TLDR: A guide for having a family discipleship time on Genesis 26 based on the ACT Bible Study Method.
Act 3: God Promises Jesus
Scene 12: Isaac and Abimelech
Genesis 26:1–33
Analyze the Passage
Step 1: Introduce the Passage
Genesis was written by Moses sometime between 1445–1405 BC to help the Israelites leaving Egypt understand their history with God. It’s one of the five books of the Law that Moses wrote, which we also call the Torah, or the Pentateuch, which means “five books.”
Today’s true story might sound a little familiar at first. That’s because Isaac does something just like his father had done not once, but twice. So this is the third time we see the same thing happen. This story is in Acts 3: God Promises Jesus.
Step 2: Read the Passage
Step 3: Summarize the Passage
When another famine came, Isaac went to King Abimelech at Gerar. There, God told him not to go to Egypt, but stay where he was and God would bless him and make good on the promises he had first made to Abraham. So, Isaac stayed.
When the men of the area asked about Rebekah, Isaac was afraid they would kill him and take her, so he said she was his sister. But one day, Abimelech saw Isaac and Rebekah embracing and called for him to ask why he had lied about her. Abimelech ordered that no one could touch Rebekah.
When Isaac planted, God blessed him and he produced many crops and became wealthy. He also had many animals and servants. But the Philistines became jealous and filled his wells with dirt.
King Abimelech told Isaac to leave because he had become too wealthy, so he did. He went to where Abraham had lived and reopened his old wells. Some of the locals argued that the wells were theirs, so Isaac dug two more wells.
Then, Isaac went to Beer Sheba and God appeared to him and promised to bless him again. Isaac built an altar and worshiped God there. His servants dug another well.
Then, King Abimelech and two others came to Isaac asking him to make a treaty together. So Isaac made a feast and they made a treaty together. Then, Isaac’s servants came and told him they found water again.
Step 4: Interrogate the Passage
Questions you and your family ask might include:
- Was this the same Abimelech as before?
- Why did God not want Isaac to go to Egypt?
- Why did Isaac lie about his wife being his sister and not trust God?
- Why was Abimelech afraid of someone taking Rebekah as a wife?
- Why did the Philistines fill in Isaac’s wells?
- Why does this story talk about wells so much?
Step 5: Wonder about the Passage
Wonder statements you and your family make might include:
- I wonder if Isaac wanted to go to Egypt.
- I wonder if Isaac knew that his father had said Sarah was his sister too.
- I wonder if Abimelech knew that God was with Isaac.
- I wonder if Isaac was okay with moving so much.
Connect the Passage to Christ
Step 6: Find the World in Front of Text
This part of Isaac’s life couldn’t have been easy. He was forced to move from place to place and faced opposition where he went. However, for the most part, we see him trusting and obeying God. God told him not to go to Egypt, and Isaac listened. Several times God met with him and reminded him of his promises to bless him. And God surely blessed Isaac in this account. This is what God wants from us—he wants his people to follow him, trust him, and obey him no matter what.
But Isaac’s trust wasn’t perfect. Like his father twice before him (Gen. 12:10–20; 20:1–18), Isaac lied about his wife being his sister, afraid that he would be killed by others. It’s possible Isaac didn’t know his father had done this. It’s also possible he had learned it from him. Either way, it shows a shared lack of faith and trust in God. How could God bless Isaac if he were dead? This reminds us of our need to cast off doubt and to trust in God no matter what.
Step 7: Find the World of Jesus of the Text
When we think of obedience, of course we should think of Jesus’ perfect obedience. Isaac obeyed God by not going to Egypt; Jesus obeyed by coming to earth. God blessed Isaac because of his obedience; God blessed us because of Jesus’ obedience.
Another thread we see running through this story is hospitality and lack of hospitality. Abimelech allowed Isaac to settle in his land. But then when Isaac became too strong, Abimelech forced him to leave. Others became jealous of Isaac and filled his wells—an act of gross inhospitality. But Isaac seemed to resist the urge to retaliate. Finally, Abimelech came back to Isaac and asked for a treaty that ensured mutual hospitality. Like obedience, we see a mixture of what God wants and what has been broken because of sin. God intends for us to offer unlimited hospitality to others, even at our own expense. He wants us to welcome others, to care for them, and to treat them like family. This is what Jesus has done for us. He gave up his life to welcome us into God’s family.
Translate It to Your Context
Step 8: Connect the World of Jesus of the Text to Your World
How can you show someone hospitality this week? How can you treat someone with friendship, love, and kindness? Think about people who you know of or barely know, especially anyone who seems like he or she might need a friend. What will you do to be a friend to them?
How can you obey God this week, in big ways and small ways, so that people might see Jesus in you? Think about all the places you will be this week and what you will do. How can you obey God and people he has placed in authority with joy?
NEXT: Act 3: God Promises Jesus; Scene 13: Jacob Takes the Family Birthright (Genesis 26:1–33)
Learn more about this family discipleship method here.
brian dembowczyk 