The Response

DEVOTION

GENESIS

THE RESPONSE

Gen 29:1-14

29:1 Then Jacob continued on his journey and came to the land of the eastern peoples. 2 There he saw a well in the field, with three flocks of sheep lying near it because the flocks were watered from that well. The stone over the mouth of the well was large. 3 When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone away from the well's mouth and water the sheep. Then they would return the stone to its place over the mouth of the well. 4 Jacob asked the shepherds, "My brothers, where are you from?" "We're from Haran," they replied. 5 He said to them, "Do you know Laban, Nahor's grandson?" "Yes, we know him," they answered. 6 Then Jacob asked them, "Is he well?" "Yes, he is," they said, "and here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep." 7 "Look," he said, "the sun is still high; it is not time for the flocks to be gathered. Water the sheep and take them back to pasture." 8 "We can't," they replied, "until all the flocks are gathered and the stone has been rolled away from the mouth of the well. Then we will water the sheep." 9 While he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she was a shepherdess. 10 When Jacob saw Rachel daughter of Laban, his mother's brother, and Laban's sheep, he went over and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered his uncle's sheep. 11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and began to weep aloud. 12 He had told Rachel that he was a relative of her father and a son of Rebekah. So she ran and told her father. 13 As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister's son, he hurried to meet him. He embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his home, and there Jacob told him all these things. 14 Then Laban said to him, "You are my own flesh and blood."

NIV

Love at first sight. Sure, we are not told this is what happened but we know that is what it was. Nevertheless let us not get ahead of ourselves here. First we should take note that Jacob is becoming a new man. This deceiver of the birthright and the blessing seems to be acting in a more gentlemanly manner. But is it simply to impress this beautiful young Rachel? After his inquiry as to where all the shepherds are from and finding out they are from the very place he was to go, he asks if they know Laban. Upon finding they do, he asks about his health. Their answer includes that fact that Rachel, his daughter is arriving with more sheep. Jacob responds with this act of chivalry, rolling away the stone over the well opening and watering her sheep. Surely the other shepherds were watering theirs, but Jacob only waters Rachel’s. This would have been her job, but he did it and we can only imagine he was endeavoring to either impress her, or simply be acting the part of servant. Yet upon his completion of watering the sheep, he then went to Rachel and kissed her and wept out loud. This we can be sure he was overjoyed at the success God had given him, leading him right to the family of his mother’s brother. We are surely seeing the beginning of a new man. Jacob just had that personal experience with God, and had made that commitment that as God blessed him, he would bless God, and that the Lord God would be his God. There is no question he is a changed man. He waters her sheep and is overjoyed because God has blessed him by leading him right to the place he needed to be. Laban was extremely happy to meet Jacob and it appears all is well. Everything is the way it should be. We are going to see Laban is not the upright man as he should be, but first we need to focus on Jacob and how he has changed. This is what happens when people encounter God on a personal level. This is our own personal story, changing from what we once were to who we have become. We cannot remain the same once we encounter the Lord God. It would seem some people say they know about God, but they may not know God. Although we can introduce people to God, they need to have that personal encounter with him in order to make the change in their lives, we see happening in Jacob. He will be among the names of those referred to for years to come. When people speak about God, they will say the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Although we will see God changes his name to Israel and he is in fact the father of the twelve tribes, right now he is this changed man, beginning his own personal journey with the Lord. This is the story of each one who comes to Christ, who accepts him as their Lord and Savior, who becomes born again. We begin a new journey in life with God. All things have passed away and all things have been made new. Our whole focus on life is different. We do not follow after the things we once did. Instead we follow after God and bless him because he blesses us. Will people say of us, he served the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, he served the Lord Jesus Christ? Only those who knew us before we found Jesus could be able to testify of our change. Those who only know us now never should be able to see who we once were, but only who they see now. Do they see a person who is overjoyed with the lord’s leading? We can be assured if we are following God, then we are exactly where we should be, and thus we should be overjoyed, weeping loudly because God has blessed us in his leading of our lives. We will learn more from Jacob and his life, but for now let us remember how much God has blessed us and let us be that open with our joy. Let us live in response to God. 

The Commitment

DEVOTION

GENESIS

THE COMMITMENT

Gen 28:16-22

16 When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it." 17 He was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven." 18 Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on top of it. 19 He called that place Bethel, though the city used to be called Luz. 20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear 21 so that I return safely to my father's house, then the LORD  will be my God 22 and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God's house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth."

NIV

Jacob had lived in his father’s house all his life. His father Isaac whom knew the Lord God well and who must have demonstrated his faith in God before his sons and although we are not told of his speaking about God to them and how they needed to know God for themselves, it would seem this would be a natural thing for Isaac to do. Surely he would have relayed the story about his miraculous conception and birth to his parents in their old age or how his father Abraham took him up the mountain and how God provided the sacrifice instead of his being it. They both had been circumcised and surely understood this from the covenant God made with their grandfather Abraham.  Yet we have seen both Jacob and Esau act in a manner which would indicate they did not have this personal relationship with God as did their father or grandfather. Jacob had cheated his bother Esau out of his birthright and his blessing by deceiving their father, and Esau was so angry he vowed to kill his brother. These are certainly not behaviors or attitudes of men who have a personal relationship with God. This is just another example as to how dysfunctional this family must have been. Yet here we see Jacob on his way to Haran to seek a wife from his mother’s clan. He has a vision of heaven and of the Lord and hears directly from the Lord regarding this relationship. Jacob now makes this personal commitment that the Lord God will be his God and that he will give the Lord a tenth of all the Lord God gives him. As God blesses him with food and clothes, with the material needs of living, Jacob will return to the Lord a tenth of it. Where did he get this idea of giving a tenth? From his grandfather, his father yet he had not yet made that commitment until he had experienced God for himself. Either our parents can or we are parents can lead children to the Lord, but they cannot know him personally until they have that one on one experience with him. Other people can tell us about Jesus, or we can tell other people about Jesus, but it would seem we all need to have some personal experience, a vision, a miraculous healing, a physical or material miracle, some supernatural event revealing to us personally God is real and he cares about us. Maybe our witness for Christ is ineffective because we do not allow God to be a part of our witness. We do not pray for a persons need with them before the Lord so that he can prove to them he is real and does miraculous things. Maybe we do not expect him to answer, or to do something supernatural. Maybe we think intellectual knowledge of God is enough or that faith is all someone needs to believe, to make a commitment to the Lord. Although Jacob grew up in a family who believed in God, he needed this personal miraculous vision of his own to really truly know God. Should we expect anything less? This is how our beginning with God happened, a miracle proving he is real, then one after another, continually providing in miraculous ways all our life, including supernatural healing, material provisions over and over again. Why would we think he would not do the same for everyone else? He does not show favoritism and thus he will do for all others and he has and is doing for us. Yet others need to see God at work in their lives, so let us ask him for just that, for those who may be seeking, or have some knowledge of who he is, but have never made that personal commitment to him. God wants all men to know him, to come to him. We need to speak the words, but let God do what he does the best, the supernatural. Then the commitments will come. 

