A Famine in the Land

Genesis 26:1 And there was a famine in the land, besides the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar.

This account of Isaac begins with a famine. We find in the Scriptures that important things have their beginning because of a famine or a desert or a wilderness. So it is with Isaac at this time. It was time for him to begin a journey into a new relationship with God, and it was this famine that got him moving. Since the death of Abraham, he had dwelt by the well Lahai-roi (Genesis 25:11). Lahai-roi means “Life of vision.” Anyone who journeys with the Lord must be a man of vision, so all the time that Isaac dwelt by the well Lahai-roi he was being prepared for new visions of the Lord.

Genesis 26:2 And the Lord appeared unto him, and said, go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I will tell thee of…

How did the Lord appear to Isaac? Isaac did not see Him with his natural eyesight for no man hath seen God at any time (John 1:18). The Lord, if He is seen, is seen with the heart. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Mathew 5:8. When the Scriptures speak of the heart, they are not speaking of the organ that pumps blood. The heart of man is his spirit and the Lord is Spirit. Therefore, man’s spirit must come alive in order to see and hear the Lord of Spirit. This is the reason Isaac dwelt by the well Lahai-roi. The Lord was circumcising his spirit, making it come alive, for Isaac would need to see the Lord and hear His voice. The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them. Proverbs 20:12.

Usually when a person repents and accepts Jesus Christ as Lord, they say they are born again. But it takes much more than repentance to be born into the spirit realm of God. If you want the Lord to appear to you and to hear His voice, then you must dwell by the well of Lahai-roi, the well of vision, until the Lord creates the ability to hear and see with your spirit.

Do not go down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I will tell thee of. Egypt represents worldliness and far too many Christians are still dwelling in Egypt, the realm of worldliness. They will have one foot in Christianity and one in the world. It is time for them to hear the words of Joshua, Choose you this day whom you will serve (Joshua 24:15).

Jesus Christ is the connecting link between our world and the world of God (Genesis 28:12; John 1:51). Notice John 3:13: No man hath ascended up to heaven, but He that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. While Jesus was standing on the ground of earth talking with Nicodemus, He was in heaven. He was and is the connecting link. Now understand the language of Scriptures. When it speaks of heaven it is not speaking of the natural heavens of the sky; it is speaking of the realms of Spirit. Jesus Christ is the connecting link; He is the door! When you have entered into Him, you have entered into God’s world of spirit. It is then that you will hear the voice of the Lord that transcends normal hearing. It is then that you will see the mysteries of the Kingdom of God.

Genesis 26:3 Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I swear unto Abraham thy father.

Isaac is told to sojourn in the land that will be given to his seed. His seed is singular, so it is not speaking of the tribes of Israel. It is speaking of Christ (Galatians 3:16, 29). Why was it necessary for Isaac to sojourn in the land? The Hebrew word for sojourn is guwr, which means to dwell for a time or to dwell temporarily. Isaac temporarily dwelling in the land was prophetic. It meant that God was giving the land and the countries surrounding it. In a real sense God was calling those things which be not as though they were (Romans 4:17). The actions of Isaac were foretelling something that would be actualized by Christ. This was prophesied again in the second Psalm. I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto Me, Thou art My Son; this day have I begotten Thee. Ask of Me, and I shall give thee the heathen for Thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for Thy possession. Psalm 2:7-8. That which was prophesied by Isaac temporarily journeying in the land is fulfilled by the Lord Jesus Christ.

Genesis 26:4 And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the earth be blessed.

“Seed” here still applies to Christ. So how does Christ multiply? He becomes a many-membered Christ. He is the first and the last, the beginning and the ending (Revelation 1:8, 11). As the first, He is Jesus Christ the Nazarene and as the last, He is the many-membered Body of Christ. Christ is multiplied! And in Him all the earth will be blessed!

Genesis 26:5 Because that Abraham obeyed My voice, and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.

The Hebrew word for “obeyed” is shama, which means not only to obey but to hear. One cannot obey a voice that he cannot hear. And the voice of the Lord is not audible to man.

The appearing of the Lord, hearing His voice, prophesying by journeying in the land, and setting the course that would be finalized in Christ all began with a famine. Don’t complain about your next difficulty. It may be the thing that accomplishes the will of God.