Title: God's Immutable Covenant/Genesis 26:1-25
Content Title: God's Immutable Covenant
Text: Genesis 26:1-25
Key Verse: (Gen 26:5) For Abraham obeyed my words, and kept my commandments, my commandments, my statutes, and my ordinances.
Given the fear of death and circumstances, man tries to squeeze wisdom out of his brain in preference to wisdom from God. He remembers how Abraham deceived his wife Sarah as his sister to Abimelech king of Gerar. However, his son Isaac also sees the field of pursuing his own comfort with the same wisdom. It is terrifying to see our sins being repeated on our children. Isaac is taking the same steps Abraham did to Sarah when he entered Egypt. In both cases, it is a sad story of a decline in faith, but in Isaac's case, it was an evil deed that surpassed Abraham. However, people pass down grace as well as bad habits to their children.
1. He inherits the blessings of the holy covenant.
God made a covenant with Abraham, and he prepared the covenant to be fulfilled from his son.” (Genesis 17:7) I have established my covenant between me and you and your descendants in an everlasting covenant, between you and the God of your descendants. Therefore, godly ancestors guarantee to all their descendants a portion of spiritual grace and blessings. The Holy Spirit, which came upon him, rests on his son and on his son forever and ever. God keeps the promise in the 2nd commandment of the Ten Commandments, “I show kindness to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.” Even in the case of Isaac's mistake, God protects him with grace instead of punishment.
2. He hears his supplications.
The influence of the prayers of good men cannot be measured. This tree bears fruit for a long time, like the abundance of fruit. The inheritance of a good man's prayer is valuable. Even after many years have passed since he enters rest, God remembers and answers his prayer and blesses the next generation. We keep reading in the Bible that “God blessed Isaac”. Do you want your children's lives to be a life of grace from God? Live righteously and pray. God's promise is still alive, so hope for this promise and pray without ceasing.
3. Blessings of a noble name.
We cannot pass on anything else. However, this can be passed on. Because he had a father who knew God, had fellowship with God, pleased God, had intimate fellowship with God, and could talk to God like a friend, Isaac's ordinary character and his existence shone with heavenly beauty. We must live well so that our children also stand in the ranks of the nobles because of our name. The legacy of riches overflowing in the storehouse has a time, but the example of a beautiful relationship with God will be the most valuable legacy.
apply
1) Do we still not make the same mistake as Isaac, relying on the wisdom of a blink of an eye for our own comfort?
2) Witness what true parents have passed on to the children of God who live righteously.
3) Think about the value of true inheritance and look at what true love for children is.