Rev Xi An Poon
【主題經文】
創世記26:24-25
24 當夜耶和華向他顯現，說：「我是你父親亞伯拉罕的神，不要懼怕！因為我與你同在，要賜福給你，並要為我僕人亞伯拉罕的緣故，使你的後裔繁多。」
25 以撒就在那裏築了一座壇，求告耶和華的名，並且支搭帳棚；他的僕人便在那裏挖了一口井。
創世記25章讓我們看見，以撒面對利百加不能生育的時候，懂得為妻子祈求耶和華。這讓我們看見，以撒生命裏有一個很寶貴的方向：他懂得把不能解決的事帶到神面前。
到了創世記26章，聖經沒有立刻繼續講以掃和雅各的故事，反而把焦點重新放回以撒身上。這不是經文突然中斷，而是讓我們看見，以撒能夠成為一個求告神的人，不是因為他沒有軟弱，也不是因為他一開始就完全成熟，而是因為神一路帶領他、提醒他、保守他、與他同行。
這一章裏，以撒面對饑荒、懼怕、爭競和家庭中的愁煩。他也曾因害怕而重複了亞伯拉罕生命中的軟弱，稱自己的妻子為妹子。但神沒有因此離開他，反而在他的不成熟和懼怕中仍然保守他、扶持他，使他一步一步學習走在主的帶領下。
一、在缺乏中聽從主的話
創世記26:2-3
2 耶和華向以撒顯現，說：「你不要下埃及去，要住在我所指示你的地。
3 你寄居在這地，我必與你同在，賜福給你……」
以撒面對饑荒時，最自然的選擇可能就是下埃及，因為埃及有糧食、有水源、有看得見的保障。但神卻吩咐他不要下埃及，要住在祂所指示的地。
走在主的帶領下，第一步就是在缺乏中仍然聽從主的話。很多時候，我們面對壓力、需要和不確定時，很容易先找自己的方法，先抓住看得見的保障。但神要我們學習，不是每一條看起來容易的路，都是祂要我們走的路。
真正的安全，不只是環境穩定，而是有神的同在。以撒留在神所指示的地方，不是因為那裏沒有困難，而是因為那裏有神的應許。
二、在懼怕中接受主的扶持
創世記26:7
那地方的人問到他的妻子，他便說：「那是我的妹子。」原來他怕說：「是我的妻子。」他心裏想：「恐怕這地方的人為利百加的緣故殺我，因為她容貌俊美。」
以撒是神應許的承接者，但他也有懼怕。他在壓力中稱利百加為妹子，重複了亞伯拉罕曾經有過的軟弱。
這提醒我們，信心可以承接，軟弱也可能延續。人有時候會在壓力中回到舊有的反應模式，用自己的方法保護自己。
但神沒有因為以撒的懼怕就放棄他。神保守了利百加，也保守了以撒。這讓我們看見，神知道我們生命中未成熟的地方，也明白我們裏面的懼怕。祂不是只責備我們，而是願意扶持我們，使我們一步一步從舊有模式中走出來。
三、在爭競中等候主開路
創世記26:20-22
20 基拉耳的牧人與以撒的牧人爭競，說：「這水是我們的。」以撒就給那井起名叫埃色，因為他們和他相爭。
21 以撒的僕人又挖了一口井，他們又為這井爭競，因此以撒給那井起名叫西提拿。
22 以撒離開那裏，又挖了一口井，他們不為這井爭競了，他就給那井起名叫利河伯。他說：「耶和華現在給我們寬闊之地，我們必在這地昌盛。」
以撒蒙神賜福，漸漸昌大，卻引起非利士人的嫉妒。他們塞住井，又與以撒的僕人爭井。井在當時代表生命的供應和生存的空間。
但以撒沒有一直爭到底。他讓開，再挖；再被爭奪，就再離開，再挖。最後神為他開出寬闊之地。
以撒說：「耶和華現在給我們寬闊之地。」他不是說自己終於爭贏了，而是承認這是神為他開路。
走在主的帶領下，就是在爭競中仍然相信主會開路。有些祝福不是靠我們爭回來的，而是神親自帶我們進入的。有時讓開不是失去，而是神帶我們離開爭競，進入更寬闊的地方。
【總結】
創世記26章讓我們看見，以撒的一生不是只有祝福和昌大，也有饑荒、懼怕、軟弱、爭競和家庭愁煩。可是，在這一切裏面，神沒有離開他。
神在饑荒中對他說話，在懼怕中保守他，在爭井中為他開路，在別是巴再次向他顯現，對他說：「不要懼怕！因為我與你同在。」
走在主的帶領下，不是因為我們已經完全，也不是因為我們生命中沒有軟弱，而是因為我們願意在每一個處境中重新聽主的話、接受主的扶持、等候主的開路。
【生命省察／追求】
今天，我們也可以思想：
當我們面對缺乏時，我們是否很快就想走自己的路，尋找看得見的保障，卻忘記先聽主的話？
當我們心裏懼怕時，我們是否也會用舊有的方式保護自己，卻沒有把真正的不安帶到主面前？
