THE COVENANT AT BEERSHEBA

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Leonard Conley
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1 1 Dear Friend, this is a transcript of a sermon preached by Pastor Jeremy Tan from the pulpit of Amazing Grace Baptist Church Singapore. We are committed to expository preaching because we believe it is the most effective way to expose, explain and expound the Holy Scriptures. And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, [Jesus] expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself (Luke 24:27). Through careful systematic and sequential exposition, the preacher is able to declare unto you all the counsel of God (Acts 20:27), and Christians are blessed with a regular, well-balanced diet of God s Word. Expository preaching also helps us to have a high view of Scripture. We wish to extend a warm welcome to you to join us in our church services for a time of uplifting worship and helpful Bible study, which will bring rejoicing and refreshment to your soul. Do visit our church website at or write to us at amazingracebc@gmail.com. THE COVENANT AT BEERSHEBA Genesis 21:22 34 In this final section of Genesis 21, we find Abraham dwelling in the southern end of the Promised Land. Abraham had moved there from Mamre after God s judgment against Sodom and Gomorrah. The place where he first dwelt in this region of the Negev is Gerar. This royal city of the Philistines lied about halfway between Gaza and Beersheba. There in Gerar Abraham feared for his personal safety, so he lied to the Philistines about his marital relationship to Sarah. This was the same lie that he used in Egypt, and the results were no different. Abimelech the king of Gerar took Abraham at his word and abducted Sarah. But Sarah in the king s harem was a threat to the purity of the Seed of the woman, and also a threat to God s covenant with Abraham. Therefore, God intervened to rescue Sarah. Abraham had found himself in the same situation again. This was his déjà vu moment, and the account of it is in Genesis 20. Then in Genesis 21:1-21, the narrative turns to Isaac and Ishmael. Isaac was born at the set time of God s sovereign choice. At the age of three, he was weaned. During the celebration for Isaac s weaning, Sarah saw Ishmael mocking her son, and she asked Abraham to expel the Egyptian bondwoman and her son. Abraham was aggrieved because of his son Ishmael, but God approved the expulsion because Ishmael, the son of the flesh, was a threat to Isaac, the son of the promise. Ishmael was the threat to Isaac s inheritance of the Abrahamic covenant, and also to his claim of the Promised Land. Another reason for Ishmael s expulsion is that Abraham s faith would be tested in Genesis 22, which is the sacrifice of Isaac. If Ishmael had remained in the family home, Abraham could have offered Isaac, yet consoled because of Ishmael with him. He could have said, I still have one son! Now let us focus on Genesis 21:22-34, which is about the Covenant at Beersheba between Abraham and Abimelech. Let me point out some key observations before we look at the text. The name Beersheba is central to this section. Beersheba would become the chief residence of Abraham and Isaac. As for Jacob, he would dwell more in the centre and far

2 2 north of Canaan. The name Beersheba is indicated three times in Genesis 21: Moreover, the words translated swear and seven both share the same root as the name Beersheba. The verb to swear is used three times in the passage (Genesis 21:23, 24, 31), and the numerical adjective seven occurs three times in Genesis 21: Another notable observation is that Abraham and Abimelech are named seven times each (but note that the eighth mention of Abraham in Genesis 21:33 is italicized in the King James Version, so that does not count). This section begins with I. The Request for a Covenant. Genesis 21:22 And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phichol the chief captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in all that thou doest: At the beginning of this section, about four years have passed since the events of Genesis 20. In Genesis 20, Sarah was abducted soon after their arrival in Gerar. At the time of her abduction, she was not yet pregnant with Isaac. Then in Genesis 21, Isaac was weaned at the age of three. Thus, the opening words in Genesis 21:22 And it came to pass at that time means the time when Isaac was weaned. Based on the time-frame of Sarah s abduction and Isaac s weaning at the age of three, we believe that Abraham had settled in the south of Canaan for about four years. So now four years later, Abimelech came to visit Abraham, accompanied by his chief captain Phichol. Previously in Genesis 20:15, Abimelech had offered to Abraham the right to live anywhere in the land, so it is likely that Abraham had moved from Gerar to Beersheba. Why did the Philistines come now to visit Abraham? Abimelech said to Abraham, We know that God is with you in all that you do. From the moment of their first encounter, the Philistines recognized the presence of God with Abraham. They knew about God s presence with Abraham because God had warned Abimelech that he would be a dead man if the king did not restore Sarah to her husband (Genesis 20:3). Another sign of God s presence is that Abraham was God s prophet. Although he was the one deceived, Abimelech had to ask Abraham to intercede with God for forgiveness because sins of ignorance are no excuse with God. Besides the intercession, Abimelech also compensated Abraham for taking his wife. The compensation was huge: sheep, oxen, servants, a thousand pieces of silver, and permission to live anywhere in the land that he wished (Genesis 20:14-16). Thus, a generous portion of Abimelech s wealth was passed onto Abraham. Abraham became very rich and powerful at the expense of the Philistines. We find that God was also present with Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. With Isaac, we have the testimony of another Abimelech. Genesis 26:28 And they said, We saw certainly that the LORD was with thee: and we said, Let there be now an oath betwixt us, even betwixt us and thee, and let us make a covenant with thee; Next, we have the testimony of Laban about Jacob in

