Well, Well, Well!
God is with us, no matter how others treat us.
Genesis(53) (Part of the Origins(52) series)
by Stuart Johns(57) on October 12, 2025 (Sunday Morning(73))
Confession(9), God's Blessing(1), Jealousy(1), Lying(1), Meekness(1)
Origins
Well, Well, Well!
(Genesis 26:12-25)
INTRODUCTION
Well, well, well! Aren’t you special?
Johnny didn’t understand why the woman was saying that to him. He was simply explaining that he got a new bike for his Birthday.
What he didn’t know is that the woman worked for his father and she was struggling to make ends meet. She was a single mother of three children and could not afford to buy, even a used bike for her children.
She was jealous of Johnny and his family and it affected how she talked to him. She would never speak to his father that way, because he was her boss. She was taking out her frustration on Johnny, even though it wasn’t his fault.
BODY
ME
Object of jealousy
I have experienced snide remarks from other people
While they would never admit that they are jealous, their remarks say it all
Being jealous
I have done the same thing to others, when I think they are being treated better than me
I never said anything to them directly, but I’m certain that the way I treated them spoke volumes
WE
How many of us have experienced snide remarks from others?
How many of us have treated others poorly because of jealousy?
Isaac dealt with his sin of lying, by admitting everything to Abimelech. When he got right with Abimelech and the Lord, that is when the Lord blessed him. But the Lord’s blessing did not bring the favor of others. In reality, it brought the wrath of others, the indignation of others, the jealousy of others. God’s blessing can ignite jealousy in others. Isaac learned that God was with him, no matter how others treated him. The same is true for us, that…
BIG IDEA – God is with us, no matter how others treat us.
God being with us helps us to respond correctly to those who mistreat us.
Let’s pray
GOD (Genesis 26:12-25)
Gracing (vv. 12-13)
Supernatural crop growth
If you remember from last week, Isaac and Rebekah moved to Gerar to avoid the famine in the land
They stayed there a long time before their lie was exposed
We are not told if the famine had ended at this point
Isaac reaped a hundredfold in one year [#1 – Young people, how much did Isaac reap the first year? (100)]
The crop growth that happened in one year would have been considered supernatural whether or not the famine was still happening
“This was an unusual blessing, as the yield even in very fertile regions is not generally greater than from twenty-five to fifty-fold…” [Keil & Delitzsch, Commentary on the Old Testament, Volume 1, The Pentateuch, 174]
“Two aspects made the bumper crop remarkable: first, the return was a hundred times the seed invested, and it occurred immediately the first year.” [Mathews, The New American Commentary, Vol. 1B, Genesis 11:27-50:26, 409]
Isaac and the citizens of Gerar were using the same soil, had access to the same sun and rain and yet, Isaac’s crops prospered exponentially compared to theirs [Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, Pentateuch, 118]
Everything pointed to the hand of God blessing Isaac
The Lord’s blessing was what caused the supernatural crop growth
PRINCIPLE #1 – God’s blessing is available for those who repent and trust Him.
That is what we see here with Isaac
“When did Isaac receive a hundredfold? After he said, ‘I made a mistake, Abimelech. I told you Rebekah was my sister because I’m a chicken. I didn’t want to die.’ That’s all confession is, gang—simply admitting the real deal. Isaac’s sin was exposed; confession was made; and now he can go on.” [Courson, Jon Courson’s Application Commentary, Old Testament, Volume 1: Genesis-Job, 127]
The same is true for us
God’s blessing is available to those of us who repent and trust Him
What do you need to come clean about today, so you can move forward?
Are you afraid that confessing your lie will hurt others?
The blessing of repentance is far greater than the consequences of confessing the lie
#1 – My Next Step Today Is To: Confess ________ (lie) to the Lord and ________ (name), so I can experience God’s blessing.
