Genesis 26:7–35

There is a clear difference between Egypt and Gerar. Egypt expresses the world in its natural resources and its independence of God... Compared with Egypt, Gerar was a step forward; but it still lay within reach of very dangerous influences. Abraham got into trouble there, and so does Isaac in this chapter, and in exactly the same way. Abraham denied his wife, and so does Isaac. This is especially solemn. Both the father and the son fell into the same evil, in the same place. That tells us the influence of that place was not good.

If Isaac had not gone to Abimelech, king of Gerar, he would have had no need to deny his wife. But the slightest turning aside from the right path brings on spiritual weakness. It was while Peter stood warming himself at the high priest's fire that he denied his Master. It is clear that Isaac was not really happy in Gerar. True, the Lord tells him, "Sojourn in this land." But how often does the Lord give His people directions that fit the condition He knows them to be in, and that are also meant to wake them up to that condition?

Despite God's clear declaration of His faithfulness, Isaac does not take it to heart and prove faithful himself. He is caught by the same fault that overtook his father Abraham. He tells the Philistines that Rebekah is his sister and not his wife. The same groundless fears drove him. He thought that because Rebekah was beautiful, the men of the place might kill him to get his wife. He certainly failed here as a picture of Christ. The Lord Jesus will never deny His relationship with the church. She, sadly, may at times deny her relationship to Him in practice.

Isaac is not sent away. Instead, Abimelech orders his people not to touch Isaac or his wife, on pain of death. In view of this, how foolish Isaac's fear that the Philistines would kill him had been! Once the truth came out, we read that Isaac is greatly blessed.

It is quite wrong to class as lying any mistakes made by accident or from hearsay, especially when a person takes care to correct them once the facts are better known. The essence of lying is the wish to deceive, whatever the motive. It may be to exalt self or to injure another, to escape through fear or to gain a desired end.

Is it not deeply humbling, in Isaac's case as in Abraham's, that a believer may sink below the world's standard of morality? The king of the Philistines rebuked Isaac for lying. His deceit exposed his wife to dishonour and his own people to guilt... Had Isaac kept all this in mind, it would have been a safeguard by grace, instead of a cover for the flesh giving way under unbelieving terror.

One of his men might easily have treated her as an unattached woman and had sexual relations with her. If a believer will not openly confess his relationship to the Lord Jesus before the world, he is being unfair to the world.

There is a clear difference between Egypt and Gerar. Egypt expresses the world in its natural resources and its independence from God... Compared with Egypt, Gerar was a step forward. But it still lay within reach of very dangerous influences. Abraham got into trouble there, and so does Isaac in this chapter, and in exactly the same way. Abraham denied his wife, and so does Isaac. This is especially solemn. Both the father and the son fell into the same evil, in the same place. That tells us plainly that the influence of that place was not good.

If Isaac had not gone to Abimelech, king of Gerar, he would have had no need to deny his wife. But the smallest turn aside from the right line of conduct brings on spiritual weakness. It was when Peter stood and warmed himself at the high priest's fire that he denied his Master.

God had clearly declared His faithfulness. Isaac does not take it to heart and prove faithful himself. The same fault that overtook his father Abraham traps him: he tells the Philistines that Rebekah is his sister rather than his wife. The same groundless fears moved him. He thought that because Rebekah was beautiful, the men of the place might kill him to get his wife. In this matter he certainly failed as a picture of Christ. The Lord Jesus will never deny His relationship with the church, though she may sadly at times deny in practice her relationship to Him.

The essence of lying is the wish to deceive, whatever the motive. The motive may be to lift up self or to harm another, to escape through fear or to gain something wanted.

Isaac also lived near enough to Abimelech's house for the king to see him showing Rebekah the kind of affection only a husband and wife would show. How can we keep our true relationship hidden forever? Things must always come out as they are.

Deception may bring men of the world a good deal of success. Practised by a believer, it always ends in failure, sooner or later. In Isaac's case it seemed to work for a long time, but at last the Abimelech of that day discovered the truth.

How humbling this is, in Isaac's case as in Abraham's! A believer may sink below the world's standard of morality. The king of the Philistines rebuked Isaac for lying. Isaac had exposed his wife to dishonour and his own people to guilt... If Isaac had kept all this in mind in a holy way, grace would have made it a safeguard. Instead it became a cover for the flesh giving way to unbelieving terror.

In Gerar he failed as his father failed. And while Abimelech seized Sarah, Rebekah is not touched and not separated from Isaac. Christ and His church are inseparable.

If a believer does not frankly confess before the world his relationship to the Lord Jesus, he is unfair to the world.

In Isaac's case Rebekah is not taken into Abimelech's court, and clearly no one else courts her over "a long time." Isaac also lived near enough to Abimelech's house for the king to see him. He showed Rebekah the kind of affection that only a husband shows a wife. How can our true relationship ever stay hidden forever? Things must always come out as they are.

The essence of lying is the wish to deceive, whatever the motive; which may be to exalt self or to injure another, to evade through fear or to gain a desired end.

Is it not deeply humbling, in Isaac's case as in Abraham's, that a believer may sink below the world's standard of morality? The king of the Philistines rebuked Isaac for untruthfulness. His lie exposed his wife to dishonour and his own people to guilt. This king, or more likely the one before him, had condemned the same deceit in Abraham — and Abraham's was worse, since he had already failed the same way with Pharaoh in Egypt. If Isaac had kept all of this in mind in a holy way, it would have been a safeguard to him by grace, instead of a cover for the flesh giving way to unbelieving fear.

If Isaac had not gone to Abimelech, king of Gerar, he would have had no need to deny his wife. But the smallest step away from the right line of conduct brings on spiritual weakness. It was when Peter stood and warmed himself at the high priest's fire that he denied his Master.

No doubt he knew of his father's failure, and this, with the call of God, "Sojourn in the land," ought to have hastened his steps away from the place. "And Isaac dwelt in Gerar." So came his trouble and his sin — the same experience as Abraham. If he had stayed in the land, he would not have failed like this. But he had to learn by experience, as all believers do, how seductive the flesh is.

In this matter he did fail as a picture of Christ. The Lord Jesus will never deny His relationship with the church, though she may sadly at times deny in practice her relationship to Him.

One of the king's men might easily have treated her as an unattached woman and had sexual relations with her. If a believer does not openly confess before the world his relationship to the Lord Jesus, he is unfair to the world.

God does not need to vindicate His holy character, and still less does He soften or excuse the faults of His people. He demands and deserves our trust. He tells the unvarnished truth now of Isaac's deception, as before of Abraham's. He makes known the successive and humiliating reproofs of Philistine kings. On His part there is no hiding of what man would have been glad to ignore. The sin was all too real, and God preserved the record as a warning and a help at all times — to His servant's shame, but to His own glory.

When Abimelech faces Isaac with these facts, Isaac can only admit that fear had driven him to deceive. Then he has to take a just rebuke from Abimelech, who told him he had wronged the Philistines by misrepresenting the truth. One of his men might easily have treated Rebekah as an unmarried woman and slept with her. If a believer will not openly own his relationship to the Lord Jesus before the world, he is unfair to the world.

Is it not deeply humbling, in Isaac's case as in Abraham's, that a saint may sink below the world's standard of morality? The king of the Philistines rebuked Isaac for lying. The lie exposed his wife to dishonour and left the king's people open to guilt. This king, or more likely the one before him, had condemned the same deceit in Abraham — worse in Abraham's case, because he had already failed the same way with Pharaoh in Egypt. If Isaac had kept all this in mind with holy seriousness, grace would have made it a safeguard. Instead it became a cover for the flesh giving way to unbelieving fear.

When people of the world use deception, it may work quite well. When a saint of God uses it, it always ends in failure, sooner or later. In Isaac's case it seemed to work for a long time, but in the end the Abimelech of that day found out the truth. So once again a man of the world, with a good deal of honesty about him, rebukes a saint of God — a sad sight, and one often repeated from that day to this. Let each of us take care that it is not repeated in our own history.

At first he tries to secure a quiet home among them by lying. When the lie comes out, it humbles him in front of them, as a man who could not trust God in the situation he had put himself in. Even then he does not leave the place. We often struggle to stay where we have been unfaithful, as if we could win back what we had lost. But if our position is one of unbelief, nothing we do there will change what that position is.