The Vision

DEVOTION

GENESIS

THE VISION

Gen 28:10-15

10 Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Haran. 11 When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep. 12 He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13 There above it stood the LORD, and he said: "I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. 14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. 15 I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you."

NIV

Does God leave once he finishes with his promise? That is just not possible, yet it seems he is telling Jacob that he will not leave him until he has done what he spoke to him about. Yet the promise is that all the peoples on earth will be blessed through him and his offspring. That can only be done through Jesus coming to earth. Therefore God never ever left Jacob, not ever. But God also promised the children of Israel he would go before them into the land he just promised to Jacob, and that he would never leave them not forsake them. God will always be with us in one form or another. He was with them as the Father and then he came and was with mankind as the Son and when he ascended back to heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father, he sent the third person of the trinity, the Holy Spirit to not only be with us, but to be within us. This promise he made to Jacob was all about Jesus and therefore about the Holy Spirit who will be with us to the end of this age. Then we who believe will be caught up in the air to meet our Lord Jesus when the sound of the last trumpet blasts. It matters not whether we are awake or asleep, alive or dead, we will all rise to meet him and be with him for all of eternity. God will accomplish all that he promised. He will watch over us and bring us back to the land he has promised us, the new city of Jerusalem. Just as Jacob had a vision of these stairs to heaven with angels ascending and descending with the Lord standing there, we also have been a given a vision of this. It was given to us in words written by John. This revelation is so visual we can see it all as clear as we see the sunrise each morning. He has given us this vision so we know the land we have been promised through Jesus Christ and been sealed with the Holy Spirit. We are one of those peoples on the earth who has been blessed. This life is but a precursor to the life which is to come, eternal life in the promised land of God. Although we live a blessed life now, we will live such a blessed life eternally in the land of God, it might even be beyond our imagination, except he has given us the vision of what it is and therefore we can know without a shadow of a doubt just how blessed it will be. Yes, we could think all these words here were just for Jacob, but we know that it not the case for they were recorded so that we could hear them and know it is also meant for us. All of the words of scripture are God breathed and profitable for us in so many ways. Yet the most important way is that we may know God. Knowing him brings us to our knees before him, accepting his Son, Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, repenting of our life of sin and being born again a new creature in Christ and receiving his baptism with the Holy Spirit thus being the temple of God. He has given us this life and he has given us eternal life. His promise will be done. He has given Jacob that vision and he has given us that vision. Jacob surely went on living with this in his mind all the days of his life. We should continue living all the days of our life, with this vision of our new city in mind. 

Self-Controlled

DEVOTION

GENESIS

SELF-CONTROLLED

Gen 28:6-9

6 Now Esau learned that Isaac had blessed Jacob and had sent him to Paddan Aram to take a wife from there, and that when he blessed him he commanded him, "Do not marry a Canaanite woman," 7 and that Jacob had obeyed his father and mother and had gone to Paddan Aram. 8 Esau then realized how displeasing the Canaanite women were to his father Isaac; 9 so he went to Ishmael and married Mahalath, the sister of Nebaioth and daughter of Ishmael son of Abraham, in addition to the wives he already had.

NIV

How could Esau be so spiteful? It would seem he had made only one mistake that is recorded for us. This was the time he sold his birthright for a cup of soup. Surely he thought at the time it was worth it, but as his life developed he realized he had drawn the short straw. Although he was his father’s favorite son and he certainly was going to have the firstborn blessing as soon as he hunted some game and prepared it for his father, he was cheated out of that blessing by his brother. It seemed at every turn Esau was a disappointment to his mother, as she clearly favored Jacob. Now again he hears that Jacob received another blessing from their father and was being sent to marry from their mothers clan because she was so disgusted about his choice of wives. But because his father sent Jacob, even though it was for the pleasure of Rebekah, to Laban’s household to take a wife, Esau went to his great uncle Ishmael to get another wife. This is clearly a spiteful act. This was one of those, “I’ll show you” moments. Spiteful, revengeful, obstinate, get even attitudes are dangerous to relationships as well as to the owner of such thinking. He might have thought he was hurting his father and mother, but in all actuality he was doing more harm to himself.

Lev 19:18

18 "'Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.

NIV

Esau clearly was in violation of how God wanted him to live, even though his act was before the Lord spoke these words to man. His word is eternal and was there before it was recorded and thus Esau was indeed in violation of the will of God. This is our lesson. We should not allow situations in life, actions by others, to cause our seeking any form of revenge, or responding in a spiteful manner.

Rom 12:17-21

17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge , my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. 20 On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."   21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

NIV

Esau surely felt evil had been done to him, and he responded with evil. We are admonished to respond to evil toward us with good. We are warned to not repay evil with evil, to not respond out of spite, hurt feelings, even anger, seeking some type of revenge, to attempt to get even. In fact we are told our response should be quite the opposite of how we have been mistreated. Esau was a self-centered man, which we cannot afford to allow to be our way of life. That one aspect of the fruit of the Spirit regarding being self-controlled speaks directly to these types of attitudes. If we are not in control of our self, it takes the center stage of our thought process. The self wants revenge, it wants to get even, and it carries out either spiteful words or deeds in order to satisfy itself. We need to control the self as much as it is possible as far as it depends on us. But we need to submit to the Spirit so that he can bring about the desired good behaviors, responses in our lives. The self says, “You hurt my feeling”, “You mistreated me”, “You wronged me”. The self is always thinking about itself. Yet here we are being told to set self aside and act in a Christlike manner, overcoming evil with good. That seems easier said than done. But with the power of the Spirit, we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. That includes being self-controlled.

