Genesis 26:2 Commentary and Bible Study

‘No man hath seen God at any time’, says the apostle John, ‘the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him’ (John 1:18). We therefore know that the appearances of God to the patriarchs were appearances of the preincarnate Christ. These theophanies were not normal, but rare, yet they were very significant. Why did Christ choose to appear like this? If appearances are symbols of special manifestations of God to a believer, then they are not the norm. There are times of special closeness to God for the believer, sometimes very great closeness, but we would depend on them too much if they were the norm, and we would think ourselves backslidden without them. God therefore varies our sense of his presence so that faith is exercised. Times for us of special closeness always come through the word of God. They happen when God arouses our hearts, and it is always in connection with the word. He so works that we appreciate the truths we know and love in Scripture. Some think that when God draws near we experience great benefits directly, infused into us from outside, but no; if the mind is not active, there is no blessing. Your feelings respond to what is in your mind. You appreciate the person Christ, and what he has done, and your future privileges in a special way. At such a time of trial, Isaac was in special need of reassurance from the Lord. The Lord therefore appeared to him personally. This was the first time that God had spoken directly to Isaac, though he would have heard the voice of the Angel of the Lord on the mountain in Moriah. Isaac has to live and stay where he is in Gerar. He must continue there; and not leave till he is told. Without this famine he would not have thought of going, but the implication of the instruction not to go to Egypt, is that he was thinking of following Abraham’s example. Egypt was well watered by the Nile, and there was unlikely to be famine there. But God’s guidance says, do not go. In Isaac’s case the guidance given was not the same as with Abraham (Genesis 12:10). Each one of us must seek the Lord’s particular will for our own lives. No reason for this is given, but as Calvin says, it is most likely because of the spiritual danger to which he would have been exposed if he had gone. Was God not able to strengthen him and to protect him against these? Yes, answers Calvin, but he does not unnecessarily put us in danger but generally limits our temptations to what we are able to bear. ‘But since he governs his faithful people with such moderation, that he does not correct all their faults at once, and render them entirely pure, he assists their infirmities, and anticipates, with suitable remedies, those evils by which they might be ensnared.’ In Isaac was tied up all the future blessing of the human race; the Lord kept him from a major fall which would have put the godly line in jeopardy. God’s means of assuring him is to repeat the promise made to Abraham. In spite of this famine which drove him away temporarily, Isaac and his descendants would inherit the land. God had reasons to allow such a famine and on the surface they seemed to be inconsistent with his intention to bless Isaac there, but no doubt there were wise reasons for allowing it, reasons which Isaac did not need to know. The land of Canaan was nevertheless to be given to Isaac. The immensity of the promise is again stated in words very similar to those spoken to Abraham. His seed are to be as the stars of heaven which no man can number. We cannot count them today, far less then. And the Gentiles will also be blessed. Blessing on the Gentiles is also included in the promise made to Abraham (22:18) and is referred to in the Lord’s words prior to the destruction on Sodom and Gomorrah (18:18). Right from the beginning God planned to bring the gospel to more than just Israel. But the way in which this would be done was largely hidden and only the barest outline was given. Comforted by these words, Isaac stayed in Gerar.