The essence of lying is the wish to deceive, whatever the motive. The motive may be to exalt self or to injure another, to escape through fear or to gain something wanted. Where the heart is honest and undivided, this is not hard to see. Even the least respected, or those counted as nothing in the church, are well able to judge matters of wrong or falsehood.

There is a further element in the lie told by Abraham and by Isaac. Through their own shortsighted selfishness they betrayed the relationship they had with their wives, Sarah and Rebekah. How blessed is the contrast of Christ, as the Husband of Israel, and the Bridegroom of the church!

Genesis 26:1-22 shows the weakness of Isaac's faith. Like Abraham, he would have gone down to Egypt during the famine if God had not held him back. He shows the same weakness as his father in denying his wife. Along with this we have the faithful mercy of God, which recovers him and gives him abundant blessing.

Isaac is not sent away, however. Instead, Abimelech orders his people not to touch Isaac or his wife, and says anyone who does will be put to death (v. 11). In the light of this, how foolish Isaac's fear of being killed by the Philistines had been! Once the truth came out, we then read that Isaac is greatly blessed.

Isn't it a deeply humbling thing in Isaac's case, as in Abraham's, that a believer may sink below the world's own standard of morality? The king of the Philistines rebuked Isaac for lying, and for exposing his wife to dishonour and his own people to guilt. If Isaac had held it all in mind in a holy way, grace would have made it a safeguard to him. Instead it became a cover for the flesh, as he gave way to fear that came from unbelief.

Now trickery, when men of the world use it, may bring a good deal of success. When a believer uses it, it always ends in failure, sooner or later. In Isaac's case it seemed to work for quite a while, but in the end the Abimelech of that day found out the truth. So once again we see a man of the world, with a good deal of honesty about him, rebuking a believer — a sad sight! And it is a sight that has often been repeated from that day to this. Let each of us take care that it is not repeated in our own life.

Then he has to take a just rebuke from Abimelech, who told him he had wronged the Philistines by misrepresenting the truth. One of his men could easily have treated her as a single woman and had sexual relations with her. If a believer will not openly own his relationship with the Lord Jesus before the world, he is unfair to the world.

It is unacceptable to class with lying any mistakes made by accident or from hearsay, especially when there is care to correct them once the facts are better known. The essence of lying is the wish to deceive, whatever the motive. It may be to build yourself up, or to harm someone else, or to escape through fear, or to get something you want. Anyone whose own motive is honest has no difficulty telling the difference.

In this matter he certainly failed as a picture of Christ. The Lord Jesus will never deny His relationship with the church, even though she sometimes sadly denies her relationship to Him in practice.

God has no need to defend His holy character, and He is even further from making light of the faults of His people or excusing them. He tells the plain truth about Isaac's lying now, as He did before about Abraham's. He reports the humiliating rebukes of one Philistine king after another. He hides nothing that people would have been glad to ignore. The sin was sadly all too real, and God kept the record of it by inspiration, for warning and profit in every age — to His servant's shame, but to His own glory. There He stops, leaving us to work out for ourselves what Isaac went through inside. Yet what follows is striking: outward blessing.

God did not abandon Isaac because of this failure. He had obeyed the instruction not to go down to Egypt. So, despite the famine, God blessed him richly — in his sowing, and in his flocks and herds and servants. The blessing grew so great that he had to leave the Philistines' land.

The chapter opens with the account of Isaac tried by "famine in the land," as Abraham had been a hundred years before. It was meant to test faith for a time, while the Canaanites then in the land tested it constantly. But both father and son knew well that the time to own the land had not yet come.

The crop he planted that year produced one hundred bushels from one bushel of seed — the maximum possible yield. This prosperity continued. His wealth grew so much that he became the envy of the Philistines.

The Lord blessed Isaac, the Lord was with Isaac, the Lord made promises to Isaac, and the very fact that he sowed and his harvest was a bumper one was an indication of how God was with this remarkable man… If we make room for the Lord in our lives, if we take account of the promises He has given us and the blessings He has made available to us, and if we sow in that sense, then we can expect to get what Isaac got.

God does not need to defend His holy character. Still less does He soften or excuse the faults of His people… He tells the plain truth now about Isaac's deception, as before about Abraham's… The sin was all too true. Inspiration preserved the record as a warning and for profit at all times — to His servant's shame, but to His own glory.

Did not Isaac judge himself? How else can we understand a blessing given to Isaac so clearly and so fully at this moment? It was an outward blessing, no doubt. But this is how the Lord worked of old, and this is how He acted then. There was no longer a moral obstacle in the way. The defilement, even when publicly known, grace had removed.

We can never judge that a person's condition is right just because things are going well… There is a great difference between the Lord's presence and His blessing. Many have the blessing without the presence, and the heart is quick to mistake one for the other… How many do we see surrounded by God's blessings, who neither have, nor wish for, God's presence?… Flocks and herds are not the Lord. They are things the Philistines might envy Isaac for. They would never have envied him for the Lord's presence.

What grace on God's part! And what joy springs up in the soul, whether then or now, when we know that we are doing the things that please God, and receiving blessing in our own path and work "a hundredfold," and in the same year… A disciple will be content and glad to be like the Master and Lord. And if our terms are to follow a rejected Christ in the world that has cast Him out, "leaving father, or mother, wife, or houses, or lands," still the promise stands: "he will receive a hundredfold now in this time, with persecutions, and in the age to come, eternal life."

God did not forsake Isaac because of this lapse on his part. He had obeyed the instruction not to go down into Egypt. So, despite the famine, God blessed him richly in his sowing, his flocks and herds and servants. The blessing grew so large that he had to leave the land of the Philistines.

God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap... Did not Isaac judge himself? How else can we understand the blessing granted in such a marked way and degree to the patriarch at this moment? It was no doubt of an outward sort; but that is how Jehovah worked of old, and that is how He acted then. There was no longer a moral obstacle in the way. Grace had removed the defilement, even though everyone knew about it.

We can never decide that a person's condition is right just because their circumstances are prosperous... there is a great difference between the Lord's presence and His blessing. Many have the second without the first; and the heart is prone to mistake one for the other... A man may grow great, and go forward, and grow until he becomes very great. He may have flocks and herds and a great household of servants, and all the while not have the full, unhindered joy of the Lord's presence with him. Flocks and herds are not the Lord.

Notice, it was not merely the Lord's blessing, but the Lord Himself. And why? Because Isaac had left the Philistines behind, with all their envy and strife and quarrelling, and had gone up to Beersheba. Here the Lord could show Himself to His servant. His generous hand might follow him while he stayed in Gerar; but he could not enjoy His presence there.

Isaac's increase, especially in the great year of famine, drew out the envy of his neighbours... The Philistines stopped up the wells dug earlier by Abraham's servants. But Isaac was a man of meek spirit. It was a real loss to a man whose household and herds depended on such supplies. It was as insulting as it was damaging. But Isaac bowed before the wrong... None of the other fathers showed the passive virtues as fully as Isaac.

The man grew great, though the change of age has made a matching difference in what true greatness means. "Whoever would be great among you must be your servant... even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

The victory of resurrection saw the great Shepherd of the sheep rise from among the dead. In ascending to God's right hand Jesus was glorified, and Hebrews 4:14 calls Him the great High Priest. Israel had High Priests, but never a great High Priest like Jesus, the Son of God... In closing this section we might well take the language of the Old Testament about Isaac and apply it to our Saviour and Lord. "And the man became great, and he became continually greater, until he was very great" (Gen. 26:13).

God is not mocked; for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. Did not Isaac judge himself? How else can we understand the blessing granted in so marked a way and degree to the patriarch at this point? It was no doubt of an external sort; but this is how Jehovah worked of old, and this is how He acted then. There was no longer a moral obstacle in the way. The defilement, even when publicly known, grace had removed.

The Philistines occupy the territory of the people of God without any right to do so. Enemies at heart, they always seek to oppress God's people and bring them into bondage. … The Lord, however, was with Isaac, and blessed him both in produce and cattle, "and the Philistines envied him." The clear blessing of God on those who are His stirred up, as it always does, the ill-will of those who intrude into their privileges without belonging to Him. Their envy showed itself in stopping up all the wells which Abraham's servants had dug, and finally in driving Isaac out from among them. How often the Lord secures the richer blessing of His people by forcing them, through the hostility of those who merely profess His name, to take the path of separation.

