Isaac was a peaceful man.
Because of his good nature, he seemed to have been pushed around and yet he did
not retaliate. The Philistines covered all the wells which Abraham had dug
earlier with earth, forcing them to move to the valley in Gerar. The herdsmen of
Gerar also contented with Isaac’s men over two other wells, Esek and Sitnah,
which they had dug, forcing them to move to the wide space. It was there that
they finally found some peace. There they dug a well and named it Rehoboth.
Here God blessed Isaac and appeared to him and reiterated that He would fulfil
the promise He had made to Abraham his father. Up to that point he seemed to
have been bullied. Being good natured, he did not retaliate. He just kept
moving to avoid contention. But now Isaac had prospered and his assets had
increased, and so his people multiplied.
Realizing that Isaac and his
people had become a force to be reckoned with, Abimelech and his adviser
Ahuzzath and Phicol his commander came to make peace with him. Isaac then
bluntly asked him in verse 27, “Why have you come to me, since you hate me and
have sent me away from you?” The reason
was obvious. Abimelech had seen the hand of God on Isaac and his people. He
realized that it was no advantage to him and his people if the hostility persisted
between him and the people of God, whom He had so evidently blessed. He thought it was time to mend the
relationship so he extended the olive branch to make peace. And he did. He assured Isaac of his desire for good
relationship with him for a more peaceful future. Just in verses 28 and 29 the
fact that the Lord was with Isaac was mentioned twice.
Isaac could have demanded that
Abimelech made good all that he had done and the king would have obliged. But
he didn’t. He chose the peaceful route. He made a feast for them. And then made
an oath with them the next day, before senting them on their way home. On the
same day that he sent the king off, Isaac’s people came excitedly to him that
they found a new source of water. Isaac named that well Shibah, meaning oath.
God’s hand was upon him. He left Beersheba because of the lack of water and the
hostility from Abimelech. Now Abimelech
had made peace with him and the new source of water found, he felt a real sense
of security. He and his people could now have a peaceful existence.
Truly, we can see that the
steps of a good man are ordered of the Lord. Proverbs 16:7 also tells us that, “When a
man’s ways are pleasing to the Lord,
he makes even his enemies to live at peace with him.” It pays rich dividends for us
to live to please the Lord. We can be sure of His protective hedge. No force
either from nature or human can ever harm us when we seek refuge in God. He
always takes care of His own. Meanwhile we are given a hint of Esau’s rebelliousness.
Verse 34 tells us that at age forty he took two Hittite women for wives. This
had brought much grief to both Isaac and Rebekah. Esau would soon be one of the
sources of divine honing for his parents and for Jacob, his twin brother. A
believer’s life is never static. God will allow trials to come so that our
lives can be built and our character shaped and honed.
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