Day 4: Familiar Famines

It was common for Ancient Mesopotamia to face droughts and famines.

In Genesis 12, right after God called Abraham, a famine of unprecedented proportions hit the land. In order to survive, Abraham had to leave and become a foreigner in Egypt. When he and his wife Sarai arrived, he decided not to reveal the complete truth about their relationship. He feared that the Egyptians would be mesmerized by her beauty, putting his life in danger.

Isaac experienced famines just like his father, Abraham, did. Genesis 26 illustrates a pattern that spans generations, with a father and son exhibiting similar behaviors in times of crisis. It highlights the potency of generational patterns and God’s awareness of our familial wiring.

In verse 2, “The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, ‘Do not go down to Egypt, but do as I tell you.’” The interesting part about this is that the text never says that Isaac mentioned anything about going to Egypt.

It is not out of the realm of possibility that the God who could understand the innermost thoughts of individuals in the New Testament, He knew the heart and mind of Isaac. Isaac didn’t need to explicitly state his plan to go to Egypt. Before Isaac reacted, God already knew what his immediate response would be.

God told Isaac to stick around where the famine was, and Isaac listened. However, just when it seemed like the worst part was behind him, Isaac repeated his father’s mistake. Isaac committed a sin that he was predisposed to, even though he never saw his father do it. He mirrored his father’s actions and falsely claimed that his wife, Rebekah, was his sister. He did as God commanded and stayed in Gerar but was still susceptible to repeating his father’s mistake.

Isaac’s famines were like his father’s, but not completely the same. Different famines require different approaches, regardless of their familiarity. Isaac encountered spiritual obstacles both inherited from his father and individual to his own experience. The method Abraham used to approach obstacles before was no longer feasible, and God’s covenant with Isaac was a clear indication of this. The instruction from God to Abraham was to depart and go, whereas Isaac was commanded to stay where he was. The family agreement was unaltered, but the way forward was distinct. The promise was consistent, but the plan varied. The covenant itself had undergone no changes, but it was the passage of time and the emergence of new generations that mandated a shift.

God’s words in Genesis 26:3-5 were not simply a reiteration of the Abrahamic covenant. The establishment of God’s covenant with Isaac was a way of ensuring the continuation of faith for the next generation. Isaac was not limited to the leftovers of Abraham’s promise, nor was he living his life solely based on Abraham’s relationship with God.

Although he was influenced by his father’s faith, his own personal experiences would lead him to develop a special relationship with God that was entirely his own. As with his forefathers, Isaac was challenged to make changes and embrace a way of doing things differently than generations before.

Reflection Questions:

1. What familial patterns and behaviors are you susceptible to?

2. How might you approach familiar famines differently?

3. Have you ever found yourself living on the leftovers of someone else’s faith? What makes your personal faith your own?