He has another lesson to learn here: that however prosperous he may be in the land of the Philistines, he can never enjoy the peace and calm his soul desired while he is mixed up in association with them. At first he tries to secure an undisturbed home among them by false statements. When the lie comes out, it humbles him before them, as a man unable to trust God in the situation he had put himself into. Still he does not leave the place. We often try to stay where we have been unfaithful, as if we could regain what we had lost. … The Lord teaches Isaac that gain in Gerar brings no profit. He may be blessed, his corn yielding a hundredfold, until he becomes very great. But what of it all? The Philistines envied him! Life as a stranger would be happier for him. Then he could eat his bread in quiet and drink from his own fountain in peace. But with all his greatness and possessions, he cannot have these mercies in Gerar.

Isaac was a man of meek spirit. It was a real loss to someone whose household and herds depended on such supplies; it was as insulting as it was damaging; but Isaac accepted the wrong. "If when you do good and suffer for it, you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God." None of the fathers showed the passive virtues as much as Isaac.

Isaac became great, though here the change from that age to this has made a matching difference in what true greatness means. "Whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." And Isaac's flocks, herds and servants drew the envy of the Philistines. The contrast will always follow this pattern, between the man with whom God is and the men who, though they hold the ground at present, are to be driven out.

Isaac's servants dug wells for water, and others filled them with earth or took the wells for themselves, but he did not fight for them; he simply dug a well in another place… When we receive the blessing of the true God, we need not fight with others; God will look after us. Isaac knew that God would give him the land and all the wells, so he waited for God.

They were not like the Amorites, the old inhabitants of the land mentioned in Genesis 15:16. They had got into God's land without being God's people. So they picture the religious world rather than the worldly, irreligious world. That religious world, Jewish or Christian in name, has always fixed its attention on an earthly order of things and nothing more. Blocking the springs of divine and heavenly blessing has always been a favourite work of the Philistine, whether literal or symbolic. Earth and earthly things have always been their material.

Wells picture the living refreshment of the word of God, obtained through the work of the man of faith. We only find the blessing of drinking in the truth of God's word through spiritual diligence. Abraham's faith and labour had received this refreshment as their reward. But the Philistines picture a Christian religion that is only outward form, without living power. They do not value the pure word of God. They pollute it with material, earthly teachings.

They had already taken away one of Abraham's wells by force (chapter 21), and here they fill the wells Abraham dug with earth. They did it because they envied Isaac. It was spiteful and needless damage. These wells were essential to the life of the patriarchs and their households. John 4 and 7 give us the right to read them as figures of the Holy Spirit, who is given to us and who is essential to the life of God's people now. But what place is there in the carnal religion of our day for the Holy Spirit?

God's clear blessing on those who are His stirred up the ill-will of those who are not His but push into their privileges. It always does. Their envy showed itself in stopping up all the wells Abraham's servants had dug. In the end it drove Isaac out from among them. How often the Lord secures the richer blessing of His people this way. He uses the hostility of professing men to drive them into the path of separation.

Isaac's increase, especially in the great year of famine, drew out the envy of his neighbours. Nor did ill-will stop there. But Isaac was a man of meek spirit. The loss was real to a man whose household and herds depended on such supplies. The insult was as great as the damage. But Isaac bowed under the wrong.

In Scripture, and above all in Genesis, wells are sources of life and blessing. That is why the enemy seeks to fill them with earth (v. 15). The opening up of the truths of Scripture at the Reformation matches the wells Abraham's servants had dug. Ever since, Satan has been trying to choke those wells, working through the Philistines. But Isaac cleared them and called them by their old names — an example for men of faith and energy in every age. Take justification by faith, for example. Or the truth of the one body of Christ, the presence of the Holy Spirit on earth, the coming of the Lord for His people. Who has tried to stop up these blessed wells of water? In every case it has been the Philistines, so Isaacs are still needed to dig them again and call them by their old, scriptural names.

Later there were Philistines who sought to destroy Christ. For a time they seemed to succeed in checking the streams of blessing. But Isaac — Christ in resurrection — unstops the fountains of grace, and He calls them by the same names. That is, Christ in resurrection carries on His usual work of mercy on the same essential principles as from the beginning.

God is not mocked; whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. The one who sows to his own flesh will reap corruption from the flesh. The one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit. Did Isaac not judge himself? How else can we understand the blessing given in such a marked way and degree to the patriarch at this point? It was no doubt of an outward kind; but that is how Jehovah worked long ago, and that is how He acted then. There was no longer a moral obstacle in the way. The defilement, even though publicly known, grace had removed.

The man became great, though here again the change in God's way of dealing with people has made a matching difference in what true greatness is. "Whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."… The contrast must always follow this pattern: between the man with whom God is, and the men who hold the ground now but are to be driven out. That comes then or later on, when the Lord — who is now "heir of all things" by right of resurrection — takes actual possession by righteous power.

Isaac's increase, especially in the great year of famine, drew out the envy of his neighbours. Nor did the ill-will stop there. The Philistines filled in with earth the wells dug before by Abraham's servants. But Isaac was a man of meek spirit. It was a felt loss to one whose household and herds depended on such supplies; it was as insulting as it was damaging; but Isaac bowed before the wrong. "If when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God." None of the patriarchs showed these quiet, patient virtues as fully as Isaac. Even Abimelech failed to rebuke the unkindness and enmity. "Go away from us," he said, "for you are much mightier than we." Even so, He who is higher than the highest walked in His grace. Indeed it was His portion from a baby onward, for Satan is "the prince of the world" — the personal enemy of the Lord of glory. There was no room for the Son of God in the inn.

It matters greatly when the Abimelechs can see the difference God has put between flesh and spirit, between light and darkness, between Christ and Belial. It matters when they make that difference the reason they separate from us, or the reason we leave. "What agreement has the temple of God with idols? What portion does a believer share with an unbeliever?" and again, "You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together."

Isaac not only sojourns in Gerar, but dwells there, and as a consequence his troubles begin. He has another lesson to learn here. He may prosper in the land of the Philistines, but he can never enjoy the peace and calm his soul wanted while he stays mixed up with them… Still he does not leave the place. We often try to stay where we have been unfaithful, as if we could regain what we had lost… The Lord teaches Isaac how little gain in Gerar is worth. He may be blessed, his crops yielding a hundredfold, until he becomes very great. But what of it all? The Philistines envied him!

The Philistines occupy the place — here the territory — of the people of God, without any right to it. They are enemies at heart, and they always seek to oppress God's people and bring them into bondage. The Lord was with Isaac and blessed him in both goods and cattle, "and the Philistines envied him." God's clear blessing on His own always stirs up the ill-will of those who are not His, but push into their privileges. Their envy showed itself in stopping up all the wells Abraham's servants had dug, and at last in driving Isaac away.

Isaac was still in the land where the Philistines lived. Yet the moment he moved some distance away, he showed spiritual power. In Scripture, and especially in Genesis, wells are always sources of life and blessing. That is why the enemy tries to "fill them with earth." The reopening of the truths of Scripture at the Reformation answers to the wells Abraham's servants dug. Satan has been trying to choke those wells ever since, acting through the Philistines. But Isaac cleared them and called them by their old names. He is an example for men of faith and energy in every age. Take, for instance, justification by faith, or the truth of the one body of Christ, the presence of the Holy Spirit on earth, or the coming of the Lord for His people.

Isaac did not give these living wells new names. He "gave them the names that his father had given them." God has given us a perfect and full revelation, yet on all sides there is a cry for something "new." Let us hold to what God has already revealed. No one can improve on it. Let us pay no attention to the empty boasting about "new light," "new conceptions," "advanced thought," and the rest.

The Philistines picture a Christian religion that is all form and no living power. They do not value the pure word of God. They mix it with earthly, material teachings. Such religion may hide from us some of the most precious truths of God's word, as has happened widely across the Christian world. The energy of faith, however, will work to restore them. Isaac also called the wells by the same names Abraham had given them. When we get to recover any truth, let us not think we have done something original. Instead, let us remember that the truth was in Scripture before we discovered it. We have nothing to boast about. Let us give it the same name it had long ago.

