Sermons
January 7th, 2024 by Pastor Solley010724AM Dig Again the Wells
Sub. Wells
Theme: Digging the wells.
Text: Gen 26:12-18
“Dig Again the Wells” Genesis 26:12-18
Introduction
I want to speak to you this morning about digging wells or re-digging wells. In Bible lands a well of water was a fortune. If a king dug even one and it produced water he was considered a great king and became famous. Battles were fought over wells, lives were risked to get water from a well. One of the worse things an enemy could do was fill in or stop up a well. Abraham in his travels throughout a land promised to him had dug many wells. Those wells provided water for him and his family and would provide water as well for others who occupied the land. It is said that one of the wells went one hundred feet through rock to get to that underground stream. Jesus while in this world refreshed Himself at some of the same wells dug by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It was at a well dug by Jacob that Jesus offered living water in John chapter four. Wells were and still are very important in that part of the world.
I. In our text this morning we find Isaac becoming a well digger: Gen 26:12-18 Some of these wells were dug by Abraham and needed to be opened up again. Isaac will also dig some wells of his own. – Gen 26:19
A. The message this morning goes beyond the digging and re-digging of the wells we find in Genesis: There are many types that we find in this passage. A type in the Bible is someone or something that gives us a picture of someone or something else. In Genesis 26 we find more than one such type.
1. The wells of Abraham stand as a type of the blessings of God opened up to all who would come to Him: Wells were important, wells were vital, wells were blessings provided by the work of others. The wells of Abraham stand as a type of the blessings of God.
2. Isaac stand as a type of the born again believer in Christ: The first time we see Isaac as a type goes back to his birth and there are others instances as well concerning Isaac as a type of someone else. (1) Isaac was a promised son. Jesus is the promised son of God. (2) Isaac offered as a sacrifice by his father. Jesus offered as a sacrifice by and to His Father. (3) A bride chosen by his father for Isaac. The church the chosen bride of Christ. (4) in our text Isaac will stand as a type of the born again believer in Jesus Christ.
3. The Philistines stand as a type of the lost, the enemies of God and of faith: One of the worse things an enemy could do was stop up or fill in wells of water. The Philistines stand as a type of the lost.
4. The wells of water stand for a type of the blessings and provisions of God: They are there, stopped up, but they are there. Even before those wells were initially dug the water was there. The wells are the blessings and provision of God.
5. This Old Testament account holds some very important lessons for us today:
B. Brothers and sisters in Christ there are wells of blessings for you and for me today: In a time when there seems to be a spiritual drought, in a time when it seems Satan is winning the fight, in times when it seems the wells have been stopped up there are wells of blessings for you and me. Those wells are still there, God still wants to bless and provide for you and me today.
II. It may be that we may have to dig again the wells that God has set before us: Isaac had to re-dig those wells and it may be that we at times have to re-dig those wells ourselves.
PROP: Are you longing for the blessings and provisions of God today? TS: Perhaps there are wells we need to re-dig.
Body
I. Let me say first that there is nothing better than being a Christian, nothing better than being a child of God: Gen 26:12-13 What was true of Isaac in Gen 26:12-13 is true of each and every born again child of God today. There is nothing better than being a Christian, nothing better than being a child of God.
A. There was a time just proceeding these verses that Isaac was not blessed because Isaac was not walking with God: There was a famine in the land and Isaac decided that it would be better to leave those wells, the wells that Abraham had dug. – Gen 26:1-2 – Isaac was on his way to Egypt and God stopped that. – Gen 26:2 – God would bless Isaac for not going to Egypt but Isaac still went to another and not to the Lord.
1. That alone was going to move Isaac away from the blessings of God: Gen 26:6 Isaac is in the land of the Philistine, not in the land promised him by God. Isaac had moved by choice away from God.
2. That led Isaac to actions that took him farther away from God: Gen 26:7 It is a lie, she is not his sister. I don’t understand the lie.
a. He is fearing that he would be killed so one could have Rebekah for a wife.
b. But being her brother instead of her husband does not take Isaac out of the way.
c. All lies are like that in they do not get you out of trouble but most all of the time make more trouble.
3. God intervenes and spares Rebekah in spite of Isaac: Gen 26:8-11
4. Isaac had moved away God: It was not for the better but for the worse.
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B. As Isaac comes back to God he is reminded that there is nothing better than being a Christian, a child of God: Gen 26:12-13 The blessings of God once again are being poured out upon Isaac.
1. Isaac is now back where Abraham was, where Abraham dwelt, where Abraham had dug wells of water: Gen 26:15-18 The Philistines were in the land as well but Isaac was back where Abraham dwelt, where Abraham had dug wells of water.
2. The blessing of God increase for Isaac: Gen 26:12
3. Isaac became known for the way God blessed him: Gen 26:13-14
4. Remember there is still a famine in the land: Even in the famine Isaac is blessed because he is walking with God. Isaac is reminded that there is nothing better than being a Christian, being a child of God.
