Daily Devotions
Genesis
"Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done; And Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You in order; If I would declare and speak of them, They are more than can be numbered." Psalm 40:5
Text: Genesis 21:1-34
LITTLE SIGNS OF STRIFE
Treaties are not difficult to arrive at. The difficulty lies in the keeping of the treaty established between Abimelech and Abraham. A tricky and potentially dangerous situation arose over the dispute of a well.
“Then Abraham rebuked Abimelech because
of a well of water which Abimelech’s servants had seized.
And Abimelech said, ‘I do not know who has done
this thing: you did not tell me, nor had I heard of it
until today.'”GENESIS 21:25-26
“Then Abraham rebuked Abimelech…”
Abraham was no longer a man ruled by fear! His faith and confidence in the Lord had grown considerably. He found the courage to speak to Abimelech concerning the problem of his men seizing a well!
“I do not know who has done this thing…”
Abimelech protested that he was not aware of this incident! It is possible that this incident escaped his notice!
A FORMAL “PARITY COVENANT” SEALED AND CONFIRMED
The word “covenant” was used in the following text. How should we understand the use of this word?
“So Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them
to Abimelech, and the two of them made a covenant.”GENESIS 21:27
1. A Parity Covenant
Abraham must have realized that the verbal agreement between him and Abimelech was not enough. It was wise to actually seal and confirm that a covenant or treaty existed between Abraham and Abimelech. We may call this kind of treaty a “parity covenant”. It was a covenant between two equals! Both could negotiate the conditions of the treaty! This time round, it was Abraham who gave gifts to Abimelech! He certainly could afford it now! The Lord had evidently blessed him so mightily that even Abimelech sat up and took notice!
2. A Suzerainty Covenant
How do we understand and appreciate the covenant that God established with Abraham? That covenant may be called a “suzerainty covenant”. God and Abraham were not equal partners. God is the suzerain! He determined the conditions of the covenant. Abraham could only either accept or reject the suzerainty covenant God offered him!