The children of God will do well to hold what Isaac held so firmly: God takes care of His own promises and covenants with His people, for He will not give His glory to another. And they must take care to dig their wells. They must uncover the ones the enemy has stopped by cunning or by force. God counted His blessing in cattle. So what use was a growing flock and herd if the Abrahams and Isaacs did not do their part and dig wells of water for them to drink? This is their responsibility… Faith reproduces itself. How precious it is when faith gets its title from God to do the strongest things — as Isaac did with his father's wells, claiming his right again by restoring their original names.

The Philistines had stopped the wells and filled them with earth. But Isaac dug them again, and "gave them the names that his father had given them." Later there were other "Philistines" who tried to destroy Christ. For a time they seemed to succeed in checking the streams of blessing. But Isaac — Christ in resurrection — unstops the fountains of grace, and He calls them by the same names. That is, Christ in resurrection carries on His usual work of mercy on the same basic principles as from the beginning.

"A well of spring water" — in Hebrew, living water. It is in the low places that the living water is found.

The valley was a good place, but there was no water; the wells that Abraham his father had dug had been stopped by the Philistines. (Sometimes the valley is a valley of tears for us, but even then the Lord can fill the pools, and give us joy in the place of sorrow.)

The word is sometimes used in other ways, yet in Proverbs 5:15 the well is distinct from the cistern as the place of "running," or "living," water. Such wells were those that Isaac dug, not mere artificial cisterns, as we find in Genesis 26... Should not all the children of God want to live beside such wells? — where not only our energy shows itself, but much more, the energy of the Spirit of God... May not, and should not, every one of God's Isaacs be, in his measure and way, a well-digger? What blessedness for him who has in this way not simply the ministry of others, but his own springing well!

The children of God will do well to hold what Isaac held so firmly — that God takes care of His own promises and covenants with His people, for He "will not give His glory to another." And they must take care to dig their wells, and to uncover those which the craft or power of the enemy may have stopped. Of what use was the increase of flocks and herds... if the Abrahams and Isaacs did not do their part by digging the wells of water for them to drink? This is their responsibility.

Isaac stood as a picture of two things at once: the heir of all promise, and the heir in resurrection too, for Abraham received this son back from the dead in a figure. How fitting, then, that he is the one who finds this well of living water! And we may truly say that good well-digging is only possible for us as we realise and take the place of union with Christ in resurrection-life and power... All other springs are dry.

The Philistines had been stopping the wells and had filled them with earth, but Isaac dug them again and called them by his father's names. So there were later "Philistines" who sought to destroy Christ, and for a time they seemed to succeed in checking the streams of blessing. But Isaac (Christ in resurrection) unstops the fountains of grace, and he calls them by the same names. That is, Christ in resurrection carries on His usual work of mercy on the same essential principles as from the beginning.

Isaac named the spring Esek, meaning "contention," but "the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome" (2 Timothy 2:24), and instead of continuing the strife, Isaac dug another well. However, this too became a matter of contention (v. 21), to the point that Isaac named it Sitna, meaning "hatred."

Driven further and further away, he dug another, "and for that they strove not"; and he named it Rehoboth, for the Lord had made room for him, and he added, "we shall be fruitful in the land." There is always room, together with blessing, for the people of God in the place of separation.

A well in the valley of Gerar, dug by the servants of Isaac, and fought over by the servants of Abimelech; so it got its name, which means "strife." Gen. 26:20.

Of all disputes, perhaps the hottest are those that break out between herdsmen and herdsmen, among the flock of God. The right that came from digging clearly belonged to Isaac, for his servants found the well of flowing water. But the right that came from owning the land still belonged to Abimelech. Out of this came the confusion and strife of that day. The same clash keeps the quarrels among herdsmen going today.

Isaac's servants dug in the valley and found a spring of living water. But the herdsmen of Gerar fought over it, claiming that the water was theirs. Isaac named the spring Esek, meaning "contention," but "the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome" (2 Tim. 2:24). So instead of continuing the strife, Isaac dug another well.

But Isaac did not turn from the meekness that suits the man of God, gentle to all, and patient with those who opposed him. Nor was his dependence on God left long without an answer. For moving on from there he dug another well, and they did not quarrel over that one. Contention was as far from his spirit as ingratitude would have been toward the Almighty Protector of the man who must not strive.

A slow and painful process teaches Isaac that he must leave the land of the Philistines for good. Each well he had to dig marks a stage in that process. First came "contention"; then "hatred"; then "room." Having found "room," and shut out from the company that hampered him, he moves on to Beersheba, at the edge of the land. He again takes the place of a stranger and pilgrim, depending on God; and the moment he does, he gets his reward. "The Lord appeared to him the same night," and blessed him. The discipline had produced sanctification, and he builds an altar and worships. It had taught him one lesson: better to have a little with God than great possessions in a place outside his calling.

The Philistines had blocked the wells (v. 15) and filled them with earth. Isaac dug them out again (v. 18), and "he called their names after the names by which his father had called them." Later there were "Philistines" who tried to destroy Christ, and for a time they seemed to succeed in blocking the streams of blessing. But Isaac (Christ in resurrection) unstops the fountains of grace, and he calls them by the same names. That is, Christ in resurrection carries on His usual work of mercy on the same essential principles as from the beginning.

These two wells, Esek and Sitnah, set instructive lessons before us. How many of the Lord's people shrink from separation as they would from a snake! They keep on with the quarrels and disputes, until the arguers grow worn out by everything that first gave their conflict its character. Then they give in, and say when they are fainting that the birthright is of no use to them — and sell it like Esau for a bowl of stew!

This is the name of a well that Isaac's servants dug and Abimelech's servants then seized. Gen. 26:21. Fürst says it means "strife." Gesenius says "contention." In Ezra 4:6 the same word appears as an ordinary noun, and there it means "accusation."

"And the herdsmen of Gerar strove with Isaac's herdsmen, saying, The well is ours: and he called the name of the well Esek [conflict]. They dug another well and strove for that also: and he called the name of it Sitnah [hatred]."

God told Isaac to live in the land as a stranger, but Isaac does not obey. He does not go until Abimelech tells him to leave... He tries three times in a row to stay among the Philistines, and fails each time. God would force him back to his right place. He reopens the wells that Abraham had made. He acts as if the Philistines would be kinder to him than they were to his father. He digs for himself, and finds contention (Esek). He digs again, and feels their hatred (Sitnah). At last he gets within the border, and there he finds room (Rehoboth).

Notice also that every new well dug stirred up further enmity from the Philistines (vv. 19-21). Driven farther and farther away, he dug another well, and "they did not quarrel over it." He named it Rehoboth, because the Lord had made room for him, and he added, "we shall be fruitful in the land." There is always room, and blessing with it, for the people of God in the place of separation.

Isaac did not lose the meekness that suits the man of God. He was gentle to everyone, and patient with those who opposed him... Strife was as far from his spirit as ingratitude would have been toward the Almighty who protects the man who must not strive.

Isaac named the spring Esek, meaning "contention." But "the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome" (2 Tim. 2:24), so instead of keeping up the strife, Isaac dug another well. This well too became a matter of contention (v. 21), and Isaac named it Sitna, meaning "hatred." The wise thing for him to do then was to move away from the place before digging another well.

These two wells, Esek and Sitnah, set instructive lessons before us. How many of the Lord's people shrink from separation as they would from a snake! So they go on with the contentions and strifes. In the end the disputants grow weary of everything that first gave their conflict its character. They give in and say, when exhausted, "Of what use is a birthright to me?" Then they sell the birthright, like Esau, for a bowl of stew!

By a slow and painful process, Isaac learns that he must leave the land of the Philistines completely. Each well he had to dig marks one stage of that process. First "contention," then "hatred," then "room." Having found room, he is free from the association that held him back. He takes the place of a stranger and pilgrim again, depending on God. The moment he does so, he gets his reward: "the LORD appeared to him the same night," and blessed him. The discipline had produced sanctification, and he builds an altar and worships. It had taught him this: better a little with God than great possessions in a place outside his calling.

Later there were "Philistines" who sought to destroy Christ. For a time they seemed to succeed in checking the streams of blessing. But Isaac — Christ in resurrection — unstops the fountains of grace, and He calls them by the same names. That is, Christ in resurrection carries on His usual work of mercy, on the same principles as from the beginning.

