Title: Isaku no 井戶
Contents
2009. 5. 17 Sunday Worship Isaac's Well
Text: Genesis 26:12 - 22
A few days ago I saw an elephant on TV digging a meter or so of dirt in search of water. Water really came out when the mother elephant dug the soil with her nose. Oddly enough, the elephant knew exactly where the water was.
It was amazing to know that animal senses can instinctively search for water. At first, muddy water came out, so I sucked it in through my nose and skimmed it off, and when clean water came out, I drank it. When the baby elephant learns well and grows up, he will take the baby elephant to find water again. In today's text, a master of water search appears.
Isaac is the main character.
There is no record of Isaac's failure to dig a well to find water. ^^
The first part of the text, verse 12, begins with the story of farming.
This is the record of the third patriarchal farming after Cain and Noah.
It is a record that shows that Isaac not only lived a nomadic life, but also cultivated the land and cultivated it at the same time.
In fact, those who have never done farming do not know how hard and painful it is.
It is said to be very physically demanding and exhausting.
However, Isaac started farming in that land, and it is said that as soon as he started farming, he got a 100-fold crop that year.
In Mark 4:8, it says, “One seed produces 30, 60, 100 times the fruit.
In the Gospel of Matthew, it bears fruit 100 times, 60 times, and 30 times.”
However, there are quite a few people who are skeptical about whether the 100-fold harvest is really true.
Twice the fruit or three times makes sense to some extent, but 100 times... . a bit exaggerated It seems that there are some people who doubt that it is a lie that goes beyond common sense. What do you think?
How many times do you really think you'll be able to accept the harvest?
Everyone, do you know the ‘rice tree’?
There are quite a few children who grew up in the city who thought rice grew on trees.
In the imaginations of such children, rice is clustered on trees like berries.
I don't know if you know. But in reality, grains like millet and millet produce great fruit.
In fact, it is said that in the time of Jesus, the crops around the Jordan River yielded a harvest 10 times as small and 100 times as large. However, on average, agricultural yields in Palestine were about 10 times higher.
So, when he used the expression ‘many fruit’, Jesus was talking about a 30-fold to a maximum of 100-fold.
The smaller the grain, the more it opens, and the larger the grain, the less it opens. Therefore, Jesus seems to be referring to wheat or barley.
But what is noteworthy here is, how did Isaac reap a 100-fold crop that year as soon as he started farming? The cause of that bountiful harvest is important.
Verse 12 records that it was not because Isaac was a good peasant, but because God blessed him.
As God blessed Isaac in this way, as in verse 13, it was rejected and he had no choice but to be great. When God begins to bless you properly, He pours out more blessings than you can handle. It was his father, Abraham, and so was Joseph.
But the problem is everywhere.
At this time when Isaac was well on his way, there were people who were jealous of this, and the Philistines who were around him were such people.
So we can't really let go of the tension even in the quiet times of blessing.
Everywhere there are beings like the Philistines who burn envy and jealousy.
Hungry for the prosperity of others is an aspect of fallen humanity.
Not because they can't eat and live, but because other people are doing well, there are bound to be people around who burst out with burning jealousy because their stomach hurts.
Is there no such person around me? surely there is. If it hasn't appeared before, it may appear sooner or later. So how should we deal with this?
Verse 15 says that the native Philistines ‘closed the well and filled it with earth’ that their servants had dug in the days of Abraham.
In ancient Palestine, where water was scarce, wells were absolutely essential for livelihood and survival.
Therefore, the well is an important property list.
Therefore, this kind of 'Ijime', 'blocking the well and filling it with soil', means declaration of war or exile.
Now, if I were Isaac, how would I deal with these Philistines?
No, what would you do if you were faced with a similar situation in this day and age?
By the way, Isaac is a Gentile, not a citizen of Gerar.
Would you like to grab the man who blocked the well and fight?
Do you want to sue? Even if they sued, Isaac was a foreigner, so there was little protection from the law.
Although we are now in an era where we are protected by the law to some extent, the reality is that any country values the property rights of its citizens more.
In other words, when a legal dispute occurs in Japan, it can be understood that the rights and interests of Koreans or Zainichi Koreans do not take precedence over the Japanese. It's a lot better now, but... …
When I heard the stories of Koreans living in Japan, it was said that in the past, it was really impossible to speak.
What surprised me when I came to Japan was to find out that the level of Ijime in Japan is higher than in any other country. Bullying a person individually or collectively.
