Isaac’s Wells

In Genesis 26 we read the story where Isaac reopens and digs wells.

Prophetically this paints the picture of those who, today, dig those internal wells of capacity, that the river of life might fill them and flow through them to water others who are dry and thirsty. Jesus declared this as part of our inheritance, “this He spoke concerning the Spirit” (John 7:37-39). Let’s take a closer look and learn together.

Isaac is accessing his covenant right secured by Abraham his father. He is walking fully in the will of God as he achieves two goals: recover the wells of his father, Abraham (the origin of the covenant he walked in) and secondly, digging wells of his own discovery and initiative.

His first goal was clearly vital. Time and the adversaries of God had “stopped up” those wells of his father, Abraham. Instead of writing them off and going ahead with his own wells, he takes the time and focus to dig those wells afresh. He re-establishes those sources of life which were his inheritance from his father Abraham.

His second goal was to not depend upon his inherited “wells of life”, but to discover and establish his own source of life and ministry.

INHERITED WELLS AND FRESHLY DISCOVERED WELLS

Ideally, just like Isaac’s wells, our anointing and grace for life and ministry will come from both these sources: that which is inherited and that which is freshly discovered. Which brings us to the digging of his own well.

In Genesis 26:19-22 we have Isaac, in the will of God, digging his own well (a source of life and ministry for himself and others). He faithfully has the well dug only to have the herdsmen of Gerar quarrel and contend for it.

Even though he was in the will of God and had been the one who had paid the price to have the well dug, therefore legally his well, he makes a choice. Isaac realises that to have his rights (but with ongoing contention) is to lose the objective of the well as a place of peace and refreshing.

He surrenders it in order to avoid contention and digs another well, but the same thing happens. There are quarrels and contention by those who want the benefit without paying the price, and whose arrogance and greed is in stark contrast to the godliness of Isaac.

The response from Isaac could have been, “Enough is enough!” “I am in the right here!” “It’s my well!” Such responses could have well been justified. But, once again, he knows that to be right is not the issue. The issue is to establish a place of peace and refreshing, where he and those he loved could draw from the well of living water.

He surrenders to the injustice for the second time and walks away from that which was rightfully his.

THE PLACE OF FRESH COVENANT

Isaac finally comes to Beersheba (the place of fresh covenant) and establishes his well of life without quarrel or contention. It is interesting that immediately after his digging of this third well that his sworn enemies come to him and recognise that the Lord, indeed is with Isaac, and make a covenant of peace with him (Genesis 26:28-29).

My friends, there is a time to stand and fight the devil and prevail in your God-given right and authority. Absolutely! But there are also those times when, to get your way and establish your own “well” you will have to live in contention, and therefore never achieve the greater goal of peace and refreshing.

We need to discern when it is that Father is telling us to persevere and contend for His truth to be established. But we also need to discern when it is that our grit and determination to establish our own well will be at the expense of the greater goal: “To live in peace with all men” and “if your enemy is thirsty, give him a drink” (from your well) Romans 12:18-21.

Who knows when the witness of your humility and sacrifice may soften the heart of those who have previously been your fiercest opposition. If your heart and motivation is pure, Father will give you the well of His choice, and it will be an extraordinary source of living water and the favour of God. It will be without contention and truly be a place of peace and refreshing.

In the strength of surrender, David