Take Possession

DEVOTION

GENESIS

TAKE POSSESSION

Gen 28:1-5

28:1 So Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him and commanded him: "Do not marry a Canaanite woman. 2 Go at once to Paddan Aram, to the house of your mother's father Bethuel. Take a wife for yourself there, from among the daughters of Laban, your mother's brother. 3 May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and increase your numbers until you become a community of peoples. 4 May he give you and your descendants the blessing given to Abraham, so that you may take possession of the land where you now live as an alien, the land God gave to Abraham." 5 Then Isaac sent Jacob on his way, and he went to Paddan Aram, to Laban son of Bethuel the Aramean, the brother of Rebekah, who was the mother of Jacob and Esau.

NIV

So, a word that indicates Isaac is responding to the manipulation of Rebekah that we considered earlier. She had said that her life would not be worth living if Jacob took Hittite woman to marry as Esau had. At least Isaac is doing something for the benefit of his wife, to put her at ease. Perhaps his actions are somewhat self-serving through. It has been said in our generation that if mama isn’t happy, nobody is happy. Perhaps this was also true in their generation. Therefore Isaac calls for Jacob and gives him a blessing and a charge. This time the blessing was one meant for him, and it was in fact a prophetic one, as inspired by the Lord. Although Jacob had deceived his father and Isaac was so upset that he was physically shaken, he must have forgiven Jacob enough to give him this blessing, or he was doing all this to satisfy Rebekah. Either way Jacob was to head back to their family clan of his mother and find his wife or wives from among them. We know it will be wives as we know the story which lies ahead of us. Nevertheless our lesson is in this blessing. Isaac indicates that once Jacob finds his bride and becomes a community of people, a clan onto himself that he should return to this land and take possession of it. They were now living there as aliens among the Canaanites or Hittites who had possession of the Land under the rule of Abimelech who had discovered the deception by Isaac and Rebekah as being brother and sister. He had invited them to live in his land at peace, making a treaty with Isaac as he had also done with his father Abraham, who deceived him the very same way. Here Isaac tells his son to go become a nation of people and come back and dispose these people who he have made a treaty with and take their land because it is rightfully his as God gave it to Abraham. So much for the treaty. But then it was between Abimelech and Isaac, Jacob was on his own, not obligated to this treaty, but obligated to follow the will of God. Although we are admonished to live in peace with all men, we are also admonished, no actually commanded to not enter into an agreement or treaty with the world.

2 Cor 6:14-16

14 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common ? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people."  

NIV

We see this played out all throughout the Old Testament. God has never intended his people to become united in anyway with those who oppose him, who serve other gods, who live without acknowledging him as the Lord God, creator of all things. Yet at the same time we too, as Jacob, should take possession of their land. Now that does not mean to go to war with them, as it might have been for Jacob, but to infiltrate the world with the Gospel. To take possession of it for the kingdom of God. We have nothing in common, no treaty can be made, business deals, no investments, no partnerships, yet we are to share the gospel with them so they too might know the Lord God almighty and his salvation through Jesus Christ. We are to leave this country to find our family, the family of God, then return into it in order to take possession of it for the kingdom of God. We have no common ground, we are not to reenter this land as members of it, as we are aliens as Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were, but God had given us this land, as he goes before us, giving us success in our possession of this land. Let us continue to take this land for the kingdom of God. 

The Manipulation

DEVOTION

GENESIS

THE MANIPULATION

Gen 27:42-46

42 When Rebekah was told what her older son Esau had said, she sent for her younger son Jacob and said to him, "Your brother Esau is consoling himself with the thought of killing you. 43 Now then, my son, do what I say: Flee at once to my brother Laban in Haran. 44 Stay with him for a while until your brother's fury subsides. 45 When your brother is no longer angry with you and forgets what you did to him, I'll send word for you to come back from there. Why should I lose both of you in one day?" 46 Then Rebekah said to Isaac, "I'm disgusted with living because of these Hittite women. If Jacob takes a wife from among the women of this land, from Hittite women like these, my life will not be worth living."

NIV

We have to travel back to the command of God to Noah to understand this concern of Rebekah about losing both her sons should Esau fulfill his anger and kill Jacob. God told Noah whoever sheds the blood of man, by man his blood be shed. The nearest of kin to Jacob would avenge his death by killing Esau and then both of them would be dead. Again we see this family in crisis and its resolution is to separate the brothers rather than talk it out. Even the way in which this separation happens is not due to truth. Rebekah wants her son Jacob to flee back to Haran where her brother lives, but from her conversation with Isaac, it appears she has no real authority to command Jacob to leave. His departure must be ordered by his father Isaac. But Rebekah hides her real concern from her husband because that most likely would implicate her in the deception and reason for Esau’s determination for vengeance. So she comes up with this idea to get Isaac to be the one to think about sending Jacob to their own clan to take a wife, which is what happens in the next portion of the narrative. But the point here is Rebekah manipulates her husband to accomplish her wishes. She is even threatening to commit suicide if Jacob were to marry a Hittite woman. This is a twofold slam to Isaac. Because he loved Esau more the Jacob and Esau had married Hittite women, Rebekah is revealing her disgust with Isaac’s favorite son as well as her preference for Jacob. But this plot, this threat, this manipulation is our lesson. Do we in any way use an underhanded method to get our way? Do we make up reasons other than the truth to get someone else to do things our way or to accomplish what we want done? Would not the truth be better? Maybe we might think the other person would refuse if the truth were told, and that just would not do. We cannot afford to act in a manner that this dysfunctional family does. We need to talk out any differences as well as speak our minds truthfully when we have a desire or need in order that we do not attempt to deceive those who we profess to love.

1 Cor 13:6

6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

NIV          

Rebekah was not being truthful, she was compounding evil upon evil which makes us wonder about her true love for Isaac. This we cannot allow in our marriage. We need to be honest in all our ways within our relationship. No manipulations allowed. 

