be a different king, or that Abimelech was a title and not a name.

The most simple and consistent understanding is that it is the same Abimelech.

As an aside, the Hebrew word translated “caressing” is actually the same word used to describe what Ishmael was doing with Isaac, “sporting.”

The translation was chosen based on the context.

Isaac’s fear revealed that he lacked faith, like his father did in this particular area.

They feared men more than they believed God.

God used Isaac’s fear to grant him protection through Abimelech.

Once again we see God faithful to His promises, Isaac is blessed with agricultural success.

Important note, Isaac inherited all that Abraham had left before he died, and Abraham was very wealthy.

In spite of that, much of his food stores would have been perishable and needed replenishing.

His success caused jealousy amongst his neighbors.

Unlike with his father, Abimelech did not want Isaac to stay amongst them, because everyone saw who wealthy he was.

In spite of this, Isaac was able to settle in the valley, which was where Abraham had settled.

This was the area close to Beersheba.

Isaac began to reclaim what had been abandoned after his father’s death by re-digging the wells.

Just like with Abraham, Abimelech’s servants seized Isaac’s wells.

Isaac kept moving and eventually was able to settle in the valley.

Much like his father, Isaac returned to Beersheba.

In a turn of events that echo Abraham’s experience in Gen. 12 and 15, God once again reveals Himself to Isaac and promises again His blessings.

Like his father, Isaac built an altar and called out to God in the same place, Beersheba.

This section is the best proof that this Abimelech is the same who dealt with Abraham, as he did the same thing.

He even brought the original commander, Phicol, with him, who would remember Abraham.

Along with his advisor, Abimelech would’ve once again traveled with a small contingent of soldiers.

Isaac’s greeting isn’t the most friendly, but reflects the difference in relationship between father and son with the foreigner king.

Once again, Abimelech acknowledges the wealth and prosperity of Isaac compared to their own, and seeks an alliance.

This time, there is no mention of wells, perhaps because Isaac had already settled near a well.

Abimelech would know about Isaac’s relationship with Abraham.

In similar fashion, the covenant is made with a feast and the exchange of oaths.

After Abimelech left, Isaac’s servants unstopped the well of Beersheba, which was the well Abraham dug.

God was blessing Isaac in the land that was promised to Abraham.

The most important part of the promise is that Abraham’s descendants will be a blessing to the nations around them.

Like Isaac, we are children of the promise made to Abraham.

The chapter concludes with Esau getting married at the same age as his father did, only he did not marry according to the same warning.

Isaac would be 100 years old at this time.

Esau married daughters of the Canaanites, whom Abraham had forbidden Isaac to marry.

He married 2 women instead of 1.

Foreign women + polygamy = grief.

APPLICATION

God is faithful to keep His promises.

Like Isaac, we are children of the promise made to Abraham.

Next week, we will continue with the story of Isaac and his family.

Communion: We practice open communion, which means if you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, you may join the church in taking the Lord’s Supper.

Communion is a practice of remembering what Christ has done by eating and drinking, and we are told that we must examine ourselves in the taking of communion, so that we do not eat the bread or drink the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner.

Take this time to examine yourself before we take communion together.