Thirsty Enough Yet?
Sacrifice, Shelter, and the Sustaning Solution
TEXT: Gen. 26:17-25 (esp. vs. 25)
The Jews, even today, refer often to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (spiritual fathers)
Abraham is the father of the faith. He is known also as a man of altars. He built one about everywhere that he went.
ISAAC--his journey from an experience to a relationship
In Gen. 26:1 we find that there was a famine in the land. This was God-designed to lead Isaac farther away from Egypt.
God may send a famine to your life, but the purpose is to distance you from that of this world.
I. Sacrifice
Isaac was no stranger to altars. His dad had taught him much. At one point, Isaac had even been placed upon the altar as the proposed sacrifice.
Romans 12:1 "living sacrifice"
We need many altars in our life. Sometimes our altar is like the one that Elijah had torebuild.
1 Kings 18:30
30 And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down. (KJV)
30 Entonces dijo Elías a todo el pueblo: Acercaos a mí. Y todo el pueblo se acercó a él: y él reparó el altar de Jehová que estaba arruinado. (RVG04)
It may be our fault or it may be the fault of another. At any rate, we need to get it fixed.
An abandoned altar is just as useless as a broken altar.
SACRIFICE (altar)= DEDICATION
II. Shelter
A temporary residence or refuge from the elements.
Isaac was a sojourner. He knew that his lodging in this land of Gerar was only for a limited time.
Heb. 11:9,10
9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: (KJV)
9 Por fe habitó en la tierra prometida como en tierra ajena, morando en tiendas con Isaac y Jacob, coherederos de la misma promesa: (RVG04)
10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. (KJV)
10 Porque esperaba la ciudad que tiene fundamentos, cuyo artífice y hacedor es Dios. (RVG04)
We are pilgrims and strangers here below. Let us not get too connected and settled here on earth. Nothing here is of eternal value; only what we have in the Lord will last forever.
Mt. 6:19-21
19 ¶ Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: (KJV)
19 No os hagáis tesoros en la tierra, donde la polilla y el orín corrompen, y donde ladrones minan y hurtan. (RVG04)
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: (KJV)
20 Mas haceos tesoros en el cielo, donde ni la polilla, ni el orín corrompen, y donde ladron es no minan ni hurtan. (RVG04)
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. (KJV)
21 Porque donde esté vuestro tesoro, allí estará también vuestro corazón. (RVG04)
Our affections have to be kept in check. A heart that becomes fixed on earthly things will grow roots that go deep and are hard to detach.
1 Jn. 2:15-17
15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (KJV)
15 No améis al mundo, ni las cosas que están en el mundo. Si alguno ama al mundo, el amor del Padre no está en él. (RVG04)
16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. (KJV)
16 Porque todo lo que hay en el mundo, la concupiscencia de la carne, y la concupiscencia de los ojos, y la soberbia de la vida, no es del Padre, sino del mundo. (RVG04)
17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. (KJV)
17 Y el mundo pasa, y su concupiscencia; pero el que hace la voluntad de Dios, permanece para siempre. (RVG04)
SHELTER (tent)=DETACHMENT
III. Sustaining Solution
When you really get thirsty----only water will satisfy.
Coke or Coffee may be 95% water, but it cannot do for you what pure water will do.
Isaac became know as the well-digger.
Isa. 55:1
¶ Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. (KJV)
1 A todos los sedientos: Venid a las aguas; y los que no tienen dinero, venid, comprad, y comed. Venid, comprad, sin dinero y sin precio, vino y leche. (RVG04)
Well digging was not done for recreation or renoun (fame). It was a necessity. Water does not flow freely across the desert.
Life is like a desert much of the time for us. We will only be sustained as we draw from the Well of Living Water.
*a well is only of value if there is access to its product.
Isaac evidently remembered or had guidance to the well where his father had dug previously and had found water.
Thank God for those who have paved the way before us. There is only one problem.
The enemy had come by in absence of its owner and filled it in with debris. (Gn. 26:18)
The only solution----DIG AGAIN
What is needed is not a new plan, just a renewed determination to dig and clean out the well that is our source of life. It is dig or die.
Let us look at some of the wells.
ESEK = contention (v.20)
contention, competition, emulations (Ga. 5)---work of the flesh
Do
n't g et caught up into that. Leave it and go on. God is not limited.
SITNAH = hatred (v. 21)
strife and bickering are not part of God's plan to bless you. Move on.
REHOBOTH = room enough (v. 22)
Stay dilligent and you will find the right well; it is one that has room for all are truly thirsty. No discrimination here.
Ro. 2:11
11 For there is no respect of persons with God. (KJV)
11 Porque no hay acepción de personas para con Dios. (RVG04)
"There is room at the Cross for you"
BEERSHEBA =well of the oath (v.23,24)
We do not have to limit ourselves. God has so much more in store for us if we will only seek after Him.
This well speaks of commitment, consecration, and santification. As we press on for more of Him and seek that which our thirsty soul craves, we will find the deeper and richer blessings of the Lord.
In relation to the Well, you can be found:
1. by the well ---Jn. 4
2. in the well ---2 Sam. 17:17-21 (Jonathan)
Col. 3:3
3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. (KJV)
3 Porque muertos sois, y vuestra vida está escondida con Cristo en Dios. (RVG04)
3. the well in you ---Jn. 7:37-39 (so full that you bless others)
Col 1:27
27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: (KJV)
27 a quienes Dios quiso dar a conocer las riquezas de la gloria de este misterio entre los gentiles; que es Cristo en vosotros, la esperanza de gloria. (RVG04)
