Bible Chapter: Genesis 26

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    God wants to direct people.  He has a good plan, even when we don’t grasp it.  Yes, God knows what He is doing.  He honors obedience.  Verse 6 is very short and simply says that Isaac stayed in Gerar.  Why is that significant?  Because in verse 3 God spoke to him and told him to stay in the land where he was and God would be with him.  When we know what to do, God honors when we obey.  Isaac was reminded that Abraham obeyed God (verse 5).  When Isaac obeyed God he was greatly blessed.  In the Old Testament times God’s blessing was often connected with material wealth.  This family line we are reading about was very wealthy.  God still does that sometimes, providing great wealth.  But, that should not be the main consideration of God’s blessing or His withholding of blessings. We see that God kept His promises and provided for all Isaac needed.
    The chapter ends with a sad statement that Esau married two Hittite women.  This brought grief to Isaac and Rebekah.  Esau had walked away from the righteous life he was taught. He didn’t care about the covenant, the promises God gave to his family.  Entering into these kinds of relationships with ungodly people is always a dangerous sign of rejecting God.  Rejecting God ALWAYS eventually leads to problems.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    The stories of the Bible continue to show the importance of obedience to God.  They show the fact that God knows what He is doing and has the power to accomplish His purpose.  God’s wisdom, power and omnipresence (He is everywhere) enable Him to reveal His plan and enforce it.  The Bible contains many stories like Esau’s, where he purposely did something he knew would displease God and his Godly parents.  We also see the negative consequences that result.  Good life lessons.

3.  How can I help someone?
    There will always be conflicts.  We see several conflicts in this chapter.  What do we do with them?  We see that Isaac worked hard at being a peace maker and finding ways to resolve them.  Jesus said “blessed are the peace makers”.  When we work at it and are willing to make some effort and even sacrifice, often we can find ways to resolve problems and bring peace.