# 20 2023 Dev. Gen.26. Rehoboth, God Makes Room! Read all of chapter twenty six first. We invite you into God’s space, to read His Word, to think on and interact with. This is God’s story. Do you believe that this may also be part of our story, in our time? All passages are taken from the NIV.
Gen.26:12 “Isaac planted crops in that land and the same year reaped a hundredfold because the Lord blessed him.”
Gen.26 God renews the Abrahamic covenant with Isaac. Isaac makes the same mistakes as Abraham but God uses them to protect him. Further, this chapter is a summary of Isaac and Rebekah’s life after the death of Abraham. By the time of Esau’s marriage Isaac is 120 yrs. old.
Vs.1-6 There was famine that caused Isaac to think about moving down to Egypt as Abraham did. God intervened and told him to stay in Gerar. God makes the same covenant with Isaac He made with 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…” This is a reference to the impact of Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world.
Vs.7-11 Isaac, like Abraham was worried about his life because of his beautiful wife. He was found out and it gets him into trouble with the leaders. Thanks to God’s grace the leader makes a pronouncement: “Anyone who harms this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.”
V.12-16 God blesses Isaac as he did Abraham, he became so rich there was not enough room in the land of the Philistines for Isaac’s people, and herds.
Vs.17-22 So Isaac moved and reopened the wells Abraham had dug but were filled by the Philistines. Isaac dug a well in the valley but Abimelek herders claimed it, so Isaac moved on and dug another well but they claimed that one as well. So Isaac moved on and dug yet another well and no-one claimed it so he named it Rehoboth, “the Lord has given us room.” This also happened to Abraham, but he confronted Abimelek about it, Isaac was content to move on.
Vs.23-33 Again Isaac moved on to Beersheba, there God appeared to Isaac, God assured him: “Do not be afraid, for I am with you: I will bless you and will increase the number of your descendants for the sake of my servant Abraham.” Isaac built an alter there and called on the name of the Lord. He also started to dig another well.
Abimelek, decided that it would be in his interest to make a treaty with Issac, God intervened, Isaac now had the upper hand, since Abimelek approached him and Isaac pointed out his hostility. Isaac made them a feast and the next day the men swore an oath that they would not harm each other. That day Issac’s servants came and told him ‘We’ve found water!’” Isaac called it Shibah: meaning oath or seven. The place is called Beersheba. Today it is a city in southern Israel of over 200,000 residents and has archeological sites from 1200 to 600 BC.
Vs.34-35 When Esau was forty years old he married two local women. They were a source of grief to Isaac and Rebekah. That sets the stage for the next chapter. One thing is clear, for 120 years God is taking care of Isaac, his family and his people with him. God is faithful! Amen.
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Heavenhigh 