Like Father, Like Son
Difficult to date this passage.
After the death of Abraham.
While Esau and Jacob were young.
Some things we do know about Isaac:
God asked his father Abraham to offer him as a burnt offering.
He had only one wife Rebecca
He had two sons, Esau and Jacob.
He was like a foreigner, living in tents.
His name was never changed.
He had many descendants.
“Descendants as numerous as the stars of the sky”
“Through your descendants, all the nations of the earth will be blessed.”
He died at the age of (Genesis 35:28) 180 years old.
He dug wells.
Isaac’s claim to fame.
His name was listed in the scriptures 144 times.
Abraham 269 (174 & 95)
Isaac 144 (121 & 23)
Jacob 362 (336 & 26)
Mostly in phrases like:
“Your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob”
“For it is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the God of all our ancestors”
He was an ancestor of Jesus the Messiah.
Matthew 1:1-2 (NLT)
The Ancestors of Jesus the Messiah
1 This is a record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of David and of Abraham:
2 Abraham was the father of Isaac.
Isaac was the father of Jacob.
Jacob was the father of Judah and his brothers.
Examine the Scriptures
Genesis 26:1-16 (NLT)
1 A severe famine now struck the land, as had happened before in Abraham’s time. So Isaac moved to Gerar, where Abimelech, king of the Philistines, lived.
2 The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt, but do as I tell you. 3 Live here as a foreigner in this land, and I will be with you and bless you. I hereby confirm that I will give all these lands to you and your descendants, just as I solemnly promised Abraham, your father. 4 I will cause your descendants to become as numerous as the stars of the sky, and I will give them all these lands. And through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed. 5 I will do this because Abraham listened to me and obeyed all my requirements, commands, decrees, and instructions.” 6 So Isaac stayed in Gerar.
7 When the men who lived there asked Isaac about his wife, Rebekah, he said, “She is my sister.” He was afraid to say, “She is my wife.” He thought, “They will kill me to get her, because she is so beautiful.” 8 But some time later, Abimelech, king of the Philistines, looked out his window and saw Isaac caressing Rebekah.
9 Immediately, Abimelech called for Isaac and exclaimed, “She is obviously your wife! Why did you say, ‘She is my sister’?”
“Because I was afraid someone would kill me to get her from me,” Isaac replied.10 “How could you do this to us?” Abimelech exclaimed. “One of my people might easily have taken your wife and slept with her, and you would have made us guilty of great sin.”
11 Then Abimelech issued a public proclamation: “Anyone who touches this man or his wife will be put to death!”
Conflict over Water Rights
12 When Isaac planted his crops that year, he harvested a hundred times more grain than he planted, for the Lord blessed him. 13 He became a very rich man, and his wealth continued to grow. 14 He acquired so many flocks of sheep and goats, herds of cattle, and servants that the Philistines became jealous of him. 15 So the Philistines filled up all of Isaac’s wells with dirt. These were the wells that had been dug by the servants of his father, Abraham.
16 Finally, Abimelech ordered Isaac to leave the country. “Go somewhere else,” he said, “for you have become too powerful for us.”
Examine the Scriptures
Like Father, Like Son.
(A son’s character or behavior can be expected to resemble that of his father.)
Genesis 26:1-16 (NLT)
Isaac Deceives Abimelech
1 A severe famine now struck the land, as had happened before in Abraham’s time.
90 years before:
Genesis 12:10 (NLT)
Abram and Sarai in Egypt
At that time a severe famine struck the land of Canaan, forcing Abram to go down to Egypt, where he lived as a foreigner.
- Both Abraham and Isaac experienced living in a land struck by a famine.
So Isaac moved to Gerar, where Abimelech (most likely a title), king of the Philistines, lived.
Isaac moved from Beer-lahai-roi to Gerar. (Refer to map)
Genesis 25:11 (NLT)
After Abraham’s death, God blessed his son Isaac, who settled near Beer-lahai-roi in the Negev.
90 years before:
Genesis 20:1 (NLT)
Abraham Deceives Abimelech
Abraham moved south to the Negev and lived for a while between Kadesh and Shur, and then he moved on to Gerar. While living there as a foreigner,
- Abraham and Isaac lived in Gerar.
2 The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt, but do as I tell you.
Unlike Abraham.
3 Live here as a foreigner in this land, and I will be with you and bless you.
- Both Abraham and Isaac lived as a foreigner in a foreign land.
- God promised to be with Abraham and Isaac.
I hereby confirm that I will give all these lands to you and your descendants, just as I solemnly promised Abraham, your father. 4 I will cause your descendants to become as numerous as the stars of the sky, and I will give them all these lands. And through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed.
Review God’s promises to Abraham.
Genesis 17:19 (NLT)
19 But God replied, “No—Sarah, your wife, will give birth to a son for you. You will name him Isaac, and I will confirm my covenant with him and his descendants as an everlasting covenant.
Genesis 12:1-3 (NLT)
The Call of Abram
1 The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. 3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”
Genesis 15:4-5 (NLT)
4 Then the Lord said to him, “No, your servant will not be your heir, for you will have a son of your own who will be your heir.” 5 Then the Lord took Abram outside and said to him, “Look up into the sky and count the stars if you can. That’s how many descendants you will have!”
Genesis 22:16-18 (NLT)
16 “This is what the Lord says: Because you have obeyed me and have not withheld even your son, your only son, I swear by my own name that 17 I will certainly bless you. I will multiply your descendants beyond number, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will conquer the cities of their enemies. 18 And through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed—all because you have obeyed me.”