The Grudge

DEVOTION

GENESIS

THE GRUDGE

Gen 27:39-41

39 His father Isaac answered him,

"Your dwelling will be away from the earth's richness, away from the dew of heaven above. 40 You will live by the sword and you will serve your brother. But when you grow restless, you will throw his yoke from off your neck." 41 Esau held a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing his father had given him. He said to himself, "The days of mourning for my father are near; then I will kill my brother Jacob."

NIV

Now we see the effects of this envy and jealously which first manifested itself in bitterness and weeping because of his discontentment with his lot in life. We saw all that before and now we see all this culminate into a grudge with its central focus of committing murder. It is interesting how Esau had a love and respect for his father that he would withhold any action against his brother until his father was dead. Esau would carry all the anger and hatred for Jacob hidden deep within him until the time after his father was gone. This is indeed a grudge that would last a long time. We will see later in this narrative about this family of Isaac and Rebekah how fractured they truly were. But for now we need to focus on this deep seeded grudge of Esau. Surely we would not need a lesson on grudges as this is something we would never allow to invade our thinking. However do we ever have a persistent feeling of ill will or resentment resulting from a past insult or injury? Do we ever feel disgruntlement, bad feeling or hard feeling? Are we ever being resentfully unwilling to give, grant or allow something? Do we ever feel aggrieved about, be resentful of, mind or object to, take exception to? This are all definitions of grudge either as a noun or a verb. Have we ever experienced any of these? Certainly not to the point of plotting murder. However, have we ever wanted to get even with someone who hurt us or caused us harm in some way? This kind of thinking, this form of a grudge can do more harm to our own being, physically, emotionally and spiritually than anything we could ever do in retaliation to the other person. A grudge, a long lasting resentment will evidentially destroy us from within. It will steal our joy, our peace, and our love. It will rub out our kindness and gentleness. It will overshadow our goodness and our patience. It will kill our self-control. A grudge in any form will in effect quench the Spirit.

1 Thess 5:12-22

12 Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. 13 Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. 14 And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. 16 Be joyful always; 17 pray continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 19 Do not put out the Spirit's fire; 20 do not treat prophecies with contempt. 21 Test everything. Hold on to the good. 22 Avoid every kind of evil.

NIV

There it is, everything we need to know about how to avoid allowing those feelings that lead to the grudge. Do not put out the Spirit’s fire. Give thanks in all circumstances. If Esau would have given thanks for his circumstances the whole of history regarding these two brothers would have been different. But he would not have been eaten up inside with his grudge. If he would have lived in peace with his brother, Jacob would not have had to run for his life. This family could have solved all there problems if they only would have done the right thing, respecting, regarding each other with the highest regard, living in peace, encouraging each other, helping each other, being patient and making sure no wrong was paid back with wrong. Had they been kind to each, been joyful always and prayed continually, giving thanks in all circumstances, they would have been a great family. This is certainly the way we should be living. Let us shake off any resemblance of what would be considered a grudge and let the fire of the Spirit burn brightly within us. 

Learn to be Content

DEVOTION

GENESIS

LEARN TO BE CONTENT

Gen 27:30-38

30 After Isaac finished blessing him and Jacob had scarcely left his father's presence, his brother Esau came in from hunting. 31 He too prepared some tasty food and brought it to his father. Then he said to him, "My father, sit up and eat some of my game, so that you may give me your blessing." 32 His father Isaac asked him, "Who are you?" "I am your son," he answered, "your firstborn, Esau." 33 Isaac trembled violently and said, "Who was it, then, that hunted game and brought it to me? I ate it just before you came and I blessed him — and indeed he will be blessed!" 34 When Esau heard his father's words, he burst out with a loud and bitter cry and said to his father, "Bless me — me too, my father!" 35 But he said, "Your brother came deceitfully and took your blessing." 36 Esau said, "Isn't he rightly named Jacob? He has deceived me these two times: He took my birthright, and now he's taken my blessing!" Then he asked, "Haven't you reserved any blessing for me?" 37 Isaac answered Esau, "I have made him lord over you and have made all his relatives his servants, and I have sustained him with grain and new wine. So what can I possibly do for you, my son?" 38 Esau said to his father, "Do you have only one blessing, my father? Bless me too, my father!" Then Esau wept aloud.

NIV

We certainly see two men who have been injured emotionally because of this deception by Rebekah and Jacob. Again, this dysfunctional family causes pain and anguish to each other. When Isaac realized what had happened he was even physically upset. His preference for Esau was certainly evident by his response finding out he had given Jacob the firstborn blessing intended for Esau. When Esau heard what Jacob had done to him he burst out with a bitter cry. This was a sad day in the life of both Isaac and Esau. Yet did not Esau remember he sold Jacob his birthright? Why would he think he had that right to the firstborn blessing? Would not have the whole family known about this bargain years ago between Jacob and Esau? Did they keep it a secret? That seems strange the birthright would have been kept a secret when in fact that is what qualified the one with it for the blessing of the firstborn. By his remakes he confesses he was deceived twice, once from his birthright and now from his blessing. Why would he feel he was due the blessing? Yet it seems both Isaac and Esau felt the firstborn blessing belonged to Esau. It just seems strange. But what can we learn for our lives in this mess. Could our lesson be in the response of Esau? He became bitter in his cry. This bitterness was leading him to anger and hatred toward his bother. We have to guard against any bitter feelings toward any other person, especially if they are receiving some compensation we feel is due us or that we just wanted. This compensation could be in the form of material gain such as a promotion and raise at work, or in the form of praise and congratulations for some act or deed. Jealously and envy are precursors to bitterness. Discontentment and want are precursors to jealously and envy. When we have Christ in us, what more could we possibly need? Sure, the physical needs of this life are always before us. But the Lord has given us instructions to live by both his own words and through his apostle Paul. But first let us hear from Solomon.

Prov 19:23

23 The fear of the LORD leads to life: Then one rests content, untouched by trouble.

NIV  

Contentment is a key for living free of bitterness, anger, rage, malice, envy and jealously.

