A Cup of Water from the Everlasting God

The Lord Will Provide – Part 1

(Genesis 21:22-34, Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee, January 18, 2015)

[22] At that time Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army said to Abraham, “God is with you in all that you do. [23] Now therefore swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me or with my descendants or with my posterity, but as I have dealt kindly with you, so you will deal with me and with the land where you have sojourned.” [24] And Abraham said, “I will swear.”

Abraham was a special servant of the Lord in his day, prior to the conquest of Canaan. See Romans 12:18 for similar New Testament direction. Throughout the account of his life we observe the Lord's deliverance and blessing of this man who received the Lord's covenant promises. Here a king from another people group observes, “God is with you in all that you do.” He seeks blessing through a covenant association with God's people. This desired peace between neighbors is based on God's commitment to Abraham and Abraham's public commitment before God. Abimelech says, “Swear to me here by God.” Abraham responds, “I will swear.” But would Abimelech be true to a covenant based upon the name of Abraham's God?

[25] When Abraham reproved Abimelech about a well of water that Abimelech's servants had seized, [26] Abimelech said, “I do not know who has done this thing; you did not tell me, and I have not heard of it until today.” [27] So Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two men made a covenant. [28] Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock apart. [29] And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs that you have set apart?” [30] He said, “These seven ewe lambs you will take from my hand, that this may be a witness for me that I dug this well.” [31] Therefore that place was called Beersheba, because there both of them swore an oath. [32] So they made a covenant at Beersheba. Then Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army rose up and returned to the land of the Philistines.

The agreement between the Lord's people and their neighbors was tested by a dispute concerning water. Abimelech claimed ignorance concerning the matter. Abraham did not challenge the claim, but reaffirmed his own covenant commitment with a solemn ceremony. Abraham provided the animals for the ceremony as a gift—a gesture of goodwill with the hope that Abimelech would be a man who would be true to his solemn word. This was a public recognition by Abimelech and his people that the well in question had been dug by Abraham's servants and was to be considered Abraham's. Abimelech agreed and the place became known by the oath that was made that day. (The words for “oath” and “seven” are similar in Hebrew.)

[33] Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba and called there on the name of the LORD, the Everlasting God. [34] And Abraham sojourned many days in the land of the Philistines.The provision of water was a matter of life and death to the the ancestors of the Messiah. Until the final establishment of the kingdom of God in the return of Christ, the righteous must live in peace with those who do not approach God through the Name above all names. Like Abraham, we seek peace and pursue it, yet our trust is not in the agreements that we are able to secure with men. We plant our trees with hope in the promises of God, and we call on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God. That is how we live as servants of Jesus in a world of covetousness. John 4.

Put the Word to Work: Be of good cheer. Christ has overcome the world. He will provide.

Memory Verse from the Songs of Ascents—Psalm 127:1a – Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.

Gospel Reading—Matthew 17:24-27 – The temple tax