As consequence of the lockdown the Church was closed.
The church’s doors were closed before, but the doors to our hearts were always opened. We didn’t stop praying, reading the bible or having our cell meetings on line. We never stopped being a Church!
This period of Lockdown has taught us that we are God’s Church. We are his temple. It doesn’t matter if the physical church is closed, the spiritual church remains alive! Hallelujah! We are alive! We are Jesus’ Church and no one can stop us!
The bible tells us a great story about a guy who never stopped when faced with troubles. Even when he was going through problems, he kept going straight ahead, believing in God and in his promises.
Today we will learn a nice lesson with Isaac.
Let’s read: Genesis: 26:12-22
“Isaac planted crops in that land and the same year reaped a hundredfold, because the Lord blessed him. The man became rich, and his wealth continued to grow until he became very wealthy. He had so many flocks and herds and servants that the Philistines envied him. So all the wells that his father’s servants had dug in the time of his father Abraham, the Philistines stopped up, filling them with earth. Then Abimelek said to Isaac, “Move away from us; you have become too powerful for us.” So Isaac moved away from there and encamped in the Valley of Gerar, where he settled. Isaac reopened the wells that had been dug in the time of his father Abraham, which the Philistines had stopped up after Abraham died, and he gave them the same names his father had given them. Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and discovered a well of fresh water there. But the herders of Gerar quarreled with those of Isaac and said, “The water is ours!” So he named the well Esek, because they disputed with him. Then they dug another well, but they quarreled over that one also; so he named it Sitnah. He moved on from there and dug another well, and no one quarreled over it. He named it Rehoboth, saying, “Now the Lord has given us room and we will flourish in the land.
Genesis 26:12-22
The title of this message is: Digging new wells!
You’re gonna understand how we can dig a new well to our life.
In Genesis 12:10-20, Abraham fled to Egypt when he experienced famine. In Egypt he talked about his wife Sarah as his sister in order to save himself from Pharaoh. Later there is yet another famine in the land and here God appears to Isaac and tells him not to go to Egypt. Instead, God repeats the promises He had made to Abraham and speaks of how he wants to keep these covenants with Isaac. Isaac, just like his father, lies about Rebekah not being his wife causing Abimelech grave concern (Gen 26:1-11).
During this famine, Isaac prospered – Isaac planted crops in the land and in the same year reaped a hundredfold, because the Lord blessed him. 13 The man became rich, and his wealth continued to grow until he became very wealthy, his success caused the Philistines to become jealous, so much so that they plugged up all the wells that Abraham’s servants had dug. Abimelech orders Isaac to move away; this strong language suggest Isaac was driven away forcefully. So, Isaac moves into the valley of Gerar and settles there. This is the beginning of the context for Gen 26.
Re-Opening the Wells
Gen 26:18 shows us the beginning of the re-digging of the wells from Abraham’s day. It is interesting to note that the word for re-opening or digging carries a two-fold meaning; ‘to search out and explore’ and ‘to dig’. In other words, the wells were covered up and needed to be rediscovered before they could be re-dug.
What does it take to reopen the wells of our forefathers? The Philistines plugged the wells with rocks, old wood, dead carcasses and garbage to ruin the well for future use. Isaac and his men would have to remove all the garbage and blockages to make the well fresh once again. Once the well has been cleared the water starts flowing again. The well then becomes clean once again and can be used for drinking and watering land.
Isaac’s servants discover two new wells and dig them out so that they produced fresh water. These new wells are named “Dispute” and “Contention” as the Philistines quarrelled with Isaac (Gen 26:19-22). Eventually Isaac digs a well that no one quarrels over and he names it Rehoboth, saying, “Now the Lord has given us room and we will flourish in the land.”
What can we take from this story?
- Do not repeat the same mistakes as your parents
Abraham lied about his wife while passing through the land of Egypt. He was afraid and lied.
Now, Isaac, Abraham’s son, committed the same mistake. He was afraid, he lied to survive. He didn’t trust God in that situation. He did the same as his father did.
In fearful situations, as an escape route, the easy way is lie or deceive someone in order not to be punished. Abraham and Isaac committed the same mistake.
What are you teaching to your children? Through your actions, you are shaping the character of your child. Watch yourself. What you do today, your children will live it tomorrow.
The bible says:
“The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy.” Proverbs12:22 NIV
God delights in people who speaks the truth.
Today, do not repeat the same mistake as your parents.
So, after Isaac learned with that situation, God blessed him so much that he became wealthy. But the Philistines envied him.
So, all the wells that Abraham’s servants had dug at the time, had been blocked up as the Philistines filled them up with dirt.
