Saturday, June 06, 2020

2020.06.06 Hopewell @Home ▫ Genesis 26:26–33

Questions from the Scripture text: Who came to Isaac in Genesis 26:26? With whom? What does Isaac ask them in Genesis 26:27? What do they say they’ve seen (Genesis 26:28)? What do they want Isaac to do? What do they claim that they have done in Genesis 26:29? What does Isaac do for them in Genesis 26:30? What do they do, at what time, in Genesis 26:31? What do the Philistines do then? Who come in Genesis 26:32? When? What do they tell him? What does he call the well in Genesis 26:33? What was the city called?  
Through Isaac, all the nations of the earth will be blessed. Not by feasting and covenanting with a wandering herdsman in a land not his own, but by trusting in that herdsman’s descendant when He sits upon the throne of glory!

In the meantime, however, here in Genesis 26:26 is a king of one of the nations. His name means “my daddy is king.” His friend’s name is “owned” (possession). His army commander’s name is “all mouth.” And they come— crawling, as it were—to the man whom they sent away.

Isaac lets them and us know that they’re in no position to make their request. Genesis 26:29 rings hollow after the opening salvo of Genesis 26:27. But Genesis 26:30-31 still fulfill the request of Genesis 26:28. Isaac is not only the one with the strength; he is the one with the wealth. He provides the feast (Genesis 26:30). And he is the one with the grace. He provides the peace that they don’t deserve to claim (Genesis 26:31). 

Genesis 26:32 reminds us that Isaac does not need a covenant with Abimelech. Isaac has the living God. The God of Rehoboth is the God of Sheba (Genesis 26:33). Even where there is nothing, God can and does give Isaac everything, for the sake of His electing love and the promises that He swore to Abraham. Abimelech hit the name on the head, “You are now the blessed of Yahweh.”

Isaac had everything but needed nothing. Abimelech had nothing to give Isaac but needed everything. So, Isaac was not only the one through whom Christ would come. He is also a picture of Christ for us here.

Christ has everything in Himself, needed nothing, but gave everything anyway. We have nothing that we can give Christ, but we may receive everything in Christ. He spreads the feast for us, and the feast is ultimately and especially Himself. He swears the oath with us, and we proceed in a life that is at peace with Him. We get to live in the knowledge that Christ is ours, and all that is His is for us, in Him. And we must live by the principle that, though He needs nothing from us, we and all that we are truly belong to Him.
In what current situation do you need the confidence that Christ, and all that is His, belongs to you? And of what part of your life or property do you need the reminder that you, and all that you are, belong to Him? 
Suggested songs: ARP116B “I Still Believed” or TPH270 “At the Name of Jesus”

No comments:

Post a Comment