Good morning. In the 26th chapter of Genesis we read the following account of Isaac, the promised son born to Abraham and Sarah.
Now there was a famine in the land—besides the previous famine in Abraham’s time—and Isaac went to Abimelek king of the Philistines in Gerar. The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, “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 earth will be blessed… Genesis 26:1-4
Famines in that area which would be known as “the promised land” were almost always the result of drought. When the rains didn’t sufficiently fall and crops failed, the alternative was to go to Egypt. Because the agriculture of Egypt was tied to the annual flooding of the Nile River and less to local rainfall, it meant that while the rest of the region might suffer starvation due to failed crops, Egypt was typically unaffected.
We read in Genesis 26 that when famine struck their land Isaac set out in the direction of Egypt, but he traveled by way of the Philistines. Isaac’s son Jacob and Jacob’s sons would make the trek to Egypt to escape drought and famine years later, but this was not the time.
God had a different plan than did Isaac. God came to Isaac and commanded him, but it was up to Isaac to obey. This meant putting himself and his family at risk. It is hard to imagine the fear of a father who could imagine seeing his wife and children starve to death, especially if he had to admit that it was his poor decisions which had earned them such a fate. For Isaac, who did not yet have a close relationship with God, his willing obedience was risky and remarkable. But Isaac heard the command of God and he obeyed.
The result was that Isaac was incredibly blessed. His flocks of sheep and herds of cattle increased to great numbers. The local people begged him to move away because he had become so powerful and wealthy that they feared him. Everywhere Isaac went within the land God had chosen for him, he was greatly blessed.
Sometimes it is hard to not listen to the wisdom of the world around us and to instead obey the commands of God. It may be difficult for us to do so, but it is essential that we do. God’s blessings are with those who live in obedience to Him. This was true for Isaac, and it continues to be true for us today.
The choice for God may not always be easy, but it will be blessed.
Vern