I was going to move onto Genesis 22, but the Lord would not let me - the “Treaty at Beersheba” keeps tugging on my heart. In my spirit, I feel like this oath is extremely significant, maybe even having some great significance for today - but I do not know why. Google says, Beersheba was deemed strategically important due to its location with a reliable water supply and at a major crossroads, northwest to Hebron and Jerusalem, east to the Dead Sea and al Karak, south to Aqaba, west to Gaza and southwest to Al-Auja and the border with Egypt. Beersheba is in the Negev - a desert region in southern Israel, so how can a water source run through this land? Google says, The Beersheba Valley has been populated for thousands of years, as it has available water, which flows from the Hebron hills in the winter and is stored underground in vast quantities. The main river in Beersheba is Nahal Beersheva, a wadi that floods in the winter. So it appears most of the water runs underground, but on the surface it may not look like much is around. The Desert of Beersheba - is place that Hagar went when she and Ishmael were sent out. It is the place that God opened Hagar eyes, and suddenly she saw a well. Beersheba, in Genesis 21, is also the place where Abraham and Abimelek made an oath of protection. Do you remember Abimelek, the King of Gerar who took Sarai with an intent to lie down until God came to him, in a dream and told him she was a married to Abraham, and that he should not touch her at all! Abimelech was mad. He wondered why Abraham had lied - and put him and his kingdom in a position that went against Abraham’s Most High God. Now in Genesis 21, we see Abraham and Abimelech having a conversation that sounds like this - “Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his forces, said to Abraham, “God is with you in everything you do.” Now swear to me here before God that you will not deal falsely with me or my children or my descendants. Show to me and the country where you now reside as a foreigner the same kindness I have shown to you.” Abraham said, “I swear it.” Then Abraham complained to Abimelek about a well of water that Abimelek’s servants had seized. But Abimelek said, “I don’t know who has done this. You did not tell me, and I heard about it only today.” So Abraham brought sheep and cattle and gave them to Abimelek, and the two men made a treaty. Abraham set apart seven ewe lambs from the flock, and Abimelek asked Abraham, “What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs you have set apart by themselves?” He replied, “Accept these seven lambs from my hand as a witness that I dug this well.” So that place was called Beersheba, because the two men swore an oath there. After the treaty had been made at Beersheba, Abimelek and Phicol, the commander of his forces returned to the land of the Philistines. Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called on the name of the Lord, the Eternal God. And Abraham stayed in the land of the Philistines for a long time.” Genesis 21:22-34 Everything in scripture bleeds into today. The River of Life runs through the Valley of the Shadow of Death even to this day. An oath was made between a man of God, and a king who feared him. Abraham promised to remain kind and not to falsely accuse Abimelech or his kingdom; and in turn, Abimelech recognized Abraham as the owner of the well - which would prevent anyone else from trying to make it their own. Seven ewe lambs were set apart to make the oath good. Seven - the number of perfection and the completion of God. “Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.” Revelation 5:6 Jesus - one Lamb with 7 horns and 7 eyes, which are the 7 spirits of God sent out into all the earth. Jesus - the well that was dug by God himself that leads to the River of Life. Jesus - the oath that is made between us and God. If we believe that Jesus is Lord, and recognize that his blood covers our sin from the east to the west - then we can be assured that God is just and has prepared a place for us. “Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water.” May He do the same for us. Genesis 21:19
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Archives
April 2022
|