The Lord appeared to (Isaac) and said…I will be with you and bless you…and I will establish the oath which I swore to your father Abraham. – Genesis 26:2-4 (NASU)
So Isaac called Jacob and blessed him… “May God Almighty bless you…”May He also give you the blessing of Abraham. – Genesis 28:1-4 (NASB)
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law (Deut. 28:15-68), having become a curse for us — for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE” — in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. – Galatians 3:13-14 (NASB)
Abraham…was called the friend of God. – James 2:23 (NKJV)
Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver and in gold – Genesis 13:2-3 (NASB95)
(Abram) He brought back all the goods, and also brought back his relative Lot with his possessions – Genesis 13:1
(v.1) Our story begins with a in a
70-80 years earlier Abraham:
After the treaty had been made…Abimelech…returned to the land of the Philistines. – Genesis 21:32-33 (NIV)
Abimelech: Father King (FBD)
Gerar: to drag off roughly, destroy (SBD) combat, dispute (HBD)
circle (ISBE)
Will have to trust the not the (v.3)
Stay in this land for a while (v.3 NIV)
WARNING: Yes, they spoke against God by asking,
“Can God spread a table in the desert? – Psalms 78:19 (CJB)
(v.7)
(70-80 years earlier) (Abraham) …stayed in Gerar, and there Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.
– Genesis 20:1-2 (NIV)
(v.8)
Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold, Isaac was sporting with Rebekah his wife. – Genesis 26:8 (KJV)
(v.10)
Abimelech exclaimed. “Someone might carelessly have raped her, and we would be doomed.
– Genesis 26:10 (TLB)
How does the Blessing of Abraham manifest in a famine among hostile people? (vv.12-14)
Isaac planted crops in that land and the same year reaped a hundredfold, because the Lord blessed him
– Genesis 26:12 (NIV)
How do Philistines respond when they see the Blessing of Abraham operating in someone’s life? (v.15)
So all the wells…of his father Abraham, the Philistines stopped up, filling them with earth. – Genesis 26:15 (NIV)
How does someone with the Blessing of Abraham respond to attacks?
(Remember Isaac is in Philistine land)
So Isaac moved away from there and encamped in the Valley of Gerar and settled there. (v.17)
(v.20) …he named the well Esek (ay’sek), because they disputed (aw-sak) with him. (NIV)
(v.21) Sitnah: strife (EBD) hatred, hostility (ISBE)
(v.22) Isaac says what God says
Rehoboth: room, broad space (FBD)
(vv.23-24) Beersheba: well of the oath (FBD)
The Blessing of Abraham responds with (vv.30-31)
(vv.32-33)
Isaac Concludes: God really does
Shibah: well of oath (ISBE)