Isaac's servants dug in the valley and found a spring of living water. But the herdsmen of Gerar fought them for it, claiming that the water was theirs. Isaac named the spring Esek, meaning "contention," but "the servant of the Lord must not strive" (2 Tim. 2:14), and instead of continuing the strife, Isaac dug another well. But this one led to a fight as well (v. 21), so Isaac named it Sitna, meaning "hatred." The wise thing to do was to move away from that place before digging another well (v. 22). It seems this was far enough off that the Philistines no longer claimed the well for themselves. Isaac called it Rehoboth, meaning "room," considering that the Lord had made room for him to be fruitful and expand.

But Isaac did not change from that meekness which becomes the man of God, gentle to all, and forbearing to such as opposed themselves. Nor was his dependence on God without a speedy answer. He moved away from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it. He called it Rehoboth, and explained the name: "For now the LORD has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land." His spirit was as far from contention as it was from ingratitude toward the Almighty Protector of the man who must not strive.

For instance, in Isaac. The world was against him. But he does not strive with it either in deed or in word. He neither answers nor resists. The Philistines tell him to go from them. He goes at their bidding. They spoil him of his labours. He yields and takes it patiently, as Esek and Sitnah tell us. Gen. 26.

Once it is pointed out, we cannot help seeing how well Isaac pictures the Christian who is not of the world, just as Christ is not of the world. He does not resist evil. Struck on the right cheek, he offers the other also. He does not contend for the goods of which he was deprived, but when his cloak was taken away, he does not fight even for his coat. Neither Abraham nor Jacob was so tested, nor did their patience shine so brightly; the one fought for Lot (Gen. 14), the other for himself (Gen. 48), but never Isaac.

Notice, also, that every new well he dug stirred up more hostility from the Philistines. (vv. 19-21.) Driven further and further away, he dug another well, "and they did not quarrel over it." He named it Rehoboth, for the Lord had made room for him, and he added, "we shall be fruitful in the land." There is always room, together with blessing, for the people of God in the place of separation.

By a slow and painful process, Isaac is taught that he must leave the land of the Philistines completely. Each well he had to dig marks a stage in that process. First "contention," then "hatred," then "room." Having found room, and being kept from the company that hampered him, he moves on to Beersheba, on the edge of the land... It had taught him that a little with God is better than great possessions in a place outside his calling. Now he enjoys his mercies and his well in peace.

In Scripture, and especially in Genesis, wells are always sources of life and blessing. So the enemy seeks to "fill them with earth" (v. 15)... Take, for instance, the doctrine of justification by faith. Or the truth of the one body of Christ, the presence of the Holy Spirit on earth, the coming of the Lord for His people. Who are they who have sought to "stop up" these blessed wells of water? In every case they have been the "Philistines." So there is a constant need for the Isaacs to dig them out again, and to call them by their old names — that is, by their scriptural names.

This name means well of the oath. It marks the place where Abraham and Abimelech made a covenant not to trouble each other, and confirmed it by an oath. It afterwards became the dwelling place of Abraham and of Isaac, who also dug a well there. Once the land was settled, Beersheba was always named as its most southern point, and Dan as its most northern; so "from Dan to Beersheba" meant the whole country.

Beersheba means "well of the oath." It shows that Isaac was learning to depend on the oath God had made to Abraham and to himself. God assures Isaac that He is with him, will bless him and multiply his descendants for Abraham's sake. How often did the Lord remind Abraham, Isaac and Jacob of this absolute, unconditional promise! But we too easily forget what God Himself has purposed concerning us, and we need as many reminders as they.

A slow and painful process teaches Isaac that he must leave the land of the Philistines completely. Each well he had to dig marks one stage of it. First "contention;" then "hatred;" next "room." But he had found "room," and he was shut out from the company that hampered him. So he moves on to Beersheba, on the edge of the land. He again takes the place of a stranger and pilgrim, depending on God; and the moment he does so, he gets his reward. "The Lord appeared to him the same night," and blessed him. The discipline had produced sanctification, and he builds an altar and worships. It had taught him that it is better to have a little with God than great possessions in a position outside his calling.

"And the Lord appeared to him the same night and said, I am the God of Abraham your father. Fear not, for I am with you and will bless you." Notice: it was not the Lord's blessing only, but the Lord Himself. And why? Because Isaac had left the Philistines behind, with all their envy and strife and contention. He had gone up to Beersheba. Here the Lord could show Himself to His servant. His generous hand might follow him while he stayed in Gerar. But he could not enjoy His presence there.

He fails like Abraham, and shows even less energy. He denies his wife, as Abraham had done, and he leaves the wells Abraham had dug in the hand of the enemy. He had failed in faith in God before Abimelech. Though God had said to him, "Sojourn in this land," he has to give way before the will of Abimelech. He is then driven from well to well, and has room only where the Philistine allows him room. In Beersheba he meets with God.

Patience had a perfect work with Isaac. If spite stopped up the old wells, if the new wells he found stirred up envy and ill-will, he did not argue. There was no hostility on his side. He left when the ruler told him to. At last a well was found further off, and the opposing herdsmen did not fight for it. Yet from there, however promising it looked, he went up to Beersheba.

The result is that Isaac becomes a worshipper: he builds an altar. Then he becomes a pilgrim: he pitches his tent. There too his servants dig a well, which shows that blessing is always in proportion to how far we accept the truth of our calling. Then, what is more, the Philistines come and submit to him. They feared the man who was walking apart and enjoying the favour of God.

Notice, it was not just the Lord's blessing, but the Lord Himself. And why? Because Isaac had left behind the Philistines and all their envy, strife, and contention. He had gone up to Beersheba. Here the Lord could show Himself to His servant. His generous hand might follow him during his stay in Gerar, but His presence could not be enjoyed there. To enjoy God's presence, we must be where He is. We will not find Him in the strife and contention of a godless world.

But only then did the Lord appear to him again (v. 24), because Beersheba means "well of the oath." The name shows that Isaac was learning to depend on the oath God had made to Abraham and himself. God reminds him that He is the God of Abraham his father. He assures Isaac that He is with him, that He will bless him, and that He will multiply his descendants for Abraham's sake. How often did the Lord remind Abraham, Isaac and Jacob of this absolute, unconditional promise! But we too easily forget what God Himself has purposed concerning us, and we need as many reminders as they.

This word "Fear not" comes again and again. It is the assurance of the believer left alone in difficulty, in distress, and under the world's hatred. Abraham, Hagar, and Isaac are examples (Gen. 15:1; Gen. 21:17; Gen. 26:24). A persecuted priest (1 Sam. 22:23) and Mephibosheth (2 Sam. 9:7) hear it from the mouth of David, the Lord's anointed, with whom they sought refuge. A poor Sidonian widow, ready to give up, receives it from the lips of the prophet.

He might have argued for possession of the wells, but he chose to trust the word of promise. The wells, and indeed the whole country, were his by God's gift. But he, like Abraham, had to live as a pilgrim and wait for God's time to possess them. Now at Beersheba he has his altar, God gives water, and confirms His promise. Still it is "for my servant Abraham's sake." How prominent the place given to Abraham!

How precious to the soul, when the brightest hopes of covenant blessing stand written out in full! They rest on the sure ground of the Lord's own faithfulness to His own promises and to Himself. What safety and peace the heavenly people know now! We read the unfolding steps of a Father's love toward us: "For all the promises of God find their Yes in him."

Notice the progress in Isaac's soul, and the moral effect of his course. "He went up from there," "The Lord appeared to him," "he built an altar," "he called upon the name of the Lord," "he pitched his tent," "his servants dug a well." Here we have most blessed progress. The moment he took a step in the right direction, he went from strength to strength. He entered into the joy of God's presence. He tasted the sweetness of true worship. He showed the character of a stranger and pilgrim. He found peaceful refreshment — an undisputed well, which the Philistines could not stop, because they were not there.

Note, it was not merely the Lord's blessing, but the Lord Himself. And why? Because Isaac had left the Philistines behind, with all their envy, strife and quarrelling, and had gone up to Beersheba. Here the Lord could show Himself to His servant. His generous hand might follow him during his stay in Gerar, but he could not enjoy His presence there. To enjoy God's presence, we must be where He is. We will not find Him in the middle of the strife of an ungodly world.

