Oral tradition was the way history was passed during these times. I am sure there were nights when Abraham and Sarah talked of the times, they lied about Sarah being Abraham’s sister. So, Isaac is forced to move and moves into the land of the Philistines. Remember, they were a rough and rowdy bunch. So, following dad’s lead, Isaac tells everyone that Rebekah is his sister. Worked for dad…
The outcome is the same. God intervenes and tells the king the truth. The king confronts Isaac and Isaac in turn tells the king the truth–If I had not lied, your folks would have probably killed me and took my wife. The king pauses and rather than disagree, he simply puts out the command to not mess with Isaac and Rebekah.
In short If we walk by faith, we will see God’s hand in many subtle and some amazing ways. We will not be perfect. Our sin could make the journey more difficult and lead us to places we need not be. Despite that, God is faithful even when we are not. I have seen God do remarkable saves in my life, despite my sin and frailty as a husband, father, and friend. The only thing that will defeat us, is our unwillingness to accept responsibility for our own choices, and our giving up on the Lord before He completes His plan.
Isaiah 40:31 says it best, “Those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength. They will mount up with wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary they will walk and not faint.” Sadly, the prerequisite is that we wait upon the Lord–that requires a great deal of faith.
God Bless you
Now there was a famine in the land, besides the former famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Gerar to Abimelech king of the Philistines. 2 And the Lord appeared to him and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; dwell in the land of which I shall tell you. 3 Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you and will bless you, for to you and to your offspring I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath that I swore to Abraham your father. 4 I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and will give to your offspring all these lands. And in your offspring 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.”
Isaac and Abimelech
6 So Isaac settled in Gerar. 7 When the men of the place asked him about his wife, he said, “She is my sister,” for he feared to say, “My wife,” thinking, “lest the men of the place should kill me because of Rebekah,” because she was attractive in appearance. 8 When he had been there a long time, Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out of a window and saw Isaac laughing with[a] Rebekah his wife. 9 So Abimelech called Isaac and said, “Behold, she is your wife. How then could you say, ‘She is my sister’?” Isaac said to him, “Because I thought, ‘Lest I die because of her.’” 10 Abimelech said, “What is this you have done to us? One of the people might easily have lain with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us.” 11 So Abimelech warned all the people, saying, “Whoever touches this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.”
Walking With God 