Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 1.djvu/175

Rh CHAP. XXVI. In this chapter, we have, I. Isaac in adversity, by reason of a famine in the land, which 1. Obliges him to change his quarters, v. 1. But, 2. God visits him with direction and comfort, v. 2..5. 3. He foolishly denies his wife, being in distress, and is reproved for it by Abimelech, v. 6..11. II. Isaac in prosperity, by the blessing of God upon him, v. 12..14. And 1. The Philistines were envious at him, v. 14..17. 2. He continued industrious in his business, v. 18..23. 3. God appeared to him, and encouraged him, and he devoutly acknowledged God, v. 24, 25. 4. The Philistines, at length, made court to him, and made a covenant with him, v. 26..33. 5. The disagreeable marriage of his son Esau was an allay to the comfort of his prosperity, v. 34, 35.

ND there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar. 2. And the appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of: 3. Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father; 4. And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; 5. Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

Here,

I. God tried Isaac by provdence; Isaac had been trained up in a believing dependence upon the divine grant of the land of Canaan to him and his heirs; yet now that there is a famine in the land, v. 1, what shall he think of the promise, when the promised land will not find him bread? Is such a grant worth accepting, upon such terms, and after so long a time? Yes, Isaac will still cleave to the covenant; and the less valuable Canaan in itself seems to be, the better he is taught to value it, 1. As a token of God's everlasting kindness to him; and 2. As a type of heaven's everlasting blessedness. Note, The intrinsic worth of God's promises cannot be lessened in a believer's eye by any cross providences.

II. He directed him under this trial by his word. Isaac finds himself straitened by the scarcity of provisions; somewhither he must go for supply; it should seem, he intends for Egypt, whither his father went in the like strait, but he takes Gerar in his way, full of thoughts, no doubt, which way he had best steer his course, till God graciously appeared to him, and determined him, abundantly to his satisfaction.

1. God bid him stay where he was, and not go down into Egypt, v. 2, 3. Sojourn in this land: there was a famine in Jacob's days, and God bid him go down into Egypt, ch. 46. 3, 4; a famine in Isaac's days, and God bid him not to go down; a famine in Abraham's days, and God left him to his liberty, directing him neither way; this variety in the divine procedure (considering that Egypt was always a place of trial and exercise to God's people) some ground upon the different characters of these three patriarchs. Abraham was a man of very high attainments, and intimate communion with God; and to him all places and conditions were alike. Isaac was a very good man, but not cut out for hardship; therefore he is forbidden to go to Egypt. Jacob was inured to difficulties, strong, and patient; and therefore he must go down into Egypt, that the trial of his faith might be to praise, and honour, and glory. Thus God proportions his people's trials to their strength.

2. He promised to be with him, and bless him, v. 3. As we may go any-whither with comfort, when God's blessing goes with us; so we may stay any where contentedly, if that blessing rest upon us.

3. He renewed the covenant with him, which had so often been made with Abraham, repeating and ratifying the promises of the land of Canaan, a numerous issue, and the Messiah, v. 3, 4. Note, Those that must live by faith, have need often to review, and repeat to themselves, the promises they are to lie upon, especially when they are called to any instance of suffering or self-denial.

4. He recommended to him the good example of his father's obedience, as that which had preserved the entail of the covenant in his family, v. 5, Abraham obeyed my voice, "Do thou do so too, and the promise shall be sure to thee." Abraham's obedience is here celebrated, to his honour; for by it he obtained a good report both with God and men. A great variety of words is here used to express the divine will, to which Abraham was obedient, my voice, my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws, which may intimate that Abraham's obedience was universal; he obeyed the original laws of nature, the revealed laws of divine worship, particularly that of circumcision, and all the extraordinary precepts God gave him, as that of quitting his country, and that (which some think is more especially referred to) of the offering up of his son, which Isaac himself had reason enough to remember. Note, Those only shall have the benefit and comfort of God's covenant with their godly parents, that tread in the steps of their obedience.

6. And Isaac dwelt in Gerar: 7. And the men of the place asked him of his wife: and he said, She is my sister: for he feared to say, She is my wife; lest, said he, the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah, because she was fair to look upon. 8. And it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines, looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold, Isaac was sporting with Rebekah his wife. 9. And Abimelech called Isaac, and said, Behold, of a surety she is thy wife : and how saidst thou, She is my sister? And Isaac said unto him, Because I said, lest I die for her. 10. And Abimelech said, What is this thou hast done unto us? one of the people might lightly have lien with thy wife, and thou shouldest have brought guiltiness upon us. 11. And Abimelech charged all his people, saying, He that toucheth this man or his wife, shall surely be put to death.

Isaac had now laid aside all thoughts of going into Egypt, and in obedience to the heavenly vision, sets up his staff in Gerar, the country in which he was born, v. 6. yet there he enters into temptation, the same temptation that his good father had been once and again surprised and overcome by, namely, to deny his wife, and to give out that she was his sister. Observe,

1. How he sinned, v. 7. Because his wife was handsome, he fancied the Philistines would find