All a part of “God’s plan for the world.
Acts 3
24 “Starting with Samuel, every prophet spoke about what is happening today. 25 You are the children of those prophets, and you are included in the covenant God promised to your ancestors. For God said to Abraham, ‘Through your descendants all the families on earth will be blessed.’26 When God raised up his servant, Jesus, he sent him first to you people of Israel, to bless you by turning each of you back from your sinful ways.”
- God’s promise to Abraham was confirmed with Isaac.
- Abraham and Isaac died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth.
Hebrews 11:
9 And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith—for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise. …
13 All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth.
5 I will do this because Abraham listened to me and obeyed all my requirements, commands, decrees, and instructions.”
- Our sovereign God wants our obedience.
John 14:15 (NLT)
“If you love me, obey my commandments.
James 1:25 (NLT)
But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.
Luke 11:28 (NLT)
Jesus replied, “But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.”
1 Samuel 15:22
… Obedience is better than sacrifice …
6 So Isaac stayed in Gerar.
Obedience
7 When the men who lived there asked Isaac about his wife, Rebekah, he said, “She is my sister.” He was afraid to say, “She is my wife.” He thought, “They will kill me to get her, because she is so beautiful.”
Deceit
Abraham (two times):
Genesis 12:11-13 (NLT)
11 As he was approaching the border of Egypt, Abram said to his wife, Sarai, “Look, you are a very beautiful woman.
12 When the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife. Let’s kill him; then we can have her!’ 13 So please tell them you are my sister. Then they will spare my life and treat me well because of their interest in you.”
Genesis 20:2 (NLT)
2 Abraham introduced his wife, Sarah, by saying, “She is my sister.” So King Abimelech of Gerar sent for Sarah and had her brought to him at his palace.
Genesis 20:11 (NLT)
11 Abraham replied, “I thought, ‘This is a godless place. They will want my wife and will kill me to get her.’
- Both Abraham and Isaac lied about the identity of their wives.
8 But some time later, Abimelech, king of the Philistines, looked out his window and saw Isaac caressing Rebekah.
Not the behavior of a brother and sister.
9 Immediately, Abimelech called for Isaac and exclaimed, “She is obviously your wife! Why did you say, ‘She is my sister’?”
“Because I was afraid someone would kill me to get her from me,” Isaac replied.
Fear mocks faith
Fear endangers God’s blessings
10 “How could you do this to us?” Abimelech exclaimed. “One of my people might easily have taken your wife and slept with her, and you would have made us guilty of great sin.”
Genesis 20:4-7 (NLT)
4 But Abimelech had not slept with her yet, so he said, “Lord, will you destroy an innocent nation? 5 Didn’t Abraham tell me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘Yes, he is my brother.’ I acted in complete innocence! My hands are clean.”
6 In the dream God responded, “Yes, I know you are innocent. That’s why I kept you from sinning against me, and why I did not let you touch her. 7 Now return the woman to her husband, and he will pray for you, for he is a prophet. Then you will live. But if you don’t return her to him, you can be sure that you and all your people will die.”
Genesis 20:9-10 (NLT)
9 Then Abimelech called for Abraham. “What have you done to us?” he demanded. “What crime have I committed that deserves treatment like this, making me and my kingdom guilty of this great sin? No one should ever do what you have done! 10 Whatever possessed you to do such a thing?”
11 Then Abimelech issued a public proclamation: “Anyone who touches this man or his wife will be put to death!”
Death penalty
- God used a pagan king to preserve His chosen seed.
Psalm 105
7 He is the Lord our God.
His justice is seen throughout the land.
8 He always stands by his covenant—
the commitment he made to a thousand generations.
9 This is the covenant he made with Abraham
and the oath he swore to Isaac.
10 He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree,
and to the people of Israel as a never-ending covenant:
11 “I will give you the land of Canaan
as your special possession.”
12 He said this when they were few in number,
a tiny group of strangers in Canaan.
13 They wandered from nation to nation,
from one kingdom to another.
14 Yet he did not let anyone oppress them.
He warned kings on their behalf:
15 “Do not touch my chosen people,
and do not hurt my prophets.”
Conflict over Water Rights
12 When Isaac planted his crops that year, he harvested a hundred times more grain than he planted, for the Lord blessed him.
- God blessed Abraham and Isaac.
13 He became a very rich man, and his wealth continued to grow. 14 He acquired so many flocks of sheep and goats, herds of cattle, and servants that the Philistines became jealous of him.
15 So the Philistines filled up all of Isaac’s wells with dirt. These were the wells that had been dug by the servants of his father, Abraham.
Genesis 21:25 (NLT)
25 Then Abraham complained to Abimelech about a well that Abimelech’s servants had taken by force from Abraham’s servants.
Genesis 21:30 (NLT)
30 Abraham replied, “Please accept these seven lambs to show your agreement that I dug this well.”
16 Finally, Abimelech ordered Isaac to leave the country. “Go somewhere else,” he said, “for you have become too powerful for us.”
Conclusion:
- You should be an example for others in every way by the good things you do.
Titus 2:7 (NLT)
And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching.
1 Timothy 4:12 (NLT)
Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.
Matthew 5:14-16 (NLT)
14 “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. 15 No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.
Proverbs 22:1 (NLT)
Choose a good reputation over great riches; being held in high esteem is better than silver or gold.
- Imitate what is good.
1 Corinthians 11:1 (NLT)
And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.
