Title: Entering a New World of Excavation
Bible Book: Genesis 25
Author: David E. Owen
Subject: Christian Living; Isaac; Spiritual Growth
Objective:
Introduction
Text: Genesis 25:11; 26:12-35
Introduction: Because we are in a time of transition here at Piney Grove, it has been on my heart in these Sunday morning services to preach on some of the various texts of transition that we find in the Bible. These transitional situations all involve the idea of changing worlds, of moving from one arena to another. I've been building on something that I heard a preacher say some years ago. The statement that he made was this: "Whenever you come to water in the Bible, there is a changing of worlds." And we find several transitional situations in the Bible based on those criteria.
We waded into the waters of the Jordan River in John 3 and verses 22 thru 30, where there was a transition that was taking place as Jesus' public ministry began to gain popularity while the ministry of John the Baptist was moving towards increased obscurity and increased opposition with Herod. And my subject was "Entering A New World Of Experience." We watched the watery mass of primeval creation in Genesis 1 and verses 1 thru 13 where the Spirit of God moved and God spoke and transitioned and transformed darkness into light, and disorder into logic, and destitution into life. We likened this process to salvation, and my subject was "Entering A New World Of Existence."
This morning, I want us to walk with Isaac to some of the wells of water that are associated with his life, particularly in Genesis chapters 25 and 26. In fact, these wells are such a significant aspect in Isaac's life that one preacher had a sermon entitled "Well, Well, Well, Isaac."
These wells that we find in the scriptures were pits or deep holes or shafts created by digging in the earth to find an available source of water. John Laughlin wrote in the Holman's Bible Dictionary that, "In the semi-arid (dry) climate of ancient Israel, the availability of water was a constant concern." I mean they couldn't go to the water fountain for a cool sip of refreshing water. They couldn't go to the kitchen sink to wash their hands or the bathroom sink to brush their teeth. They depended upon streams and rivers and lakes; and where none of those existed they would have to dig a well.
John Laughlin goes on to say, "The digging of a well could be a time for celebration (Numbers 21:17-18), but wells were also fought over as different people tried to control the precious resource (Genesis 21:25-26; 26:15-22; Exodus 2:16-17). Wells were located wherever a water source could be found. (And) this included fields (Genesis 29:2), towns (2 Samuel 23:15), and the wilderness (Genesis 16:7, 14)."
He said, "The Hebrew word most commonly translated 'well' is beer." But this is not the vile liquid of intoxication. No, Bud would be a lot wiser if he would stay away from that! Rather, the word "beer" in the Bible is the vital location of invigoration, where water would be found. A beer in the Bible is a well of water. This word beer occurs within the names of several place names that indicate the location of important wells. For example, there is Beer-lahai-roi (which means the well of the one who lives and sees), and it is first seen in Genesis 16:14. There is Beersheba (which means the well of an oath), and it is first seen in Genesis 21:31. There is Beer-elim (which means the well of the strong and mighty ones), and it is first seen in Isaiah 15:8.
Genesis 26 reveals that Isaac was very involved in the digging of wells. Warren Wiersbe said that "wells of water speak of the divine resources of God for the spiritual life." And I am very interested in the digging of some spiritual wells in our personal and church experience. So this morning, I want to talk about digging wells, or "Entering A New World Of Excavation."
In Genesis 24 and 25, we find Isaac living near the well Lahai-roi (24:62, 25:11). Then in Genesis 26, because of famine, he goes to the land of the Philistines, to Gerar where he sojourns for a time.
Isaac seems to be in sort of a Comfort Zone during this time of his life. And throughout these experiences we see The Diversity In Isaac's Life.
In Genesis 26:16, Isaac is forced to move out of the comfort zone, and he has to go to the valley of Gerar where he must re-dig and reclaim some of the wells that belonged to his father. It is also here that he digs other wells and then must fight to keep them. [And it seems that every generation that moves forward (26:13) with God must go through this process (see Genesis 21:25-30).]
There is a transition in which Isaac seems to have moved into the Conflict Zone during this time period.
And throughout these experiences we see The Digging In Isaac's Life.
In Genesis 26:23, Isaac moves on to Beersheba which means the well of an oath, or the well of a covenant. And it is here that the Abrahamic Covenant is confirmed to Isaac in a further way. It is also here that Isaac enters into an oath and a treaty of peace with Abimelech the king of the Philistines.
Here is another transition in which Isaac seems to have arrived at the Covenant Zone during this time.
And throughout these experiences we see some of The Decisions In Isaac's Life. First, let's go to the well at Lahai-roi and then on to Gerar and...
I. Let's Notice Some Of The Diversity In Isaac's Life
A. We See That Isaac Has Experienced Some Blessings In His Life
1. There Was The Blessing Of Marriage
(And by the way, Abraham's servant found a wife for Isaac at a well according to Genesis chapter 24- 24:11,13,16,20,29,30,42,43,45)
(Genesis 24:62-67) "And Isaac came from the way of the well Lahairoi; for he dwelt in the south country. {63} And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels were coming. {64} And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel. {65} For she had said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, It is my master: therefore she took a veil, and covered herself. {66} And the servant told Isaac all things that he had done. {67} And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death."
