"Now there was a famine in the land – besides the previous famine in Abraham's time – and Isaac went to Abimelek king of the Philistines in Gerar. The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, "Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land where I tell you to live. Stay in this land for awhile, and I will be with you and will bless you. For to you and your descendants I will give all these lands and will confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham. I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because Abraham obeyed me and did everything I required of him, keeping my commands, my decrees and my instructions." So Isaac stayed in Gerar. (Genesis 26:1-6)
There is a famine in the land; perhaps caused by drought or pestilence. God tells Isaac NOT to go to Egypt, which apparently is untouched by this famine. And Isaac obeys.
We think that if God spoke to us we would obey just as easily as Isaac, but then we aren't facing such hard times in life as Isaac was facing. Disasters hit our country, yes, but there is almost always someone in some country who can airflight supplies to disaster areas…water can be trucked in…food as well. But in Isaac's time, disaster of any kind was how many times worse than what we face in modern times? When the food was gone, you had to go find it elsewhere; it wasn't coming to you by the Red Cross or The Salvation Army or any other charitable organization. If you didn't find food elsewhere, and find it in time, you and your entire family could die. The faith required to trust God in our disasters is nothing small, there is no doubt. But I think it required a bit more faith to trust God in Isaac's time, especially in the midst of a famine.
Then again, Isaac had already witnessed God's provision for his father, Abraham. In fact, Isaac had first-hand knowledge of God's provision since God provided a ram caught in the thicket to replace Isaac himself who as a young man found himself lying on an altar about to be sacrificed by his own father Abraham in obedience to God's command. Yes, Isaac knew of God's ability to provide; and of His goodness in doing so.
Many folks these days don't see God as being good. They see the evil that is done in the world and they count it either as God's doing or God's fault for allowing it to happen in the first place. But the truth is that mankind has an enemy:
"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour." (I Peter 5:8)
God's Word tells us that we have an enemy, an adversary, who wants to destroy us.
Isn't it interesting that folks can so easily blame God for evil; while at the same time not even believing that Satan (the devil) is real? Who do you think got them to start thinking that way? Whose voice might they be listening to?
And yet, we have examples all throughout the Bible, like this one above involving Isaac, where God promises to keep His promises…and where all of those promises are GOOD.
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11)
Okay, so on the one hand we have the devil who wants to "devour" us and on the other hand we have the LORD who has plans to "prosper" and "not to harm" us. So, is it just possible that folks are blaming the wrong guy for all the evil that is in the world? Is it possible that they are playing right into the devil's hands by believing evil of God, rather than believing that the devil himself is the author of all of that evil? Is it possible that the same devil (serpent), who deceived Eve in the garden, is still out there deceiving folks today?
Is that perhaps why so few people have the faith of Isaac, when it is needed, like right now in these hard economic times? Because they believe the deceptive lies of the devil (the one they have determined is not real!) while they distrust God (who apparently is real enough to blame for everything bad that happens in the world!)
How would their faith change if they began to see God as good?
"Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him." (Psalm 34:8)
Isaac took refuge in the Word of God and was protected from a famine in the land. That same Word of God can be trusted still today.
Taste and see for yourself…if you are one of those who haven't done so already!
1 comment:
I guess that is why Satan is called the "deceiver" and clothes himself in light; "And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light." 2 Corinthians 11:14.
I am amazed that people will assign blame to God when bad things occur, but fail to praise him in the good times. Kind of like a "fair-weather friend"...there in the good times, but can't find them when there is any sign of trouble.
You are very accurate in your description of hard times then and now. Most of us don't dwell on the fact that when a disaster occurred then, no one arrived to help (Salvation Army, etc). It was up to you to obtain the necessities to survive. Can you imagine being alive then and have no faith in God? Not a pleasant thought.
Most of us are either going through tough times or know of someone within our immediate family who is. Faith in God is all that will sustain us…faith that He is in control and he wishes only to prosper us and not harm us is all the knowledge we need to get through the difficulties we face today. GW
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