Isaac's hundredfold gamble and what it means for you
The ancient "promised land"... it is symbolic of all Christ has done for you. And yet we are so quick to leave, ignore and deride it. You may ask, how do we do that? Every time we think that God's favor is a reward of our acts of righteousness, we miss the boat on our inheritance.
Isaac was about to do the same thing. He was the heir of Abraham, and he knew all the stories of how God dealt with his father and the promises he had received... those promises were now his. But the land he was promised was drying up. Failed rainy seasons had led to a great drought and a consequent famine. So with no food, neither for his clan nor his livestock, he did the logical thing, the same type of logic he had learn from his father - he headed for Egypt.
But down near the deserts that merged with Egypt, just on the edge of his promised land, God stopped him... "Stay her, Isaac. Here you shall be blessed." (see Gen 26:2-4) So Isaac listened, he stayed and then he did something incredible. The very little seed he had left - seed that was useful to make bread to feed his family, he took and sowed it into the fields of the area. No one in his right mind would have thought of doing that... no one! The land was totally dry, it's wells all but empty, it's springs, silent and parched.
This was almost an act of suicide - certainly he must have left some for the few weeks between the sowing and reaping. And it wasn't suicide given God's promise.
His neighbors must have laughed at this crazy Hebrew. Sure they respected him, but this act must have looked incredibly stupid.
Somehow, Isaac reaped that year... not just a little, few, sparse heads of grain, but a hundred fold! This was the beginning of his greatness; the Bible records how Isaac "became rich, and his wealth continued to grow until he became very wealthy." (Gen 26:12) His neighbors looked on, wide mouth and in awe. He would now not only garner their respect, but even their fear.
“Lord, help me to accept my tools, however dull they are, help me to accept them. And then Lord, after I have accepted my tools, then help me to set out and do what I can do with my tools.” Martin Luther King Jr.
David Roiel
The Green Leaf Blog-Discover your inheritance!
Isaac was about to do the same thing. He was the heir of Abraham, and he knew all the stories of how God dealt with his father and the promises he had received... those promises were now his. But the land he was promised was drying up. Failed rainy seasons had led to a great drought and a consequent famine. So with no food, neither for his clan nor his livestock, he did the logical thing, the same type of logic he had learn from his father - he headed for Egypt.
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| Courtesy of Trey Ratcliff |
This was almost an act of suicide - certainly he must have left some for the few weeks between the sowing and reaping. And it wasn't suicide given God's promise.
His neighbors must have laughed at this crazy Hebrew. Sure they respected him, but this act must have looked incredibly stupid.
The world scoffs at those who don't abide by it's wisdom.
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| Read more about Isaac's hundredfold! |
His act of faith, in sowing with the little he had in the most desperate times opened up the flood gates of heaven on this man. Today, reflect on what you have... and reflect on His favor. Maybe it is time to sow!
David Roiel
The Green Leaf Blog-Discover your inheritance!
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