Genesis 26:12-14- Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him. And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great: For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him.
Isaac was seeing God's blessing on everything he had. But, some times when God blesses us people get jealous. That's what envy is, it's jealousy. It's wanting what someone else has! Envy is a weird sin. It's one that not everyone can see on the outside, but it makes you feel mad and angry on the inside. It also makes you think things that aren't true and do things that aren't smart!
Genesis 26:15- 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.
The people of the land were destroying the wells. Back in those days, people had to go to wells, which were deep holes dug into the ground, and they had to drop buckets down into them to get their water. They didn't have sinks or faucets like we do. It was a lot of trouble to dig a well!
Why would the Philistines destroy something that could have been a blessing to them? They needed water, too. But, it was envy that made them act in a silly manner.
Genesis 26:16-18- And Abimelech said unto Isaac, Go from us; for thou art much mightier than we. And Isaac departed thence, and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there. 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.
The king of the land asked Isaac to move. Maybe he was also envious?
Isaac wanted peace. He wasn't out to harm anyone. So, he moved along, like the king asked. He moved back to where he grew up as a boy, and digged the wells that he probably helped his father dig as a boy.
But, guess what? Jealousy never goes away. Isaac started to have problems with the people who lived near where he moved.
Genesis 26:19-22- And Isaac's servants digged in the valley, and found there a well of springing water. 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. And they digged another well, and strove for that also: and he called the name of it Sitnah. 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.
Wait a minute! They had destroyed all the wells that were there before, and now they wanted to claim the new ones as their own! Was that fair? No! Some times, jealousy makes people think they deserve things that they don't. Some times, it makes them take things that aren't theirs.
But, Isaac didn't fight. He moved on until he found a place they didn't want to fight over. And guess what? The Lord took notice of his actions.
Genesis 26:23-25- And he went up from thence to Beersheba. 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. 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.
God saw that Isaac was trying to do right, and God came and told him that he would bless him. This is the 2nd time the Bible mentions God talking to Isaac. And Isaac did a very smart thing- he praised God. You should always praise God when you get an answer to prayer.
Another thing about people is that they realize when they make mistakes. Remember the king that sent Isaac away? Well, he was realizing that he was actually better off when Isaac was around! Perhaps he saw that the Lord's blessings helped him out, too, when he was good to Isaac.
Genesis 26:26-29- Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath one of his friends, and Phichol the chief captain of his army. And Isaac said unto them, Wherefore come ye to me, seeing ye hate me, and have sent me away from you? And they said, We saw certainly that the LORD was with thee: and we said, Let there be now an oath betwixt us, even betwixt us and thee, and let us make a covenant with thee; That thou wilt do us no hurt, as we have not touched thee, and as we have done unto thee nothing but good, and have sent thee away in peace: thou art now the blessed of the LORD.
Well, the king showed up asking for a treaty, of a sorts. He wanted Isaac to promise that he wouldn't hurt him or his people. Why? He saw that God was blessing Isaac and that Isaac's family would one day become a strong nation. What do you think Isaac did?
Genesis 26:30-31- And he made them a feast, and they did eat and drink. 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.
They ate! That was their way of saying, "Ok, we can have a treaty."
Genesis 26:32-33- 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. And he called it Shebah: therefore the name of the city is Beersheba unto this day.
Look! Isaac did what was right, and he received another blessing. Did you know that Beersheba is still around today? It is!
But, just because our parents are doing right, doesn't mean that we will. IF we don't have our own relationship with the Lord, we could end up sinning. And that's exactly what Esau did.
You see, Isaac made an agreement with some of the people. But Esau decided to marry some of the people. A people that worshipped false gods. A people who didn't honor or obey the God of Heaven.
Genesis 26:34-35- And Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite: Which were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah.
There are some strange verses in the Bible. One of them says "As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated." Romans 9:13. Why did God hate Esau?
First, because Esau didn't care about the future or doing right. Esau only cared about what he wanted right now! Second, Esau never asked God what His will was. Esau only ever did what Esau wanted to do.
We can bring a lot of consequences on ourselves, not only by being jealous and envious, but also by doing things our way instead of God's way! God's way is slow and it requires patience, but it ends in a blessing!
Our way is quick, but also rebellious, and it ends in a curse!
