Message:
Isaac’s consequences of fellowship by Rev. Katherine Liu Bruce
Christian
arts ministries: Biblical Precepts & Gospel Music
Living in the United States of America, we are facing
every day’s consequences of fellowship. How to live and overcome the
consequences? My friends, do you have great strength and wisdom from above? Do
you rely on human resources or fully lean on the strength of Almighty
God? Today, let us discover the historical event in the Old Testament.
When Isaac faced the obstacles of his enemy, quarreled about the territory,
what is the strength of Isaac? What are the spiritual insight and Biblical
principles we can apply to this generation to learn from it? Why Abimelech king
of the Philistines decreased the hostiles and sought a peace treaty with Isaac?
This message and content will help you to find out the answers.
Consequences of fellowship
Now there was a famine in the land beside the earlier
famine of Abraham’s time and Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines in
Gerar. The Lord appeared to Isaac and said,
“Don’t go
down to Egypt; live in the land where I tell you to live. Stay in this land for
a while, and I will be with you and will bless you. For to you and your
descendants, I will give all these lands and will confirm the oath I swore to
your father Abraham. I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in
the sky and will give them all these lands; and through your offspring, all
nations on earth will be blessed, because Abraham obeyed me, and kept my
requirements, my commands, my decrees, and my laws.” (Gen.26:1-6)
So
Isaac followed his father Abraham to obey the instruction of the Lord and
stayed in Gerar. Isaac planted crops in that land and the same year reaped a
hundredfold because the Lord blessed him. The man became rich, and his wealth
continued to grow until he became very wealthy. He had so many flocks and herds
and servants that the Philistines envied him. So all the wells that his
father’s servants had dug in the time of his father Abraham, the Philistines
stopped up, filling them with the earth. (Gen.26:12-14)
a)
King of Philistines forces (Gen. 26:16-18)
King of Philistines Abimelech said to Isaac, “Move
away from us; you have become too powerful for us.” (v.16). Therefore Isaac
moved away from there and encamped in the Valley of Gerar and settled there.
(v.17). Isaac reopened the wells that had been dug in the time of his father
Abraham, which the Philistines had stopped up after Abraham died, and he gave
them the same names his father had given them. (v.18)
b)
Herdsmen of Gerar quarreled (Gen. 26:19-21)
Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and discovered a well of fresh water there.
(v.19) But the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac’s herdsmen and
said, “The water is ours!” so he named the well Esel (means convention),
because they disputed with him. (v.20) then they dug another well, but
they quarreled over that one also, so he named it Sitnah. (means enmity) (v.21)
c)
Isaac moved on and dug another well
He moved on from there and dug another well, and
no one quarreled over it. He named it Rehoboth. (means plenty of room) saying,
“ now the Lord has given us room and we will flourish in the land.” From
there he went up to Beersheba. That night the Lord appeared to him and said, “I
am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will
bless you and will increase the number of your descendants for the sake of my
servant Abraham. (Gen.26:22-24)
d)
God’s promises & blessing overcome the enemy
Isaac built an altar there and called on the name of
the Lord. There he pitched his tent, and there his servants dug a well.
Meanwhile, Abimelech had come to him from Gerar, with Ahuzzath his personal
adviser and Phicol the commander of his forces. Isaac asked them, “why have you
come to me since you were hostile to me and sent me away? (Gen.26:25-27)
e)
Make a treaty
They answered, “We saw clearly that the Lord was
with you, so we said, “There ought to be a sworn agreement between us. Let us
make a treaty with you. That you will do us no harm, just as we did not molest
you but always treated you well and sent you away in peace. And you are blessed
by the Lord. (Gen.26:28-29)
f)
An oath for a peace settlement
Isaac then made a feast for them, and they ate
and drank. Early the next morning the men swore an oath to each other. Then
Isaac sent them on their way and they left him in peace.( Gen.26:30) That day
Isaac’s servants came and told him about the well they had dug. They said, “we
have found water! He called it Shibah (means “oath”), and to this day the name
of the town has been Beersheba (means “well of the seven or of the oath”.
Militarily & political implication
First, though militarily and politically superior, the
king of Philistines Abimelech recognized God’s blessing and protection to Isaac
through Abraham. Even though he envied Isaac and forced him to move away.
However, to the end, he admitted that God is with Isaac, because of the
covenant to Abraham which has passed down to Isaac. Therefore, the king
Abimelech sought an agreement from Isaac to live in peace, the treaty, which
had done the same with Abraham (see Gen.21:22-32). Both sides said an oath that
does no harm from each other.
Second, if you are a servant of God like Abraham,
Isaac, you shall serve the Lord faithfully, obey His commands, decrees, and
laws, most important is to trust in the Lord’s promises. Let the Lord reveals
His blessings and fulfill His promises. In due time, the peace settlement will
be revealed and the battle will be gained by the Lord.
Biblical principles
a.
God owns it all. Kingdom people no need to quarrel
over the territory. “Bless are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”
(Matt.5:5) When the servant of God's humble self before the Lord, God will
vindicate for his servant. God’s bounty provides to his servant is beyond
human’s riches.
b.
Trust in the Lord and be patient to deal with
consequences. Bless are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
(Matt.5:9)
c.
Obey the Lord and forgive the enemies. Let God
vindicate your faith in Him, and deal with your enemies in God’s
timing.
Life implication
When you face conflicts or dealing with the
consequences of fellowship, people may envy or jealous about your riches,
wealthy, faith, blessings, talents, gifts, and intends to quarrel over the
property, treasures, or copyright. We should learn from Isaac, and keep our
heart steadfast, meek, and trust in the Lord’s promises. Don’t quarrel over it.
If it is the will of God for you to be blessed, He will provide sufficient
grace to you to move on for the next life journey. Once we are faithful to
serve the Lord, His blessed assurance to the servant of God always yes.
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