Come To The Well Pt. 1 Series

Come To The Well Part 1 of 2

Gen. 26.18-26

Chester FBC Chester, IL Dr. Mike Fogerson, Speaker

Introduction:

A The players (Abraham & Isaac) we learn about today were pioneers of this thing we call faith.

1 In about 2091 B.C., God told Abraham to leave Haran & go to Canaan, promised land.

a It was there that God would make him the father of a great nation

"I will give to you and to your descendants after you, the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God." 9 God said further to Abraham, "Now as for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations. Gen 17:8-9 (NASB)

aa He was about 75 when he, Sara, and his nephew Lot left for Canaan.

bb His pitched his tent between Bethel (w) and Ai (e), where he lived (for all but a brief period in Egypt) for 14-15 years.

b When he was 99 an angel appeared to him announcing that Sara was going to have his son and that Sodom & Gamorah would fall under the judgement of God.

aa Shortly after destruction of S & G, Abraham went south to the Negev Desert, Gerar. (Map Figure)

bb Gerar was in Philistine territory, behind enemy lines; means to “bring up cud.”

cc When a cow eats it chews, swallows, brings it back up, chews on it some more. (Rolling something around your mouth: Chewing the cud)

dd Gerar was a place to ruminate, roll something around in your mind, meditate, reflect, ponder.

c While here at Gerar, Abraham dug several wells.

aa Some time later, Sara would give birth to Isaac.

bb The well became a point of hatred, conflict, strife for Abraham.

2 Gen. 21, Short account of the “Treaty of Beersheba.”

a Abraham’s neighbors were jealous of his well, blessing.

aa Wells were gold, locked to keep thieves out, act of war if you messed with a man’s well.

bb Abraham’s enemies take possession of the well.

b The King of Gerar shows up and he and Abraham to enter into a peace treaty

24 Abraham said, "I swear it." Gen 21:24 (NASB)

aa 27 Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two of them made a covenant. Gen 21:27 (NASB), “With this ring . . .”

bb Seven lambs, split in half, walked between them . . . cut covenant. In stone!

c Abraham calls the well (location) Beersheba (21.31)

31 Therefore he called that place Beersheba, because there the two of them took an oath. Gen 21:31 (NASB)

aa Beer= Well Sheba=Oath/Seven.

bb Planted a Tamarisk tree(s) to remember the promise, covenant that was made there.

cc Isaac saw all this through his lil’boy eyes.

B Some years later (after mom & dad passed), Isaac is living Beer-lahai-roi (The Well of the Living One Who Sees Me)

1 A famine breaks out & Isaac goes to Gear.

8 It came about, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out through a window, and saw, and behold, Isaac was caressing his wife Rebekah. Gen 26:8 (NASB)

a Isaac planned on going to Egypt when God reconfirms the covenant He had made with Abraham now belonged to Isaac.

2 The Lord appeared to him and said, "Do not go down to Egypt; stay in the land of which I shall tell you. Gen 26:2 (NASB)

b When one of the persons of a covenant agreement died, the terms of the covenant was again made clear tot he next of king (enforce the covenant).

c 3 "Sojourn in this land and I will be with you and bless you, for to you and to your descendants I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath which I swore to your father Abraham. Gen 26:3 (NASB)

The promise I made your daddy . . . I make now to you

4 "I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven, and will give your descendants all these lands; and by your descendants all the nations of the earth shall be blessed; Gen 26:4 (NASB)

2 While Isaac stayed @ Gerar (6 So Isaac lived in Gerar. Gen 26:6 (NASB))

he experienced great favor, increase & the Philistines got jealous of Isaacs blessing (26.14).

a 15 Now all the wells which his father's servants had dug in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines stopped up by filling them with earth. Gen 26:15 (NASB)

Because of the jealousy the Philistines had for Isaac’s blessing, his enemies began to fill his wills with dirt, riff raff, trash to get rid of him.

b Jealousy is a dividing point that kills nations, people, churches, families.