(Genesis 25:20) "And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to be his wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padanaram, the sister to Laban the Syrian."
2. There Was The Blessing Of Multiplication
(Genesis 25:11) "And it came to pass after the death of Abraham, that God blessed his son Isaac; and Isaac dwelt by the well Lahairoi." [I think this somewhat ironic, since the first mention of the well at Lahairoi is in Genesis 16 when Hagar fled there after she conceived Ishmael.]
(Genesis 25:21) "And Isaac entreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the
LORD was entreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived."
(Genesis 25:24-26) "And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. {25} And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau.
{26} And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them."
B. We See That Isaac Has Experienced Some Burdens In His Life
1. He Had To Deal With The Burden Of Fighting
(The Squabbling In His Family) Genesis 25:24-34
2. He Had To Deal With The Burden Of Famine
(The Shortage In His Food) Genesis 26:1, "And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar."
"Gerar" has a couple of Possible meanings: one is "a lodging place," the other is "a rough and rolling country."
C. We See That Isaac Has Experienced Some Battles In His Life
1. Let's Consider His Battle With Self
(Genesis 26:6-7) "And Isaac dwelt in Gerar: {7} And the men of the place asked him of his wife; and he said, She is my sister: for he feared to say, She is my wife; lest, said he, the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah; because she was fair to look upon."
Nearly 100 years earlier, Isaac's father had done the same thing and told the same lie ... before Isaac was even born.
(Genesis 20:1-2) "And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar. {2} And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah."
2. Let's Consider His Battle With Society
(Genesis 26:12-16) "Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold (which is amazing considering they were in a time of famine): and the LORD blessed him. {13} And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great: {14} For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him. {15} For all the wells which his father's servants had digged in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped them, and filled them with earth. {16} And Abimelech said unto Isaac, Go from us; for thou art much mightier than we."
"Philistine spirits envy all increase of good to the Church of God." (G. Hughes from The Biblical Illustrator)
Next, let's go to the valley (to a low place) of Gerar and...
II. Let's Notice Some Of The Digging In Isaac's Life
(Genesis 26:16-22)
A. Isaac Excavated The Wells Of Old
(Genesis 26:18) "And Isaac digged again the wells of water, which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father; for the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham: and he called their names after the names by which his father had called them."
1. Think About The Envy That Led To The Closing Of These Wells
(Genesis 26:14-15) "For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him. {15} For all the wells which his father's servants had digged in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped them, and filled them with earth."
"stopped" - Hebrew 5640.--catham, a primary root word that means to stop up. Figuratively it means to keep secret. It also has the idea of being closed up, or hidden, or shut out.
These ancient wells of water were surrounded by walls of rock. This wall of rock was covered up with a great slab. In the center of the slab there was a hole, through which the leathern bottle or earthen jar was let down. This opening was covered by a stone. It was considered one of the greatest calamities that could happen to a nation when these wells of water were stopped. (Dr. Talmadge from The Biblical Illustrator)
This word "envy" is the Hebrew term (7065) qana', and it means to be jealous or envious in a bad sense. According to Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, the word suggests, in its most basic sense, the act of advancing one's rights to the exclusion of the rights of others. We think about how foolish it was to fill up a well in a place where water was such a valuable commodity. But the attitude of the Philistines was: "Isaac doesn't deserve these sources of refreshing. And if we can't have them, nobody can."
2. Think About The Effort That Led To The Clearing Of These Wells
(Genesis 26:18) "And Isaac digged again the wells of water, which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father; for the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham: and he called their names after the names by which his father had called them."
"digged" - Hebrew 2658. --chaphar, means to pry into; by implication it means to delve, to explore: -- dig, paw, search out, seek.
Abraham had dug these wells, but the enemy had either stolen them or stopped them up. How true this is today. The spiritual wells at which our fathers drank have been taken from us by the world.
How we need to get back to the old wells (such as prayer, the Bible, the family altar, the church). Isaac not only opened them again, but he called them by the same names that Abraham had used (v. 18). (Warren Wiersbe)
In our searches after truth...it is good to make use of the discoveries of former ages, which have been clouded by the corruptions of later times. Enquire for the old way, the wells which our fathers digged, which the adversaries of truth have stopped up. (Matthew Henry)
It took the same type of labor to re-dig the wells as it had taken to dig them originally. Digging wells and sources of spiritual refreshing doesn't come easy. And when the wells have been reopened, we don't have to modify and modernize what we call it to get people to drink the water. Just use the old names, and if folks are thirsty, then they will drink.