3 3 Genesis 30:27 And Laban said unto him, I pray thee, if I have found favour in thine eyes, tarry: for I have learned by experience that the LORD hath blessed me for thy sake. Finally, there is Joseph. Genesis 39:2-3 2 And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. 3 And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand. Genesis 39:21 But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison. Whether in prison or in the palace, it was clear to the Egyptians that God was with Joseph. It was due to God s presence with Joseph that the Egyptians lived through the seven lean years of the famine without starvation and suffering. Friend, the world of unbelievers are blessed because of God s people in their midst, but they do not realize it. No wonder then, that the writer in Hebrews 11:38 declared about God s persecuted people, (Of whom the world was not worthy:)! Now, the Philistines also knew about Isaac, the miracle baby of Abraham and Sarah. They must have been amazed that this hundred-year old man and his ninety-year old wife could have a son. The only explanation is a supernatural one. Indeed, God was with Abraham in everything he did! However, we must not think that Abraham s increased wealth means that God approved his deceptions of Pharaoh and Abimelech. One of the gifts from the Egyptians was Hagar, the bondwoman who would give birth to Ishmael, the rival to Isaac. As for the Philistines, their descendants became the foes of Abraham s descendants, even to the time of David. Goliath was a Philistine. This is a reminder that we must look carefully at a gift horse in the mouth. But so far as Abimelech was concerned, he wanted the friendship of the man whom God is blessing. That is much better than fighting with Abraham! So we continue reading in Genesis 21:23 Now therefore swear unto me here by God that thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son s son: but according to the kindness that I have done unto thee, thou shalt do unto me, and to the land wherein thou hast sojourned. Isn t it ironic that the two things Abimelech knew about Abraham is that God was with him, and that he wasn t an altogether trustworthy man? We notice Abimelech s new approach to Abraham. In their first meeting, Abraham feared for his life. But now, Abimelech met Abraham with a request. Abraham was now more powerful than ever, and greatly increased in people and possessions, and the Philistines feared him. That Abimelech requested a covenant with Abraham is proof of Abraham s greater and superior position. Abimelech also asked for the covenant to include his children and grandchildren. This was to be a perpetual covenant because he foresaw the growing lineage of Abraham through Isaac. He remembered Abraham s lie to him in the past, so now he appealed to Abraham s

4 4 honesty. He asked Abraham not to deal falsely with the Philistines by reminding him of his kindness. How different is this present situation from before the birth of Isaac when Abraham had no heir! Abraham now lived wherever he liked, and he was in the stronger position to consider the request of this Philistine king. What a reversal in their positions! Genesis 21:24 And Abraham said, I will swear. This leads us to II. The Reproof of a Complaint. Genesis 21:25 And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water, which Abimelech s servants had violently taken away. In Canaan, watering places and grazing ground for livestock were precious, so disputes and even wars over these resources were common. We recall that it was for the lack of these resources that Lot left Abraham and the Promised Land. So before agreeing to a peace treaty with Abimelech, Abraham complained that the Philistines had seized his well by force. Much effort is required to dig a well. Wells were dug deep and stones were used to line the wall. If you did not guard your well carefully, an enemy would seize it from you, or have it topped up with dirt. Of course, losing the well also means losing the land around it. Later in Genesis 26:18, the Philistines took Isaac s wells and filled it up. The seizures and stopping of wells were acts of war. For taking his well, Abraham reproved Abimelech. The Hebrew verb suggests that Abraham had to make his complaint several times; perhaps Abimelech was adept at evasive tactics. (Derek Kidner, Genesis: An Introduction and Commentary, p ). Genesis 21:26 And Abimelech said, I wot not who hath done this thing: neither didst thou tell me, neither yet heard I of it, but to day. In their first meeting, Abimelech rebuked Abraham for lying about Sarah. Now it was Abimelech s turn to be rebuked. However, he denied knowing anything about the theft of Abraham s well. Is that believable? Is it possible that the king knew nothing about the actions of his men, or is it now the turn of Abimelech to lie to Abraham? In any case, this leads us to III. The Ritual of the Covenant. Genesis 21:27 And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech; and both of them made a covenant. Covenants were usually sealed with blood. The sheep and oxen might have been given for this purpose. In a covenant, animals were cut asunder and the parties to the covenant would walk between the animal pieces. The blood and the butchered animals were solemn reminders to the covenanters that they would be like these animals, if they broke their agreement. Genesis 21: And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves. 29 And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What mean these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves? 30 And he said, For these seven ewe lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that they may be a witness unto me, that I have digged this well.

