Envy And Aggression

And Isaac sowed in that land and reaped in the same year a hundredfold. The Lord blessed him, and the man became rich, and gained more and more until he became very wealthy. He had possessions of flocks and herds and many servants, so that the Philistines envied him.  The Philistines had stopped and filled with earth all the wells that his father’s servants had dug in the days of Abraham.  Genesis 26:12-15

Having grown up in a very small town of less than a thousand people, I can personally attest to the power of generational feuding.  At extended family gatherings, stories were told with disgust about certain families.  Such tales only bred a bias in our young impressionable minds.

This incident in Isaac’s life occurs long before King David is born.  The famous story of the Philistines warring against the people of Israel, taunting them to provide a warrior to battle Goliath, has its roots in Isaac’s generation.  The war began here.  Isaac is prospering, so much so, that the Philistines are filled with envy.  Envy is turning into anger and will erupt in aggression.

Wishing to strategically hurt Isaac where he is vulnerable, they target his wells.  Without water, his livestock will die.  His wealth will diminish.  The Philistines proceed to fill all of Abraham’s wells with dirt.  History reveals that this is not the end of the story.  The Philistines might have thought that they won.  No water.  No wealth.  But they didn’t know God.  Their aggression was pathetic against the covenant of God over His people.

Who is against you today?  Perhaps you are trying to exist in a familial relationship where ill-will and aggression are common occurrences.  Or maybe you exist in a workplace fraught with private wars. Others target where they perceive you are vulnerable.  A blessed existence seems out of reach. 

God has not forgotten you.  His covenant love is intact.  Walk in faithfulness and God will clothe you in sustaining grace.  He will make a way to feast at the table of your spiritual enemies, prospering your soul.  A war against God’s child is a personal war against God.  Who can fight God and win?  Look at history and consider that it is Yahweh that is on your side!

Someone can threaten to block my water supply, Lord.  But You make rivers in the desert.  I stand on your Word in Isaiah 42:13  ‘You, the LORD, go out like a mighty man, like a man of war You stir up Your zeal; You cry out, You shout aloud, You show Yourself mighty against Your foes.’  Praise be to the Lord of hosts.  Amen