Isaac and the Wells of Gerar (P3): Isaac's Sowing and the Jealousy of the Philistines

Sabah el khayr (صباح الخير) blessing! Marhaba ( مرحبا ) prosperity in all respects!

May you discover your gifts and talents. May you develop and refine them. May your discernment be sharpened and your character tested. Wonderful are GOD's plans, but big are the responsibilities that await you . What shakes others will not shake you. What kills others will not touch you. The misconduct of others will not be your portion. Your sons and daughters will be the pride of a nation and the models of a generation . It will be said of you, "He/she has completed his/her course and fully accomplished his/her mission." Multitudes will give your name to their children. They will say to GOD, Thank you for sending him/her to us.

3. Isaac's sowing and the jealousy of the Philistines (Genesis 26:12-16)

❖ (Genesis 26:12-16, Segond 21): " 12 Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: 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."

Isaac sowed his seed and reaped a hundredfold in the same year. Year after year, he grew richer and richer. To the point of becoming very rich. He became rich because, on the one hand, GOD had blessed him, and on the other, he made good use of the blessing . He acted in accordance with the prophetic word he had received from GOD. He stayed in the place GOD had indicated to him. He honored GOD and did what his hand found to do. Isaac did not become rich overnight. I don't know how many years passed. I think at least three years.

The Philistines became jealous of Isaac. They filled in the wells that Abraham's servants had dug. Then Abimelech, the king of the Philistines, asked Isaac to leave under the pretext that he was more powerful than all of them combined. Jealousy is the choice of those who do not want to agree with GOD . It was not Gerar who made Isaac rich, but GOD who made Isaac rich in Gerar. Isaac did not steal anything from them. Driving Isaac out will not make them prosperous. The rest of the story proves it. Isaac was where his father had settled before him. He had exploited the wells dug by his father's servants. Isaac owed them nothing, except to pay his taxes.

🙂 It's no surprise that multi-billionaires have investments in multiple countries. They've met some philistines. They know that if all their assets (property + investments) are in one country, it will be difficult for them to go on vacation unnoticed.

GOD's blessing is spiritual. The attitude and obedience of those who are blessed determine its physical manifestation. GOD's blessing empowers (resources, ideas, protections, inspirations, wisdom, discernment, intelligence), brings opportunities (relationships, favors, collaborations, considerations), and sustains wills (desires, motivations, encouragement, perseverance, courage). Isaac did not sit idly by. He sowed and tended his livestock.

🙂 Not all problems are caused by curses. Sometimes you have to ask yourself if you have listened to GOD and followed His instructions.

Have you ever felt like you were starting from scratch? You reached a peak and you thought, "I'll soon be able to rest or do something else." Suddenly, a problem arose and you practically had to start all over again. You were busy with your business, your job, your house, your project. Suddenly, people started picking fights with you and chasing you away. Everything was going well until the day the government changed the laws. Everything was going well until the day the government decided to build a road on your land. GOD blessed you with triplets, but those who don't have children yet start to be jealous and say that you stole the grace that was meant for them. They thought they were indispensable and are furious that GOD gave you grace without using them. As long as you are poor, you are friends. Because your poverty gives them an excuse to be proud.

If this is you, don't beat yourself up. GOD is free to bless whomever he wants. They too are free to seek GOD. It's not your fault. You haven't done anything wrong. Their amnesia is deliberately selective. They chose to forget the time you spent sowing, plowing, watching, and refining. Take your things and go in peace. Go somewhere else, leave them. Your time with them is over. Ask GOD where you should go. Perhaps GOD allowed this to end the false humility.

Maybe GOD was tired of people thinking it was because of them, or only because of your father that he blessed you . They will realize that you have a personal covenant with GOD. They call you the daughter of Abraham, the son of Abraham. They say that you can't do anything on your own. GOD will give them a reason to remember your name. It's your father's business, so what? They haven't yet understood that to maintain something great, you must have the capacity to be great.

I say to someone: This gift, this talent, this job, this business, this project, this marriage, these children, this trip, this house, are not blessings. It is because you are blessed that you have these gifts, this job, this marriage, these children, these relationships.

They say you don't have a prophetic name. Abraham means father of a multitude of nations. But Isaac means he will laugh. They say you don't deserve anything. GOD will show them that it is not by merit but by divine election: grace. They don't yet know that GOD does not present himself only as the GOD of Abraham. GOD presents himself as the GOD of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Because he has a covenant with each of them. GOD does not present himself as the GOD of Abraham's son, of Isaac's sons, or of Jacob's sons. We must read the Bible carefully.

Their attitude may be a sign that this place, this job, this situation, this victory, this success has become a comfort zone. Gerar means in Hebrew a place of stay or place of lodging . Gerar was only a place of passage for Isaac. GOD's plan was not for him to stay there all his life.

Let us learn lessons from this story :

• What attitude should the Philistines have had?

• Does being blessed mean that one never encounters difficulties?

The prayer :

FATHER, thank you for your blessing and guidance. Help me avoid unnecessary struggles and leave my comfort zone. Teach me to be at peace even in the midst of my enemies. Do not let me cause harm to those who have been channels of blessing in my life. Help me uproot every root of jealousy, bitterness, covetousness, and ingratitude. Make me a diligent person. May I rejoice for the success of others.

** Sabah el khayr (صباح الخير) = Good morning / Good morning in Lebanese Arabic

** Marhaba ( مرحبا ) = Hello in Arabic