Isaac's response to God's word is good. He built an altar there (v. 25). Of course this was for offering sacrifices. They tell us of his appreciation of Christ and the value of His great sacrifice at Calvary. Isaac did not fully understand this. But he did know that only a blood sacrifice was acceptable to God, so that God could accept Isaac. God's promise was therefore on the basis of the value of the sacrifice of His beloved Son. The altar shows Isaac's relationship to God. His tent (as with Abraham) speaks of his relationship toward the world — a pilgrim passing through. In the same place Isaac's servants dug a well. That well speaks of the refreshment of the word of God, energised by the Spirit of God.

He moves from there to Beersheba, which recalls the blessing of Abraham's days (Genesis 21). There the Lord appears to him at once ("the same night") and confirms His promises. As a result Isaac becomes a worshipper (he builds an altar), and then a pilgrim (he pitches his tent). There too his servants dig a well, which shows that blessing is always in proportion to our acceptance of the truth of our calling.

Their tents showed that they were strangers here, belonging to heaven. Their altars spoke of their worship, their true worship, because they raised their altar to Him who had appeared to them. They did not try to work God out by their own cleverness and then worship Him by the light of their own ideas... they knew God and worshipped God only according to His revelation of Himself. So it was not an altar "to the unknown God" at which they served; they worshipped in truth.

Notice the progress in Isaac's soul, and the moral effect of his course. "He went up from there," "The Lord appeared to him," "he built an altar," "he called upon the name of the Lord," "he pitched his tent," "his servants dug a well." Here is most blessed progress. The moment he took a step in the right direction, he went from strength to strength. He entered into the joy of God's presence. He tasted the sweetness of true worship. He showed the character of a stranger and pilgrim. And he found peaceful refreshment — an undisputed well. The Philistines could not stop it, because they were not there.

Patience had a perfect work with Isaac. If the old wells were stopped up out of spite, and the new ones stirred up envy and ill-will, he did not contend. There was no hostility on his side. He moved on when the ruler told him to. At last a well was found further out, and the opposing herdsmen did not fight over it. Yet from there, promising as it looked, he went up to Beersheba.

Nothing convinces another of power so much as seeing it at work in someone. In Genesis 26 Isaac pulled right out of the land of the Philistines. Then the king acknowledged his superiority. It is always so. If I see that you can give up the world and its refinements, my conscience must tell me that something mighty is there.

Isaac's prosperity made the Philistine king Abimelech and his officers wonder whether Isaac might threaten their freedom or their independence. When they come to him, Isaac is puzzled. They had earlier asked him to leave, and he thought they hated him. In fact they were more afraid than they were hateful.

But notice the cool assurance of the Philistine — "We have done you nothing but good!" And this after they had driven him away! To do all the evil they can, and then say they have done good, is the Philistine character. The race is not extinct. In fact Abimelech was afraid of Isaac. The world, in any form, is secretly conscious of the saints' superiority.

The true way to reach the hearts and consciences of worldly men is this: stand in clear separation from them, while treating them with perfect grace. As long as Isaac continued in Gerar, there was nothing but strife and contention. He was reaping sorrow for himself, and producing no effect at all on those around him. On the contrary, the moment he went away from them, their hearts were touched, and they followed him, and wanted a covenant.

Nothing convinces another person of power like seeing that power at work in the one who has it. Only when Isaac fully withdrew from the land of the Philistines did the king admit that Isaac was greater. It is always so. If I see that you can give up the world and its finer things, my conscience must tell me that something mighty is there.

Little does Abimelech know the value and meaning of these pledges and blessings between the Lord and His typical heir... but the outward eye can see who the man is on whom the favour of God rests... This part of the history has great prophetic interest. The Gentiles are to be blessed through Israel, and will be so in the coming millennial times. "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people." Or, as Zechariah says, "Thus says the LORD of hosts: In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, 'Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.'"

Patience had a perfect work with Isaac. The old wells were stopped up out of spite. The new ones he found stirred up envy and ill-will. Still he did not fight back. There was no hostility on his side. He left when the ruler told him to. At last a well was found further off, and the opposing herdsmen did not fight over it.

We ought to forgive, even seventy times seven in a day. But there must also be faithfulness in its season — faithfulness as well as forgiveness. "If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him." But Isaac was not quite up to this sturdier virtue. He complains to Abimelech, but in such soft and easy terms that it seems to carry no authority to the conscience... he was not convicted by Isaac, but went home with his friends at peace with himself as well as with Isaac.

The king himself comes to Isaac with his friend and his chief captain — not Isaac to them. When he challenges them, they admit that they saw plainly that the LORD was with Isaac. They ask for an oath and a covenant that he would do them no harm, though they explained away their own shabby behaviour. "You are now the blessed of the LORD." Yes, this is exactly Isaac's position, with the Philistines themselves as the judges.

God's blessing on His own people was plain to see. It stirred up ill-will, as it always does, in people who are not His but push their way into the privileges of those who are. Their envy showed itself: they blocked up all the wells Abraham's servants had dug, and in the end they drove Isaac out from among them. The hostility of people who only claim to believe pushes His people onto the path of separation. How often the Lord uses that to secure a richer blessing for them.

Patience did its full work in Isaac. If the Philistines blocked up the old wells out of spite, if the new ones he found stirred envy and ill-will, he did not fight over them. There was no hostility on his side. He moved on when the ruler told him to. At last he found a well further out that the opposing herdsmen did not fight for. Yet from there, promising as it looked, he went up to Beersheba.

There is one true way to reach the hearts and consciences of worldly people. Stand in clear separation from them, while treating them with complete grace. As long as Isaac stayed in Gerar there was nothing but strife and argument. He was reaping sorrow for himself and having no effect at all on those around him. The moment he moved away from them, it touched their hearts. They followed him, and they wanted a covenant… When we are right with God, we may expect to have a healthy effect on people. The moment Isaac reached Beersheba and took his place as a worshipper, his own soul was refreshed, and God used him to affect others.

But notice the cool self-assurance of the Philistine — "We have done you nothing but good!" And this after they had driven him away! To do all the harm they can, and then say they have done good, is the Philistine character. The line has not died out. In fact Abimelech was afraid of Isaac. The world, in whatever form, is secretly aware that the saints are above it. This only sharpens its hatred.

Abimelech knows little of the value and meaning of these pledges and blessings between the Lord and His heir… but the outward eye can see who the man is on whom God's favour rests… This part of the history matters greatly for prophecy. The nations are to be blessed through Israel, and they will be in the days to come. "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people." Zechariah says the same thing another way. Ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, "Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you."

The true way to work on the hearts and consciences of the men of the world is to stand in clear separation from them. At the same time, treat them with perfect grace. As long as Isaac stayed in Gerar, there was nothing but strife and contention. He was reaping sorrow for himself and having no effect at all on those around him. But the moment he went away from them, their hearts were touched, and they followed him and asked for a covenant... When we are right with God, we can expect to do people good. The moment Isaac went up to Beersheba and took his place as a worshipper, his own soul was refreshed, and God used him to reach others.

There, on the blessing of God, the hostile world, which had just driven him out, now seeks his favour and alliance... Then the world is glad to come and own that the Lord is with him, humbly submitting itself to the one it now owns as "the blessed of the LORD." The world never owned this while he was inside its borders.

At Beersheba, God appears to him once more, and blesses him. The Philistines make a covenant with him here. They own that Jehovah — not just God, as in Abraham's case — is with him in all he does.

The king himself, with his friend and chief captain, seeks Isaac — not Isaac them. When he challenges them, they admit they saw plainly that Jehovah was with Isaac. They ask for an oath and a covenant that he would do them no harm — though they explained away their own shabby behaviour. "You are now the blessed of the LORD." Yes, this is exactly Isaac's position, with the Philistines themselves as judges. They came and paid homage at his feet, and acknowledged that Jehovah loved him.

They tell him that they see plainly that the Lord is with him, of course because of his prosperity. They knew well that if a man has power in his hand, he may often use it to oppress others... It is too bad that an unbeliever has to ask a believer for a promise that he will not harm him. Our character as believers should make an unbeliever fully confident that we would do him good and not harm.

They now wanted an oath and a covenant of peace between them, and this was established. Isaac could now continue his pilgrim way without more interference from the Philistines. We can see how his course illustrates the instructions of Romans 12:17-19. Isaac had not repaid evil for evil, nor tried to avenge himself. As far as it was in his power, he had lived at peace with all men. May the same spirit be ours as we go through the world.

