June 3 – Genesis 26:1-6
We are blessed because God is the faithful keeper of promises. Blessed are you who obey His voice and keep His commands.
God certainly keeps us on our toes, doesn’t He? He does not want us to get toooo comfy and cozy where we are at. And sometimes, He forces us to move, as He did here with Isaac; a famine required a move. And in the middle of this famine, God saw Isaac and brought him comfort by
way of a reminder of His covenant with Abraham. God told him that this covenant extends to him, too. Thus, Isaac was blessed because of Abraham.
Isaac would soon falter in his obedience and trust in God. If we read further, we find that Isaac jumps into an incredible falsehood and deceit. And yet, he was still blessed. God reminded Isaac of Abraham’s obedience to God, and Isaac likely knew of his missteps, too. Yet, even when God reminded him that he was obedient and reassured him that the covenant still stands… Isaac falters.
God had reminded him, though, that the blessing was not based on good works and obedience. It was not based on the human condition; it was based on God’s will and God’s promise. The covenant was based on God and thus, it was unbreakable.
This blessing is also a foreshadowing of who is to come! Notice that in this blessing and covenant, it does not say “offsprings” plural, it is instead singular offspring? Yes, the singular form can denote a group of people. But here, it is looking to the Jesus who was to come. The
One who is the new covenant, and the One Who Blesses. It was a foreshadowing of what we know to be true right now… that we Gentiles will have salvation and adoption into His family. We are living in the times that generations had been waiting for! We are witness to the promise made!
My Verse: “I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and will give to your offspring all these lands. And in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.” Genesis 26:4-5
My Response: I am part of this oath; I am one of those stars. Saved in part because Abraham was obedient. God kept that oath until THE Jesus came, the New Covenant. My spiritual heritage is found in these verses through adoption into God’s family. This oath tells me to be
obedient, to do God’s will. The lines of faith to weave into my future generations. God, may my own faithfulness lead my children and their children to Your feet. May I go as You tell me to go, and may I do it with all joy.
(Further Reading: Leviticus 26:14-46; Acts 3:11-26; Galatians 3:15-29)
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My verse: Genesis 26:5 “I will do this because Abraham listened to me and obeyed all my requirements, commands, decrees, and instructions.”
My response: Abraham listened to You, Lord God – so few humans do actually listen to You. How Abraham’s listening must have brought You joy! And he didn’t just listen, either. He obeyed. He left his home, country, family, and comfort because You called him to a new place. He lived in tents. He waited a lifetime for a son and even offered the son back to You in sacrifice. And You did indeed make a nation from one man and his one son born late in life. What an amazing story. Father, help me to also listen, trust and obey!