RACAD Genesis 26 Highlights
“Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14)
In Gen 26:12-16, God kept the promise He made earlier to bless Isaac.The neighbouring Philistines grew jealous because everything Isaac did seemed right.
Jealousy is a dividing force strong enough to tear even the closest friends apart. The Philistines plugged his wells and tried to get rid of him.
The desolate Gerar area was located on the edge of a desert. Water was as precious as gold. If someone dug a well, he was staking a claim to the land. To “stop” or plug up someone’s well was an act of war and is one of the most serious crimes in the land.
Isaac had every right to fight back when the Philistines ruined his wells, yet he “chose” to keep the peace. Rather than a huge conflict, isaac compromised for the sake of peace.
Brother, sister, would you be willing to forsake an important position or valuable possession to keep peace?
Not to run the risk of exaggeration, conflict among brethren seemed to be the most difficult to settle in our days.
Most people will go to any length just to protect their “territory” if they perceive an incursion, thereby jettisoning brotherly love.
In anger, we fail to consider what we stand to lose by not maintaining the bond of peace. The Bible says when the way of a man pleases God, He will cause even his enemies to be at peace with him. The Philistines, though few, are known to be ferocious in battle as we later see from scripture.
Yet we saw the practical wisdom of Isaac’s action. He did not respond to evil with more evil as some of us do.
In pursuing peace, things turned in his favour. He not only earned the respect of the Philistines as they were convinced now that God was with him, they also asked for a peace treaty and a blessing from Isaac.
It is also instructive to note that Isaac did not begin to gloat in self glory and a sense of justification on seeing the Philistine King and his entourage at his door, rather, he was quick to respond enthusiastically and turning the occasion into a celebration even though he was forced out of Gerar.
Brethren even when there is conflict, just as Isaac did, we must be willing and receptive always to those that seek occasion to make peace with us. Shalom.