當我們遇到爭競、誤解、被人攔阻時，我們是否只想立刻爭回來，還是願意相信主能為我們開出真正寬闊的地方？
當我們面對家庭中令人愁煩的事，特別是兒女的選擇、家人的反應、關係中的痛苦時，我們是否仍然相信主知道、主明白、主仍然同行？
神不是等我們完全成熟才帶領我們。祂知道我們的軟弱，也知道我們生命中未成熟的地方；但祂仍然願意一步一步扶持我們，使我們在祂的話語、保守和同在裏，被建立成一個真正會求告祂、信靠祂、跟隨祂的人。
【禱告】
親愛的天父，我們感謝祢。透過創世記26章，我們看見祢怎樣一路帶領以撒，也看見祢怎樣在人的不成熟、懼怕和軟弱中仍然施恩保守。
主啊，很多時候我們面對缺乏就容易慌張，面對壓力就容易用自己的方法保護自己，面對爭競就容易想立刻爭回來，面對家庭的愁煩就容易灰心疲倦。
求祢幫助我們回到祢的話語裏。當我們想走自己的路時，求祢提醒我們聽祢的聲音；當我們心裏懼怕時，求祢用祢的同在扶持我們；當我們遇到人的爭奪和敵對時，求祢使我們不被血氣牽引，而是相信祢能為我們開出寬闊之地。
主啊，也求祢醫治我們生命中從過去延續下來的軟弱和反應模式。那些因懼怕而產生的自我保護，那些因不安而產生的控制，那些因受傷而產生的逃避，求祢都帶進祢的光中，使我們在祢面前重新被建立。
我們也把自己的家庭交在祢手中。兒女的選擇、家人的生命、關係中的愁煩，祢都知道，祢都明白。求祢教導我們用禱告、信靠和等候，把家人一次又一次帶到祢面前。
求祢帶領我們今天走在祢的帶領下，不靠自己的慌張，不靠自己的懼怕，不靠自己的爭競，而是一步一步聽從祢、倚靠祢、等候祢，直到我們看見祢為我們開出寬闊之地。
奉主耶穌基督的名禱告，阿們。
創世記 26
1 在亞伯拉罕的日子那地有一次饑荒，這時又有饑荒，以撒就往基拉耳去，到非利士人的王亞比米勒那裡。 2 耶和華向以撒顯現，說：「你不要下埃及去，要住在我所指示你的地。 3 你寄居在這地，我必與你同在，賜福給你，因為我要將這些地都賜給你和你的後裔，我必堅定我向你父亞伯拉罕所起的誓。 4 我要加增你的後裔，像天上的星那樣多，又要將這些地都賜給你的後裔，並且地上萬國必因你的後裔得福。 5 都因亞伯拉罕聽從我的話，遵守我的吩咐和我的命令、律例、法度。」
6 以撒就住在基拉耳。 7 那地方的人問到他的妻子，他便說：「那是我的妹子。」原來他怕說「是我的妻子」。他心裡想：「恐怕這地方的人為利百加的緣故殺我，因為她容貌俊美。」 8 他在那裡住了許久。有一天，非利士人的王亞比米勒從窗戶裡往外觀看，見以撒和他的妻子利百加戲玩。 9 亞比米勒召了以撒來，對他說：「她實在是你的妻子，你怎麼說她是你的妹子？」以撒說：「我心裡想，恐怕我因她而死。」 10 亞比米勒說：「你向我們做的是什麼事呢？民中險些有人和你的妻同寢，把我們陷在罪裡！」 11 於是亞比米勒曉諭眾民說：「凡沾著這個人，或是他妻子的，定要把他治死。」
12 以撒在那地耕種，那一年有百倍的收成。耶和華賜福給他， 13 他就昌大，日增月盛，成了大富戶。 14 他有羊群、牛群，又有許多僕人，非利士人就嫉妒他。 15 當他父親亞伯拉罕在世的日子他父親的僕人所挖的井，非利士人全都塞住，填滿了土。 16 亞比米勒對以撒說：「你離開我們去吧，因為你比我們強盛得多。」 17 以撒就離開那裡，在基拉耳谷支搭帳篷，住在那裡。
18 當他父親亞伯拉罕在世之日所挖的水井，因非利士人在亞伯拉罕死後塞住了，以撒就重新挖出來，仍照他父親所叫的叫那些井的名字。 19 以撒的僕人在谷中挖井，便得了一口活水井。 20 基拉耳的牧人與以撒的牧人爭競，說：「這水是我們的。」以撒就給那井起名叫埃色，因為他們和他相爭。 21 以撒的僕人又挖了一口井，他們又為這井爭競，因此以撒給這井起名叫西提拿。 22 以撒離開那裡，又挖了一口井，他們不為這井爭競了，他就給那井起名叫利河伯。他說：「耶和華現在給我們寬闊之地，我們必在這地昌盛。」
23 以撒從那裡上別是巴去。 24 當夜耶和華向他顯現，說：「我是你父親亞伯拉罕的神，不要懼怕，因為我與你同在，要賜福給你，並要為我僕人亞伯拉罕的緣故，使你的後裔繁多。」 25 以撒就在那裡築了一座壇，求告耶和華的名，並且支搭帳篷。他的僕人便在那裡挖了一口井。
