Sunday, 3rd July 2022
Rev Daniel Xi An Poon
In Genesis 26, the life of Isaac is very interesting for us to look at. He was born out of all the impossibilities, when God promised Abraham to give him a son, there were no chance for Sarah to conceive. But by the faith of Abraham, and the trueness of God, Isaac was born. The blessings God promised will never change, His heart is for us and His love for us never changes. As long as we don’t give up, we will see God’s blessings come to past.
Genesis 26:1 tells us that ‘There was a famine in the land, besides the first famine that was in the days of Abraham.’ This was when Isaac starting to experience God, when the famine came, his faith was being challenged, he must believe that the God of his father is also his God. Why would bad things happen to us? Sometimes God will allow the environment to rise to challenge us and to test our faith.
Back in Abraham’s time, there was also famine, which caused Abraham’s decision to go down to Egypt. Abraham was afraid of famine; therefore, he took his family down to Egypt; at the same time, Abraham was also afraid that others might kill him because of the beauty of his wife, therefore he told everyone that Sarah was his sister. Abraham left his own promise land and went to a place he thought he would be safe, but at the end, he almost lost everything, even his wife. God gave favours to Abraham and intervened before it was too late.
SUBMIT TO GOD WHEN YOU LOSE PEACE
Many years later, Isaac also experienced famine. In Genesis 26:2, it says, ‘Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines, in Gerar. Then the Lord appeared to him and said: “Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land of which I shall tell you.”’ God told Isaac not to go to Egypt and not to be afraid. Why do we fear? Because we have lost our fear as we live under the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, we try to make judgement ourselves, and we try to find our own ways our with our own logic and the worldly methods.
When Abraham went to Egypt, God did not stop him at the first, but to test his faith and intervene when promises came up. But this time God already told Isaac about His promise and told him not to go to Egypt. God wanted Isaac to stay in Gerar, which means the place of boarding, and Isaac submitted to God. God knew Isaac’s heart was not right, even though he submitted to God’s instructions, but his heart was not in total submission. He still had doubt and he still was afraid. The place of Gerar was not only a physically boarding place for Isaac, but also a representation of Isaac’s heart that he was not commitment and submissive 100%. When our heart is not in total submission then God’s blessings would not come. When God gave us the vision of the Upper Room, do we really live out this vision and believe fully that God will bring blessings to us through the Upper Room?
God was training Isaac in Gerar, for him to learn the lesson of faith, and to experience the true peace from above. In Genesis 26:3-4, God said to Isaac, ‘Dwell in this land, and I will be with you and bless you; for to you and your descendants I give all these lands, and I will perform the oath which I swore to Abraham your father. And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands; and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.’ God has such a great promise for Isaac, He even talked to Isaac directly, but Isaac was still afraid.
In Genesis 26:6-7, even though Isaac followed God’s instructions and moved to Gerar, his heart was still not in total submission. ‘So Isaac dwelt in Gerar. And the men of the place asked about his wife. And he said, “She is my sister”; for he was afraid to say, “She is my wife,” because he thought, “lest the men of the place kill me for Rebekah, because she is beautiful to behold.”’ God sees through our heart, the doubt and faithless inside our heart will be revealed and have nowhere to hide. We must be truthful before God and deal with our own sins, otherwise even after we have given up everything to follow God, we will still not able to receive His full blessings.
Isaac did not witness God in front of people, on the other hand, in front of Abimelech, someone who did not know God, Isaac did not reveal the power of God. In Genesis 26:9, it says, ‘Then Abimelech called Isaac and said, “Quite obviously she is your wife; so how could you say, she is my sister?” Isaac said to him, “Because I said, lest I die on account of her.”’ Isaac lost the opportunity to testify God, however, the Philistines knew God’s greatness and they were also afraid of defying God. We can see it in verses 10-11, which says, ‘And Abimelech said, “What is this you have done to us? One of the people might soon have lain with your wife, and you would have brought guilt on us.” So Abimelech charged all his people, saying, “He who touches this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.”’ Isaac was using his own way, his father’s way, the worldly way, trying to get away from troubles, but God solved all his problems in supernatural ways.
GREATER PROSECUTION BRINGS BROADER ABUNDANCE
Genesis 26:12 says, ‘Then Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the Lord blessed him.’ God’s promises never fail, and this time, Isaac testified God through his words and actions. In verse 22, Isaac said, ‘For now the Lord has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.’ What is our attitude when we are in the place God put us in? Do we treat it as a boarding place, or do we really commit to God’s vision, believe God is with us, and be planted by God?
Isaac was not sitting and waiting anymore, he did not see the place as his boarding place, instead he started to sow and reap in the land, and soon he received God’s blessings and abundance. Isaac had the harvest, and the Philistines were jealous. Genesis 26:1-16 says, ‘Now the Philistines had stopped up all the wells which his father’s servants had dug in the days of Abraham his father, and they had filled them with earth. And Abimelech said to Isaac, “Go away from us, for you are much mightier than we.”’ Isaac’s attitude was changed, he was not afraid anymore, he did not fight with Abimelech, he also did not complain to God for his prosecution, because he realised how blessed he was despite of all the troubles and hardship. Verse 17 says, ‘Then Isaac departed from there and pitched his tent in the Valley of Gerar and dwelt there.’