C. There is still nothing better than being a Christian, being a child of God: We live today in a nation in a spiritual famine. We live today in a day when iniquity is abounding. We live in perilous times today. We experience personal tragedies. We have questions that can’t be answered. We have worries and fears. We have all of those things.
1. But there is still noting better than being a Christian, nothing better than being a child of God: Don’t allow anything to move you away from a closeness to your Savior, to move you away from Jesus.
2. Can you even imagine going through this world without Jesus by your side? Don’t allow a famine to move you away from Jesus.
D. Let me say first that there is nothing better than being a Christian, nothing better than being a child of God: Gen 26:12-13
II. Isaac found relentless opposition: Gen 26:14-15 The only thing the Philistines had against Isaac was that God was blessing him.
Gen 26:12 That is the only thing and the closer Isaac walked with the Lord the more the Philistines hated him and the more trouble the Philistines tried to bring to him.
A. Notice the length the Philistines would go to try and trouble Isaac: Gen 26:15 They went and filled in the wells that Abraham dug, stopped them up to harm and cause Isaac trouble. Consider the lengths they would go to cause Isaac trouble.
1. There was a famine and for the most part a lack of rain and a lack of water cause a famine: Who needed water? Everyone did.
2. The Philistines needed water just as Isaac needed water: They are going to rob themselves of what they needed most, water.
3. The very same thing takes place when Elijah battles the false prophets of Baal nine hundred years later in 1 Kings 18: Those false prophets, in the midst of a three and one half year drought when there was not even dew on the ground poured out water on the sacrifice of Elijah three times in an effort to defeat the prophet and Jehovah God.
4. The Philistines were willing to die of thirst in order to trouble Isaac: They stopped up the wells. – Gen 26:15 – And they needed water to live just as Isaac needed water to live.
B. Don’t be surprised at the lengths unbelief will go and the way Satan will battle us today in our Christian walk: When you by the grace of God are found walking close to God and are enjoying the blessings of God don’t be surprised by the opposition.
1. Satan will do all that He can to discourage and use all at his disposal to defeat you: Eph 6:12 We are in a war today and it is a heated battle that we stand in. – 2 Cor 10:3-4 – We stand today in a very hot spiritual battle and the heat is being turned up.
2. Lost people will hate you just because you are a Christian and God is blessing you: John 15:18-19 The Bible goes on to say in
1 John 3:13 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. You are hated just because you are a Christian.
3. The less spiritual Christian will hate you as well: If God is blessing you because of your faithfulness, because of your love for Him, because of your service for Him the less spiritual Christian will hate you as well. – Ps 41:9 ; Ps 55:12-13
a. The Bible tells us we will be blessed because of our walk with Christ. James 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
b. The Bible also tells that we will be persecuted because of our walk with Christ. – 2 Tim 3:12
4. At times we will be hated and persecuted from directions we expect it to come and at other times from directions we never thought it could possibly come:
C. Isaac found relentless opposition: Gen 26:14-15
III. Isaac acted in the face of that relentless opposition: Gen 26:14-15 The only thing the Philistines had against Isaac was that God was blessing him. – Gen 26:12 That is the only thing and the closer Isaac walked with the Lord the more the Philistines hated him and the more trouble the Philistines tried to bring to him.
A. What Isaac did not do: He did not give up, he did not give in, So easy to do that when one needs refreshed. Isaac did not give up and did not give in.
B. Isaac went to where he knew wells of water were and he dug them again: And God then gave Isaac even more water.
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IV. There are times when we need to re-dig the wells: Wells are a very interesting study in the Bible and most all of them hold lessons for us today. What can we learn from the wells we need to dig or re-dig?
A. The first well we need to dig or re-dig is the well of salvation: The Bible tells us in Isa 12:3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. There is a well of salvation. – John 4:4-14 – Have you been to the well of salvation?
1. If that answer is no you need to come to the well of salvation today: You need to dig that well of salvation and drink of the living water that is in Jesus Christ today. Have you been to the well of salvation? If not you need to be born again.
2. And if you have been to that well of salvation perhaps you need to re-dig that well today: No, I do not mean that you must be born again a second time or a third time. I believe what the Bible says about the life the living water gives us. John 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. I know what eternal means.
a. I believe the Bible when it says nothing can take away our salvation. Rom 8:38-39 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
b. I do believe the Bible and I believe that once you are saved you will not be lost. I do believe the Bible.
3. But it often does the believer good to look back and remember what Jesus Christ has done for you in salvation: It is good to look back and remember “Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe”. It is good to remember the cross, the empty tomb, the conviction you were under and how the burden of sin was lifted when you were saved.
4. I find it does me good to revisit and re-dig the well of salvation: Not to get saved again and again but to remember all that Jesus did for me in saving me.
5. Dig today or re-dig that well of everlasting salvation:
B. Re-dig the well of resting in the Lord: Ex 15:27 The children of Israel, coming up out of Egypt needed rest. They had crossed the Red Sea and the first stop was at a place of bitter waters and at once Satan began to discourage them.
