I have been sitting in Genesis for months, it seems. How often do we think about the book of Genesis and in our minds think we know all of the historical accounts and stories within it? If you haven’t read the book of Genesis recently, I encourage you to. It is astounding in the best and most challenging of ways.
This week I have been in Genesis 26. It begins, “Now there was a famine in the land…” I sat there with that for a moment, because this continues to be a topic that Yahweh brings to my attention over and over again these last few years. As a watchman, I take note of this. It is something we know and prophetically see is coming within our own generations. And something I believe God is preparing us for. You can read more about that here.
To be clear, famine has never stopped happening. It happens all over the world every year, as recently has 2025/2026. But large scale famines are less recurrent. We’ll go over the history of that one day soon.
But back to Genesis 26…
As you read through this chapter, you will see that Isaac does exactly what his father did—lied that his wife was his sister. Though, it wasn’t entirely a lie. Both Abraham and Isaac were related to their wives, as was tradition to marry from extended family during this time. Abimelek was king of the Philistines in Gerar at this time, and when he saw Isaac caressing his wife Rebekah, he was furious. He knew that had he or one of his men slept with Rebekah, judgement would fall upon them. So he reprimanded Isaac and told him to take his wife and go live his life, while also making an announcement that anyone in the land who tried to harm Isaac and Rebekah would be put to death.
12 Isaac planted crops in that land and the same year reaped a hundredfold, because the Lord blessed him. 13 The man became rich, and his wealth continued to grow until he became very wealthy. 14 He had so many flocks and herds and servants that the Philistines envied him. 15 So all the wells that his father’s servants had dug in the time of his father Abraham, the Philistines stopped up, filling them with earth. 16 Then Abimelek said to Isaac, “Move away from us; you have become too powerful for us.” [Genesis 26:12-16 NIV]
In ancient times wealth was not just defined by precious metals or monetary items. Most often, it was considered in livestock, land ownership, and how expansive your family was and had been. Ultimately, it was dependent on how much sovereignty you had—or, how independently sustainable you were. It is clear that the LORD showed favor on Isaac, so much so that he reaped a hundredfold the very first year he planted crops into the earth. Isaac didn’t need a king or kingdom or two to take care of him and his family—he did that on his own with the help of Yahweh.
So Isaac moved away from where he had been and encamped in the Valley of Gerar, where he decided to settle. Something we don’t know how to do well now days—settle. Many are constantly looking for achievement or their place of arrival, but it truly is as simple as this—set down roots, and grow there. Wherever “there” may be.
In those times water was precious. Isaac reopened the wells of his father Abraham, of which the Philistines had filled in after Abraham had died. You would think that the Philistines would use a perfectly working well, but in these times wells were not just for use, but for territory claim.
In a semi-arid region, a well wasn’t a neutral utility—it was often the thing that established a right to graze or settle land. Digging a well was frequently treated as an act of land claim. So filling in a well wasn’t destroying a convenience, it was erasing someone else’s claim to the land, especially after that person had died and could no longer defend it in person. Genesis 26:15 says the Philistines did this specifically after Abraham died, which fits this logic exactly: assert territorial reset once the original claimant is gone.
There’s also a “memory erasure” angle scholars point to—a well named or associated with a specific patriarch (Abraham’s wells carried his name and, implicitly, God’s covenant blessing with him) was a physical, ongoing marker of that person’s presence and divine favor in the land. Filling it in wasn’t just practical obstruction, it was an attempt to erase the physical trace of a rival lineage’s legitimacy in the territory. Isaac’s insistence on reopening the same wells and restoring the same names his father had given them (Genesis 26:18) reads as a deliberate counter-move—reasserting the covenant claim and lineage continuity, not just re-securing water access.
Isaac didn’t just reopen the wells of Abraham, he made new wells, establishing his own presence in the land. Genesis 26:19 says that Isaacs servants dug in the valley and discovered multiple wells of fresh water. There were multiple disputes with the people there, just as when Abraham had disputes with his wells. But finally, the well of Rehoboth was put in place without dispute, and Isaac said “Now the Lord has given us room and we will flourish in this land.”
And flourish, they did. Note that their settlement didn’t happen with the first or second well that was dug, but the third. Isaac had to have patience, and he had to have maturity. The territory’s that were being disputed had to be settled with wisdom, as I can imagine Isaac didn’t know exactly where territorial lines began and ended in the lands. This is important from a spiritual standpoint for the church when look to take territory spiritually.
They flourished so much that King Abimelek showed interest in Isaac one more time. Abimelek couldn’t keep him in his territory, and he was threatened by him right outside of his immediate territory, so he came to Isaac once again.
26 Meanwhile, Abimelek had come to him from Gerar, with Ahuzzath his personal adviser and Phicol the commander of his forces. 27 Isaac asked them, “Why have you come to me, since you were hostile to me and sent me away?”