26 亞比米勒同他的朋友亞戶撒和他的軍長非各，從基拉耳來見以撒。 27 以撒對他們說：「你們既然恨我，打發我走了，為什麼到我這裡來呢？」 28 他們說：「我們明明地看見耶和華與你同在，便說，不如我們兩下彼此起誓，彼此立約， 29 使你不害我們，正如我們未曾害你，一味地厚待你，並且打發你平平安安地走。你是蒙耶和華賜福的了。」 30 以撒就為他們設擺筵席，他們便吃了喝了。 31 他們清早起來彼此起誓。以撒打發他們走，他們就平平安安地離開他走了。 32 那一天，以撒的僕人來，將挖井的事告訴他，說：「我們得了水了。」 33 他就給那井起名叫示巴。因此那城叫做別是巴，直到今日。
34 以掃四十歲的時候，娶了赫人比利的女兒猶滴與赫人以倫的女兒巴實抹為妻。 35 她們常使以撒和利百加心裡愁煩。
In Genesis 25, we saw something precious in Isaac’s life. When Rebekah could not have children, Isaac prayed to the LORD for his wife. This shows us that Isaac had a very important spiritual direction in his life: he knew how to bring what he could not solve before God.
When we come to Genesis 26, the Bible does not immediately continue the story of Esau and Jacob. Instead, the focus returns to Isaac. This is not a sudden interruption. It helps us see that Isaac became a man who called on God, not because he had no weakness, and not because he was fully mature from the beginning, but because God had been guiding him, reminding him, protecting him, and walking with him all along.
In this chapter, Isaac faced famine, fear, conflict, and family sorrow. In his fear, he also repeated a weakness from Abraham’s life by saying that his wife was his sister. Yet God did not leave him. God continued to protect him, support him, and help him learn to walk under the Lord’s guidance.
- Listen to the Lord in times of lack
Genesis 26:2-3
2 The LORD appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land where I tell you to live.
3 Stay in this land for a while, and I will be with you and will bless you…”
When Isaac faced famine, the most natural choice may have been to go down to Egypt, because Egypt had food, water, and visible security. But God told him not to go down to Egypt, and to stay in the land He would show him.
