September 3, 2022
My Dear Brothers and Sisters, I greet and bless everyone in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. The blessed word that God has given for you today, is from the book of Genesis 26:28, But they said, “We have certainly seen that the Lord is with you. So, Let there now be an oath between us, between you and us, and let us make a covenant with you.”
My Dear Brothers and Sisters, from the above context we understand that those whom God blesses and favours, have reason enough to forgive those that hate them since even the worst enemy cannot do them any real hurt. Isaac too appeared to be as much the favourite of heaven, as Abraham was. It appears from this verse that a strong sense still prevailed of God’s providence and of his ordering the affairs of men so that blessings might come on the righteous. So the Philistines not only observed this with regard to Isaac, but also desired to enter into a covenant with him on that account. The Bible says, when a man’s ways, please the Lord He makes even his enemies, to be at peace with him.
My Dear Brothers and Sisters, The Philistines said, that they not only saw, Isaac prosper while he was among them, by the fullness of the land, he sowed, and by the increase of his family, his flocks, and herds, but also after he had gone from them in the valley of Gerar and later in Beersheba how God had exalted him. So they talked one to another, about his prosperity. So they decided to make a covenant with him. They said, “Do not hurt us. As we have not touched you. Thou art now blessed of Yahweh. ’’ But Isaac needed no guarantee from them as the Lord was with him.
My Dear Brothers and Sisters, Kings hearts are in the hands of God and when He pleases He can turn them to favour His people. So it is not wrong to deal well with those who have acted unfairly with us. But Isaac did not insist on the unkindness which the Philistines had done to him. He freely entered into friendship with them. God teaches us to be peaceable with all men. Providence smiled upon what Isaac did. God blessed his labour. The treaty with Abimelek was similar to what Abraham had with the king of Gerar. Isaac’s prosperity was a manifestation of the Lords favour. Hence Abimelech and his men desired to make a treaty with him.
Prayer: Our loving heavenly Father, we thank You for this blessed day. Lord we thank you for blessing Isaac with your providence. Also you have shown your favour to him and magnified him before the Philistines. Similarly please cause your face to shine upon us. May we be blessed like Isaac. Lift us up before others and reveal to others that God is in the midst of us.
In Jesus name we pray.
Amen.
