Beer-sheba and Rehoboth

The experiences of Isaac in Genesis 26 was full of God's blessings. Wherever he went, whatever he did, he was blessed by God. In fact, he was inheriting God's promised blessings to his father Abraham (vv. 3,4). Jehovah appeared to him and stopped him from going to Egypt, and he obeyed. And God promised blessings--"..I will be with you and will bless you...will give you all these lands, and I will establish the oath which I swore to Abraham your father.... I will multiply your seed...."

God's Blessings

Isaac obeyed Jehovah's counsel and he dwelt in Gerar (v.6) and the result was God's blessing upon blessings." And Isaac sowed in that land and gained in the same year a hundredfold. And Jehovah blessed him, And the man became rich and continued to grow richer until he became very rich (vv. 12,13)." Studying the context of these verses, the blessings of God was purely out of God as the fulfillment of His promised to Abraham and him, and was based on his obedience too. On the one hand it was God who blessed, yet on the other hand it was also man who cooperated with God for God to bless. When the two sides correlated, the blessings were forthcoming.

If God Blessed, We Are Blessed!

Wherever Isaac's servants dug wells, there were water, unlike if others would have dug. The same principle applied to all that belonged to or were related to Isaac. Because, Isaac had been promised to be blessed. No matter what he or his servant did, it commanded God's blessings. Truly indeed, if God blessed, we are blessed. It all depends upon God's blessings. This perhaps entails the fulfillment of the requirements for God's blessings. For Isaac's case, it was his obedience with God's promised blessings.

This matter touched my being deeply. In whatever we do, as children of God, the reality of the sons of Abraham, the promised seed, we are also promised the same blessings. Only if we obey God's speaking in His appearing to us, all the blessings are ours. God blesses as He is a God of blessings.

Rehoboth Versus Beer-sheba

Rehoboth

"...so he called the name of it Rehoboth; and he said, Now Jehovah has made room for us, and we will be fruitful in the land (v.22)."  Prior to this, whenever a well was dug and water found, there was a dispute; finally when there was no more dispute, it was called Rehoboth, meaning broad places or broad way. Perhaps, the deck was cleared for fruitfulness in the land. This was pretty much related to the dealing of negative things for man's peaceful existence. Though the wells dug had water, due to the dispute, the blessing could not be enjoyed. There was a need for a proper base to enjoy God's blessings. When one was found, it was named Rehoboth, very similar in line with the judicial aspect of God's salvation when all the negative thingswere finally dealt with by the Lord at the cross by the shedding of His precious blood, as signified by the blood that flowed out of His pierced side in John 19:34.

Beer-sheeba

When Isaac went upto Beer-sheba, Jehovah God appeared again.

Genesis 26:24,25,32b,33

"And Jehovah appeared to him the same night and said, I am the God of Abraham your father. Do not be afraid, for I am with you, and I will bless you and multiply your seed for My servant Abraham's sake.

And he built an altar there and called upon the name of Jehovah and pitched his tent there. And there Isaac's servant dug well.....

We have found water. And he called it Shibah. Therefore, the name of the city is Beer-sheeba to this day."

In Beer-sheeba, there was no dispute with any one. Instead, Abimelech came to make peace with him and made an oath, a covenant, with him as the former witnessed the blessing of God upon the latter. "We plainly see that Jehovah is with you; (v.28a) ..You are now the blessed of Jehovah (v.29b.)"

This was in line with the organic aspect of God's salvation, when one begins to enjoy God's deeper work of growth, transformation and building up for the fulfillment of God's need. A step forward from Rehoboth which dealt mostly with man's need. In this place, Beer-sheeba, Isaac had further experience of Jehovah in His reappearing to reconfirm the blessings promised. The additional things he did were very significant. He did mainly three things:

1. built an altar there 

2. called upon the name of Jehovah and 

3. pitched his tent there

These three things are for God's satisfaction and for fulfilling God's purpose on the earth.

Note: Being Blessed is Not Maturity

However, being blessed does in no way guarantee one is mature in life. For in the case of Isaac in Genesis 27, his immaturity was out-rightly manifested in his lack of discernment when a false plot was laid at him by his beloved Rebecca and son Jacob. Vice versa may be true instead. A mature person always fulfill the requirements for God's blessings.