When God Gets the Credit
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Intro:
Intro:
TS: We have seen God’s plan move forward with the birth of Isaac. Next chapter is a great test of Abraham’s faith, but before we get there, we have this interlude.
However, don’t miss the point of this text. The end of ch 21 of Genesis has several lessons for us.
1st Pagans notice God’s blessings.
Then, Abraham and his neighbors make a treaty
Finally, we will see God worshipped as He reveals a new title.
When They Notice
When They Notice
At that time Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army said to Abraham, “God is with you in all that you do.
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.”
And Abraham said, “I will swear.”
When Abraham reproved Abimelech about a well of water that Abimelech’s servants had seized,
At that time Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army said to Abraham, “God is with you in all that you do.
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.”
And Abraham said, “I will swear.”
EX: Abimelech and Phicol noticed God’s blessings were with Abraham.
God had visibly blessed and been with Abraham
He was known and had made God known.
They acknowledged God’s role in Abraham’s success.
Abraham had lived life in such a way that God got the glory.
For his wealth
For his children
For his success
This moved them to seek peace
They didn’t want to be at odds with one so blessed by God
They don’t seem to begin worshipping God, but they have moved in the right direction.
They acknowledge the reality
They acknowledge the blessings
AP: We should let God’s glory be known
Live in a way that display’s Him to the world
Live like Jesus lived
When they look at our lives, they should see Jesus.
We live and move in this world by doing what Jesus did
compassionate
Be moved by others needs.
meet needs when possible
Submissive to the Father
Obey God
Obey His word
Call others to repentence
Give God the glory when He blesses.
When they see the outward signs of God’s work in our lives, point people to Christ
Point people to Christ
Be ready to answer their questions:
But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled,
but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,
having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.
When Conflicts Arise
When Conflicts Arise
And Abraham said, “I will swear.”
When Abraham reproved Abimelech about a well of water that Abimelech’s servants had seized,
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.”
So Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two men made a covenant.
Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock apart.
And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs that you have set apart?”
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.”
Therefore that place was called Beersheba, because there both of them swore an oath.
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.
When Abraham reproved Abimelech about a well of water that Abimelech’s servants had seized,
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.”
So Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two men made a covenant.
Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock apart.
And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs that you have set apart?”
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.”
Therefore that place was called Beersheba, because there both of them swore an oath.
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.
EX: Abraham and Abimelech talked bluntly of their issues.
Gen 21:2
EX: Abraham and Abimelech talked bluntly of their issues.
Water was a precious commodity.
Tribal wars had been fought over it
Ownership and use of a well was vital
They formed a treaty
Non-aggression
They wanted peace
They wanted free and equitable treatment
Ownership of wells
Abraham set aside the lambs and formally declared/bought the wells.
This was a guarantee and secured the usage rights
AP: We need to deal with conflict
It is up to us to work to keep the peace.
Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.
If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.
Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”
To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.”
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Don’t seek revenge
forgive
Let is pass
Leave it in God’s hands
Live at peace
Seek peace when possible
Live in peace with your family, neighbors, and coworkers
Do good
Even to enemies
Treat others well
What is the golden rule?
When God is Worshiped
When God is Worshiped
Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba and called there on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God.
And Abraham sojourned many days in the land of the Philistines.
Now Jacob heard that the sons of Laban were saying, “Jacob has taken all that was our father’s, and from what was our father’s he has gained all this wealth.”
And Jacob saw that Laban did not regard him with favor as before.
Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you.”
So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah into the field where his flock was
and said to them, “I see that your father does not regard me with favor as he did before. But the God of my father has been with me.
You know that I have served your father with all my strength,
yet your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times. But God did not permit him to harm me.
If he said, ‘The spotted shall be your wages,’ then all the flock bore spotted; and if he said, ‘The striped shall be your wages,’ then all the flock bore striped.
Thus God has taken away the livestock of your father and given them to me.
In the breeding season of the flock I lifted up my eyes and saw in a dream that the goats that mated with the flock were striped, spotted, and mottled.
Then the angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob,’ and I said, ‘Here I am!’
And he said, ‘Lift up your eyes and see, all the goats that mate with the flock are striped, spotted, and mottled, for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you.
I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and made a vow to me. Now arise, go out from this land and return to the land of your kindred.’ ”
Then Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, “Is there any portion or inheritance left to us in our father’s house?
Are we not regarded by him as foreigners? For he has sold us, and he has indeed devoured our money.
All the wealth that God has taken away from our father belongs to us and to our children. Now then, whatever God has said to you, do.”
So Jacob arose and set his sons and his wives on camels.
He drove away all his livestock, all his property that he had gained, the livestock in his possession that he had acquired in Paddan-aram, to go to the land of Canaan to his father Isaac.
Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole her father’s household gods.
And Jacob tricked Laban the Aramean, by not telling him that he intended to flee.
He fled with all that he had and arose and crossed the Euphrates, and set his face toward the hill country of Gilead.
When it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled,
he took his kinsmen with him and pursued him for seven days and followed close after him into the hill country of Gilead.
But God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream by night and said to him, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.”
And Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban with his kinsmen pitched tents in the hill country of Gilead.
And Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done, that you have tricked me and driven away my daughters like captives of the sword?