The first step in walking under the Lord’s guidance is to listen to His word even in times of lack. Very often, when we face pressure, need, and uncertainty, we quickly look for our own way and hold on to visible security. But God wants us to learn that not every easier path is the path He wants us to take.
True security does not only come from a stable environment. It comes from the presence of God. Isaac stayed where God told him to stay, not because there were no difficulties there, but because God’s promise was there.
- Receive the Lord’s support in times of fear
Genesis 26:7
When the men of that place asked him about his wife, he said, “She is my sister,” because he was afraid to say, “She is my wife.” He thought, “The men of this place might kill me on account of Rebekah, because she is beautiful.”
Isaac was the one who carried God’s promise, but he still had fear. Under pressure, he said that Rebekah was his sister, repeating a weakness that had appeared in Abraham’s life.
This reminds us that faith can be passed down, but weakness can also continue. Sometimes, when people are under pressure, they return to old patterns and try to protect themselves in their own way.
But God did not give up on Isaac because of his fear. God protected Rebekah, and He also protected Isaac. This shows us that God knows the immature places in our lives, and He understands the fears within us. He does not only rebuke us. He is willing to support us and help us step by step to come out of old patterns.
- Wait for the Lord to open the way in times of conflict
Genesis 26:20-22
20 But the herders of Gerar quarreled with those of Isaac and said, “The water is ours!” So he named the well Esek, because they disputed with him.
21 Then they dug another well, but they quarreled over that one also; so he named it Sitnah.
22 He moved on from there and dug another well, and no one quarreled over it. He named it Rehoboth, saying, “Now the LORD has given us room and we will flourish in the land.”
Isaac was blessed by God and became very prosperous, but this also caused the Philistines to become jealous. They filled up the wells that had been dug in Abraham’s time, and the herders of Gerar quarreled with Isaac’s herders over the water. In those days, wells were not just facilities. They represented life supply, survival, and space to live.
But Isaac did not keep fighting to the end. He moved away and dug again. When they quarreled again, he moved away and dug again. In the end, God gave him a spacious place.
Isaac said, “Now the LORD has given us room.” He did not say, “I have finally won.” He acknowledged that it was the LORD who had opened the way for him.
Walking under the Lord’s guidance means still believing that the Lord will open the way in times of conflict. Some blessings are not gained by fighting for them. They are places that God Himself leads us into. Sometimes, moving away does not mean losing. It may be God leading us out of conflict and into a wider place.
【Summary】
Genesis 26 shows us that Isaac’s life was not only filled with blessing and prosperity. He also faced famine, fear, weakness, conflict, and family sorrow. Yet in all these things, God did not leave him.
God spoke to him in famine, protected him in fear, opened a way for him in conflict, and appeared to him again at Beersheba, saying, “Do not be afraid, for I am with you.”
Walking under the Lord’s guidance does not mean we are already perfect. It does not mean there is no weakness in our lives. It means we are willing to listen to the Lord’s word, receive His support, and wait for Him to open the way in every situation.
【Reflection and Response】
Today, we can also reflect:
When we face lack, do we quickly try to walk our own way and look for visible security, forgetting to listen to the Lord first?
When we feel afraid, do we also use old ways to protect ourselves, instead of bringing our real fear before the Lord?
When we face conflict, misunderstanding, or opposition, do we only want to fight back immediately, or are we willing to believe that the Lord can open a truly spacious place for us?
When we face sorrow in our family, especially in the choices of our children, the reactions of family members, or pain in relationships, do we still believe that the Lord knows, the Lord understands, and the Lord is still walking with us?
God does not wait until we are fully mature before He leads us. He knows our weaknesses and our immature places. Yet He is still willing to support us step by step, so that through His word, His protection, and His presence, we may become people who truly call on Him, trust Him, and follow Him.
【Prayer】
Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You. Through Genesis 26, we see how You guided Isaac all along the way. We also see how You continue to show grace and protection even when people are immature, fearful, and weak.
Lord, many times when we face lack, we become anxious. When we face pressure, we try to protect ourselves in our own way. When we face conflict, we want to fight back immediately. When we face sorrow in our family, we easily become discouraged and tired.
