Fleeing the land that God has revealed as your home did not work so well for Abram, so God is kind to Isaac and spells it out; Stay put! But unfortunately he didn’t also spell out that it never worked out so well for Abraham to pretend his wife, Sarah, was his sister. So Isaac felt he was in the clear on that, and went to task. Fortunately Abimelech saw “Isaac fondling his wife Rebekah” and was wise. Of course, this is the same Abimelech that Abraham tried to dupe into believing Sarah was his daughter so I’m guessing was he at least a shade doubtful of Isaac’s story in the first place.
Abimelech is right to be angry, and points out just how selfish Isaac was. I think that’s been the root of so many of my frustrations with Abraham too. Interesting how the failures of the father echo so loudly in the son.
God’s grace continues to land on Isaac and a resentment grew in Abimelech’s people. I wonder if it was at least in part the sort of resentment that comes from witnessing a hypocrite at work. The reconciliation between Isaac and Abimelech reinforces that view: this was not an apology, per se. More a recognition that God’s side is the right side, even when the wrong people seem to be on it. Kind of a ‘the friend of my God is my friend, even if he’s my enemy’ sort of proposition. Credit to Abimelech and company for again displaying the maturity I typically associate with God’s team (again, my deficiencies coloring my view of earned favor) and Isaac for accepting their peace offerings.
Thoughts on Genesis 26?

I’ve heard this story so many times, but I’ve never considered that when Isaac asked Abraham where the sacrifice was, Abraham was actually right. He said God would provide a sheep and God did. I don’t know if he was expecting God to stay his hand the whole time, or misleading Isaac only to see God prove Abraham correct. But to Isaac that must have been enormous. Tied on the wood, his father wielding a knife with the apparent intent to kill and suddenly that sheep Abraham mentioned earlier appeared.

Other thoughts on Genesis 22?

I can’t quite peg Abraham’s laughter. Disbelief or wonder? In either case, the fact that he “recovered” (the message) to check to make sure Ishmael would live tips to Abraham’s general state of piety.

This is the third time God’s spelled out that Abraham would father a nation. Each time the proclamation has come at greater cost though—I imagine Hagar was mortified that Ishmael was Abraham’s promised descendant. I imagine Abraham and Sarah felt a sting of shame that they tried forcing God’s hand earlier. I think recognizes Abraham’s steady struggle with doubt when he tells Abraham when Isaac will be born. My guess is that without that, a few weeks without sign of pregnancy and Abraham wouldn’t been scouring the countryside for other women named Sarah that God must’ve really been talking about.

Thoughts of your own on chapter 17? Comment away.