28 They answered, “We saw clearly that the Lord was with you; so we said, ‘There ought to be a sworn agreement between us’—between us and you. Let us make a treaty with you 29 that you will do us no harm, just as we did not harm you but always treated you well and sent you away peacefully. And now you are blessed by the Lord.”
30 Isaac then made a feast for them, and they ate and drank. 31 Early the next morning the men swore an oath to each other. Then Isaac sent them on their way, and they went away peacefully. [Genesis 26:26-31]
Because the Lord showed so much favor on Isaac, even the kings of the earth knew that they must make a treaty with him. The God of all creation, heaven and earth, was behind Isaac. The Lord blessed his land, his harvest, his wells, and his family. He was literally his very own traveling Goshen—a land full of plenty, provision, and refuge. When God shows this favor of sustainability on someone, the world takes notice. And while some may want to squash it, others fear and reverence it.
This is the way God sees the mission of the church—and this is the mission the church must walk in.
Interestingly, Isaac and Abimelek made a treaty in the same space his father Abraham and Abimelek made a treaty. Except this time, as soon as Isaac sent Abimelek on his way, his servants came running to him to tell him that a new well had been dug, and fresh water had been found. A significant transition was taking place—Isaac had reclaimed his father’s house, and now he was establishing his own. But above that, the LORD was establishing His kingdom will on earth through the man Isaac. We will dive more into a patriarchal society and why it was so important (and still is) in the next article I write.
I hope you see where I am going with this—Isaac is truly a representation of the modern church, and Jesus, in every way. He was first to be sacrificed by his father, but the angel stopped Abraham. In adulthood, he walked in favor and sustainability, with no need of a king (Jesus is our king). We are called to be a sustainable people, of which His favor rests upon. We should not walk in fear of the earthly or worldly kingdoms, but of the kingdom of Heaven.
He Still Shows Favor on the Isaacs
As I read through Genesis 26, I couldn’t help but think of the parallels of modern times. Isaac was not rebellious, he was respectful of territories. He was a conqueror only when he needed to be. God showed favor on him and brought him great wealth in the land. God gave him new territory even when he was rejected from the old one. But he still had to work for it. He still had to do his due-diligence.
23 From there he went up to Beersheba. 24 That night the Lordappeared to him and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bless you and will increase the number of your descendants for the sake of my servant Abraham.”
25 Isaac built an altar there and called on the name of the Lord. There he pitched his tent, and there his servants dug a well. [Genesis 26:23-35]
Isaac had a trust in the Lord that we could learn from today. He knew that God would provide and sustain, and God did. God caused Isaac to be a man and house of sustainability. His household expanded and multiplied. Their wealth was not in the riches of kingdoms but the riches of the earth—food, livestock, linen, trades, and skills. Sustainability has always been intimidating to people and kingdoms. And it is the way Jesus intended His church to be, with His favor.
When a large group of people suddenly show that they can sustain themselves (through Yahweh’s provision), they become a threat to other kingdoms. The church would do well by holding onto this nugget of wisdom. Because Ephesians 3 says that,
“10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authoritiesin the heavenly realms, 11 according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.”
Not just through physical sustainability, but spiritual. We are a sovereign nation—the Kingdom of Yahweh. A sovereign nation is an independent nation that has supreme authority to govern its own territory and people without interference from outside powers.
In historical context, this is why a patriarchal household and elder run society and community was important. That article will go hand in hand with this one, soon.
In the times ahead, I pray that you remember this. Just like Isaac in Genesis 26, God is establishing (and has established) favor on many people, households, leaders, and more in towns, cities, regions, rural locations, and every area of the world. As individual households, the Lord’s favor and provision will cause kingdoms (spiritual and earthly) to fear them (locally and nationally) because of the power of God. The church will also fully become a force to be reckoned with to the rules and authorities in the heavenly realms, and even is now.
It is happening. It has been happening. And it will continue to happen.
Take heart, my friend. He has overcome the world. When we read scripture like this, we can see a much fuller picture of what God’s character and plan is with His kingdom here on earth.
There is power in sustainability. There is power in God’s favor resting upon your household, property, ministry, church body, or regional leadership. There is power within you through the Holy Spirit.
May you take comfort in knowing that His favor will rest upon those who stay close to His side. You may not get everything perfect, but it is the friend of God which God will sustain in times of trouble.
Re-dig the true wells—take back the territory God is giving you. But make sure that He is truly handing it to you, first. And then, when you settle, dig the new wells.
Resources
- Bagg, A. M. (2002). “Dealing with Water Rights in the Ancient Near East.” In C. Ohlig, Y. Peleg, & T. Tsuk (Eds.), Cura Aquarum in Israel.
- Shemesh, A. O. (2004, 2005). “Water Sources in the Bible: Proprietorship, Drawing Rights and Allotment,” Parts 1 and 2. Beit Mikra, 50/1 and 50/2.
- Cura Aquarum in Israel conference volumes (Ohlig, Peleg, & Tsuk, eds.)
- Men of Dikes and Canals: The Archaeology of Water in the Middle East—American Journal of Archaeology
