Genesis 26

God reaffirms his covenant with Issac and blesses him

A new famine comes to the land of Canaan just as it did in Abraham's day. Unlike Abraham's day, God asks Isaac to stay and not go to Egypt and God will care for him. He also tells Isaac that if he follows God like his father, he will bless him like his father, and not just because he is Abraham's son. 

Just like his father, Isaac tells those around that Rebekah is his sister and not his wife. After Abimelech spies that Isaac and Rebekah are friendlier than brother and sister should be, he accuses Isaac of trying to bring mischief to the Philistine people. Abimelech, who may be the son of the Abimelech of Abraham's day, commands all his people not to harm or touch Rebekah. 

God not only blesses Isaac in a time of famine, but allows him to receive a hundred fold from his crops and flocks. Nothing is impossible for God if we will put our faith and trust in him. All these blessings though cause jealousy with the Philistines. After fighting over wells and flocks, Abimelech approaches Isaac and asks him to leave and go further away so that there are no wars or fighting between them. This is good for us to do as Christians that we would be peaceable with all people and rather go somewhere else than let the name of God suffer. 

Notice that Isaac digs up the wells that his father dug up. It is well to follow after the example of our forefather if there example is just and holy. If our parents or mentors were Godly, it is always good to follow after their example so that we might have the same relationship and success with God. After God reaffirms the covenant with Isaac, he again does what his father would do and builds and altar and sacrifices to God. 

When God blesses your life and the things that you do for his name, people will take notice. Even though Isaac was further away from Abimelech, they still heard and saw what God was doing for them. It worried them so much that if God was going to bless Isaac to become a mighty ruler, they wanted a peace treaty between them so that they would have peace and not have to fight against God. Oh that the world would have the same respect and fear for God's church because they see how he blesses it.