Phil 4:11-13

11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

NIV

Learn to be content is the lesson, learn to be content. It takes work, it takes learning, because it does not come to us naturally. We need to employ our skills of learning how to be content. This is especially true in respect to watching others receiving those forms of compensation. The desire for wealth leads to this envy and jealousy that serves to lead us into discontentment with what we have, but we are warned against such desires.

Heb 13:5

5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."  

NIV

Esau’s bitterness and rage was because he lost the opportunity of a lifelong blessing of prosperity and success. We cannot live our lives watching others live, for we live in Christ and God orders our footsteps. We already have the greatest blessing anyone could ever have, eternal life. We have the Holy Spirit living within us, guiding us into all truth and leading our way through life. Jesus left us his peace and his contentment. We merely have to rest in him, being content that God has every aspect of our lives under control. He will never leave us, he will never forsakes us. How blessed we are.

The Blessing

DEVOTION

GENESIS

THE BLESSING

Gen 27:27-29

27 So he went to him and kissed him. When Isaac caught the smell of his clothes, he blessed him and said, "Ah, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field that the LORD has blessed. 28 May God give you of heaven's dew and of earth's richness — an abundance of grain and new wine. 29 May nations serve you and peoples bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you. May those who curse you be cursed and those who bless you be blessed."

NIV

Are we to assume the Lord only blesses the field? That is not actually what is said though. Isaac said that Jacob smelled like a field the Lord has blessed. What does a field the Lord has blessed smell like? It is most likely that the clothes of Esau which had been kept in the house were stored with herbs to ward away moths, much like some people put fragrance little sacks in dressers today. Perhaps Isaac enjoyed walks though the fields rich with wild flowers such as lavender and thyme or other fragrant herbs that flower. These are the wild fields uncultivated by man which are full of the scent of manure and dirt. It could also be that Esau’s clothes had that scent because he was a man of the wild fields, hunting and so having his garments rubbing through the fragrant herbs. The point is this convinced Isaac he was indeed going to bless his firstborn Esau. We could dissect this blessing as many a commentators have, but that does not make any application for our lives as it was a blessing specifically  meant from Isaac to Esau, except of course it was given to Jacob. What can we learn from this blessing? It is simply that as a parent we have a responsibility to bless our children, or to give them our blessing? Those are distinctly two different things. To bless our children would imply that we give something to them. In the case of Isaac it was in prophetic words. Words that had to have been inspired by the Lord, as once he found out the deception, he had to have known it was from God, as he could not repeat such to his son Esau. Surely we can give words of encouragement to our children in the form of words. We can bless them with an inheritance. Many would consider the material goods we have as their inheritance and that certainly may be a blessing to them. But the greatest inheritance we can bestow upon our children is an eternal one. First by leading them to Christ and second by living Christ before them, showing them the way. What greater blessing can we give our children then showing them the way to eternal life through Jesus? Giving our children our blessings carries another meaning. When they choose the course of their lives, such as a career either in the professions or the trades, we can give them our blessings. We can as parents to either approve of the choices or disapprove. When they choose a mate, we again have the choice as to how we react, with our blessings or our disapproval. All their choices in life should have our blessing because they are our children. True as we are rearing our children they need to know the correct and incorrect behaviors, but not at the expense of being a disapproving parent. Our love and approval of them as our children should never diminish and be expressed as this can only cause a fraction in relationships. This is especially true once they have attained adulthood and are choosing their own life path. If we have reared then with the wisdom of God, they may seek our counsel if they feel the need. But we should always be ready to both bless them and give them our blessings. The word tells us to encourage one another for various reasons, but the one shining one is the return of the Lord.

1 Thess 5:10-11

 11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

NIV

This includes our children. We need to be encouragers, strengthening them, building them up, blessing them, and giving them our blessings. No matter how old both they and we are, we still remain and retain the role of parent. Isaac was thinking he was near death and wanting his sons to have his blessing, knowing his words of strengthening and encouragement for their lives. True, Esau was intended to receive the first blessing, and as Jacob received it, Esau’s blessing was not as encouraging as it would have been, but nevertheless Isaac had something for him. In their cases it was prophetic and for the purpose to show us how we need to live uprightly before the Lord. Yet we still see this purpose of blessing our children and giving them our blessings. Being the parent God intends us to be. 

Living True

DEVOTION

GENESIS

LIVING TRUE

Gen 27:11-27

11 Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, "But my brother Esau is a hairy man, and I'm a man with smooth skin. 12 What if my father touches me? I would appear to be tricking him and would bring down a curse on myself rather than a blessing." 13 His mother said to him, "My son, let the curse fall on me. Just do what I say; go and get them for me." 14 So he went and got them and brought them to his mother, and she prepared some tasty food, just the way his father liked it. 15 Then Rebekah took the best clothes of Esau her older son, which she had in the house, and put them on her younger son Jacob. 16 She also covered his hands and the smooth part of his neck with the goatskins. 17 Then she handed to her son Jacob the tasty food and the bread she had made. 18 He went to his father and said, "My father." "Yes, my son," he answered. "Who is it?" 19 Jacob said to his father, "I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me. Please sit up and eat some of my game so that you may give me your blessing." 20 Isaac asked his son, "How did you find it so quickly, my son?" "The LORD your God gave me success," he replied. 21 Then Isaac said to Jacob, "Come near so I can touch you, my son, to know whether you really are my son Esau or not." 22 Jacob went close to his father Isaac, who touched him and said, "The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau." 23 He did not recognize him, for his hands were hairy like those of his brother Esau; so he blessed him. 24 "Are you really my son Esau?" he asked. "I am," he replied. 25 Then he said, "My son, bring me some of your game to eat, so that I may give you my blessing." Jacob brought it to him and he ate; and he brought some wine and he drank. 26 Then his father Isaac said to him, "Come here, my son, and kiss me." 27 So he went to him and kissed him. When Isaac caught the smell of his clothes, he blessed him and said,

