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‘And Isaac removed.’
Gen_26:22
I. Isaac was a conspicuous illustration of the fair-minded, non-combative, meek and gentle type of man. His greatness brought him the envy of the jealous Philistines. His very success had its complications. Even in that primitive pastoral age care was not unknown. Life had its fret and worry. Enemies abounded. An instance of such ‘oppression of the enemy,’ of which in later times David complained, is afforded by the indefatigable hostility of the Philistines in destroying the wells which Abraham had here and there with great labour caused to be dug. In hot Oriental lands, wells are of the greatest importance to the people of the country, and to passing travellers. Well-digging is frequently an enterprise of great difficulty, and with it is associated the name of the sheikh or pasha who engineers the work. The Philistines in their campaign of well-filling and blocking were actuated both by malice and by a fear lest the wells which Abraham had opened should seem to confer upon him and his descendants a title to the lands thus bored into. The Philistine spoilers are still abroad in the land. They are the individuals who recklessly mar what other persons laboriously make.
II. Isaac was not a ‘fighter,’ although there is no reason to think that he was a coward. He regarded Abimelech’s request, which was almost a command, to depart to another section. Encamping in the valley of Gerar, he ‘digged again’ the neglected well dug by Abraham. This teaches symbolically that the work of spiritual reconstruction must constantly go on in this world. Old constructions fall into disrepair at times, like the wells of Abraham which were choked up, and it frequently becomes necessary to pierce through the corruptions of later years to reopen the fountains of pure water of life which formerly flowed so freely. Even the names of the old wells Isaac perpetuated.
Strife, however, soon occurred over a new well of live ‘springing’ water, which in consequence of the quarrel received the bitter name of Esek, ‘Contention.’ Again Isaac waived his rights and retired to dig another well. Strife once more ensued, and this time he fitly named the new spring Sitnah, ‘Spite.’ Someone has remarked that Sitnah comes from the same root as Satan. Spite is certainly Satanic.
Most men would at this stage have yielded to a natural exasperation and struck back. But Isaac was thoroughly loving in disposition. It is not really an anachronism to say that he was Christ-like in his meekness. A third time he digged a well, calling it Rehoboth, ‘Room.’ The Philistines were now conquered by patience, pacified by generosity, and the comfortable condition which ensued Isaac ascribed to the control of a higher power, dwelling on his mercies rather than his vexations and saying, ‘The Lord hath made room for us!’
Illustration
‘Pleasant it is when there is no strife betwixt my neighbour and myself. Let me love him with the love of forgiveness, freely pardoning every hasty word and every unkind and unbrotherly deed. Let me give him the love of forbearance, remembering that his point of view is different from mine, and that I cannot expect him to travel always along my road. Let me cherish for him the love of sympathy, for he has sorrows which I can soothe, and burdens which I can strengthen him to carry. And let me bring him, too, the love of active helpfulness and co-operation, doing with my might everything I can for his welfare. Thus let there be a covenant betwixt me and my neighbour.
Still pleasanter is it, however, when there is no strife between my God and myself. Is the breach which my sin has caused, healed and ended? For the dear sake of Christ who died, has God sworn His oath of friendship with me?—have I sworn my oath of faith and obedience and consecration with Him? Is there this Beersheba in the story of my pilgrimage? Once an enemy, but now a loved and honoured child; once in the far country, but now at the King’s court and in the Father’s house—O that it may be so!’