Please help us return to Your word. When we want to walk our own way, remind us to listen to Your voice. When fear rises in our hearts, support us with Your presence. When we face opposition and conflict, help us not to be led by our flesh, but to believe that You can open a spacious place for us.
Lord, we also ask You to heal the weaknesses and old patterns that have continued in our lives. Those self-protective reactions that come from fear, those controlling responses that come from insecurity, and those avoidant patterns that come from past wounds — bring them into Your light, and rebuild us before You.
We also place our families into Your hands. You know the choices of our children, the lives of our family members, and the sorrow within our relationships. Teach us not only to respond with worry, but to bring our families before You again and again through prayer, trust, and waiting.
Lead us today to walk under Your guidance. Help us not to rely on our anxiety, our fear, or our striving, but to listen to You, depend on You, and wait for You step by step, until we see You open a spacious place for us.
In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
Genesis 26
1 There was a famine in the land, besides the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines, in Gerar.
2 Then the Lord appeared to him and said: “Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land of which I shall tell you. 3 Dwell in this land, and I will be with you and bless you; for to you and your descendants I give all these lands, and I will perform the oath which I swore to Abraham your father. 4 And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands; and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed; 5 because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.”
6 So Isaac dwelt in Gerar. 7 And the men of the place asked about his wife. And he said, “She is my sister”; for he was afraid to say, “She is my wife,” because he thought, “lest the men of the place kill me for Rebekah, because she is beautiful to behold.” 8 Now it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked through a window, and saw, and there was Isaac, showing endearment to Rebekah his wife. 9 Then Abimelech called Isaac and said, “Quite obviously she is your wife; so how could you say, ‘She is my sister’?”
Isaac said to him, “Because I said, ‘Lest I die on account of her.’ ”
10 And Abimelech said, “What is this you have done to us? One of the people might soon have lain with your wife, and you would have brought guilt on us.” 11 So Abimelech charged all his people, saying, “He who touches this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.”
12 Then Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the Lord blessed him. 13 The man began to prosper, and continued prospering until he became very prosperous; 14 for he had possessions of flocks and possessions of herds and a great number of servants. So the Philistines envied him. 15 Now the Philistines had stopped up all the wells which his father’s servants had dug in the days of Abraham his father, and they had filled them with earth. 16 And Abimelech said to Isaac, “Go away from us, for you are much mightier than we.”
17 Then Isaac departed from there and pitched his tent in the Valley of Gerar, and dwelt there. 18 And Isaac dug again the wells of water which they had dug in the days of Abraham his father, for the Philistines had stopped them up after the death of Abraham. He called them by the names which his father had called them.
19 Also Isaac’s servants dug in the valley, and found a well of running water there. 20 But the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, “The water is ours.” So he called the name of the well Esek, because they quarreled with him. 21 Then they dug another well, and they quarreled over that one also. So he called its name Sitnah. 22 And he moved from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it. So he called its name Rehoboth, because he said, “For now the Lord has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.”
23 Then he went up from there to Beersheba. 24 And 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 My servant Abraham’s sake.” 25 So he built an altar there and called on the name of the Lord, and he pitched his tent there; and there Isaac’s servants dug a well.
26 Then Abimelech came to him from Gerar with Ahuzzath, one of his friends, and Phichol the commander of his army. 27 And Isaac said to them, “Why have you come to me, since you hate me and have sent me away from you?”
28 But they said, “We have certainly seen that the Lord is with you. So we said, ‘Let there now be an oath between us, between you and us; and let us make a covenant with you, 29 that you will do us no harm, since we have not touched you, and since we have done nothing to you but good and have sent you away in peace. You are now the blessed of the Lord.’ ”
30 So he made them a feast, and they ate and drank. 31 Then they arose early in the morning and swore an oath with one another; and Isaac sent them away, and they departed from him in peace.
32 It came to pass the same day that Isaac’s servants came and told him about the well which they had dug, and said to him, “We have found water.” 33 So he called it Shebah. Therefore the name of the city is Beersheba to this day.
34 When Esau was forty years old, he took as wives Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite. 35 And they were a grief of mind to Isaac and Rebekah.
Zion Bread of Life Christian Church 
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