Good evening, and welcome to EBible Fellowship’s Bible study in the book of Genesis.  Tonight is study #8 of Genesis, chapter 26, and we are reading Genesis 26:8-11:

And it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold, Isaac was sporting with Rebekah his wife. And Abimelech called Isaac, and said, Behold, of a surety she is thy wife: and how saidst thou, She is my sister? And Isaac said unto him, Because I said, Lest I die for her. And Abimelech said, What is this thou hast done unto us? one of the people might lightly have lien with thy wife, and thou shouldest have brought guiltiness upon us. And Abimelech charged all his people, saying, He that toucheth this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.

We have been looking at this for the last couple of studies.  Again, the spiritual picture is that Abimelech is a type of Satan; Isaac is a type of Christ, and Rebekah, his wife or bride, therefore, is a type of the elect.   And we discussed why it was that Rebekah was not taken as was the case earlier with Sarah, who was taken and had to be delivered.  And we saw that it was related to Judgment Day and how there are no more elect that are being held captive in the kingdom of Satan and, therefore, there was no need for deliverance.  This is the reason we do not go forth with the Gospel for the purpose of evangelizing people and to encourage them to go to the Bible and beseech the Lord for mercy that they might become saved.  No – the evangelization of the earth has come to an end.  God has ended the day of salvation because there are no more spiritual captives within the dungeon of the kingdom of Satan and, therefore, there is no further need for the Lord Jesus to go forth “conquering and to conquer” on His white horse to set the captives free.  That is past now and, as I pointed out earlier, Isaac’s (Christ’s) relationship to Rebekah (the elect) is not one wherein she has been taken and then He must deliver her. Then it was declared that the woman was his wife, and it was declared at the point of the deliverance, just as the elect who had been children of wrath even as others in that dungeon of sin, and when God delivered them, it became evident and known that they, too, were God’s people, His elect bride and wife.

But that is not the spiritual situation here, although everything appears to be similar and almost the same as the previous instances concerning Abraham and Sarah.  Isaac went to the same land, Gerar, in the land of the Philistines.  Yes – it was part of the Promised Land of Canaan, but remember that the land of Canaan promised by God to Abraham for an everlasting possession really identifies with the whole earth.  As God said to Abraham that he would inherit the land of Canaan, God says to all His elect that we will inherit the earth.  So Canaan can represent the earth, which means that Isaac dwelling in the land of Gerar is picturing the elect in the world in the Day of Judgment, and that is why it says he had spent a “prolonged day” in the land.  It is the extended Day of Judgment, the “day” that is continuing for many years, and since it is Judgment Day and God has ended His salvation program, Rebekah was not taken captive and, therefore, not delivered.  That activity of rescuing the captives out of Satan’s kingdom has been accomplished.  God has completed it.  And all this fits together.

But, again, we have a question.  Abimelech is a type of Satan and he is the king of the Philistines, the land that would represent the earth, and Satan was king of the nations as he ruled over this world.  And we know that in the Day of Judgment Christ put Satan down and took the kingdom of this world from him.  But that is not the particular focus at this time in Genesis 26.  You know, God does not give every spiritual truth in every historical parable.  Here, the focus is on Isaac and Rebekah’s relationship and Satan’s observance of it in the Day of Judgment.  That is why it says, “Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold, Isaac was sporting with Rebekah his wife.”  And that look out the window is what led him to quickly conclude that they were man and wife, and that is what we want to look at now.

