Weekly D'rash Toldot

Everyone knows that the Patriarchs of Israel are Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. We read about them in the Scriptures and especially in the prayers of the Jewish people. Many chapters in Genesis are taken up with the stories of Abraham and Jacob, but few chapters are devoted to the story of Isaac. Isaac becomes part of the Abraham story when we read about the command for Abraham to sacrifice him, and he is part of the Jacob story when we read about Jacob and Esau growing up.

However, this week we have a story dedicated to Isaac. In Genesis 26, there are a series of “portraits” of Isaac that depict him as a man of blessing and peace. The first portrait of Isaac is that of being blessed and protected by God in a foreign land (Gen. 26:12–17). He is living in Gerar in the western Negev in the land of the Philistines. The text tells us that Isaac and Rebekah are providentially protected by God in this foreign land under the dominion of a pagan king. This first child of promise becomes a great man in a foreign land. Isaac prospers in Gerar to the point that the king expels Isaac and his family from the city because they are perceived as a threat.

The second portrait of Isaac paints him as a man of peace (Gen. 26:18–22). Isaac moves from the city of Gerar to a wilderness area outside the city. Remember this is the Negev—desert. Water is a commodity. When Isaac tries to reclaim the wells dug by his father Abraham, there is a land dispute between the Philistines and Isaac. Isaac does not force his will to reclaim what rightfully belongs to him, but rather keeps moving until he finds an area where they can dig wells freely and live in peace with their Philistine neighbors. Isaac demonstrates a man who values shalom. He is a man of peace.

The third portrait of Isaac shows him as a man of covenant relationship with God (Gen. 26:23–25). Isaac continues to be on the move. Now he is in Beersheva where God appears to him. He assures Isaac that he will inherit the promise of descendants that God had made with Abraham. Isaac responds by building an altar at which he worships Adonai.

The fourth portrait of Isaac pictures him as a man who is a blessing to the nations (Gen. 26:26–31). Abimelech realizes that Adonai blesses Isaac. He wants to enter a covenant relationship with Isaac in order that he may receive blessing from Isaac. It is a covenant of mutual blessing.

The backdrop or canvas of these portraits of Isaac are the digging of wells. God blesses Isaac with the provision of water from wells previously dug by his father Abraham. Isaac finds water because he is a man of God. He finds it in a foreign land. He finds water as a man of peace and because he worships God and blesses a foreign king. The final verse of the section is the statement, “we have found water” (Gen. 26:32). These portraits of Isaac could be combined into a beautiful portrait of a man of “meekness.” Isaac is a powerful man with many resources. He shows great restraint and humility in relating to Abimelech, and in the end finds water and becomes a testimony of the blessing of God to this pagan king.

May we be people of peace with a testimony of meekness that causes people to seek us out to learn more about Messiah Yeshua. May we drink from the wells of salvation of Messiah Yeshua and share the water with others.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Howard