NIV

The deception is complete. Rebekah is certainly complicit in this deceitful act of Jacob, in fact she is the instigator of it. At first Jacob was not sure he could pull it off because of the great physical differences between himself and his brother Esau. Rebekah had that all considered and made him to smell and feel as his brother so Isaac would not know it was him, even though their voices were different. All this was to get the blessing intended for the firstborn. The point of all this was Jacob trying to portray himself to be someone he wasn’t for personal gain. What a lesson to learn. It is easy to create a persona for others. This is the way we behave, talk etc. with other people that causes them to see us as a particular kind of person. This persona is the image or personality that we present to other people. This is much like a façade, if not the same thing. The point is that we want people to think well of us and so we try to make them think we are the kind of person they want us to be. We have said before, we are not who we think we are, we are not who you think we are, but we are who we think you think we are. Isaac was expecting Esau, Jacob tried to become as Esau because that is what Isaac was expecting. Sometimes other Christians think we should behave and talk as Christians and almost be perfect people without sin. So, at least when we are in church, we attempt to act and talk in the manner they expect us to, even though we are not as perfect as we present ourselves. Are we different people depending on who we are with because of their idea of who we should be? Are we a chameleon in some sense, changing with our social environment? We should be someone who what people see is what people get and what they see is who we really are, a sinner saved by grace. Jacob was not able to keep up the lie, as Esau showed up then Isaac knew he had been deceived, but as far as the blessing was concerned he had already given it to Jacob. Do we present ourselves in a better light then we should in order to make some personal gain, such as with an employer, or even in church? Is this kind of behavior the result of us thinking more highly of ourselves then we should, or rather knowing we are not as we say we are, putting on that façade, that persona so as to gain some position or status within our social, economic or spiritual lives? We are who we are and that is who we should be. True, we are endeavoring to be more like Christ in our lives, and that is a process that will take our entire life. Although that will bring about changes in our being and we will be, or should be, in a constant state of transformation, our basic personality will most likely remain the same. This is the portion of who we are that needs to be the same in all situations in life. Yes, we take on the traits of Christ in our interactions with others and that does created those changes and maybe even in our personality or at least in our behaviors and responses to situations in life. But we cannot pretend to be someone we are not. Surely at some point in time we will be found out, in this life by people, in the time after this life, by God. We all have failings and shortcomings and we should, at least, be able to confess that first to God, and then to others. This is not to say we should expound on each and every sin in our lives, but at least live the truth of not being a perfect person. We need to allow the Spirit more access to our inner self, to do the work he began and bring it to completion. But it is up to us to allow him access, for we can suppress him. So let us live as who we are. Sinners saved by grace, working in concert with the Spirit to become more like Christ.  

Peacemaker

DEVOTION

GENESIS

Gen 27:1-10

PEACEMAKER

27:1 When Isaac was old and his eyes were so weak that he could no longer see, he called for Esau his older son and said to him, "My son." "Here I am," he answered. 2 Isaac said, "I am now an old man and don't know the day of my death. 3 Now then, get your weapons — your quiver and bow — and go out to the open country to hunt some wild game for me. 4 Prepare me the kind of tasty food I like and bring it to me to eat, so that I may give you my blessing before I die." 5 Now Rebekah was listening as Isaac spoke to his son Esau. When Esau left for the open country to hunt game and bring it back, 6 Rebekah said to her son Jacob, "Look, I overheard your father say to your brother Esau, 7'Bring me some game and prepare me some tasty food to eat, so that I may give you my blessing in the presence of the LORD before I die.' 8 Now, my son, listen carefully and do what I tell you: 9 Go out to the flock and bring me two choice young goats, so I can prepare some tasty food for your father, just the way he likes it. 10 Then take it to your father to eat, so that he may give you his blessing before he dies."

NIV

And so the deception begins. But first we should take a look at the situation of Isaac first. He was well in his years and his eyesight had already failed him. There was no medical practice that could either repair his vision or extend his life expect of course God. Yet God allowed Isaac to grow old, lose his eyesight and seemingly become more or less an old man about to die. But that is not the case as this would be about when he was one hundred and thirty and he lived to be one hundred and eighty. Yet his eyesight was bad and his thoughts were that he would not live much longer so he wanted to give his son Esau, his blessing. Again, we already know that Isaac preferred Esau and Rebekah preferred Jacob. This dysfunctional parenting is what is leading up to this deception and resulting division between Jacob and Esau that will last for years and years. Rebekah surely is not a great role model for women in her instigating this deception by Jacob. Did not Jacob already own the birthright as he had made that deal with Esau? Why would he then need to steal it from his father? Perhaps Isaac did not know about the birthright deal for a bowl of soup. Perhaps Isaac did not recognize that as a proper trade, and still considered his son Esau as his firstborn and worthy of such a blessing. Either way, Isaac intended to bless Esau with the firstborn rights. Rebekah, knowing such a value of this blessing wanted her son Jacob to receive it, after all he was sold this birthright by Esau. Why would it be right for Esau to receive the firstborn blessing which he sold to Jacob? Yet Jacob knew he would not pull this off, that Isaac would know it was him and thus not give the blessing. How mixed up all this is because of the lack of truth within this family. Why didn’t Isaac and Rebekah talk this out? It just may not have been the custom of the family patriarch to take the counsel of their wives. They may have ruled more like the king or head of the clan, their word being the law for all who live in their family and employ to simply obey without question. Yet Solomon, who was the wisest man of all, made note that a wise man seeks the counsel of his wife. But Isaac had not read this proverb of Solomon for he had not lived to write it yet. But Isaac did have the counsel of God, who gave Solomon that wisdom. Why then was this family so fractured that it was going to cause a greater fracture between these brothers? We need to learn from this both as children and parents. We need to put aside any attitudes and settle any differences that might exist between family members. Why is talking things out so difficult? Why do they become heated arguments instead of a melting of hearts and understanding between members? It would seem the reason always boils down to self-centeredness. We always want our own way, even at the cost of  broken relationships. Jacob and Esau are products of their parents and this dysfunctional set of parents cost their sons many years of living as enemies rather than as brothers. We need to learn from this and set aside any hurt feelings, any discord and be the peacemaker God intends us to be. He established the family, giving Adam a suitable helpmate. This was the beginning of great things, husbands and wives walking through life together. True God holds the man accountable for his family, but the wise man attends to the counsel of his wife. They parent together, yet the man has that final authority due to his accountability to God. It does not appear this was the case with Isaac and Rebekah, but it should be the case with us. Let us be that peacemaker. 