Isaac’s wealth continued to grow until he became very wealthy
His wealth and prosperity did not endear him to the locals, but rather it caused them to envy him
Grudging (vv. 14-16)
Isaac’s wealth was not just in crops, but also in flocks, herds, and servants
His wealth was a result of God being faithful to His covenant and keeping His promises
When Isaac obeyed the Lord’s command to remain in the land, he experienced God’s abundant blessing
Isaac also experienced God’s abundant blessing because of the faith and life of his father, Abraham (Gen. 26:5)
God blesses us abundantly for the sake of Jesus Christ
Un-welled
The way that the Philistines expressed their envy/jealousy was by filling in the wells that Abraham’s servants had dug during his lifetime [#2 – Young people, what did the Philistines fill in with dirt? (wells)]
God is with us, no matter how others treat us.
Probably their hope was that Isaac would get discouraged and leave
The Philistines were cutting off the precious water supply that Isaac would need in order to maintain his crops, flocks, and herds
The annual rainfall in this part of the world would have been meager
Why fill in the wells, especially if the Philistines could benefit from the water?
Because Isaac had so many servants, perhaps the Philistines did not have the man power to steal the wells and defend them
They could simply fill them in with dirt and after Isaac left, dig them out again
This was also consider a frequent form of desert warfare as we see in 2 Kings 3:24-25, But when the Moabites came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and fought them until they fled. And the Israelites invaded the land and slaughtered the Moabites. They destroyed the towns, and each man threw a stone on every good field until it was covered. They stopped up all the springs and cut down every good tree. Only Kir Hareseth was left with its stones in place, but men armed with slings surrounded it and attacked it as well.
In addition to losing his water sources, Isaac was asked to leave the area
Unwelcomed
Abimelech asked Isaac to leave, because he had become too powerful for them
Instead of befriending Isaac, the Philistines burned bridges with him
They had allowed envy and jealousy to taint their relationship with Isaac
God is with us, no matter how others treat us.
PRINCIPLE #2 – Jealousy has the power to divide and destroy.
The Philistines wanted what Isaac had, but jealousy caused them to separate themselves from the very thing they were longing for
They obviously saw the Lord’s hand of blessing on Isaac, but were not aware of God’s covenant with him that included all nations being blessed through his descendants
They drove away the one person who could guarantee their blessing from the Lord
Jealousy has the power to divide and destroy relationships that can guarantee our blessing from the Lord
When you are plagued with jealousy, try thanking God for their good fortune
That will change your perspective and attitude towards that person
I have had to do that in my own life and ministry – when I’m feeling jealous, I stop and thank the Lord for how God is using that person or blessing that ministry
#2 – My Next Step Today Is To: Thank the Lord for _______ (person/group/business/ministry, etc.), because of how He has blessed them.
While the Philistines were grudging, Isaac decided to be giving
Giving (vv. 17-22)
Isaac moved to the Valley of Gerar
He did not respond with anger or retaliation when mistreated
“None of the patriarchs rashly risk war for the Promised Land. Instead, they trust God to give their descendants the land at the right time (see 15:13-14).” [Waltke, Genesis: A Commentary, 370]
PRINCIPLE #3 – God’s timing is perfect!
We may not understand our current circumstances and how we are being treated
We may question God’s timing about a certain situation
Rest assured that God’s timing is perfect, just like it was for Isaac’s descendants
Isaac not only moved to the Valley of Gerar, but he reopened the wells that had been dug during his father’s time
Reopening wells
The Philistines had stopped up the wells in the Valley of Gerar after Abraham died
Isaac knew where these wells were because he had probably been there when they were dug and he used them frequently while watering his father’s flocks and herds
“In the Bible, wells sometimes symbolize blessings from the hand of the Lord. The church keeps looking for something new, when all we need is to dig again the old wells of spiritual life that God’s people have depended on from the beginning—the Word of God, prayer, worship, faith, the power of the Spirit, sacrifice, and service—wells that we’ve allowed the enemy to fill up. Whenever there’s been a revival of spiritual power in the history of the church, it’s been because somebody has dug again the old wells so that God’s life-giving Spirit can be free to work.” [Wiersbe, 119]
That quote is so true
I am dedicated to the preaching of the Word and prayer
I am committed to equipping and releasing you all to serve others
Every one of us needs to dig again the well of sacrifice
“The next new thing is the first old thing.” [Daniel Henderson, Strategic Renewal]
#3 – My Next Step Today Is To: Dig again the old well of ________ (Word of God, prayer, worship, faith, power of the Spirit, sacrifice, service, etc.)