Isaac moved away, he dug another well and called it Rehoboth. It was a desert place, and it was not easy to dig wells, but God still blessed Isaac. This time, the Philistines also saw God’s blessings and did not fight with him anymore. Isaac did not lose his peace this time, even with all the fighting and quarrelling, his heart grew boarder and wider, therefore he named his well Rehoboth, which means open spaces.
TURN DEFEAT INTO VICTORY
Genesis 26:23-24 says, ‘Then he went up from there to Beersheba. And the Lord appeared to him the same night and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham; do not fear, for I am with you. I will bless you and multiply your descendants for My servant Abraham’s sake.”’ Isaac went up to Beersheba, and God gave him even greater blessings and promises. The meaning of Beersheba is ‘Well of Seven’; seven is a complete number and God was showing His complete blessing to Isaac.
Verse 25 says, ‘So he built an altar there and called on the name of the Lord, and he pitched his tent there; and there Isaac’s servants dug a well.’ Isaac knew God’s blessing was real, he not only believed in it, but he also proclaimed it in front of all the people there. He pitched his tent there and sent a clear message to the people that he would be living there. It was a place of dry land, but God gave him water, he was able to dig the well, and he named it the well of seven. Verse 26 told us that, ‘Then Abimelech came to him from Gerar with Ahuzzath, one of his friends, and Phichol the commander of his army.’ This time, Abimelech was not there to take away his wife or to fight with him, but to make alliance with Isaac.
Isaac changed his attitude, he was no longer afraid; he submitted to God when he lost peace, he grew broader in heart when he faced prosecution, and he was able to turn his defeat into victor. God will raise us up in the place we fail, as long as we don’t give up, stay committed and submissive, be where God put us to be, then God’s faithfulness will never fail us.
主日讲道记录 – 2022年7月3日
#以撒的马可楼 – 基拉耳
- 潘锡安牧师
*创世纪 26
我们每一个人都有“马可楼”，就是生命反转的地方。我们要找出自己的马可楼在哪里。神借着圣经人物的马可楼提醒我们当学的功课。信心之父亚伯拉罕的儿子以撒在“基拉耳”这个地方经历了他的马可楼。创世纪26:1讲到亚伯拉罕在神给他的应许之地竟然遇到了“饥荒”。我们往往期待神给我们的应许就是一帆风顺，所以一遇到困难就容易怀疑神。然而，天虽改变、地虽动摇，神所应许的祝福是永不会改变的。以撒也在这片流奶与蜜之地遇到了饥荒，心中必会对父亲曾经传讲的话产生很多疑问，就是在这个时候，以撒开始经历生命的挑战，这也是为什么我们要进入马可楼。我们无论遇到什么困难阻挡，是否仍然相信我们权柄的带领？这是对我们信心、顺服、谦卑的考验，也是生命树与分辨善恶树的考验。