The Hebrew word translated as “looked out” is #8259 in Strong’s Concordance, and it is found only twenty-two times in the Old Testament.  It is a “look” that often expresses something spiritual, whether it be judgment or grace.  Let me say it another way: it is the viewpoint of spiritual things from the spiritual realm.  And we know that Satan is actually a spirit being.  He is an angel and angels are spiritual beings.  He exists in the spiritual realm, although he is able to break the barrier into the natural world in minor ways, but he exists in the spiritual realm.  And we know the Bible is a spiritual book.   We have it in our possession because it is printed words on paper and bound in a volume that is very “material,” and we can hold it, open it and read it.  And, yet, when we do read and God opens our eyes to see…or even for those that remain dead in sins, they can also get a glimpse or look into the spiritual realm or the reality of certain things regarding the kingdom of God.  Whether you are saved, or not, when you read in Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth,” that is telling you all kinds of things.  There is a God.  He is the Creator.  Everything we see around us came from Him.  These things can be understood intellectually, and they can be known by Satan.  Satan can know certain things, and the Bible does indicate in some places that he has a certain amount of knowledge of spiritual things or the things of God or the things of the Bible.  It is how he can come looking like Christ, or looking like the Word, as Christ is the Word, and we read in 2Corinthians 11 that he comes as “an angel of light.”  And in order to try to imposter Christ, He has to know the Word.  So he could say to Adam and Eve, “Hath God said?”  And then he gave a little twist on what God had actually said.

And this idea of him looking out a window would indicate that which gives a look into spiritual realities or the spiritual realm.  And the Bible is like a window, as well as a door, as the Bible reveals things to us and we see these things, so that is what this word indicates when it says he “looked out” at a window.  It is used in connection with a window a few times, but not always, if we go to Genesis 18:16:

And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.

These men were three visitors that came to Abraham, but they were really God.  The three of them were God making an appearance to Abraham, and notice how the men rose up and “looked” toward Sodom, and then they revealed to Abraham their plan to destroy Sodom.  That is when Abraham began to make intercession: “Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?”  But their “look” toward Sodom is indicating that it is God who was looking out and seeing the sin and wickedness of Sodom, and that would relate to God looking down from heaven and seeing the wickedness of the world.  Then God took action and destroyed the city.

Or, we could go to Exodus 14:23-25:

And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. And it came to pass, that in the morning watch JEHOVAH looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians, And took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for JEHOVAH fighteth for them against the Egyptians.

And, again, it is JEHOVAH looking, and God is a Spirit.  We read that God looked in the morning watch unto the host of the Egyptians.  And this is true of the actual historical event that took place when Pharaoh and the Egyptians were drowned in the Red Sea.  God looked out.  But it also has spiritual implications.  God is able to “look” from the spiritual realm and to observe things happening in the world.

Continuing to look at this word, it says in Psalm 14:2-3:

JEHOVAH looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

It was God’s observation as He looked down from above on the children of men upon all the hearts of all the people, and left to themselves in their fallen condition, none would understand and seek God.  None are righteous.  None are good.  All are desperately wicked sinners.  That is the observation.

Let us look at another place in Proverbs 7:6:

For at the window of my house I looked through my casement,

Here, we have the word “window” and a looking through it.

Then it says in Proverbs 7:7-18:

And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding, Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house, In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night: And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart. (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house: Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.) So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him, I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows. Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee. I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt. I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves.

Then it says in Proverbs 7:21-23:

With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him. He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks; Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.

This is the look that can be seen by God through the spiritual prism or window that the Bible gives.  We can see this, can we not, as we read Proverbs 7?  As God opens up our minds to understand, we realize that this woman is bringing false gospels.  When we check out the words where it says in verse 21, “With her much fair speech she caused him to yield,” we see that “fair speech” has been translated as “doctrine,” so it is an “adulterous woman” bringing another gospel, alluring and getting a man to follow her into (spiritual) adultery.  That is, a going away from the true Gospel of the Word of God, the Bible, and violating the commandments of God, spiritually becoming a fornicator and an adulterer.  We see that through the “window” in these verses in this passage, and  although it seems to be just a simple description of a man going after a harlot, yet it is God’s observation and he has seen this happen millions of times in the lives of people as they go astray from His Word.  And God sees it “out a window,” as He looks down from heaven.  The Bible comes to us, down from above, and it is a spiritual book that allows us to see the same imagery or picture and receive instruction and correction (if necessary), by God’s grace, if we happen to be one of His chosen people.  This is the idea of the window that Abimelech looked out. 