5 5 Abraham s gifts of the seven lambs were not butchered, but set aside as witness to Abimelech that he had dug the well and it belonged to him. By accepting the lambs, Abimelech agreed that Abraham owned the well. Now, Abimelech is still the king in his own territory, but the balance of power had clearly shifted to Abraham. Abraham was now superior to the Philistine ruler, attested by his provision of the animals for the covenant; and now Abraham had a stake in the land because of the well that he claimed. Genesis 21:31 Wherefore he called that place Beer-sheba; because there they sware both of them. The name Beersheba means well of swearing or well of seven. This name would always recall Abraham s covenant with the early occupants of the land, which enabled the patriarch to dwell there in peace and prosperity. This covenant also signified Abraham s claim for Israel s ownership of the Promised Land. Genesis 21:32 Thus they made a covenant at Beer-sheba: then Abimelech rose up, and Phichol the chief captain of his host, and they returned into the land of the Philistines. After enacting with Abraham this treaty of non-aggression through the ceremony, the Philistine king and his captain returned to their land. As for Abraham, he had secured his rights to the well and also to the land. IV. The Result of the Covenant. Genesis 21:33 And Abraham planted a grove in Beer-sheba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God. Some think that Abraham planted a grove to worship the god of the Philistines. However, this word translated grove is not an idol or an image, but it is the tamarisk tree. This is a small tree with thick foliage, which provided ample shade in that hot and harsh environment. By planting the tree, Abraham declared his intention to stay in the land. He was sinking his roots and planting himself permanently in this land. Here in this place, he called on the LORD by a new name, which is the everlasting God, or El Olam. Until now, Abraham knew God as El Elyon. This is the name of God revealed in Genesis 14:18, translated as the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth. In Genesis 16:13, God also revealed Himself to Hagar as El Roi, which means God who sees me. Then in Genesis 17:1, God is El Shaddai, which means the Almighty. There are several other names of God revealed in the Bible, but the names of God does not mean He is to be worshipped in different forms. Rather, the names of God is the self-disclosure of His character and attributes. As the Everlasting God, the LORD is immutable and unchanging. Abraham was now a centenarian and through the long years of his pilgrimage, he had experienced the grace and mercy of the everlasting God. We recall the words of the psalmist in

6 6 Psalm 100:5 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations. Finally Genesis 21:34 And Abraham sojourned in the Philistines land many days. Now with the Promised Lad delivered and the Promised Land secured, Abraham is about to meet the supreme test of his faith in Genesis 22. Conclusion Many Christians worry about the future. If you are one of the worry warts, perhaps the reason is that you lack personal experience of the Everlasting God. You have not lived closer to Him, you have not walked step-by-step with Him, so you have not found Him as the faithful God who is unchanging. Abraham walked long years with God, and he knew God through personal experience. We may say that we are not anywhere close to Abraham in terms of our faith. After all, he is the father of all the faithful! But Abraham did not have the privilege of growing up in the home of believing parents. He also did not have the blessings of Scriptures to guide him. He was an idolater who lived in spiritual darkness until God called him at the old age of seventyfive. By the time he arrived in the land of the Philistines, Abraham s walk with God was no more than thirty years. Some of us may have already worshipped God for thirty years, if not more; but are we walking daily with God throughout these years? We may have been walking without much faith in God, mostly wandering about in the wilderness like the children of Israel! Like the Israelites, we may not have appreciated God s blessings of protection, and His provisions for our needs; or His gracious intervention at critical junctures in our life, and His providential direction that changed the course of our life. Instead, we have complained loudly and griped more often than we have ever counted God s blessings to us. By walking with God in faithful obedience to His Word and His will, our vision of who God is and what He does will be expanded as we come to appreciate His character and attributes, which are revealed by His biblical names. Isaac Watts wrote his hymn O God, Our Help in Ages Past, wherein he expressed his thoughts of the Everlasting God. [Stanza 1] O God, our help in ages past, Our hope for years to come, Our shelter from the stormy blast, And our eternal home! [Stanza 3] Before the hills in order stood Or earth received her frame, From everlasting Thou art God, To endless years the same. Friend, do you know the LORD God Almighty, the God who is Everlasting? God is eternal. This means that we will meet Him when this earthly life is ended. Will you meet Him

7 7 on the other side of eternity as your personal Saviour, or will you meet Him as your Judge? If your sins are not forgiven, there is the judgment of everlasting punishment in hell. But now, you have the opportunity to ask God to forgive you of your sins, and to ask the Lord Jesus Christ to be your personal Saviour! Make sure of your eternity today. Permission: We share our materials with you as a blessing from the ministry of our church. You are permitted and encouraged to reproduce and distribute this material in any format, provided that you do not alter the wording in any way and you do not charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction. For web posting, a link to this document on our website is preferred. Any exceptions to the above must be explicitly approved by Amazing Grace Baptist Church. Please include the following statement on any distributed copy: Copyright: Amazing Grace Baptist Church Singapore. Website: Used by permission as granted on website.

2/20/05. Genesis 20-21

2/20/05. Genesis 20-21 1 2 2/20/05 Genesis 20-21 It has been twenty-five years since God called Abraham out of Ur of the Chaldeans. He has had many experiences that have revealed his trust in God and those of not having faith