根据圣经记载，亚伯拉罕当初因为饥荒就跑到埃及，在那里有粮食可以吃。可是亚伯拉罕因为自己的妻子撒拉很漂亮，他怕埃及人为了要娶她而把他杀死，于是就让自己的妻子跟外人说他们是兄妹关系，以为这样就可以保护自己。后来，是神亲自出手，他在梦中跟埃及法老说明，法老才让亚伯拉罕和撒拉离开，使得神曾经应许要赐给亚伯拉罕后裔的话不会落空。我们虽然有软弱跌倒的时候，但只要我们愿意回转，神的祝福仍然不离开。
一、失去平安时要顺服神 （26:1-11）
以撒面对同样的事情，是否从父亲的经历学到功课呢？他本来也想像亚伯拉罕一样下到埃及，只是神对他说话（V2-5），使他改变主意。遇到问题、惊慌害怕时，我们的第一反应通常是想解决问题。但是，我们要先知道为什么我们会感觉恐惧、艰难，因为我们活在分辨善恶树下。我们尝试从所看到的事去判断神的应许是否真实、权柄的带领是否是对的。当我们如此行的时候，就开始用理性、世界的方法、或自己的经验去做自己心思意念想做的事。然而，我们要放下自己，顺服神，让神带领我们，因为他是在旷野为我们开道路、在沙漠开江河的神。当神与我们一起，谁能抵挡我们呢？在害怕、生气、紧张、失去平安的时候，更要寻求神，神就会跟我们说话。
当以撒遇到饥荒，他想去埃及，神知道他的心思意念，只是神记念他对亚伯拉罕的应许。以撒并没有先求问神，但因为神要对自己与亚伯拉罕的约负责，所以亲自出手阻挡以撒去埃及，转而让他住在基拉耳。“基拉耳”原文意思是寄宿之地，就是暂时寄住的地方，神让以撒在那里经历神。神知道以撒心里的害怕、担忧、没有平安、怀疑，因为在应许之地他竟然遇到饥荒。以撒因为怕神，没有去埃及，就留在了非利士人的基拉耳，可是他并不明白神用意何在。神知道以撒人在心不在。基拉耳不是一个寄居之地而已，它代表着以撒心态的转变。以撒一开始不觉得基拉耳是神给他祝福的地方，只想在那里等着就好了。我们要明白神在马可楼给我们的祝福是什么，他要我们活出与过去不一样的生活。以撒不能摆脱从父亲而来的问题，神就让他在基拉耳学习如何从神得平安，经历生命的翻转。
神亲自跟以撒说话，可惜以撒仍没有平安，他因着情欲害怕基拉耳的人会抢走他的妻子，却没有看见神话语的祝福。隐藏的事没有不被人知道的，最后非利士王亚比米勒就看出以撒和妻子的关系。然而，面对这个外邦人的质问，以撒没有为神作见证，他还以为自己在讲真话。我们平时在作见证时常会挖出我们生命的低点，但我们是否让人从我们的低点看到神怎样翻转我们的生命？如果我们整天只讲自己的困难和软弱，人怎能看到神呢？我们对其他人做的是什么呢，我们彰显出来的是什么样的生命呢？世界给我们困难、挑战、不舒服，神却让我们在这一切不顺中看到恩典，在大便中找黄金。亚比米勒因为惧怕神，所以就规定当地人不准碰以撒和利百加；以撒原本以为靠着自己和父亲的方式可以保护自己，神却用超自然的方法帮他解决了他曾经担心的事，他学到了“失去平安时要顺服神”的功课。
二、遇逼迫越宽广（26:12-22）
以撒亲自向众人见证说耶和华神所给他的地方是“宽阔之地”(V22)。我们要相信，凡我们脚掌所踏之地都必留下痕迹。我们不要有寄居心态，而要有得地为业的心。以撒原本是带着妻子来到基拉耳逃难，但他没有在那里干等祝福，而是去开荒、努力耕种,当以撒改变心态，“那一年有百倍的收成”（V12）。以撒的蒙福让周围的非利士人嫉妒，他们就故意去把以撒挖的井堵塞，于是以撒离开那些井，搬到基拉耳谷。他遇到逼迫，没有跟别人争竞，反而看到神的祝福。在基拉耳谷的牧人也来找以撒麻烦，以撒就离开了那个别人看为重要的地方，到了基拉耳的另一个处，没有让神去杀死那些逼迫他的人。以撒知道只要有神与他同在，他就有宽广的祝福，以致周围人都在他身上看见神。当人的心态改变、亲手耕种、有得地为业的心，就会慢慢经历神的祝福。
三、反败为胜（26:23-33）
当以撒进入他的马可楼，神就让他看到反败为胜的恩膏。“别是巴”原文意思是“七倍誓约的井”(V23)，代表着神完全、永远的约。以撒去到别是巴，知道在那里会经历到神给他永远的约和生命的活水，神 就再一次跟他说话，坚固他的信心（V24）。以撒相信神与他同在，“就在那里筑了一座坛，求告耶和华的名” – “求告”的意思是宣告，他当着所有人的面说“耶和华是真的”。当以撒在别是巴“支搭帐篷”时，他决定在这个原本没有水的地方住下来。当他住下来后，就挖到了一口井，并给那井起名叫“示巴”- 记念神与亚伯拉罕的“誓言”。当以撒如此做的时候，神迹奇事就发生了，亚比米勒竟然带着军队领袖来找他求和（V26-30）！以撒原本惧怕非利士人，但当他进入马可楼，不再有寄居的心态，愿意改变他所在的土地，神就出手，让他反败为胜！我们现在所处的环境如何？是否有得地为业的心？要相信神向我们所怀的心意是不会让我们羞愧的，他必能翻转我们的生命，使我们反败为胜!
Kathy师母回应：
基拉耳是以撒生命的反照，借着饥荒，以撒学习信心，在井的争竞中，他学习谦让以及生命树和分辨善恶树的功课，放下自己应得的权利，让神的命定在他生命成全。在这世上我们都是寄居的，我们的方向还在这世上这些看得见的东西吗？神在我们每个人的基拉耳都有功课要我们学习！让我们思考，我们的基拉耳、我们的生命真实光景究竟如何？我们的负面情绪可能导致生活中的危机，或者在外人面前有属灵的包装，但在人看不见的地方我们有很多罪。我们要用心灵和诚实来敬拜神，掩盖的事是没有不露出来的。我们没有平安，因为我们不真实。当我们每一次回转向他，承认我们的罪，耶稣的宝血是大有功效的，必要洗去我们一切的罪。当我们为自己的权利斤斤计较、想要自己去解决问题、得到自己赢得东西时，我们要学习以撒的“退让”，知道神与我们同在，神是全知全能、完全供应的神，他会因我们的退让将更多祝福和恩典加给我们。我们在基拉耳的阶段是暂时的，当我们学到像以撒学到的功课后，神必要带我们进入别是巴，就是他与我们所立永恒的誓约，从那口井要涌流出永不止息的活水江河滋润我们的生命。