DIGGING DEEP NO. 1012 – November 28, 2023 LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON – ALMOST (PART 2) Gen.26: 12 – 33.

Isaac inherited flocks and herds from his father, but now he settled down and became a farmer, remaining in Gerar for a long time.

The blessing – Gen.26: 12- 14 Isaac and his neighbors had access to the same soil, and they depended on the same sunshine and rain, but Isaac’s harvests were greater than theirs, and his flocks and herds multiplied more abundantly. What is the secret? God kept His promise and blessed Isaac in all that he did Gen.26: 3- 5. But Isaac was a liar! How could the Lord bless somebody who claimed to be a believer and yet deliberately lied to his unbelieving neighbors? Because God is always faithful to His covenant and keeps His promises 2Tim.2: 11- 13; and the only condition God attached to His promise of blessing was that Isaac remain in the land and not go to Egypt. God also blessed Isaac because of Abraham’s life and faith Gen.26: 5.

The conflict – Gen.26: 14- 17 in spite of his material blessings, Isaac still suffered. Seeing his great wealth, the Philistines envied him and decided he was a threat to their safety. A similar situation would occur when the Jews multiplied in Egypt Ex.1: 8- 10. The philistines tried to get Isaac to leave their land and settle elsewhere; and to encourage this they stopped up Abraham’s wells and deprived Isaac’s flocks and herds of the water they desperately needed.

The search – Gen.26: 18- 22 no matter where Isaac journeyed, the enemy followed him and confiscated his father’s wells and also the new wells that Isaac’s servants dug. To find a well of running water (vs. 19) was a special blessing, for it guaranteed fresh water at all times, but the Philistines took that well too. The names of the new wells that Isaac’s men dug reveal the problems that he had with his neighbors. Esek means contention, and sitnah means hatred. But Rehoboth means enlargement because Isaac finally found a place where he was left alone and had room enough for his camp and his flocks and herds.

Whenever Abraham had a problem with people, he boldly confronted them and had the matter settled; whether it was his nephew Lot Gen.13: 5- 18, the invading kings Gen.14, Hagar and Ishmael Gen.21: 9, or the Philistines Gen.21: 22. But Isaac was a man who wanted to avoid confrontation. In every difficult situation of life, it requires discernment to know whether God wants us to be confronters like Abraham or peacemakers like Isaac; for God can bless and use both approaches Rom.12: 18.

There is a great lesson we can learn from Isaac; the church keeps looking for something new, when all we need is to dig again the old wells of spiritual life that God’s people have depended on from the beginning; the Word of God, prayer, worship, faith, the power of the Holy Spirit, sacrifice, and service; wells that we have allowed the enemy to fill up.

The assurance – Gen.26: 23- 25 the Lord comes to us with His assuring Word just when we need encouragement Acts.18: 9- 11; 23:11; 2Tim.2; 19. No matter who is against us, God is with us and for us Rom.8: 31- 39. In response to God’s gracious word of promise, Isaac built an altar and worshiped the Lord. Like his father Abraham was identified by his tent and altar. Isaac was wealthy enough to be able to build himself a fine house, but his tent identified him as a pilgrim and stranger in the land Heb.11: 8- 10, 13- 16. A fugitive is fleeing from home; a vagabond has no home; a stranger is away from home; but a pilgrim is heading home. Like Isaac, all who have trusted Jesus Christ are strangers in this world and pilgrims heading for a better world 1Pet.2: 11. Life here is brief and temporary, because this tent is fragile, but our glorified body will be ours for eternity Phil.3: 20- 21; 1Jh.3: 1- 3.

The agreement – Gen.26: 26- 33 the Philistine leaders came to him to settle the matter of the property rights; Isaac was much bolder and he confronted the Philistines with their misdeeds. The way Isaac handled the conflict made a great impression on his enemies and they had to agree that God was with him and richly blessing him.

More Conflicts – Gen.26: 34- 35 Isaac was at peace with his neighbors, but he had war at home. His worldly son Esau had married two heathen wives who caused grief to Isaac and Rebekah.

In Conclusion – All of us would like to find our Rehoboth (Enlargement) where we have plenty of room and no contention, but Isaac’s Rehoboth was found only after he endured conflict. It’s through difficulties that God enlarges us for the larger places He prepares for us. When the troubles of our hearts are enlarged and we trust God, then the Lord can enlarge us and bring us into a large place Ps.25: 17; 18: 19. If we want to get to our “Rehoboth”, we have to endure and persevere, because that’s the only way we can grow and feel at home in the larger place God gives us when we are ready for it.