Genesis 26:18-25

Isaac dug again the wells of water, which they had dug in the days of Abraham his father. For the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham. He called their names after the names by which his father had called them. Isaac’s servants dug in the valley, and found there a well of springing water. The herdsmen of Gerar argued with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, “The water is ours.” He called the name of the well Esek, because they contended with him. They dug another well, and they argued over that, also. He called its name Sitnah. He left that place, and dug another well. They didn’t argue over that one. He called it Rehoboth. He said, “For now Yahweh has made room for us, and we will be fruitful in the land.”

He went up from there to Beersheba. Yahweh appeared to him the same night, and said, “I am the God of Abraham your father. Don’t be afraid, for I am with you, and will bless you, and multiply your seed for my servant Abraham’s sake.”

He built an altar there, and called on the name of Yahweh, and pitched his tent there. There Isaac’s servants dug a well.

Isaac and his servants showed a great deal of restraint. Isaac’s servants dug a well and the herdsmen there simply demanded it. Instead of fighting with them, Isaac moved on and dug another well. Once again they argued over that one too so Isaac gave that one away too. Finally, after digging a third, they left Isaac alone. By this time, Isaac’s servants were probably getting pretty good at well digging. When God appeared to him in Beersheba, Isaac stayed there and his servants dug him another well.

This tells me something about taxes and hard work. We all know it is wrong for people to take what they didn’t work for by force. This is happening quite a bit today in the form of taxes. Isaac didn’t fight but instead kept working hard and moving away. This is not to say that we shouldn’t do what we can to help make our government a better one, it’s just that we should not give up on hard work just because we are being stolen from.

God told Isaac not to be afraid and that He would be with him. That is the same for us. We shouldn’t be afraid of our circumstances because God has promised to be close to us forever. Not only that, as Christians we have a good future to look forward to when Jesus comes to take us to Heaven. The world that is left behind has only the wrath of God to look forward to after we are gone. All is well with us, but it won’t be well for them unless they choose to believe in Jesus. We should be praying and speaking to them so that they won’t have to face God’s anger.

God gave Isaac a place to stay even though he was a foreigner. God will also provide for us in this world even though our home is now in heaven.