Genesis Lesson 59: The Testing of Isaac - Part I {One Chapter in Bible Dedicated Exclusively to Isaac}

Genesis 26:1-18 

The life of Isaac is always connected, in one aspect or another, to the life of someone else, such as his dynamic father Abraham, his elder brother Ishmael, his strong-willed wife Rebekah, or his high profile son Jacob.  There is only one chapter in Genesis in which Isaac is the central figure, and that is chapter 26.  After coming down from Mount Moriah, where his life reached its spiritual climax, Isaac (like all of us) continued to face more trials and testings, all intended to refine him.  

In this lesson and the one to follow (#60), we will look at "The Testing of Isaac".  His first recorded test after his father's death was "the famine test".  Like his father before him, he was headed down to Egypt to escape, but the Lord stopped him and spoke directly to Isaac for the very first time!  His next test, also like his father, was "the falsehood test".  Unfortunately, Isaac repeated his father's sin, lying that Rebekah was his sister!  The next was his "fruitfulness test," and we are happy to report he did pass that one!