Keeping in Step

DEVOTION

GENESIS

KEEPING IS STEP

Gen 26:26-35

26 Meanwhile, Abimelech had come to him from Gerar, with Ahuzzath his personal adviser and Phicol the commander of his forces. 27 Isaac asked them, "Why have you come to me, since you were hostile to me and sent me away?" 28 They answered, "We saw clearly that the LORD was with you; so we said, 'There ought to be a sworn agreement between us' — between us and you. Let us make a treaty with you 29 that you will do us no harm, just as we did not molest you but always treated you well and sent you away in peace. And now you are blessed by the LORD." 30 Isaac then made a feast for them, and they ate and drank. 31 Early the next morning the men swore an oath to each other. Then Isaac sent them on their way, and they left him in peace. 32 That day Isaac's servants came and told him about the well they had dug. They said, "We've found water!" 33 He called it Shibah, and to this day the name of the town has been Beersheba.   34 When Esau was forty years old, he married Judith daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and also Basemath daughter of Elon the Hittite. 35 They were a source of grief to Isaac and Rebekah.

NIV

Why would Abimelech with his personal advisor and the commander of his forces want a treaty with one man? It would seem clear a man who has a commander of forces has a rather large force of men, an army that could wipe out just one man. But this one man has the Lord on his side and it must have been very clear to Abimelech that God was on the side of Isaac and he did not want to be on the wrong side of God. We have already seen the Abimelech had some knowledge of God, perhaps not the same personal relationship as Abraham or Isaac had, but nevertheless a knowledge of who God was. Yet he also was a liar because he or his servants had mistreated Isaac by filling in wells his father Abraham had dug, and then contesting wells that Isaac reopened chasing him so that he would leave their land. It certainly appears he was not sent away in peace. Could Isaac have as many men servants as his father Abraham had when he went and defeated the united kings, to rescue lot? We are not told anything about the size of Isaac’s group, but we are told that the Lord was with him. Again we see the character of a man who the Lord is with. Although he knew full well Abimelech lied about how he treated him, he not only agreed but have a great feast made for them. He served them the best he had, treating them who honor and distinction. Without getting to the end of this narrative, which holds a truth of its own, we need to ponder this point first. A person whom the Lord is with reacts and responds with kindness and honor toward others, even if they should mistreat them in some way. This is certainly the fruit of the Spirit at work.

Gal 5:22-26

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

NIV

These are traits with which we treat others. Isaac did not bring up any of the issues about Abimelech’s servants and the wells. He did not refute anything which Abimelech said in his treatment of Isaac. He simply honored them with a feast, ate and drank with them and agreed to the terms of a treaty. This would mean that he not only forgave Abimelech, but he would defend his honor and his home if he was to be attached by another force. Abimelech understood that when the Lord is with a man, he is with that man and the power of God is greater than any other. In response to Isaac’s treatment of Abimelech, God blessed him again by his servants finding water. But the point is in how we treat others no matter how they treat us. We should be ambassadors of Christ and the means treating others as he did even in the midst of being treated badly. The fruit of the Spirit is just that, of the Spirit. Because the Spirit dwells within us, we allow him to exhibit his fruit in our lives. That means we have to learn to step down, to relinquish control of our self, which in some sense is being self-controlled. In the flesh, in our own being, we get hurt feeling, we become impatience and even unkind or not very gentle. Sometimes we might not have much joy, or love in our hearts due to our circumstances or because others are treating us poorly. But if the Lord is with us, we should not be walking in the flesh, but walking in the Spirit. We need to be keeping in step with the Spirit. This has a bit of a military flare to it. A platoon of men marching to the cadence of the drill sergeant. He calls out the step, “your left, your left, your left, right, left”, “Column  right, march” and the platoon turns to the right. They keep step with the sergeant. We have the Spirit calling out the cadence of our lives. This is the lesson we learn from Isaac today. In some sense it is the Golden Rule, treat others as you would have them treat you. But in reality it is allowing the Lord God who is not only with us, but within us shine so brightly that others will notice we have the Lord God with us and in us, so that they will want to make a treaty with us. As far as the conclusion of this narrative with Esau taking wives from the Hittites and being a source of grief to Isaac and Rebekah we need to see a fathers love at work as well as the principle of being unequally yoked. Although Jacob had somewhat tricked his brother Esau out of his birthright, Esau was still his father's son and it bothered him greatly that Esau took wives from other then from their own clan. He was concerned about his son's spiritual well-being. He knew God would not approve of this unequal marriages and Esau was in danger of not having the blessing of God in his life. His Hittite wives would have influence on his relationship with God. This should serve us the same lesson. It is not good to seek out a mate that does not believe in God as we do. However that is not withstanding the power of God to both convict and save that mate. Nevertheless we should not willingly seek out that kind of mate, as Esau did. Yet, also as with Isaac, if we have family that is going astray it should cause us concern. We come back to the same lesson, keeping in step with the Spirit.

Blessed or have no fear

DEVOTION

GENESIS

BLESSED

Gen 26:23-25

23 From there he went up to Beersheba. 24 That night the LORD appeared to him and said, "I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bless you and will increase the number of your descendants for the sake of my servant Abraham." 25 Isaac built an altar there and called on the name of the LORD. There he pitched his tent, and there his servants dug a well.

NIV

Have no fear, God is near. This is by far the greatest lesson we could ever learn, other than of course to accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Isaac was surely blessed by God and the Lord wanted to assure him of this blessing. Why would God tell him not to be afraid? Isaac had just left the region of Abimelech under a little duress having some run ins with his people about the wells. But he did not engage in battle with them and rather than retaliate against their bad behavior he just kept moving on until they no longer bothered him. But we did not get the impression he was afraid of them, yet maybe because of what the lord tells him, he might have had a little fear regarding their reappearing again to dispute this current well. Nevertheless, the Lord assures him he has nothing to fear because he is under the watchful eye of God. The Lord tells him he is with him and he will bless him. This we cannot just leave for Isaac alone. We have been told that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit, which means God is not only with us, but within us. Can that not be an even greater blessing than Isaac experienced? If then, having the Spirit of God dwell within us, it would be safe to say we have no reason to ever be afraid.