Abimelech knows little of the value and meaning of these pledges and blessings between the Lord and His heir... But the outward eye can see who the man is on whom the favour of God rests... This part of the history is of great prophetic interest. The Gentiles are to be blessed through Israel, and they will be in the coming days... "In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, 'Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.'"

The very king with his friend and chief captain seek Isaac, not he them. When he objects, they admit that they saw plainly that Jehovah was with Isaac. They ask for an oath and covenant that he would do them no harm, though they explained away their own shabby conduct. "You are now the blessed of the LORD." Yes, this is exactly Isaac's position, and the Philistines themselves are the judges. They came and paid homage at his feet, and acknowledged that Jehovah loved him.

But notice the cool assurance of the Philistine — "We have done to you nothing but good!" And this after they had driven him away! To do all the evil they can, and then say they have done good, is the Philistine character. The race is not extinct. In fact Abimelech was afraid of Isaac. The world, in any form, is secretly conscious of the saints' superiority. This only intensifies its hatred.

Nothing so convinces another of power as seeing its action in oneself. When Isaac (in Genesis 26) completely withdrew from the land of the Philistines, THEN the king owned his superiority. So it always is. If I see that you can give up the world and its refinements, my conscience must tell me that there is something mighty there.

He submitted and moved to Beersheba. He was now again in the truth of his calling, within the limits of the land of promise. There the Lord appeared to him again, and told him not to fear; He would bless him for his father Abraham's sake. So he was now in the true place of moral superiority, in the place of his calling. He had no disputes with the nations, and they acknowledged him as the blessed of the Lord — surely a word for those today who live with one foot in the world.

They tell him that they see plainly that the Lord is with him, of course because of his prosperity. They knew well that if a man has power in his hand, he may often use it to oppress others. Sad to say, even believers are not exempt from this danger, as we see in some of Judah's kings, including Solomon (1 Kings 11:6; 1 Kings 12:4). It is too bad that an unbeliever must ask a believer to promise that he will not harm him. Our character as believers should be such that an unbeliever would have full confidence that we would do him good rather than harm.

They now wished for an oath and a covenant of peace between them, and they made it. Isaac could now continue his pilgrim way with no more trouble from the Philistines. We can see how his course illustrates the instructions of Romans 12:17-19. Isaac had not repaid evil for evil, nor sought to avenge himself. As far as he could, he had lived at peace with all men. May the same spirit be ours as we go through the world.

This part of the history is of great prophetic interest. The Gentiles are to be blessed through Israel, and they will be in the coming millennial times. "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people." Or, as Zechariah says: "In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, 'Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.'"

The king himself, with his friend and his chief captain, seek out Isaac — not Isaac them. When he objects, they admit that they saw plainly that Jehovah was with Isaac. They ask for an oath and covenant that he will do them no harm, though they explained away their own shabby conduct. "You are now blessed of Jehovah." Yes, this is exactly Isaac's position, and the Philistines themselves are the judges of it. They came and paid homage at his feet, and acknowledged that Jehovah loved him. And as a prince he treated them to a feast and gave them the pledges they sought. He did desire their blessing. One day that will be fully true in the Promised Seed for all the nations of the earth.

There is always room, together with blessing, for the people of God in the place of separation... The result is that Isaac becomes a worshipper: he builds an altar. Then he becomes a pilgrim: he pitches his tent. There too his servants dig a well. This shows that blessing is always in proportion to our acceptance of the truth of our calling. What is more, the Philistines come and submit themselves to him. They feared the man who was walking apart and enjoying the favour of God.

Once someone points it out, we cannot help seeing it. Isaac truly pictures the part of the Christian who is not of the world, just as Christ is not of the world. He does not resist evil. Struck on the right cheek, he offers the other as well. He does not fight for the goods others took from him. When someone takes his cloak, he will not even fight for his coat. Neither Abraham nor Jacob faced a trial like this, and their patience did not shine so brightly. The one fought for Lot, the other for himself — but Isaac never did... Christ was the perfect example.

They now wished that there should be an oath and a covenant of peace between them, and this was established. Isaac could now continue his pilgrim way. The Philistines interfered no more. We can see how his course illustrates the instructions of Romans 12:17-19. Isaac had not repaid evil for evil. He had not tried to avenge himself. As far as it lay in his power, he had lived at peace with all men. May the same spirit be ours as we go through the world.

We ought to forgive, even seventy times seven a day. But along with that there is to be faithfulness in its season — faithfulness as well as forgiveness... He shakes hands readily, and I may say heartily. He makes a feast for the king of Gerar and sends him away as his ally. Yet he never brings the king to admit the wrong his people had done. And they had done it to the very man whose friendship he was now seeking and getting.

Abraham meets him in as noble a spirit of forgiveness as Isaac would have shown... But with all this, he rebukes him and makes him feel the rebuke... He will not hide one thing from him. His neighbour may accept him and pardon him, yet his conscience may have a question with him. There are matters between him and the Lord which Abraham's feast and Abraham's friendship could never settle.

Abimelech reminds Isaac that the Philistines had actually been good to him, and asks that Isaac should respond in the same way. Isaac had no reservations about making such a covenant. He makes his visitors a feast, and both sides swear to one another that they will remain peaceful (vv. 30-31).

Patience had a perfect work with Isaac. If the old wells were stopped up out of spite, and the new ones he found stirred up envy and ill-will, he did not fight back. There was no hostility on his side. He moved on when the ruler told him to, until at last he found a well further off that the opposing herdsmen left alone.

They now wanted an oath and a covenant of peace between them, and they made it. Isaac could now continue his pilgrim way without further interference from the Philistines. We can see how his course illustrates the instructions of Romans 12:17-19. Isaac had not repaid evil for evil, nor tried to avenge himself, but as far as it lay in his power he had lived peaceably with all men. May the same spirit be ours as we go through the world.

The true way to reach the hearts and consciences of worldly men is to stand in clear separation from them, while dealing with them in perfect grace. As long as Isaac stayed in Gerar, there was nothing but strife and quarrelling. He was reaping sorrow for himself and having no effect at all on those around him. On the contrary, the moment he moved away from them, their hearts were touched, and they followed him and asked for a covenant... The moment Isaac got up to Beersheba and took his place as a worshipper, his own soul was refreshed, and God used him to affect others.

The king himself, with his friend and chief captain, seek Isaac — he does not seek them. When he objects, they admit that they saw plainly that Jehovah was with Isaac. They ask for an oath and a covenant that he will do them no harm, though they explain away their own shabby conduct. "You are now the blessed of Jehovah." Yes, this is exactly Isaac's position, with the Philistines themselves as the judges. They came and paid homage at his feet, and acknowledged that Jehovah loved him. And like a prince he treated them to a feast and gave the pledges they asked for. He truly wanted their blessing, as will one day be fully true in the Promised Seed for all the nations of the earth.

We ought to forgive, even seventy times seven a day. But along with that there is to be faithfulness in its season — faithfulness as well as forgiveness... He shakes hands readily, and I may say heartily. He makes a feast for the king of Gerar and sends him away as his ally. But he never brings the king to admit the wrong his people had done to the man whose friendship he was now seeking and getting. Isaac never contradicts Abimelech's claim that he had done nothing but good to him the whole time he was in his country. As far as this meeting went, Isaac did not convict the king, who went home with his friends at peace with himself as well as with Isaac.

Patience had a perfect work with Isaac. If the old wells were stopped up out of spite, if the new ones he found stirred up envy and ill-will, he did not contend. There was no hostility on his side. He moved on when the ruler told him to, until at last he found a well further away that the opposing herdsmen did not fight over. Yet he left it, promising as it looked, and went up to Beersheba. There the LORD appeared to him again "the same night," and told him, "Fear not." His presence and blessing were assured for Abraham's sake. And there a fresh spring was dug, where he raised an altar and pitched his tent.

They called the well Shebah, meaning "oath," and the place was therefore called Beersheba (v. 33). But this must have confirmed a name the place already had. Abraham and Abimelech had made a covenant at Beersheba, and named it this because of their oath (Gen. 21:31-32). These two covenants — Abraham with Abimelech, and Isaac with Abimelech — were the occasion of the well receiving its name. But the name is a symbol of the far greater covenant that God made with Abraham and confirmed to Isaac.