Back in the days of Abraham, if you had well, it meant you were rich, because you had water to give your family, animals and plantation. But, the Philistines, out of envy, blocked Abraham’s wells.
After that, Isaac is sent away from that land.
Where did he go?
The bible says: He went to The Valley of Gerar.
Do you know what ‘Valleys’ represent in the bible?
A valley represents a place of suffering, a place where you feel alone, a place where you are tested, a place where you live in darkness…
Isaac was there, in the Valleg of Gerar. And look what he did in The Valley.
Vs 18
“Isaac reopened the wells that had been dug in the time of his father Abraham, which the Philistines had stopped up after Abraham died, and he gave them the same names his father had given them.”
Genesis 26:18 NIV
What a lesson we have here!
Look…when you are in The Valley….
- Pitch your tent in The Valley and Dig a well!
He pitched his tent in the valley and started digging!
Many people when faced with problems, when they go to The Valley, a hard place, they give up. They don’t seek God, They become paralysed before the situation. They stop living.
A valley can be:
Problems at work / Trouble in your married / Sickness / Struggle with money / Church closed….
Many people stopped seeking God because of the lockdown…They became cold before Jesus. We have to pray for them…
But we are learning today that, just like Isaac, if we find ourselves in The Valley, we have to pitch our tent, build a house and dig wells, get water, provide for our house and our family!
The Philistines stuffed the wells, but Isaac re-dug the wells. He never stopped.
We have a new lesson here…
- Rebuild what was frustrated
You had dreams, you had plans to seek God more, to praise Jesus in your Job, you were meant to read the bible every day, you would start a daily devotional with your family, you would start to come to prayer meeting, but the enemy came and stuffed your well. Everything was meant to happen, but suddenly all our plans are frustrated… You find yourself in The Valley.
You are in The Valley. But the fight is not yet finish! You can restart, rebuild what was frustrated. Today, choose to re-dig the wells again.
God is with you! The bible says:
“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
Psalms 23:4
Keep believing in God in The Valley
You are not alone in the Valley. God is there, by your side. You will fear no evil. He is with you. Keep doing your job. Dig the well!
- Dig new wells
Isaac and his servants dug wells but people from that land did not let him use the wells. So, he tried to open another well. Once again, people from the valley did not let him use it. Isaac didn’t stop. He kept trying to open new wells to feed his family and his house.
He persevered until he got his well.
Look:
“He moved on from there and dug another well, and no one quarreled over it. He named it Rehoboth, saying, “Now the Lord has given us room and we will flourish in the land.””
Genesis 26:22 NIV
The well’s name is Rehoboth. This word means: Ample place, a place who God gave us!
To give water to his family, he had to dig many wells to finally get it.
When he got it, he understood God was giving it to him.
Don’t give up on digging your wells.
Well to give God’s presence to your family.
Well to have a place to speak with God every day.
Well to have living water to share with others!
You saw how the church was closed for many months this year. But we didn’t stop! We kept our prayer meeting, you received visits from your pastors, you had cell meeting on-line. You had service meeting on line and etc…
If one well is closed by the enemy, we dig a new one! Nobody can stop Jesus Church!
Dig a new well to have an encounter with Jesus!
Dig a well to feed your family in a spiritual way!
Dig a new well and show to the world you persevere and believe that God will prepare an ample place at the right time, he will give you rest and he will pour out his goodness upon you.
If your well was plugged with rocks, old wood, dead carcasses and garbage to ruin….re opening again your well!
Take out everything what is plugged your well, the fountain of your joy! Don’t give up. Live near the well to have always living waters from God!
-Do not repeat the same mistakes as your parents!
Your past doesn’t determine the future.
God prepared great things to you to live. So, be ready to live it!
If you are in The Valley, pitch a tent there and Dig a well!
God has power to give water in the desert! If you are loving a valley, a trouble in your life, start to dig a well! Start to get a relationship with God and he will open a well for you to give relief in The Valley. You are not alone in That Valley you are going trough. God is with you!
Rebuild what was frustrated!
You lived a frustration and now you have fear to face the problem again.
Isaac was frustrated few times. He tried to opened wells and the enemies blocked his plan, but he kept going….until he Conquered the enemies and found peace.
Look to your life and rebuild what was frustrated. God will prepare a place of peace for you!
Live your Rehoboth
Now the Lord has given us room and we will flourish in the land.””
Genesis 26:22 NIV
Live your rehoboth and God will prepare a place of peace and comfort for us. He will give the right direction to dig the right well in our lives.