Well-Placed Wells

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Genesis 26:12–18 KJV 1900

12 Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the Lord blessed him. 13 And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great: 14 For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him. 15 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. 16 And Abimelech said unto Isaac, Go from us; for thou art much mightier than we. 17 And Isaac departed thence, and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there. 18 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.

Proverbs 22:28 KJV 1900

Remove not the ancient landmark, Which thy fathers have set.

TITLE: “WELL-PLACED WELLS”

When Wells Are Filled In

Isaac Begins to Prosper

Isaac, when we look at the account of his life in Scripture, was primarily a well-digger.

Wells were filled in with the earth, without regard for the reason of why they were there.

Rousseau’s Crusade Against Order

PICTURE - Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Rousseau - the idea of “the natural man”

Rebellion, Challenge of Authority, and Disregard for Lines

What happens when all of the rules and lines are removed from the football field? CHAOS.

Out of challenging every authority and every rule and norm in the world, our society has made a great decent into chaos.

Is there anyone else here who has said or thought this in the last couple of years: “What is happening to our world?! It’s spinning out of control!”

Rousseau was right - the natural man lives without much care for rules and why they are there. Because we are born into sin and shapen in iniquity. That doesn’t mean we should stay living that way! There’s a better way! The natural man is not the IDEAL man!

We live in a culture that operates and is high on their own wisdom. But Paul said…

Romans 1:22 KJV 1900

Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

It’s pride and conceit. Which identifies us with Satan.

Ancient Landmarks

About this Scripture in Proverbs…

Proverbs 22:28 KJV 1900

Remove not the ancient landmark, Which thy fathers have set.

There are many who take issue with the idea of applying this Scripture to not turning from standards, holiness, doctrine (the things we believe). But I’ve studied on this and I believe I can dismantle that.

What were the “ancient landmarks?” and why weren’t they to be moved?

A quick look at a dictionary shows that the word landmark in modern English may refer to some “object in the landscape that serves as a guide in the direction of one’s course.” The Hebrew word behind “landmark,” is gebul. This Hebrew word refers to the boundary of a territory or a wall or other item which marks such a boundary.

Given this information, it is easy to see the connection between Proverbs 22:28 and passages in Deuteronomy such as the following:

Deuteronomy 19:14 KJV 1900

Thou shalt not remove thy neighbour’s landmark, which they of old time have set in thine inheritance, which thou shalt inherit in the land that the Lord thy God giveth thee to possess it.

Deuteronomy 27:17 KJV 1900

Cursed be he that removeth his neighbour’s landmark. And all the people shall say, Amen.

The “landmarks” or “boundary marks” (NASB) were placed in Israel by God (Joshua 13-19) to provide each tribe their inheritance in the promised land of Canaan. Within each tribe, families and individuals also received land whose boundaries were marked with “landmarks.”

So, the person who tries to explain away this Scripture and say, “You’re taking it out of context!” just so they don’t have to live out long-held sound doctrine… they feel pretty good about all of what I just said.

But here’s the problem…

Why would God curse the person who moves a neighbor’s landmark? Because it is a form of theft! If you shift the boundary markers, then you can claim more land than was actually allotted to you, or than you acquired by purchase.

God set the lines down to be followed. To go against that is rebellion.

And so yes, this can be applied to our lives this way… God wants us to live a certain way! A godly way! And many have lived it over many years!

Romans 1:18–32 KJV 1900

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

The Philistines walked right up and disregarded and desecrated every well.

Maintain the Wells

Isaac Brings Back the Wells

Genesis 26:17–18 KJV 1900

17 And Isaac departed thence, and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there. 18 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 Digs a New Well

Genesis 26:19–22 KJV 1900

19 And Isaac’s servants digged in the valley, and found there a well of springing water. 20 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. 21 And they digged another well, and strove for that also: and he called the name of it Sitnah. 22 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.

Wells are Capacity for Water

Wells are the capacity for the water that is there.

Water has always been symbolic of the Spirit throughout Scripture.

John 7:38 KJV 1900

He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

We don’t work the miracles. But we do live in faith, giving God the room and making the capacity for those works of the Spirit!

I have a responsibility to allot the capacity in my life for God to do great things!

He Does More Where There Is Capacity for More

As a matter of fact, it’s a clear principle of Scripture - there were places that Jesus just left because He couldn’t do anything with the people there!

Matthew 13:58 KJV 1900

And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

Mark 6:5–6 KJV 1900

And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.

And at other times, He would say this:

Matthew 8:10 KJV 1900

When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

And He even got His disciples together and talked to them about how they were going to operate:

Mark 6:7–13 KJV 1900

And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits; And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse: But be shod with sandals; and not put on two coats. And he said unto them, In what place soever ye enter into an house, there abide till ye depart from that place. And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city. And they went out, and preached that men should repent. And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.

Many great things were done in places were there was the capacity among the people for it!

Isaac dug back up the wells of Abraham. Bringing back that capacity.

And bringing back parameters, standards that were set.

WHEN YOU LIVE THE WAY GOD WANTS US TO LIVE, YOU SEE THE HAND OF GOD MOVE AS HE WANTS TO MOVE!!!

And in all of this, God brings back a beauty of order against the chaos.

We all will worship something. Everyone on this planet will. But sold out worship to God is when we put it in the right place.

And so every time you live in Godly worship, you are pushing back the chaos, and offering our world and alternative to the madness. Your worship is something beautiful and earthshaking! It’s like MIRACLEGROW!

God responds to maintaining and digging the wells! …

Genesis 26:23–25 KJV 1900

23 And he went up from thence to Beer-sheba. 24 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. 25 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.

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Conclusion

God is calling on some people to do what PUSHES BACK THE DARKNESS! - TO WORSHIP HIM IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH!!! TO MAINTAIN THE WELLS!

START A NEW TRADITION TODAY!