These days, I am falling in love with the Book of Genesis all over again. I am serious, I am!

After my morning devotion this morning, I asked myself, “Have I ever read this book before or what?” It is just a breathtaking book. After all, the whole word of God is “a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:14). Praise God!

Anyways, let’s look at chapter 26 of the Book of Genesis:

“Now there was a famine in the land, besides the former famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Gerar to Abimelech king of the Philistines.” Genesis 26:1 ESV

And as the story continues, we read:

“And Isaac sowed in that land and reaped in the same year a hundredfold. The Lord blessed him, and the man became rich, and gained more and more until he became very wealthy.  He had possessions of flocks and herds and many servants, so that the Philistines envied him. ” Genesis 26:12-14

Wow! Why did they envy Isaac? What did he do to them?

He just did his work and God chose to bless his work. That is all! The Philistines can work hard too but blessings can only come from God. If they don’t get blessed, it is not Isaac’s fault.

What did the Philistines and their king, King Abimelech, decide to do with Isaac? Listen:

“And Abimelech said to Isaac, “Go away from us, for you are much mightier than we.” Genesis26:16

What? Go away from us???? Why? Isaac is a blessing to their land. He sow seeds and he got blessed. He eats what he can eat and make the rest available for them and their children. Is this considered as a crime or a sin?

Well, it didn’t matter to them. They don’t want to see a blessed man. They want to be the blessed one; if not, they want to get rid of the one whom God blessed. So, they asked Isaac to go away.

What happened next? Listen:

“When Abimelech went to him [Isaac] from Gerar with Ahuzzath his adviser and Phicol the commander of his army, Isaac said to them, “Why have you come to me, seeing that you hate me and have sent me away from you?” They said, “We see plainly that the Lord has been with you. So we said, let there be a sworn pact between us, between you and us, and let us make a covenant with you, that you will do us no harm, just as we have not touched you and have done to you nothing but good and have sent you away in peace. You are now the blessed of the Lord.”” Genesis 26:27-29 ESV

Wow! How smart! Abimelech and his officials came back to their senses. They probably said to each other, “Guys, we are just digging for our own doom! Let’s make peace with this man before his God wipes us off the face the earth.”

Something came crystal clear to King Abimelech and his officials that it was better for them to make peace with Isaac now before it was too late because the God who kept on blessing every seed Isaac was sowing and filling up every well Isaac (or, the servants of Isaac) was digging would also fight for Isaac if they (the Philistines) get into conflict with Isaac. So, they made a wise move before it was too late.

There is one beautiful proverb in Amharic. It goes something like this: “ከነገሩ ፆም እደሩ” – means, it is better to sleep without dinner than putting self in trouble (I hope I am right with the translation here).

So, Abimelech and his officials came to Isaac and made a covenant with Isaac so there would be peace between Isaac and them.

My friend, it is always good for you and I to make peace with God.

Since we are so corrupted and sinful, we cannot directly go to God by ourselves. For that reason, God has sent His Blessed Son, Jesus Christ, so we can come to God through Him. Coming to Christ and making covenant with Him now is a smart move we can ever make in our lives before it is too late (before we find ourselves standing at the judgment seat of God for the word of God says, “it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment” Hebrews 9:27)

Make peace with God today, even better, now, through the Blessed Man of God, Jesus Christ, so that it will be well with you now and for the rest of your eternal life. Don’t ask Christ to leave you alone!

Otherwise, my friend, your present and eternal life will be in jeopardy.

Jesus said, “the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.” John 6:37 – wow! What a promise! ///