Oftentimes,  Satan is the one who has set up theologians within the churches and congregations; that is, these were unsaved men that had allegiance to Satan.  Their father is the devil, the father of lies, because they were never born again and, therefore, they develop theologies, gospels and doctrines that have some truth, but go astray another way than the way that is Christ, the way of truth.  Of course, Satan who can set these men up (and they do service to him) would be much more knowledgeable himself and a far greater “theologian” than all of them, especially since he has been around from the beginning to see Biblical history unfold.  For example, he was in the Garden of Eden, and he knew that God had established the testing ground of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and so forth.  So, of course, he is able to understand a great deal of the things the Bible says, and he is also able to understand when someone is teaching the truth, as was the case with Mr. Camping in the days leading up to May 21, 2011 and the proclamation of Judgment Day on that date.  Obviously, Satan could not miss that because it was proclaimed across the face of the earth.  But Judgment Day did not happen in the physical realm, and Satan would have some understanding of God’s tendency to fulfill the spiritual aspects of things (more so than those under his power and authority) because, again, he was in the Garden of Eden when God said, “In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”  And he saw that Adam did not die physically that day, but he did die in his soul, and Satan took power to a great extent when Adam did eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and disobeyed God.  In disobeying God, he obeyed the lie.  He was subservient to the liar, the devil, and became a child of his.  So, of course, Satan would have understood that.

So, you see, regarding Abimelech, the setting here is one in which the elect bride of Christ is not taken into captivity and is not being delivered.  It is the setting of Judgment Day, and he looked out a window at Isaac (Christ) and his bride (the elect), which is consistent with what we know of Satan and his being obsessed with the kingdom of God; obsessed with God and the people of God who identify closely with the truth of the Bible, and Satan comes after them.  He did it with Israel of old and he did it with the New Testament churches and congregations and, certainly, he comes after those that have left the churches and congregations. 

He is “keeping watch” and looking out, and then he sees it.  “He told me she was his sister, and there was no marriage relationship.”  But as he keeps looking and watching through the window (or keeps in tune with the teachings of those that identify with the truth of the Bible), then he begins to have some understanding of this.  And he sees Isaac sporting with Rebekah, and he now knows that Rebekah is his wife.  How does “sporting” with Rebekah prove that they are man and wife?  And how does that confirm it to the devil?  That is what we are really asking on the spiritual level.  Christ has a bride that is still on the earth, and they are man and wife, even though there is no captivity and no deliverance of the captives.

Well, now it is time for us to look at this word “sporting.”  As I mentioned before, it is Strong’s #6411, and it is a word that can be translated as “laughing,” “mocking,” or “playing.”  We did go to Job 5 a couple studies ago, and I want to go back there.  It says in Job 5:20-22:

In famine he shall redeem thee from death: and in war from the power of the sword. Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue: neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh. At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh: neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth.

That is a significant statement: “At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh.” 

If we go to Psalm 2, it says in Psalm 2:4-6:

He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.

Again, “He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath…”  That fits with Judgment Day.  Maybe it could fit some other periods, but it also fits with Judgment Day.

Let us go to Psalm 52:3-7:

Thou lovest evil more than good; and lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah. Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue. God shall likewise destroy thee for ever, he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place, and root thee out of the land of the living. Selah. The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him: Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness.

Again, the language here of being rooted out of the land of the living, and the righteous seeing and fearing and laughing at him.   Remember Psalm 37 where it says that God will cut off the wicked, and God says to the righteous that we will see it, which is happening now – we are “seeing” it with eyes of faith or spiritual sight.

Or, we can go to Proverbs 1:23-28:

Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:

This is obviously language of Judgment Day.  And, of course, in this time when men seek God for salvation, they cannot find Him, as it says in Isaiah, “Seek ye JEHOVAH while he may be found.”  And that was within the time constraints or the time boundary of the day of salvation.  If you seek outside of that boundary, in the Day of Judgment, God will not be found.

Well, there is more, and I hope you are beginning to see it.  God laughs in Judgment Day.  The righteous laugh in Judgment Day.  Isaac and Rebekah are laughing.  And Abimelech sees them laugh.