QT 10/15/2025 Gen 26:1-11, Dealing with fear and pain

Genesis 26:1–11 (ESV) —

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. 7 When the men of the place asked him about his wife, he said, “She is my sister,” for he feared to say, “My wife,” thinking, “lest the men of the place should kill me because of Rebekah,” because she was attractive in appearance. 8 When he had been there a long time, Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out of a window and saw Isaac laughing with Rebekah his wife. 9 So Abimelech called Isaac and said, “Behold, she is your wife. How then could you say, ‘She is my sister’?” Isaac said to him, “Because I thought, ‘Lest I die because of her.’ ” 10 Abimelech said, “What is this you have done to us? One of the people might easily have lain with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us.” 11 So Abimelech warned all the people, saying, “Whoever touches this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.”

 

NOTE: Isaac is an example of a man following his father's example, except in his father's case, there was a grain of truth in his lie. Abimelech is probably not the same person that dealt with Abraham. The name means "my father is king." I suppose the line of Terah should not marry their pretty cousins (just kidding). The real reason for Isaac's lie is not his father's example, but his own fear. Even his response to the famine is based on fear and he plans to depart the land, but God intervenes and stops him Gerar in the land the Philistines. God will send the people to Egypt, but now is not the time. Abraham, for some reason, was very adamant on not taking his son Isaac out of the land on the wife-hunting expedition. God wants them in the land for another 50 years or so. Abraham had learned that lesson, but Isaac is not so convinced.

 

How does this apply to us? I think normal people (and the patriarchs were normal people) all struggle with fear at various points in their lives. As Christians, we give lip service to "trusting God" but then look for alternative solutions to assuage our fear. I certainly am not recommending the pretend faith I see so many act out (stoicism). I think fear is good as long as we are honest with God about our fears. In general, emotions are good if honestly shared with God. It is when we forget God or put on an act, without even evaluating our emotions that we do a disservice to ourselves and to others. God himself is okay with our fears and complaints, when we bring them to him first.

 

PONDER:

1. What is my prayer life with God truly like? I am honest or do I just say all the "right" things?
2. Have I ever been truly honest with God when things did not or are not going well?

 

PRAYER: Father, this is a hard lesson that does not come easy. It seems like great pain is required before we let go of the façade. I pray for those who are faking spirituality through a stoic response to suffering. Help them to grow into a deeper relationship with Jesus.