“Keep Digging”
Genesis 26:12-33
6-11-2023
Last week while looking at the “Prayers In the Bible” we saw that Isaac had an encounter with God.
The prayer was not so much as Isaac praying but it was that God was speaking and so I titled it “When God Speaks.”
When God Speaks are we able to discern and know that it is indeed HIM?
We can if we read His Word!
As we open our text today we are again with Isaac.
He was living in Gerar.
We know that like his father Isaac lied about his relationship with his wife Rebekah. Genesis 26:8
Sporting – to make play with. (Enough said!).
The difference is that Abraham was only telling a half truth.
His wife was his half-sister where Isaac’s was a complete lie.
TRUTH * “What we do in moderation or children will do in excess.”
Teach them to lie and they will out lie you.
Teach them to steal and they will out steal you. You steal a pack of gum they will steal a car….
Teach them that God’s Word is only used in a crisis and they will doubt God’s Word completely.
Genesis 26:10-11 “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.
11 And Abimelech charged all his people, saying, He that toucheth this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.”
God stayed with His promise even when Isaac did not.
Don’t take that as a sign that we can live and do what we want.
Galatians 6:7-8 “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”
God blessed Isaac and he grew Genesis 26:12-14
Vs 16 “And Abimelech said unto Isaac, Go from us; for thou art much mightier than we.”
Vs. 17 “And Isaac departed thence, and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there.”
Leaving the land Isaac traveled a short distance away from Abimelech and he was back in the valley of Gerar.
I. When You Are Blessed, Others Will Become Jealous.
Vs. 18-20
Springing water - living, alive, sustain life, live prosperously,
Well Esek – "contention" to contend, quarrel
Well Sitnah – "strife" accusation, enmity
Well Rehoboth – "wide places or streets" to make large, to enlarge
The 3rd of a series of wells dug by Isaac in the territory of the Philistines
Announcement: No matter what you do in this world and no matter how far away from the world you get, the lost will always want what God gives without any thought as to what work you did.
This is a gimmy, gimmy, gimmy society without Christ!
Leaving them behind Isaac went to Beersheba.
II. Prayer Time:
Vs. 24 “And the LORD appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham’s sake.”
There is no explanation why God showed up but I would like to suggest, being a person who has gone through a few things.
I wonder if Isaac was tired?
Tired of going from place to place
Tired of seeing others claim all the hard work that was done belonged to them.
Tired of the strife for no other reason but the greed of others.
Where is God with all this mess around?
And God shows up.
Appeared - to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider
We may never see the face of God; but I am certain that during the last of my strength God showed up and encouraged me.
He always has and always will!!!
Everything’s alright in my Fathers house,
In my Fathers house, in my Fathers house,
Everything’s alright in my Fathers house,
Where there’s joy, joy, joy. /Peace, peace, peace
The same night - protective shadow, enclosed space with steps or ladder. What is that all about?
Jacob had a dream in Genesis 28:10-14 “And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran. 11 And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep. 12 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. 13 And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; 14 And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.”
Could it be a mere coincident that his father saw God that same way?
This could only be described as a ladder or staircase?
I cannot not accept a coincident.
When God shows up you will know it!!!
God is rarely early, never late and always on time.
III. Back To The Foundation.
Vs. 25 “And he builded an altar there, and called upon the name of the LORD, and pitched his tent there: and there Isaac’s servants digged a well.”
A. Built an Alter – a place for sacrifice. Isaac went back to his upbringing and worshiped God!
B. Isaac’s servants digged a well. – Imagine that, don’t quit, don’t quit, don’t quit!!!!
Nothing is said that it was a well of his father’s but a new well.
Dig another well and when God is in it there is living water.
The devil offers stagnate infested with micro-bacteria.
We may not be able to see the death but we can sure smell bad water.
IV. Unexpected Visitors
Vss. 26-27
Vs. 27 is a fare question from Isaac. “Wherefore come ye to me, seeing ye hate me, and have sent me away from you?”
A. An unexpected testimony from the lost. Vss. 28-29
They declared the outward blessing that the Lord has given to Isaac; so too our apposers will come to the same conclusion, if we just keep digging the wells.
V. The Same Day
Vs. 32 “And it came to pass the same day, that Isaac’s servants came, and told him concerning the well which they had digged, and said unto him, We have found water.”
Imagine THAT!!! God shows up and shows off. Why?
Isaac built and alter, worshiped God, made peace with his neighbors; and God said here is what you are looking for.
Vs. 33 “And he called it Shebah: therefore the name of the city is Beersheba unto this day.”
Shebah - "an oath" sheba‘ (sheh’-bah) also means seven (7).
Anybody know about the number 7?
It is the number of completeness. This number belongs to God.
Beersheba= "well of the sevenfold oath"
Beer = well, spring - and the root means to make plain, to make clear.
Conclusion:
God does not hide from His children,
Nor does He Ignore a plea or prayer from His children.
Beersheba – God made an oath that could only be fulfilled by God.
So He sent His son to fulfill that promise of redemption.
He told the woman at the well in John 4:14 “But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. “
Jesus is all we need for salvation and is all we need for our living water.
