Genesis 26:12-22

2008.Jul.12 21:04

Diggin’ the Wells

Read Genesis 26:12-22 | Full Chapter

Now Isaac sowed in that land and reaped in the same year a hundredfold. And the LORD blessed him, and the man became rich, and continued to grow richer until he became very wealthy; for he had possessions of flocks and herds and a great household, so that the Philistines envied him. 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. Then Abimelech said to Isaac, "Go away from us, for you are too powerful for us."
(Genesis 26:12-16, NASB)

Okay, one thing I want to note here is Yahweh providing such blessing as to cause problems for the person blessed. Isaac’s wealth grows to the extent that he and Rebekah become targets of jealousy. In addition, there’s probably some difficulties with Isaac’s livestock using up land that the native inhabitants wanted and possibly needed.

I often find myself annoyed with “name it, claim it” mentalities because they seem not to consider this aspect. If I taught, for example, a youth Bible study, one thing I would like to do is take the group somewhere from which we could all see a mountain, and read Mark 11:23. No, there’s probably half a dozen additional issues to address when talking about such passages, but the thing I’d want to have these young people do is to decide whether to ask for that mountain to be cast in the sea, understanding that “it will be done” (assuming they have faith, etc).

Because I really believe that an essential part of faith is wisdom, specifically discernment of what really is “a good thing”. Sending this theoretical mountain into the sea would have negative consequences, probably for no gain. Many situations though are not that clear, as here for Isaac. Yahweh is blessing him, I imagine largely to prepare for the future Israelite nation and also as a testament to Himself among those Isaac meets. But those blessings directly result in confrontation.

So, now, Isaac and Rebekah make the choice to leave as Abimelech has demanded. Or, faith does not exist in a vacuum.

And Isaac departed from there and camped in the valley of Gerar, and settled there. Then Isaac dug again the wells of water which had been dug in the days of his father Abraham, for the Philistines had stopped them up after the death of Abraham; and he gave them the same names which his father had given them. But when Isaac's servants dug in the valley and found there a well of flowing water, the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with the herdsmen of Isaac, saying, "The water is ours!" So he named the well Esek, because they contended with him. Then they dug another well, and they quarreled over it too, so he named it Sitnah. He moved away from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it; so he named it Rehoboth, for he said, "At last the LORD has made room for us, and we will be fruitful in the land."
(Genesis 26:17-22, NASB)

With this, we see more of this difficulty playing out. Again, the blessings on our nomadic heroes lead to conflict with their neighbors. So, they move on, digging wells, until finally they land in a spot where they have room. Isaac could have done the “God blessed me and I’m not moving” thing that some people do (probably I do sometimes without even being aware of it), as though Yahweh’s blessing in our lives is permission to be selfish rather than opportunity to bless and help others. Instead, Isaac accepts that receipt of God’s blessings on this earth is inseparable from sacrifice.