B. Isaac Excavated The Wells Of Opposition
1. One Well Reminds Us Of The Hoggish Claims Of Opposition
(Genesis 26:19-20) "And Isaac's servants digged in the valley, and found there a well of springing water. {20} And the herdmen of Gerar did strive with Isaac's herdmen, saying, The water is ours: and he called the name of the well Esek; because they strove with him."
These herdmen of Gerar were like a bunch of little kids arguing over something, saying "Mine!" "Esek"- [Hebrew 'eseq] ay'-sek; means strife, contention.
If faith and the Word takes time from flesh and the world, the flesh says "Mine!"
2. One Well Reminds Us Of The Hostile Character Of Opposition
(Genesis 26:21) "And they digged another well, and strove for that also: and he called the name of it Sitnah."
"Sitnah" - [Hebrew sitnah] sit-naw'; strife, opposition.
OT:7856 proper name meaning hostility (from Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon)
C. Isaac Excavated The Well Of Optimism
(Genesis 26:22) "And he removed from thence, and digged another well; and for that they strove not: and he called the name of it Rehoboth; and he said, For now the Lord hath made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land."
"Rehoboth" - [Hebrew Rechobowth], rekh-o-both'; or Rechoboth; wide places, avenues, or streets.
1. Isaac Believed They Had Come To A Broad Pasture Land
"...the Lord hath made room for us" (v. 22).
For so the word "room" (OT:7337) indicates - a broad, roomy, pasture (Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon)
2. Isaac Believed They Had Come To A Bountiful Productive Land
"...we shall be fruitful in the land" (v. 22)
"Fruitful" (OT:6509) speaks of the fruitfulness of men and animals (Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew) Numerical growth
Finally, let's go to Beersheba and...
III. Let's Notice Some Of The Decisions In Isaac's Life
(Genesis 26:23) "And he went up from thence to Beersheba."
A. We Find His Decision In Relationship To God
(Genesis 26:23-25) "And he went up from thence to Beersheba. {24} And the Lord appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake. {25} And he builded an altar there, and called upon the name of the LORD, and pitched his tent there: and there Isaac's servants digged a well."
[If you come to a place of numerical growth like Rehoboth, then you better go to a Beersheba where your relationship with God can be refreshed. Otherwise, our priorities can become distorted.]
His fears are calmed at Beersheba. His faith is challenged at Beersheba.
1. He Decides To Make This A Devotional Place
(Genesis 26:25) "And he builded an altar there, and called upon the name of the Lord, and pitched his tent there: and there Isaac's servants digged a well."
(Genesis 21:33) "And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the Lord, the everlasting God."
Abraham had planted a grove there, but Isaac built an altar there. This altar was a place of sacrifice and a place of supplication.
2. He Decided To Make This A Dwelling Place
"...and pitched his tent there," (v. 25).
It's interesting to note that there are only two altars in Isaac's life. One was on Mount Moriah in Genesis 22 (an altar of substitution), and one was in Beersheba (an altar of sanctification). And after both of these altar experiences, Isaac lived at Beersheba, which means the well of the oath or covenant. May we also dwell in the place of covenant blessings.
(Genesis 22:19) "So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba."
B. We Find His Decision In Relationship To Gerar
1. Consider The Individuals That Came To Isaac
(Genesis 26:26) "Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath one of his friends, and Phichol the chief captain of his army."
---Here you have the Mighty Man - Abimilech (whose name or title means "father king" or "father of the king")
---Here you have the Money Man - Ahuzzath (who was probably the prime minister, whose name means "possession")
---Here you have the Mouthy Man - Phichol (whose name or title means "mouth of all")
2. Consider The Indications Of Compassion From Isaac
(Genesis 26:30-31) "And he made them a feast, and they did eat and drink. (In spite of the fact that they had asked him to leave in verse 16) {31} And they rose up betimes in the morning, and sware one to another: and Isaac sent them away, and they departed from him in peace." There are a few lessons to be learned from this...
(Proverbs 16:7) "When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him."
(Romans 12:18) "If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men."
Isaac seemed to decide here that as long as they didn't give him any problems, he wouldn't give them any problems.
C. We Find His Decision In Relationship To Going
1. There Was A Journey To Beersheba
(Genesis 26:23) "And he went up from thence to Beersheba."
Isaac could have stayed on at Rehoboth as he had stayed at Lahairoi for all those years. But we were told in verse 13 that the man "went forward."
2. There Was A Joy At Beersheba
(Genesis 26:32) "And it came to pass the same day, that Isaac's servants came, and told him concerning the well which they had digged, and said unto him, We have found water."
Of all the wells that they dug in this chapter, this is the only time we find them making this statement. It must have been a joyful occasion.
Conclusion
Brother Pete Stone was a dear old man in a church I pastored some years ago. Brother Pete had a well behind his house that produced an overabundance of water. In fact, it produced so much water that he had to install a system to help regulate the flow.
Most of us don't encounter wells like that in our spiritual lives. We have to dig and explore, and search for the blessings. But it is worth the digging to find a well of springing water!
