“I will establish the oath that I swore to Abraham your father. I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and will give to your offspring all these lands. And in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.”Genesis 26:3–4 ESV

Isaac, the firstborn of Abraham and Sarah, lived during a time of famine. God instructed him to stay in Gerar in Palestine as a foreigner. God promised to bless him, just as He had promised Abraham.

Isaac planted seeds during the famine, and he harvested a hundredfold because of the favor of God. He not only became rich but also exceedingly prosperous in livestock, herds, and servants. His blessings continued to grow.

The blessing upon him made no sense to others. He planted during famine—a dry time, with no water, no favorable condition to grow crops. To others, it looked like a waste of time and resources. Yet his livestock multiplied, his crops flourished, and his wealth grew. The Bible does not say God sent rain—his only resource was God’s promise and His faithfulness.

But as we know, when others see us blessed, jealousy often rises. The Philistines around Isaac became very jealous and asked him to leave. They even filled the wells that Abraham’s servants had dug. Isaac’s blessing made them fearful.

Yet Isaac did not contend with them. He moved away and restored the wells his father had dug, renaming them. On top of that, he discovered a fresh well. But the local herdsmen quarreled with Isaac’s men and claimed it. So Isaac’s men named the place Esek, which means argument or contention.

Isaac did not fight back. He moved on and dug another well. Again, the locals claimed it, and that place was named Sitnah, meaning enmity. Still, Isaac’s men did not argue. They moved on and dug yet another well—and this time no one contended for it. Isaac named it Rehoboth, meaning room, for the Lord had made space for them to flourish.

As the Bible says,

“When a man’s ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.”Proverbs 16:7 ESV

Then King Abimelech came to Isaac in peace, admitting that he could see the favor and blessing of the Lord upon him. He acknowledged that God was with Isaac, and together they made a peace treaty. That very day, Isaac’s men found water, and the well was named Shibah—the well of oath. The city has been called Beersheba to this day.

The Word of God encourages us today that even in days of famine and uncertainty, God’s unfailing promise and favor will remain with us. When people around us see the hand of God in our lives, jealousy will rise. They may compare their lives with ours, and jealousy can grow into contention and enmity. They may even claim what belongs to you—your friends, family, possessions, positions, and property.

Like Isaac carried God’s promise and kept moving forward, we too must press on. Like Isaac restored and renamed the wells of his father, we should also dig and restore the wells of gifts and talents that were once covered and hidden—re-creating our lives for His glory.

Instead of pouring our energy into arguments and enmity, let us use our time wisely to rebuild our lives and bless those around us. In God’s time, He will open for us a Rehoboth—a well of blessing—where we will flourish in the land of the living. Your Rehoboth will even attract your enemies to make peace with you. The favor of God will cause others to testify, “Surely, God is with you.”

Isaac began his journey in Gerar (the lodging place). Through jealousy (Esek) and enmity (Sitnah), he was pushed to discover Rehoboth (room), and finally, he arrived at Beersheba—close to the promised land.

Every challenge, every argument, every contention that rises against the blessing of God in our lives will only serve to push us closer to the fulfillment of His promises. May we receive our portion as we move forward in God’s favor, carrying His promise and walking in His call.

“Don’t settle in the place of contention—keep digging until you reach your Rehoboth.”

Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for Your unfailing promises that sustain us even in times of famine and uncertainty. Help us to build, restore, and walk in peace as we carry Your promise.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.