Isaac gave the reopened wells the same names that Abraham had given them as a way of showing ownership
He not only reopened previous wells, but he also had new wells dug
New wells
Esek (ay’sek/a’sick)
Isaac’s servants found “fresh water” in the first new well they dug [#3 – Young people, what did Isaac’s servants find when they dug the first well? (fresh/living water)]
This would have been prized a well, because the it had “living water” or “springing water”
This well was fed through a spring and was not just stagnant ground water
“Once upon a time there was an old well that stood outside the front door of a family farmhouse in New Hampshire. The water from the well was remarkably pure and cold. No matter how hot the summer or how severe the drought, the well was always a source of refreshment and joy.
The faithful old well stood for years until eventually the farmhouse was modernized. Wiring brought electric lights, and indoor plumbing brought hot and cold running water. The old well was no longer needed, so it was sealed for use in possible future emergencies. But one day, years later, someone had a hankering for the cold, pure water of that familiar old well. So he unsealed the well and lowered a bucket for a nostalgic taste of the delightful refreshment he remembered from his youth.
He was shocked to discover that the well that once had survived the severest droughts was bone dry! Perplexed, he began to ask some of the older folks who knew about these kind of things. He learned that wells of that sort were fed by hundreds of tiny underground rivulets which seep a steady flow of water. As long as the water is drawn out of the well, new water will flow in through the rivulets, keeping them open for more to flow. But when the water stops flowing, the rivulets clog with mud and close up. The well dried up not because it was used too much, but because it wasn't used enough.
Source: Adapted from John A. Sanford, The Kingdom Within (J.P Lippincott Co., 1970), pp. 15-16.
[https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2015/april/6041315.html].Back in Pennsylvania there is a pipe that sticks out of the ground on one of the roads in the Michaux State Forest
On any given day, you can find people parked along the side of the road with multiple containers
They are filling up their containers with fresh mountain spring water
There is a constant flow from this spring
This is what Isaac’s servants discovered when they dug this first well
Quarreling
The herdsman from Gerar were obviously close by when this well was dug because they immediately laid claim to it
They understood the value of the well, that had “living water”
Isaac named the well Esek (ay’sek/a’sick), which means “dispute, strife, contention, challenge”
God is with us, no matter how others treat us.
While there was quarreling over this well, Isaac had his servants dig another well
Sitnah (sit-naw’)
It appears as though Isaac directed his servants to dig another well close by
It is not stated directly that this well had “living water”
That did not seem to matter to the herdsmen of Gerar, because they quarreled over that well also
Isaac named the well Sitnah (sit-naw’), which means “opposition, accusation, hatred”
God is with us, no matter how others treat us.
After losing two new wells and probably all of the other wells that he reopened, Isaac decided to move on from the Valley of Gerar
Rehoboth (rekh-o-both’/wreck-o-voth’)
When his servants dug the third new well, no one quarreled with him about it
He named the well Rehoboth, which means “space, open spaces, enlargement, wide, broad, spacious, breaths, wide places”
Isaac recognized that the Lord had given them room
They had space to continue to flourish in the land
Giving ground
Isaac gave ground multiple times
He left Gerar, proper and settled in the Valley of Gerar
He left the Valley of Gerar until he found Rehoboth
He was powerful enough that he could have fought back and stood his ground, but he didn’t
PRINCIPLE #4 – Meekness is not weakness, it is power under control.
