April 20: Exploring perseverance

Wiley Richards is a retired professor of theology and philosophy at The Baptist College of Florida in Graceville.

To persevere means to continue steadfastly, to persist. An adult thinking about perseverance probably remembers piano lessons in which the teacher insisted that practice makes perfect. The word often brings up other distasteful duties. Students enrolled in college to study for ministry often rebel at the thought of having to pass courses in English and math. I often shocked them by reminding, “You don’t have to take those courses. If you think all you need is a few Bible courses and one course on sermon delivery, go for it.” An inevitable question always arose, “But how about graduation?” My answer, “That’s a different issue. If you want to put Bachelor of Arts after your name, you will have to take the liberal arts courses.” In education there is no substitute for perseverance. So is it in life.

Perseverance is required when difficulties arise (vv. 1-3). Isaac, son of Abraham, faced the first famine in the land since the one occurring in Abraham’s day. Evidently Isaac had been thinking about migrating into Egypt to find relief as had his father before him (12:10). The Lord specifically appeared to him, expressly forbidding such a move. Instead, he was to dwell in the land as a statement of his claiming God’s legacy promised to Abraham. Isaac had already approached Abimelech, king of the Philistines, who dwelt in Gerar.

The land controlled by the Philistines was small by today’s standards, encompassing a total territory of about 30 miles wide and 20 miles deep. Its five main towns were Gaza, Ashdod, Gath, Ashkelon, and Ekron. Gerar was probably about 10 miles from Gaza, north of Beersheba, Abraham’s central location. At Gerar, Isaac committed the same sorry spectacle as Abraham did in Egypt of passing off his wife as his sister, a lie quickly discerned by Abimelech (v. 10).

Isaac faced another test–how to conduct himself when prosperity blesses (vv. 12-15). Isaac had the unfortunate luck to be the son of one of history’s most famous men, Abraham, and the father of another key historical figure, Jacob. As a consequence, he is most noted as the well digger. However, he capitalized on what God had given him. In Gerar he put in crops, which the Lord blessed, producing a hundredfold. As his holdings grew, so did his herds of animals and numbers of servants. His prosperity aroused the envy of the Philistines. They had already stopped up all the wells which Abraham’s servants had dug. The Philistines cut off his water supply, forcing him to move.

Unfortunately, Isaac had to face a recurring problem (vv. 15-22). Abimelech approached Isaac with the demand that he move out of Gerar because of the economic imbalance caused by God’s blessing. Isaac, ever willing to accommodate, shifted his flocks and possessions to the valley of Gerar.

Isaac’s dealings with Abimelech were not over. The king sought out Isaac with a desire to make a covenant of peace. God’s hand of blessing placed Abimelech at the disadvantage (vv. 28-29). Isaac illustrated the principle that building relationships with others, especially with unfriendly people, requires great patience on a continuing basis.

Problems seemingly solved in one set of circumstances have a way of reappearing as circumstances change. Especially is this true when breaches develop in one’s family.

The names Isaac gave to the wells dug by his herdsmen trace the changes in the relationship between the two groups. The first well, consisting of a well of running water, was disputed by the herdsmen of Gerar. Isaac dubbed it Esek, meaning Quarrel, because the Philistines argued with him about the ownership. His men had no better outcome with the fate of the next well, so he called it Sitnah, that is, Enmity. The third one turned out to be uncontested so he named it Rehoboth, Spaciousness, because the Lord made room for both groups. His perseverance brought rich dividends.