Like Father, Like Son

Genesis 26:1-35


Here We Go Again

There was a great famine in the land so Isaac took his family to Gerar, the land where Abimelech was King. The Lord told Isaac to stay right there in that land and not to go to Egypt. God told Isaac that he would bless his descendants and give them all of this land and confirm the oath that God had made with Abraham, his father. Isaac obeyed the Lord and remained in Gerar.

When Isaac was asked about Rebekah, Isaac replied that she was his sister because he was afraid that the men would kill him (Sound familiar?).

One day while King Abimelech saw Isaac caressing Rebekah. He called for Isaac and said, "She is really your wife! Why did you tell us she was your sister?" Isaac replied that he was afraid that the men might kill him because of her. Abimelech gave an order that no one was to mess with Isaac or Rebekah, under penalty of death. (I actually wonder if King Abimelech made the association that both father and son, Abraham and Isaac, told the same lie for the same reason to the same King.)

As time went by Isaac became extremely wealthy. In fact, he became so wealthy that Abimelech tld him to move away because he had become too powerful to be near them. Isaac moved to the Valley of Gerar. Isaac moved from place to place God blessed him.

Abimelech seeing that God had blessed Isaac, went to him asking to form a treaty that neither of them would harm the other. Isaac had a feast prepared for them, they swore the oath and Isaac sent them on their way.

The sins of the father do visit future generations. Don't they?