1. Would it be better to go back to Egypt than to go on: At once Satan began to discourage them and they needed a place where they could find some rest. They found that rest at Elim. – Ex 15:27 – Sweet waters, palm tress for shade, they found rest.
2. We are promised rest in our Lord: Matt 11:28-29 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
a. There are times when we are heavy laden.
b. There are times when no matter how hard we try we cannot find rest.
c. At those times we need stop and just give all to Jesus.
3. What Jesus has promised He will do if we allow Him to just speak to us: Matt 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
4. Elijah found that rest in a still small voice: Elijah found the rest he needed.
5. Elisha found that rest as he was surrounded by an angelic host: Elisha found the rest that he needed.
6. There are times we need to just stop and let Jesus give us rest:
ILL. This I started some time ago and it helps give me rest. I just stop everything, usually in the very early morning hours, I don’t pray, I don’t read my Bible, I just sit silent before the Lord and think of the Lord and the blessing of knowing the Lord…Rest comes and my prayer life is deepened and my Bible reading seems to come alive.
7. There are times we need to re-dig the well of resting in the Lord:
C. There are times when we need to re-dig the well of strife: Gen 26:19-21 The names of these wells are significant. Isaac called one Esek and another Sitnah. The first means contention, the second hatred. Not what we would normally associate with being refreshed.
1. Remember we are in a spiritual battle and at times we need stand and fight for what is ours in the Lord: We are to be good soldiers, we are to put on all the armor of God, we are to contend for the faith, we are to stand for truth.
2. There are times when we need to stand up, be strong, and quit like a man: 1 Cor 16:13 One of my favorite verses.
a. I don’t like contention, I don’t like strife, I don’t like to fight.
b. But there are times when we do need to stand up for truth.
3. When we do stand up we find the battle is not ours and one stands before us with a sword drawn in His might hand: We find one that takes over the battle. – 1 Sam 17:47 But those same ones had swords and spears in their hands, they stood up.
4. There are times when we need to re-dig the well of strife:
D. Then we will re-dig the well of blessings: Gen 26:22 The fight is over, the victory won, Rehoboth means enlargement or blessing.
Isaac did what he needed to do, he re-dug the wells. There was strife, there was hatred, but Isaac re-dug the wells and now there followed the blessings of the Lord.
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1. God does bless beyond what we could ever imagine when we are found walking with Him: James 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. Isaac was blessed because of his deeds.
2. We also are blessed because of our deeds: James 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
3. It is not a credit and debt system: But God does bless because of our deeds but God does bless when we are doing for Him.
4. Then we will re-dig the well of blessings: Gen 26:22
E. There are times when we need to re-dig the wells: Wells are a very interesting study in the Bible and most all of them hold lessons for us today. What can we learn from the wells we need to dig or re-dig.
Conclusion
Are you ready to re-dig some wells this morning.
I. Let me say first that there is nothing better than being a Christian, nothing better than being a child of God: Gen 26:12-13 What was true of Isaac in Gen 26:12-13 is true of each and every born again child of God today. There is nothing better than being a Christian, nothing better than being a child of God.
II. Isaac found relentless opposition: Gen 26:14-15 The only thing the Philistines had against Isaac was that God was blessing him.
Gen 26:12 That is the only thing and the closer Isaac walked with the Lord the more the Philistines hated him and the more trouble the Philistines tried to bring to him.
III. Isaac acted in the face of that relentless opposition: Gen 26:14-15 The only thing the Philistines had against Isaac was that God was blessing him. – Gen 26:12 That is the only thing and the closer Isaac walked with the Lord the more the Philistines hated him and the more trouble the Philistines tried to bring to him.
IV. There are times when we need to re-dig the wells: Wells are a very interesting study in the Bible and most all of them hold lessons for us today. What can we learn from the wells we need to dig or re-dig.
A. The first well we need to dig or re-dig is the well of salvation: The Bible tells us in Isa 12:3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. There is a well of salvation. – John 4:4-14 – Have you been to the well of salvation?
B. Re-dig the well of resting in the Lord: Ex 15:27 The children of Israel, coming up out of Egypt needed rest. They had crossed the Red Sea and the first stop was at a place of bitter waters and at once Satan began to discourage them.
C. There are times when we need to re-dig the well of strife: Gen 26:19-21 The names of these wells are significant. Isaac called one Esek and another Sitnah. The first means contention, the second hatred. Not what we would normally associate with being refreshed.
D. Then we will re-dig the well of blessings: Gen 26:22 The fight is over, the victory won, Rehoboth means enlargement or blessing.
Isaac did what he needed to do, he re-dug the wells. There was strife, there was hatred, but Isaac re-dug the wells and now there followed the blessings of the Lord.
E. There are times when we need to re-dig the wells: Wells are a very interesting study in the Bible and most all of them hold lessons for us today. What can we learn from the wells we need to dig or re-dig.