Topical Bible: Temptation: Yielding to Isaac, to Lie

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In the biblical narrative, the theme of temptation and yielding to it is a recurring motif that highlights human frailty and the need for divine guidance. One notable instance of yielding to temptation is found in the life of Isaac, the son of Abraham and Sarah, who succumbed to the temptation to lie about his relationship with his wife, Rebekah.

The account is recorded in Genesis 26:6-11. Isaac settled in Gerar during a time of famine, following God's command not to go down to Egypt. The men of Gerar inquired about Rebekah, and Isaac, fearing for his life, claimed that she was his sister. This decision mirrored a similar situation involving his father, Abraham, who also lied about his wife, Sarah, in Genesis 12:10-20 and Genesis 20:1-18.

Isaac's fear of the men of Gerar led him to prioritize his safety over truthfulness, demonstrating a moment of weakness and lack of trust in God's protection. The Berean Standard Bible recounts this event: "So Isaac stayed in Gerar. When the men of that place asked about his wife, he said, 'She is my sister,' for he was afraid to say, 'She is my wife,' thinking, 'The men of this place might kill me on account of Rebekah, for she is beautiful.'" (Genesis 26:6-7).

This act of deception was eventually uncovered by Abimelech, the king of the Philistines, who observed Isaac showing affection to Rebekah. Abimelech confronted Isaac, saying, "What is this you have done to us? One of the people could easily have slept with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us." (Genesis 26:10). Isaac's lie not only endangered his own integrity but also risked bringing sin upon the people of Gerar.

Isaac's yielding to temptation serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of deceit and the importance of trusting in God's promises. Despite his lapse, God remained faithful to Isaac, reaffirming the covenant made with Abraham and blessing him abundantly. This episode underscores the tension between human weakness and divine faithfulness, a theme that resonates throughout the biblical narrative.

In examining Isaac's temptation and subsequent lie, it is evident that even the patriarchs, chosen by God, were not immune to moral failings. This account encourages believers to seek strength in God when faced with temptation and to rely on His guidance to uphold truth and righteousness.

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Genesis 26:7
And the men of the place asked him of his wife; and he said, She is my sister: for he feared to say, She is my wife; lest, said he, the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah; because she was fair to look on.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

Walking with God
... corrupt minds frequently urge against yielding obedience to ... Prayer, reading, temptation,
and meditation', says Luther, make a ... We read also of Isaac's going out ...
/.../whitefield/selected sermons of george whitefield/walking with god.htm

The Epistle of St. James
... and, it is implied, enjoyment) in yielding to temptation ... This was a flagrant temptation
of teachers in the church ... our father Abraham offered his son Isaac on the ...
/.../moffat/the general epistles james peter and judas/the epistle of st james.htm

Spiritual Culture.
... to the soul there must be a humble yielding, a perfect ... When in trial's heated furnace,
In temptation's deep, wide sea ... It is said of Isaac that he went into the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/orr/the gospel day /chapter xi spiritual culture.htm

Psalm LXII.
... blood of the slain multiplying the faithful, yielding to these ... to Cain, to Noe, to
Abraham, to Isaac, to Jacob ... bear, but will make with the temptation also an ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm lxii.htm

Free Grace
... would not have it that Ishmael should dwell with Isaac. ... there should be in other
hearts a yielding to this ... to Himself, that I have led others into temptation. ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 5 1859/free grace.htm

Prov. 22:06 the Duties of Parents
... To my eyes, a parent always yielding, and a child ... keep your children out of the way
of temptation. ... Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph,"all lived on a ...
/.../the upper room being a few truths for the times/chapter xvi prov 22 6 the.htm

Of Evil-Speaking in General.
Sermons on Evil-Speaking, by Isaac Barrow. ... and instruction, as of other great duties
(of yielding obedience to ... of whom there is no ground or temptation of evil ...
/.../barrow/sermons on evil-speaking by isaac barrow/of evil-speaking in general.htm

Tit. 2:06 Thoughts for Young Men
... weak point,"he was too easy and yielding in his ... if I were to tell you of young Isaac,
young Joseph ... will rise up in your hearts in the moment of temptation. ...
/.../chapter xix tit 2 6 thoughts.htm

The Obedience of Faith
... many tears and sighs, we now find joy in yielding ourselves as ... it is not relaxed
in the time of temptation, nor destroyed in ... He even offered up his son Isaac. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 37 1891/the obedience of faith.htm

Dialogue iii. --The Impassible.
... Ishmael is a type of Israel, and Isaac of the ... died He was not immortal; and what
perils lie in the ... In His temptation, His crucifixion and His dying, the Word ...
/.../the ecclesiastical history of theodoret/dialogue iii the impassible.htm