The Dangerous Sin of Intermarriage with the World

							                                         Isaac’s Wells
                                             Genesis 26:18-25
Intro: Several weeks ago at our conference, Bebo Elkin told us about his four quadrants of
interpretation – the four “C’s” – Some things in Scripture are Commanded, others are Commended,
certain things Condemned and much is just simply Curious. We come to a passage today that I find
Curious. Here we have Isaac, under pressure from the Philistines, moving further and further from
Gerar, and digging and naming wells as he goes. In fact, in the space of these 8 verses we find 5
references to wells of water. Our interest is further heightened as we read in v.19 that Isaac’s
servants found a well of living water. Immediately our minds jump to John 4, and Jesus and the
woman at the well. She offers him a drink, and he offers her living water, springing up unto eternal
life. And as our minds range across the landscape of Scripture, we find more and more places where
wells and water are spiritually significant – often functioning as an important Biblical metaphor for the
good blessings of God. Yet we want to be careful in handling this curious passage, so that we don’t
give way to speculations or fanciful interpretations. We must not extract these verses from their
context, but must labor to interpret them rightly in context. So let’s look this morning first at the
digging and naming of wells, then at Covenant Succession, Covenant Renewal, and finally at Isaac’s
character on display.
I. The Digging and Naming of Wells
   A. The preceding context for these verses helps us understand the atmosphere in which Isaac
    lived. We saw in vv.12-14 that God’s blessings were abundantly evident in Isaac’s life – he
    became so rich and so powerful that the Philistines around couldn’t help but notice. In fact they
    envied him and they feared him – eventually sending him away, “because you are too powerful
    for us.” But their envy and fear were not altogether passive. In v.15 we find what they had done
    to actively oppose Abraham’s son – all of the wells which his father’s servants had dug in the
    days of Abraham, the Philistines stopped up by filling them with earth. In a region of the world
    where water was always at a premium, this act was nothing short of malicious and spiteful.
    Isaac had large flocks and herds, not to mention a numerous household of servants. They all
    needed water – much water. So what do these Philistines do? They fill in the wells with dirt and
    rubble, they cut off the water.
   B. The malevolence of the Philistines is seen again as Isaac digs new wells. As soon as water is
    found, the herdsmen of Gerar move in to claim the well – “The water is ours”, they say. Isaac
    has another well dug, and these hooligan herdsmen do it again. The bitterness of these
    contentions is reflected in the names Isaac gives these wells – Esek and Sitnah. Esek means
    “quarrel” and Sitnah means “accusation” or “hatred”. Quarrel and Hatred, Accusation and Strife.
    That’s what these wells represent to the Patriarch. After all of that work of digging deep and
    discovering water, to face this kind of treatment was nothing short of galling to Isaac. Yet in
    complete control of himself, Isaac moves on up the valley, and digs yet another well, naming it
    “Rehoboth” – meaning “wide space.” With some sense of satisfaction and relief, Isaac says, “At
    last the Lord has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.”
   C. From Rehoboth, Isaac goes up to Beersheba, where he had lived earlier in life. And it is in
    Beersheba that the Lord appears to Isaac – we’ll look at the covenant renewal in just a moment.
    But notice first what it says at the end of verse 25 – “and there Isaac’s servants dug a well.” This
    is the ancient well of Abraham – filled in by Philistines, now excavated by Isaac’s servants.
   D. So what do we make of these many wells – of their digging and their naming? I would suggest
    first that we see this as evidence of the antithesis – the ongoing warfare – between good and
    evil, between righteousness and wickedness, between God’s kingdom and the kingdom of
    darkness. The world, at the instigation of the Devil himself, seeks to destroy the works of God.
    God in Christ came to destroy the works of the Devil. Christ and Satan, engaged in a struggle to
    the death. One must prevail, and the other must fall. What is already apparent in Genesis 26
    comes through repeatedly in the strong affirmations of the New Testament – Satan is defeated,
    His kingdom is doomed, Christ shall have dominion, and good will triumph over evil in due time.
   E. I think we also see this in the cross purposes of the godly and the wicked. God’s people are
    busy about the work of dominion – bringing the whole world under the rule and reign of Christ, to
    the glory of God. The wicked – so full of fear and envy and malice – can only steal and destroy.
    The righteous are constructive, the wicked are destructive. We build up, they tear down. We
    plant, they uproot. We cultivate life, they sow seeds of death. And this is why we can never be
    friends with the world. This is why friendship with the world is hatred toward God.
II. Covenant Succession, Covenant Renewal
   A. In addition to the curious wells of water, we also find in this passage a covenant emphasis.
      Again we see signs of covenant succession – the idea that Jehovah – Lord of the Covenant –
      is often pleased to graciously bless the covenant-keeping faithfulness in one generation by
      increasing the blessings, opportunities and responsibilities of their children after them in the
      next generation. We see, do we not, yet more evidence of the family resemblance between
      Isaac and Abraham. The very actions and words recorded in v.24 echo back to Genesis 15
      and 17. Indeed, the Lord identifies himself to Isaac as “the God of your father Abraham” and
      makes marvelous promises to Isaac “for the sake of My servant Abraham.” As Isaac then
      builds that altar, and calls on the name of the Lord, he looks very much like his father.