[#4 – Young people, what is meekness? (power under control)]
That is exactly what Isaac modeled for his people and for us
He was characterized by meekness throughout his life [Courson, 128]
He did not fight back when Ishmael taunted and teased him
He didn’t try to run away when his father laid him on the altar to sacrifice him
He didn’t object to the choice in a wife that his father’s servant had made (with the Lord’s help)
He didn’t try to rationalize his cowardice when confronted by Abimelech, rather he confessed
He didn’t stand his ground when his water rights were challenged
Matthew 5:5, “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”
Isaac is in good company, because Jesus modeled meekness for us also
Bible background
Isaiah 53:7, He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.
1 Peter 2:23-24, When they hurled insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.
Jesus, as God the Son, had the power to call angels down from heaven to take Him off the cross, so He would not have to suffer and die
Instead He kept that power under control, so He could take our punishment for sin
Luke 22:42-43, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4, For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection has given us eternal life
Praise the Lord for Isaac and Jesus’ example of meekness
#4 – My Next Step Today Is To: Ask the Lord to help me exhibit meekness with __________.
We are not told why Isaac left Rehoboth, but he does
Glorifying (vv. 23-25)
Beersheba
We know from Genesis 21:22-34 that Abraham made a treaty with the first Abimelech at Beersheba
So Beersheba probably had a special significance for Isaac
Visit from the Lord
The same night that he arrived in Beersheba, the Lord appeared to him
Isaac received three things from the Lord [Hamilton, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament, The Book of Genesis, Chapters 18-50, 204]
“A revelation of his father’s God”
“The promise of divine presence”
“The promise of blessing and seed”
The Lord reaffirmed the Abrahamic covenant that He had confirmed in verses 3 and 4
After receiving the visit from the Lord, Isaac built an altar [#5 – Young people, what did Isaac build in Beersheba? (altar)]
Settling in
Place of worship
He didn’t just build an altar for the sake of building it
He also called on the name of the Lord
PRINCIPLE #5 – God is pleased when we set aside a place to commune with Him.
Home
Woods/Field
Lake/Stream
Beach/Mountains
Where is your place?
Place to call home
He pitched his tent
His servants dug a well
God is with us, no matter how others treat us.
Isaac experienced this throughout his life
Jacob would also experience this
Many other people in the Bible experienced this, including Jesus
Read Romans 8:31-39
YOU
What lie do you need to confess to the Lord and others, so you can experience God’s blessing?
What person or group do you need to thank the Lord for, because of how He has blessed them?
What spiritual well do you need to dig into again (Word of God, prayer, worship, faith, power of the Spirit, sacrifice, service, etc.)
Whom do you need to exhibit meekness with?
WE
For whom do we need to thank the Lord for, because of how He has blessed them?
What spiritual well do we need to dig into again?
Whom do we need to exhibit meekness with?
CONCLUSION
“Mara Reinstein writes in Parade Magazine:
We met Steve Martin years ago as a banjo-playing comic with an arrow through his head singing ‘King Tut.’ He's now a movie star and serious musician as well. In an interview, he recalled the movie ‘Father of the Bride’ beating every other movie at the box office and thinking, ‘Oh, this month it's my turn.’
The interviewer followed-up, ‘Does it hurt when it's not your turn?’ Steve answered, ‘Not anymore … you have to remember that there's always going to be somebody better than you and there's room for everybody. I'm also a musician … I work with a lot of bands. I always say, ‘Don't be jealous of other bands. You're just going to eat yourself up and waste time and it will get you nowhere. So be inclusive and say, ‘Great job.’ It takes a while to learn to not take it all so seriously.’”
Possible Preaching Angle:
The world may not call jealousy and envy "sins" but it recognizes they create issues. He's right, isn't he? It does take a while to learn to let others be praised.
Source: Mara Reinstein, “My Life in Movies” Parade Magazine (11-13-22), p. 10.
[https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2023/may/what-actor-steve-martin-learned-about-jealousy.html].
