Do you ever think about the legacy you will leave for your children and grand-children? Are you working hard to leave them an inheritance? Do you put a lot of emphasis on them getting a good education? If so, have you considered the role you play in getting God to help your descendants?
The following verses contain some promises that Yahweh made to Isaac. These promises were given to Isaac as a result of Abraham’s behavior. What was it about Abraham’s behavior that caused Yahweh to make these promises? Notice the words “because” and “for the sake of”.
Gen. 26:1 ¶ Now there was a famine in the land, besides the previous famine that had occurred in the days of Abraham. So Isaac went to Gerar, to Abimelech king of the Philistines.
Gen. 26:2 The LORD appeared to him and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; stay in the land of which I shall tell you.
Gen. 26:3 “Sojourn in this land and I will be with you and bless you, for to you and to your descendants I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath which I swore to your father Abraham.
Gen. 26:4 “I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven, and will give your descendants all these lands; and by your descendants all the nations of the earth shall be blessed;
Gen. 26:5 because Abraham obeyed Me and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes and My laws.”
Gen. 26:6 ¶ So Isaac lived in Gerar.
Gen. 26:23 ¶ Then he went up from there to Beersheba.
Gen. 26:24 The LORD appeared to him the same night and said,
“I am the God of your father Abraham;
Do not fear, for I am with you.
I will bless you, and multiply your descendants,
For the sake of My servant Abraham.”
Abraham obeyed God; therefore, Yahweh promised to give Isaac and his descendants some land and a blessing. Abraham’s obedience to Yahweh benefitted his descendants long after his death. Have you considered that your obedience to God could reap benefits for your children and grand-children? It is easy to get caught up in the pursuit of education, wealth, achievement, and fame and to believe that the way to help our children is to help them achieve these earthly goals. However, when we consider how Abraham’s obedience to God led God to bless Abraham’s descendants, perhaps we should consider that the best inheritance we can leave our children is to obey God in all things. There is nothing wrong with education, wealth, and achievement; however, obedience to God can reap even better rewards.
Further Reading
Why should we obey God if we’re assured of going to heaven anyway?
How do we prepare to meet God?
Is Yahweh worthy of our allegiance?
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“Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.”