And there, because of the blessing of God, the hostile world that had just driven him out now seeks his favour and alliance… The same day, the Lord gave them that water, freshly dug. That well had been to Abraham the seal and occasion of the testimony of what belonged to him. It was there that he had called on the name of the Lord, the everlasting God.

Notice the progress in Isaac's soul, and the moral effect of his course. "From there he went up," "the LORD appeared to him," "he built an altar," "he called upon the name of the LORD," "he pitched his tent," "his servants dug a well." Here we have most blessed progress. The moment he took a step in the right direction, he went from strength to strength. He entered into the joy of God's presence. He tasted the sweetness of true worship and showed the character of a stranger and pilgrim. And he found peaceful refreshment — an undisputed well, which the Philistines could not stop because they were not there.

The true way to reach the hearts and consciences of the men of the world is to stand in decided separation from them, while dealing in perfect grace towards them.

How fitting that these two beautiful pictures of what our Lord Jesus Christ is — to God and to man — should rest together, side by side, at the close of the pilgrim's journey! As in the wilderness the rock followed Israel with its ever-flowing springs of refreshment, so here we trace the ministry of the well from stage to stage of the journey. It begins at Lahai-roi, where the helpless and despairing sinner found that "You are a God of seeing." It goes on through hostility and hatred, until the journey reaches the border of Canaan. At Beersheba, beside the well of "the oath," it ends. The altar is set up beside the last and permanent well — the wicked cease from troubling and the weary are at rest.

This name means well of the oath. It was given to the place where Abraham and Abimelech made a covenant not to trouble each other, and confirmed it by an oath. It afterwards became the dwelling place of Abraham and of Isaac, who also dug a well there, and a city is spoken of as bearing the same name… After the land was settled, Scripture keeps pointing to it as the most southern part of the land they held, just as it points to Dan as the most northern. So "from Dan to Beersheba" was the common expression for the whole territory even in the days of Solomon.

The name of "Beersheba" was confirmed by Isaac when he also established by oath his boundaries there with Abimelech, as Abraham had done. This was the boundary line, so the agreement was repeated, and both agreements gave it this name. There is not the smallest ground here for supposing that the writer overlooked some other document. The text says (Gen. 26:18), "And Isaac dug again the wells of water which they had dug in the days of Abraham his father; for the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham. And he called them by the names his father had given them." Then it goes on to give a further personal reason why the last well had the same name.

The king himself comes to Isaac with his friend and chief captain — Isaac does not go to them. When Isaac objects, they admit they saw clearly that Jehovah was with him, and they ask for an oath and covenant that he will do them no harm… "You are now blessed of Jehovah." Yes, this is Isaac's position exactly, with the Philistines themselves as judges. They came and paid homage at his feet, and acknowledged that Jehovah loved him… And "the same day" a new well was found, which he called Shebah, and renewed the name of the old city next to it.

Driven further and further away, he dug another well, "and for that they did not quarrel." He named it Rehoboth, because the Lord had made room for him… There is always room, together with blessing, for the people of God in the place of separation. Then he moves to Beersheba… and there the Lord appears to him at once ("the same night") and confirms His promises. The result is that Isaac becomes a worshipper: he builds an altar. Then he becomes a pilgrim: he pitches his tent. There also his servants dig a well — a sign that blessing is always in proportion to our acceptance of the truth of our calling.

They called the well Shebah, meaning "oath," and so the place was called Beersheba… These two covenants (between Abraham and Abimelech, and between Isaac and Abimelech) were the occasion of the well receiving its name. But it is symbolical of the far greater covenant that God made with Abraham and confirmed to Isaac.

This is "the well of the oath," and so it speaks of living in the calm confidence of the faithfulness of God's sworn promise.

The wells Isaac dug were wells of running, living water, not mere man-made cisterns. In Genesis 26 we read, "And Isaac's servants dug in the valley, and found there a well of springing water." Should not all the children of God want to live beside such wells? There we see not only our own energy, but much more, the energy of the Spirit of God… May not, and should not, every one of God's Isaacs be, in his measure and way, a well-digger?

First, as a preface to the setting aside of Esau, we are told of his marriage, at forty years old, at once to two Canaanite wives. This is the natural sequel of a profanity which could value his birthright at a bowl of stew. These "forty years" are a significant hint to us of completed probation. In his two wives, married at once, he refuses at once the example and counsel of his father, and by his union with Canaanite women disregards the divine sentence, and shows unmistakably the innermost recesses of the heart.

Esau established the most intimate connection, that of marriage, with two Hittite women. He thus brushed aside the thought of taking a wife from their own kindred, and linked himself with the people of the land whose sin was rising until their judgment fell some three to four hundred years later. Previously he had despised the birthright, now he despised a restriction that had divine sanction. The call of God was nothing to him. It was a grief of mind to his parents and a challenging of the purpose of God.

When Esau was 40 years of age (that is, the age of normal discretion) he took as wife (a deliberate selection) Judith… They were a grief of mind (margin: "bitterness or sorrow") to his parents… In his second selection Esau came near to the right line, but stopped short of the mind of God for the descendants of Abraham, the friend of God. How often intimate ties are formed by Christians with those who are outwardly connected with Christian profession, but who prove to be no different from the world.

Esau not only had disposed of his birthright, but he had socially disqualified himself from being heir by marrying a Canaanite. This being known to Isaac is, as we read, a "grief of mind" to him. Yet even this did not displace Esau from that place in his father's affections which he had held for so many years.

But he is seriously careless in this matter, compared with his father… He does not watch over his children's ways, to head off trouble, as Abraham had done. Esau his son marries a daughter of the Hittites. Isaac and Rebekah are grieved at this, it is true; for they had righteous souls which knew how to be "vexed" with this; but then, it was their carelessness which had brought this trouble upon them.

Isaac had received a wife from the family of Abraham, for God's promise was connected with that line, the line of faith. Esau took two wives, both from the Hittites, the children of Heth, which means "fear", a picture of people who live in fear of death rather than by faith… But mixed marriages have been a source of great trouble throughout history. Esau's marriages therefore were a grief of mind to his parents. May every believer pay closest attention to the serious warning of 2 Corinthians 6:14 to 18, which begins, "Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers."

Verses 34 and 35 reveal a bitter sorrow in sad contrast. Despising his birthright was not enough for him. This unholy man took two daughters of Heth as wives when he was fully grown, and both his parents grieved. Was this a man to receive or value the blessing of Jehovah? It was He who was dishonoured most by such a marriage, to say nothing of the family.

These "forty years" are a significant hint to us of completed probation. By marrying two wives at once, he refuses both the example and the advice of his father. By joining himself to Canaanite women, he disregards God's sentence. The choice shows plainly what lies deepest in his heart. It is a sign of the times that so little is thought of the character of man's associations. In truth, nothing gives us our character so much. To say of Enoch, or of Noah, that "he walked with God" describes the man fully in the fewest words. Can choosing to keep company with His enemies fit any real desire for such a walk? Esau's Canaanite wives set him aside at last from the blessing, and the next chapter shows that blessing going to Jacob.

Abraham sends a trusted servant far away to get a wife "in the Lord" for his son. Eliezer goes on that errand with a ready mind. Isaac waits in patience for the outcome. He seeks no alliance with the people nearer at hand. Though sad and lonely, he keeps himself for the wife the Lord has appointed. He might have got a daughter of Canaan; but he endured.

Isaac in his turn and generation becomes the head of the family. But compared with his father he is badly careless here, as the close of chapter 26 shows us. He does not watch over his children's ways to head off trouble, as Abraham had done. Esau his son marries a daughter of the Hittites. Isaac and Rebekah grieve over it, it is true. They had righteous souls that knew how to be "vexed" by such a thing. But their own carelessness had brought that grief on them.

She tells Isaac she is tired of living because of the daughters of Heth, two of whom Esau had married. They evidently continued to be "a grief of mind" to her. How many Christian mothers since then have had deep sorrow over their children being married to unbelievers!

Esau took two wives, both from the Hittites, the children of Heth, which means "fear," typical of those who live in fear of death rather than by faith. Compare Hebrews 2:15, which speaks of those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. How dishonoring to God it is to mix His promise with the fear of death! But mixed marriages have been a source of great trouble throughout history. Every believer should give closest attention to the serious warning of 2 Corinthians 6:14-18. It begins, "Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers."