Rehoboth – 3

Rehoboth – 3

Introduction

Genesis 26:22 “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.”

We further read in Genesis 26:20-21 ‘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. And they digged another well, and strove for that also: and he called the name of it Sitnah.’ When Isaac was given in a circumstance, he made it a point not to argue and fight it out. In verse 22, he named the place as Rehoboth as the Lord God gave them water and a place to stay. We see God himself prepares Isaac and gave him the blessing of Rehoboth. As a part of today’s meditation, let us discuss on the blessings of Rehoboth.

Divine redemption

Exodus 2:24-25 “And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them.”

            Here we see the Lord almighty remembers the groaning of the people. The Lord gives his people a divine redemption. We read in Exodus 12:40-41 ‘Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years. And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt.’ the people of Israelites lived 430 years in the land of Egypt. Interestingly, the Almighty saves his people right next days after 430 years of bondage. When God remembers his people, he comes to the rescue. When we read Exodus 2:23-25  ‘or the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you. And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever. And it shall come to pass, when ye be come to the land which the LORD will give you, according as he hath promised, that ye shall keep this service.’ we can notice four key aspects of God. One he hears his people. Two, he remembers his people. Third, he saw his people. Four, he knew his people. When we read Exodus 3:1 ‘Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.’ We see God brings Moses to a place that where he is supposed to be and trains them. Though Moses was abandoned by the people, God chose him. The Lord God made sure he used Moses to bring in a divine redemption to his people.

Divine guidance

Deuteronomy 29:5 “And I have led you forty years in the wilderness: your clothes are not waxen old upon you, and thy shoe is not waxen old upon thy foot.”

            We see the Lord God is someone who holds and carries us in our lives. The Lord guides his people in the wilderness and makes it easy for them. There are few instances in the scripture where God  led his children with his divine guidance.

Elijah – I Kings 19:4 ‘But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.’ Here we see Elijah gets exhausted and sits near a tree with no hopes of living. Elijah prays to God that he should take his life. The reason behind this prayer of Elijah was not because he was exhausted physically but spiritually. In I Kings 19:2-3 ‘Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time. And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there.’ Here we see when Elijah was threatened, he did not wait for the divine guidance of God. Elijah keeps running away to save himself from the situation. This we can read in I Kings 17:1-3 ‘And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word. And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.’ Though Elijah was filled with the words of God all these while, he runs away when he was given in a situation. In Isaiah 28:16 ‘Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.’ We the children of God should not be worried about anything when we believe in the name of God. One more reason for Elijah’s negative statement is because of his loneliness. If Elijah had a servant along with him, he would not have faced this situation. We see in Genesis 2:18 ‘And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.’ We the children of God should have a strong fellowship to have a divine guidance.

Moses – Numbers 11:14 ’ I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me.’ Here we see Moses was given in a situation and he loses his hope to live. Moses was not able to handle the burden at that point of time. In Numbers 11:17,25 ‘And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone. And the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.’ Here we see how God brings in a solution for this situation. This is a sheer guidance of the Lord almighty. We the children of God will be given an immense strength to handle any kind of situation and the divine strength of God will guide us. Amen.