John 14:1

14:1 "Do not let your hearts be troubled . Trust in God; trust also in me.

NIV

John 14:25-27

25 "All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

NIV  

We have this assurance from the very lips of Jesus. Do not be afraid. Do not let our hearts be troubled. There is nothing that can happen to us that should cause us to be troubled with fear as to how our life will be or turn out. Jesus leaves us his peace. This word carries the meaning of more the peace from the havoc of war. This word within the Christian context implies “the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is.” This is from Thayers Greek Lexicon. This says a great deal as to how we should live free of fear from God as well as from this world. We have the peace of Christ, not as the world gives peace, but as he does. Some might find a sense of peace in the world using financial freedom as their source. But that can be taken from us in a moment’s notice. We are bombarded with ads telling us we can find security in gold or silver and protect ourselves from financial havoc and grief. But the world has nothing to offer the believer when it comes to real peace and not having a troubled heart. What we have is the Spirit of God dwelling within us. God is with us in even a greater way, if that is possible, than when he was with Isaac. God had made a covenant with his father Abraham and reassured he was in that covenant. God has made a covenant with us. If we accept his son as our Lord and Savior he will save us and give us eternal life as well as send his Spirit to take up residence within us. So why in the world would we ever let our hearts be troubled? We live in total trust of God and therefore we live with complete contentment, at peace with God and with our life. We are truly blessed. 

A heart Issue

DEVOTION

GENESIS

A HEART ISSUE

Gen 26:12-22

12 Isaac planted crops in that land and the same year reaped a hundredfold, because the LORD blessed him. 13 The man became rich, and his wealth continued to grow until he became very wealthy. 14 He had so many flocks and herds and servants that the Philistines envied him. 15 So all the wells that his father's servants had dug in the time of his father Abraham, the Philistines stopped up, filling them with earth. 16 Then Abimelech said to Isaac, "Move away from us; you have become too powerful for us." 17 So Isaac moved away from there and encamped in the Valley of Gerar and settled there. 18 Isaac reopened the wells that had been dug in the time of his father Abraham, which the Philistines had stopped up after Abraham died, and he gave them the same names his father had given them. 19 Isaac's servants dug in the valley and discovered a well of fresh water there. 20 But the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac's herdsmen and said, "The water is ours!" So he named the well Esek, because they disputed with him. 21 Then they dug another well, but they quarreled over that one also; so he named it Sitnah.   22 He moved on from there and dug another well, and no one quarreled over it. He named it Rehoboth, saying, "Now the LORD has given us room and we will flourish in the land."

NIV

Jealousy and envy will eat a person up on the inside and they manifests themselves in words and behaviors that are both unbecoming and unhealthy. Here we have Isaac becoming extremely wealthy as a result of the blessings of the Lord. Yes, it is true he may have worked diligently at his trade of being a herdsman. But many believers as well as unbelievers have worked hard and still have little to show for their labor. It is also true that some have either worked hard or smart and have gained much for their labor, both the believer and the unbeliever alike. Yet we know that Isaac began wealthy because of the blessings of the Lord. Could we conclude that in order to be wealthy we need the blessings of the Lord? It would seem this is not the case when we look at those of great wealth who appear for all practical purposes to be wicked people. But we can definitely say that the Lord does bless people and cause them to gain wealth. If we are not among those who he has blessed with great wealth how then do we look upon those who have this great amount of wealth. The Philistines whose land he was living in under the rule of Abimelech became very envious of Isaac’s wealth. This manifested in very bad behavior. They could have inquired of Isaac as to how he gained so much in their land. What did he do differently then what they were doing. This may well have given Isaac to witness the Lord God of his father and of whom he serves caused this to happen. We cannot be sure he would have said that if asked, but it certainly would have given him the opportunity. Yet this is not what the Philistines said or did. They wanted him to leave their land, go away, they resented his being so wealthy and thus might exert some authority over them. But they did not stop there, they endeavored to ruin his wealth by filling in the wells his father had dug and kept his herds from water. Well after well they kept it up until he was far enough away from them. Isaac did not retaliate either, he just kept moving until they stopped filling in the wells and confessed that now the Lord had given him room and he will flourish. He was confessing it was the lord God who gave him wealth. But our lesson is in how we think and act toward those who have more than we do as well as how we respond if we are treated as Isaac. Do we envy those who have more than us? Certainly we have no reason to envy the unbeliever for even with all their wealth without accepting Jesus as their Lord and Savior they will never experience eternal life. Yet still in this world they enjoy the benefits of great wealth and we might look upon them with a little amount of jealousy or envy if we are not careful. When it comes to other believers who have gained a great deal of material goods, wealth, we need to consider how we think and behave toward them. There should not be any room in a believers heart and mind for envy and jealously. If God has blessed them we should rejoice with them. That sounds easier then it is. Sometimes we need to refresh our perspective on life and understand God has blessed us beyond what we deserve. God works in each person’s life as he determines and we simply need to focus on God rather than on others. Sometimes we see within the church those with great wealth having a great deal of influence on how the church is run. We certainly cannot ask them to leave because they have become too powerful as the Philistines did to Isaac. So, again, we need to stay focused on what God is doing in our lives, listening to the Spirit’s leading, understanding our role in the body of Christ. When it comes to us being treated by someone who is either envious or jealous of us, we need to remember how Isaac responded. He did not become angry, or retaliate nor did he become bitter or even upset. He simply kept on keeping on doing that which he needed to do in order to provide for his herds and his servants. The point is we see here both the bad and the good behaviors of men in their interactions with others. We need to be people of good behaviors, this brings glory to our Lord. The only way to achieve this good behavior in our relationships with others is to be people of a good heart and attitude about people.

Prov 23:7

7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:

KJV

It always comes down to a heart issue. How do we think about others, what kind of attitude do we have about others, either those who have more than us, or those who have less. In the final analysis it comes down to all us believers are sinners saved by grace. We should not think more highly of ourselves then we should. This includes all of us, the wealthy and none wealthy alike, those who think themselves spiritual and those who do not. What matters is that we love each other for who we are, not what we are. We can only do that if our heart is right before God.