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In the last article the Sacred Record revealed how the Philistines began to take notice of Isaac's wife Rebekah - for they saw that she was very beautiful. I had also pointed out that this wasn't the same Abimelech that Abraham had dealt with one-hundred years before this particular account, which now deals with Isaac. One could also assume that this Abimelech is perhaps the son, or grandson of that same king Abimelech that Abraham dealt with, some one-hundred years before. I had also touch on the idea that perhaps the name Abimelech was used as some sort of surname, just like the Egyptians had used with the name Pharaoh - or how the Romans had used the name Caesar, when it came to their rulers. Now personally I find it very fascinating that Isaac, and Abimelech are facing the same type of situation just like their forefathers had done before them. We would also find that Isaac would respond and react in a similar way that his father Abraham had responded one-hundred years before: "She is my sister." Isaac would tell them for he feared that they would kill him, if they knew that she was really his wife. Remember that these are the same fears that Abraham had when he was faced with the same situation, when it came to his wife Sarah. But fortunately for Abraham, the king Abimelech that reigned during his day, was told about the patriarch's deception during a visitation that he received by the Lord -- while he slept during the night. Now we find that his son, or grandson one-hundred years after him would also find out about Isaac's deception as well. But Abimelech would find this out, while he was looking down from his palace window one day, and this is when he saw Isaac and Rebekah behaving like the husband and wife that they were, and not like the brother and sister that they had led the king to believe. After witnessing this, king Abimelech would confront Isaac about his deception, and it would be at this time that Isaac would explain his reasoning behind the lies that he had told to the king, and the town that he ruled over. After hearing this, Abimelech would then put forth the decree that no harm would be brought against Isaac and his wife Rebekah. The king would also allow them to continue to stay and live amongst them if they chose to do so. Needless-to-say, this is exactly what Isaac and Rebekah would choose to do, for we must also remember that the land of Canaan was in the midst of a serious famine during this time, and God had told Isaac that he was not to go down to the land of Egypt: "Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land where I tell you to live. Stay in this land for a while, and I will be with you and will bless you. For to you and your descendants I will give all these lands, and will confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham. I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations on will be blessed, because Abraham obeyed me and kept my requirements, my commands, my decrees and my laws." -- (Genesis 26:2-5) So Isaac would stay in the Philistine town and we would soon learn that he had planted some crops. Now within that same year, we are told that the Lord had blessed Isaac mightily. The blessings that God had bestowed on Isaac had caused him to reaped one-hundred fold when it came to the crops that he had planted earlier in the year. Because of this tremendous favor, Isaac had became very wealthy. Know that his flocks and herds were blessed as well, for they had grown greatly. Isaac's whole household would have favor with the Lord, and this favor would be so great that the king had begun to envy him. Now we must keep in mind that the growth that Isaac had experience was during a time, in which the land he stayed was in the midst of a great famine. And yet, the Lord allowed Isaac to become very prosperous in all that he had, so-much-so that Isaac's riches had surpassed Abimelech's. Make no mistake, this made the king and the townspeople very envious of Isaac. Because of this the townspeople had filled all the water wells that Abraham had dug during his day, for they filled them all up with the dirt of the earth. This was done, in spite of the covenant that Abimelech's household had made with Abraham's one-hundred years before. Could it be that king Abimelech was filled with so much jealousy, that he had forgotten that he was dealing with one of God's favorites? Would the king somehow come to his senses or will he continue on a path that would bring him face-to-face with the wrath of God? **YOUR CURRENT BIBLE STUDY ONLINE SERIES WOULD BE HERE** Jacob - The Path of Uncertainty 28) The Twelve Rulers of Ishmael 30) Esau & Jacob - The Birthright 31) Isaac and the Canaan Famine 33) <-CURRENT PAGE-> 39) Jacob - Loyalty or Deception 40) Deceitful Hearts 43) Jacob - The Path of Uncertainty  |
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