Now, we find here that Isaac is greatly
blessed.
His field brings forth a hundredfold.
And the man waxed great and went forward
and grew until he became very great.
Now, don't miss that, friends.
This is a very important verse because the
impression is that Abraham was outstanding and that
Jacob was actually, but not Isaac.
Well, let me say that Isaac is outstanding.
And now somebody is going to come along
and say to me, but look, his birth
is tied in with that of Abraham.
His life is not separated from Abraham.
He is the one that's important and when
he was offered there upon the altar.
But again, it's Abraham and Isaac together.
And why is that?
Well, we have already seen this is a
wonderful picture that we have here.
All these things happened unto them for examples
unto us.
And it reveals the intimacy between the Lord
Jesus Christ and the Father.
He said, he that hath seen me hath
seen the Father.
And he could say to the Father in
the great high priestly prayer in John 17,
I finished the work which thou gavest me
to do.
And then he said, my Father worketh hitherto
and I work.
Therefore, it's very proper that the story of
Isaac and the story of Abraham be identified
together.
And that's been true.
This is the first chapter that we see
Isaac standing on his own two feet.
And it doesn't look too attractive, but the
Word of God makes it very clear that
he not only waxed great, but he became
very great in that land.
And this man now exhibits this weakness, which
is a real weakness, same sin as Abraham.
Now we are told in verse 14 that
he had possession of flocks and possession of
herds and great store of servants.
And the Philistines envied him for all the
whales which his father's servants had digged in
the days of Abraham his father.
The Philistines had stopped them and filled them
with earth.
Now the Philistines just couldn't stand to see
all this prosperity.
And down in that land, while Abraham had
been digging whales, and this boy came along,
they became his, went out one morning and
found out they were all filled up.
The Philistines had done it.
And this, by the way, is the first
mention of the enmity of the Philistines that
led to continual warfare later on in the
days of David.
Now verse 16, "...And Abimelech said unto Isaac,
Go from us, for thou art much mightier
than we."
Notice the important share of this man, Isaac,
at this time.
"...And Isaac departed thence, and pitched his tent
in the valley of Gera, and dwelt there."
This man, Abimelech, he said, you're causing a
great deal of difficulty now, and it'd be
best if you left.
He had great respect for Isaac, you can
see.
This is a part of the life of
Isaac that looks like weakness, but it's not.
Now will you notice it?