Genesis 26:12

Genesis 26:12 says, Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him.  When  Isaac sowed his crops that year, he received a hundred fold return, and God blessed him.  It would seem that the LORD blessing Isaac was a separate issue than his bountiful harvest.  I don't believe that we should always equate material success with whether God is blessing us or not.  I believe that God blessed Isaac spiritually because of his obedience, as God will bless us.  Verse thirteen states, And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great:  Then verse fourteen adds, For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him.  I do believe that Isaac's material success, which was great, was because of his obedience to God.  If we are materially successful today, we need to make sure that we are obedient to God first and always.  We cannot allow material wealth to become the most important indicator of God's blessing.  The Philistines became jealous of Isaac, not because of Isaac's relationship to God, but because of his great wealth. Verse fifteen declares, For all the wells which his father’s servants had digged in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped them, and filled them with earth.  This was done out of spite for Isaac because of his great success and their lack of it.  We should not be surprised if people around us attempt to tear down or hinder our success, especially if we are openly professing our relationship with God.  Verse sixteen says, And Abimelech said unto Isaac, Go from us; for thou art much mightier than we.  Abimelech asked Isaac to leave, because Isaac was becoming too powerful.  Verse seventeen states, And Isaac departed thence, and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there.  Isaac left where he was and went to the valley of Gerar to live.  As long as we know that we are still being obedient to God, sometimes it may be better to simply remove ourselves from a potential conflict than to stay and fight.  Verse eighteen declares, And Isaac digged again the wells of water, which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father; for the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham: and he called their names after the names by which his father had called them.  Isaac dug the wells that Abraham had dug and the Philistines had stopped up once again.  Sometimes, the people who do not believe in God may destroy what our ancestors have built for God, but we should never just abandon what they have done.  We may have to rebuild at times.  Verse nineteen adds, And Isaac’s servants digged in the valley, and found there a well of springing water.  Just because the Philistines had stopped the well up didn't mean that there wasn't water there.  Even if people attempt to hinder our work for God today, they will never stop the flow of living water in us, as long as we remain faithful to God.  Verse twenty declares, And the herdmen of Gerar did strive with Isaac’s herdmen, saying, The water is ours: and he called the name of the well Esek; because they strove with him.  Even though Isaac's servants had dug the wells again, the people of Gerar attempted to claim it.  We should not be surprised if those around us attempt to claim what have accomplished materially by following God's guidance as their own.  Verse twenty-one adds,  And they digged another well, and strove for that also: and he called the name of it Sitnah.   Isaac had the same problem with the second well.  Verse twenty-two declares, And he removed from thence, and digged another well; and for that they strove not: and he called the name of it Rehoboth; and he said, For now the LORD hath made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.  Isaac moved to another location and had a third well dug, and this time no one tried to claim it.  Isaac chose to find a place of peace instead of fighting for the wells.  Though we must never compromise our faith in God, at times we may be better off to simply remove ourselves from a potential fight, especially over the material things of the world.  Verse twenty-three states, And he went up from thence to Beersheba.  Then verse twenty-four adds, And the LORD appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham’s sake.  God appeared to Isaac that night and reassured him that he had no reason to be afraid because God was with him.  We have no reason to be afraid of the people of the world today, because God is with us if we are followers of Christ.  Verse twenty-five declares, And he builded an altar there, and called upon the name of the LORD, and pitched his tent there: and there Isaac’s servants digged a well.  Isaac built an altar and worshipped God, and his servants dug another well.  We must never forget that God is with us, and because of this fact, we should continually praise to Him.