Then, it is obvious that the person will suffer a fatal mental injury and it will be difficult to adapt to society. The frequent suicides and Toorima incidents would also appear as a natural result.
When they blocked the well with dirt, Isaac did not want to fight them, but records that he ‘digged the well again’. It's not just a one-time sale. I dug again three times.
And, he dug a well and gave it a name whenever water came out.
‘Ezek, Sitnah, Rehoboth’ It is the fourth well, starting with the well of Abraham.
In fact, it was not difficult to find a source of water and dig a well in Palestine, a rugged terrain that is no different from a desert than in any other region.
But Isaac quietly dug the well again. Then they no longer quarreled.
Outraged at the blasphemy and hostility of the Philistines, they did not fight to the end by claiming justice.
Although not without conflict, they quietly avoided it.
Because he knew very well how foolish it would be to fight them to defend their rights. Isaac's attitude opened my eyes to one fact.
Fighting for justice seems to be the right choice in a way.
However, if there is a way we can establish God's righteousness without fighting,
I think it's a means to be considered before struggle.
Here, Isaac's attitude was 'concession and long-suffering'.
It seems that there are many people who are exuding holy anger to fight unconditionally against justice.
However, we must not forget that our human judgment is not always right.
Verse 22, the last part of today's text, can be said to be a confession of gratitude that Isaac, who gave in and endured to the end, finally overcame all trials and gave thanks to God.
‘Esek, Sitnah, and Rehoboth’ Important things are given names. This well of Isaac can be understood as a necessary element directly related to survival, which is essential in our lives.
We are all digging wells to find water. What kind of water are you looking for now?
No matter how much water we drink or drink in this world, we feel thirsty and seek water again.
We must dig a well, and we must find water. Like the Samaritan woman who found the well in John 4, we will go to the well again with weary steps.
In John 4:14, Jesus says: “Whoever drinks the water I will give him will never thirst. The water I will give him will become in him a spring of water springing up to eternal life.
Only Jesus Christ can quench the thirst of our souls and all the thirst of life. Knowing Jesus Christ rightly and having Him deeply inside me
Brings answers to life. In the name of the Lord, I bless all the members of Akashi Church who are trying to get to know Jesus more and become more like Jesus.
The Philistines are native, and Isaac's family are Gentiles. In fact, the stranger is the one who gets hit and the other who gets hit with the other.
Therefore, in Exodus 22:21 and Leviticus 19:10 of the Bible, we can see that the law strictly forbids discrimination and harassment of weak and lonely Gentiles.
Today's text depicts the process of Isaac's group moving from the Gerar region to another place due to the jealousy and jealousy of the native Philistines and the constant pressure from the dispute over the well.
We can see that after God's blessing, the trials of the world can follow.
Christians, too, may be treated as strangers in this world and may experience unjust persecution and trials.
But those who have the hope of heaven must endure with faith and hope to the end.
“God is so unfair. Why did you give Isaac a 100-fold blessing?
Are you going to reap the blessing of minus 100 times for me? "I don't know if anyone wants to complain like this. But I have a simple question here.
Why can't we receive the same '100-fold blessing' that Isaac received?
We often read the Bible text like today and say, “I wish Isaac would be good. I received God's blessings 100 times each, and God was always with me... … Oh, envy you.” But didn't you cover the Bible by dismissing it as something that had nothing to do with me?
Don't you think it's a bit embarrassing for that? Was the Bible written to weaken me?
We must be able to discover important points that should not be overlooked in order to properly read the Bible and listen to the sermons properly. In today's text, "Isaac dug and dug and dug and dug.
So Isaac is now happily eating well and living well.’ That is not all there is to it.
Through it, the Bible has a point that it must convey something to us. So, what is the point of today's text?
That is, we discover the same 'principle of blessing' that Isaac received.
Jesus gave his disciples even catching fish through miracles, but
Rather, he wanted me to teach you how to fish.
I didn't read it today, but 26:2-5 says it.
Verse 4 is God's promise to give these blessings.
In particular, verse 5 is the very basis on which Isaac was able to receive the blessing.
For Abraham obeyed my word, and kept my commandments, my commandments, my statutes, and my ordinances.
To ‘kept’ here means to ‘practice’ the Word of God.
It means ‘do it’. This is the secret to being blessed.
What God wants us to do now is for us to judge for ourselves after hearing the Word.
So he wants you to live by the word.
In the name of the Lord, I bless you in the name of the Lord that all the members of the Akashi Church who believe in Him and are determined to live according to His Word by trusting Him to the end.