      Covenant succession is again presented to us.
   B. From the fact of Covenant Succession, we move to the necessary next step, namely
      Covenant Renewal. What was initiated and instituted to Abraham, is now being particularly
      and personally renewed with Isaac. Notice what happens in this covenant renewal: First, the
      Lord appears to Isaac at Beersheba in the night, just as He had appeared earlier to Abraham.
      He declares his name: “I am the God of your father Abraham.” God had earlier promised to
      Abraham that he would be “the God of your descendants after you,” and now He demonstrates
      the fulfillment of that promise. He tells Isaac, “Do not fear.” Though the Living God is now
      speaking to you, “Do not fear.” Why shouldn’t Isaac fear? He was freed from fear because
      God came not to condemn Isaac, but to renew those covenantal bonds of love and
      faithfulness. And that is exactly what the Lord does in making a three-fold covenant promise.
      “I will be with you” – again, the promise of His abiding presence, the Immanuel principle. “I will
      bless you” – pouring out the riches of grace and of glory upon the patriarch, giving him
      unearned and undeserved goodness and mercy, all the days of his life. “And I will multiply
      your descendants.” Clearly this renewal is an intergenerational pledge by God. He had been
      the God of Abraham, He was now the God of Isaac, and in years to come, He would be the
      God of Isaac’s seed. The final note of this covenant renewal is the subtle reminder that to be
      in covenant with God is to become God’s servant – “for the sake of Abraham My servant.” Oh,
      what a glorious privilege it is to be the servant of God. Better to be a doorkeeper in the house
      of my God than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.
III. Isaac’s Character on Display
   A.   Finally, this passage points out some of the sparkling qualities of Isaac’s character. Here is
      where this man shines. We see first that he is a patient man. Those Philistines did much to
      provoke Isaac. He could have grown angry and sought revenge. He could have lashed out
      against them, but instead he shows a remarkable patience. He names his well and he moves
      on to dig another. It seems to me that we really find out how much patience we possess when
      we are provoked by our enemies. That’s when we see where we really stand – and Isaac
      certainly stands the test of multiple malicious provocations.
   B. A second quality we observe is that he is a peaceful man. With a great household of many
      servants, Isaac could have mounted a counter attack upon the men of Gerar. Abimelech
      acknowledges this possibility when he sends Isaac away, saying, “You are too powerful for
      us.” But Isaac takes the pathway of peace, not warfare. He could have claimed his rights, but
      he turns the other cheek instead.
   C. Isaac also strikes me as a persistent man. Dig a well, have it stolen, dig another well, have
      that one stolen, dig another well, dig another well. Digging, digging, digging. Perseverence.
D. A fourth quality is that he is a productive man. When he finally shakes off those pesky
   Philistines, and digs one more well, he names it Rehoboth -- “Wide open spaces” “Room”.
   Then listen to his rationale: “At last the Lord has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in
   the land.” Give me opportunity, give me room to operate, and I will – to the best of my God-
   given ability – be productive for God’s glory, in God’s works. Lord, make me fruitful, by your
   grace!
E. Finally, and most importantly, we see that Isaac is a publicly prayerful man – he builds an
   altar and he calls on the name of the Lord. Calvin, in commenting on this passage, makes a
   wonderful point when he says: “From other passages we are well aware that Moses here
   speaks of public worship; for inward invocation of God neither requires an altar; nor has any
   special choice of place; and it is certain that the saints, wherever they lived, worshipped. But
   because religion ought to maintain a testimony before men, Isaac, having erected and
   consecrated an altar, professes himself a worshipper of the true and only God, and by this
   method separates himself from the polluted rites of heathens. Ho also built the altar, not for
   himself alone, but for his whole family; that there, with all his household, he might offer
   sacrifices. Moreover, since the altar was built for the external exercises of faith, the expression,
   he called upon God, implies as much as if Moses had said that Isaac celebrated the name of
   God, and gave testimony of his own faith. The visible worship of God had also another use;
   namely, that men, according to their infirmity, may stimulate and exercise themselves in the
   fear of God. Besides, since we know that sacrifices were then commanded, we must observe
   that Isaac did not rashly trifle in worshipping God, but adhered to the rule of faith, that he might
   undertake nothing without the word of God.” Isaac, as a faithful member of God’s covenant of
   grace, makes public worship a priority in His life. It separates him from the Canaanites, it
   strengthens his faith, it glorifies God – it is the high water mark of Isaac’s life on earth. What
   greater duty, what higher privilege, what more joyful enterprise can we ever engage in than the
   public worship of the Triune God? This is what God seeks – them that will worship Him in
   Spirit and Truth.