Genesis 26 details the prosperity of Isaac. It came about from yielding to divine instruction. At the beginning of the chapter, we read how he set himself to flee to Egypt because of the famine which prevailed where he was. God asked him not to go to Egypt but abide in Gerar. He obeyed God, sowed in the land as instructed, and became mightily blessed. His obedience paid off in a big way. In our previous meditation, we identified ignorance as a cause of woes. Ignorance is like walking or acting in the dark. It is like a chance game and can breed a lot of frustration. Something that could be worse than ignorance is rebellion, another cause of man’s misery. If ignorance is acting in the dark, then rebellion can be seen as acting contrary to light. Another word for it is stiff neck.

Something that could be worse than ignorance is rebellion, another cause of man’s misery. If ignorance is acting in the dark, then rebellion can be seen as acting contrary to light.

Had Isaac gone to Egypt after God told him not to go, it would have been rebellion. Then, the blessing we talked about would have eluded him as God can never bless rebellion. Rebellion will always produce undesirable twin effects. Firstly, it will lead to dryness. “God setteth the solitary in families: He bringeth out those which are bound with chains: But the rebellious dwell in a dry land.” (Psalm 68:6 KJV). We know that tough times do come, but they are not perpetual. Perpetual experience of dryness should be a wake-up call to examine where we stand with God. Secondly, in extreme case scenario, rebellion will lead to destruction. This is anchored in our text. Most of the troubles that Israel experienced came as a result of acting contrary to the revealed counsel of God