Why did you flee secretly and trick me, and did not tell me, so that I might have sent you away with mirth and songs, with tambourine and lyre?
And why did you not permit me to kiss my sons and my daughters farewell? Now you have done foolishly.
It is in my power to do you harm. But the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.’
And now you have gone away because you longed greatly for your father’s house, but why did you steal my gods?”
Jacob answered and said to Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I thought that you would take your daughters from me by force.
Anyone with whom you find your gods shall not live. In the presence of our kinsmen point out what I have that is yours, and take it.” Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.
So Laban went into Jacob’s tent and into Leah’s tent and into the tent of the two female servants, but he did not find them. And he went out of Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s.
Now Rachel had taken the household gods and put them in the camel’s saddle and sat on them. Laban felt all about the tent, but did not find them.
And she said to her father, “Let not my lord be angry that I cannot rise before you, for the way of women is upon me.” So he searched but did not find the household gods.
Then Jacob became angry and berated Laban. Jacob said to Laban, “What is my offense? What is my sin, that you have hotly pursued me?
For you have felt through all my goods; what have you found of all your household goods? Set it here before my kinsmen and your kinsmen, that they may decide between us two.
These twenty years I have been with you. Your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried, and I have not eaten the rams of your flocks.
What was torn by wild beasts I did not bring to you. I bore the loss of it myself. From my hand you required it, whether stolen by day or stolen by night.
There I was: by day the heat consumed me, and the cold by night, and my sleep fled from my eyes.
These twenty years I have been in your house. I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times.
If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been on my side, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God saw my affliction and the labor of my hands and rebuked you last night.”
Then Laban answered and said to Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters, the children are my children, the flocks are my flocks, and all that you see is mine. But what can I do this day for these my daughters or for their children whom they have borne?
Come now, let us make a covenant, you and I. And let it be a witness between you and me.”
So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar.
And Jacob said to his kinsmen, “Gather stones.” And they took stones and made a heap, and they ate there by the heap.
Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed.
Laban said, “This heap is a witness between you and me today.” Therefore he named it Galeed,
and Mizpah, for he said, “The Lord watch between you and me, when we are out of one another’s sight.
If you oppress my daughters, or if you take wives besides my daughters, although no one is with us, see, God is witness between you and me.”
Then Laban said to Jacob, “See this heap and the pillar, which I have set between you and me.
This heap is a witness, and the pillar is a witness, that I will not pass over this heap to you, and you will not pass over this heap and this pillar to me, to do harm.
The God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.” So Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac,
and Jacob offered a sacrifice in the hill country and called his kinsmen to eat bread. They ate bread and spent the night in the hill country.
Early in the morning Laban arose and kissed his grandchildren and his daughters and blessed them. Then Laban departed and returned home.
Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him.
And when Jacob saw them he said, “This is God’s camp!” So he called the name of that place Mahanaim.
And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother in the land of Seir, the country of Edom,
instructing them, “Thus you shall say to my lord Esau: Thus says your servant Jacob, ‘I have sojourned with Laban and stayed until now.
I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, male servants, and female servants. I have sent to tell my lord, in order that I may find favor in your sight.’ ”
And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother Esau, and he is coming to meet you, and there are four hundred men with him.”
Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed. He divided the people who were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two camps,
thinking, “If Esau comes to the one camp and attacks it, then the camp that is left will escape.”
And Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O Lord who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your kindred, that I may do you good,’
I am not worthy of the least of all the deeds of steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps.
Please deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I fear him, that he may come and attack me, the mothers with the children.
But you said, ‘I will surely do you good, and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.’ ”
So he stayed there that night, and from what he had with him he took a present for his brother Esau,
two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams,
thirty milking camels and their calves, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys.
These he handed over to his servants, every drove by itself, and said to his servants, “Pass on ahead of me and put a space between drove and drove.”
He instructed the first, “When Esau my brother meets you and asks you, ‘To whom do you belong? Where are you going? And whose are these ahead of you?’
then you shall say, ‘They belong to your servant Jacob. They are a present sent to my lord Esau. And moreover, he is behind us.’ ”
He likewise instructed the second and the third and all who followed the droves, “You shall say the same thing to Esau when you find him,
and you shall say, ‘Moreover, your servant Jacob is behind us.’ ” For he thought, “I may appease him with the present that goes ahead of me, and afterward I shall see his face. Perhaps he will accept me.”
So the present passed on ahead of him, and he himself stayed that night in the camp.
The same night he arose and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.
He took them and sent them across the stream, and everything else that he had.
And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day.
When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him.
Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”
And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.”
Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.”
Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him.
So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.”
The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip.
Therefore to this day the people of Israel do not eat the sinew of the thigh that is on the hip socket, because he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip on the sinew of the thigh.
Tree planted to memorialize the treaty
Physical Reminder
Memorial as a living reminder of the treaty
God called on as The Everlasting God
Abraham worshipped God
He acknowledged as the source of it all
He used the tree as a place of worship
Everlasting God
reminder of the unbreakable and everlasting nature of the covenant God had made with Abraham
AP: God is Everlasting
He is eternal
He will carry out His word and fulfill His promises
Believe it
Expect it
Conclusion:
Conclusion: