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28 And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves. 29 Then Abimelech asked Abraham, “What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs which you have set by themselves?” 30 And he said, “You will take these seven ewe lambs from my hand, that they may be my witness that I have dug this well.” 31 Therefore he called that place Beersheba, because the two of them swore an oath there. 32 Thus they made a covenant at Beersheba. So Abimelech rose with Phichol, the commander of his army, and they returned to the land of the Philistines. 33 Then Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there called on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God. 34 And Abraham stayed in the land of the Philistines many days. ~ Genesis 21:28-34
Today, we complete our study of Genesis 21 where Abraham has entered into a covenant reflecting the Golden Rule with Abimelech, the King of Gerar. In our last study, we learned that Abraham gave to Abimelech sheep and oxen that were to be slain in the covenant-making ceremony just like we saw in Genesis 15, when Abraham laid the parts of the animals side by side and God walked between the pieces. In today's passage Abraham presented seven ewe lambs to Abimelech.
In v.28-29 of today's passage we read, "28 And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves. 29 Then Abimelech asked Abraham, 'What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs which you have set by themselves?'"
Abimelech was watching the enfolding story of Abraham and the God of the Bible for time now from afar. He knew that God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah and thus he had a healthy respect for God. He also had a healthy respect of Abraham who had earlier moved his tents from Gerar down to Beersheba, which was about twenty-five miles to the southeast. It also appears that Abimelech exercised control over that vast area south of Gerar as far as Beersheba. All of this explains the need for them to establish a covenant to co-exist peacefully with one another. And, even though it was obvious to Abimelech that God was with Abraham and He blessed him immensely, Abraham had a problem with being deceptive. This explains why Abimelech pressed Abraham as he did.
In the previous verses Abraham had given to King Abimelech sheep and oxen, now he gives him seven ewe lambs which were for confirming Abimelech's acknowledgment that the well in Beersheba belonged to Abraham. In other words, those lambs were a good-will gift designed to witness their agreement that day.
In Genesis 15 we saw that God's deposit of guarantee was Himself. It was God Himself in the form of the smoking oven and the flaming torch who passed between the sacrifices indicating that He was promising by Himself His faithfulness to the promise. In Hebrews 6 we are informed that God confirms His promise with an oath because He could swear by no one greater than Himself. And, the sign of the covenant that gave to Abraham was circumcision, the reminder that He was and would always be committed to Abraham.
In Ephesians 1:13-14 the Apostle Paul reminds us that God has given us the deposit of the Holy Spirit who indwells every believer and seals us in His faith. In all these ways, God confirms His promises to us in the covenant, by Himself, by His word, and by His Spirit. God's covenant is given to establish security and stability in the relationship which we have with Him, even as this covenant between Abimelech and Abraham was designed to established security and stability in their relationship.
In v.30-31 of today's passage we read, "30 And he said, 'You will take these seven ewe lambs from my hand, that they may be my witness that I have dug this well.' 31 Therefore he called that place Beersheba, because the two of them swore an oath there."
This well referenced here, I am told, is to this day still there, proof that this story really happened. The seven lambs were offered by Abraham as proof that he dug this well. They implicitly state that the land around the well was for Abraham's use. The Hebrew noun "beer" means "well." The Hebrew verb "sheba" means "oath." Adding to this is that the root of the verb sheba also means "seven." You will remember that seven is the number for perfection in the Bible. So, the result is the "Well of the Perfect Oath." To this day, the well and the surrounding area is called Beersheba, and the name came from this oath. The evidence that it happened and was confirmed and held up were these seven ewe lambs which were yet again pictures of the perfect Lamb of God who would come to ratify the covenant that God chose to make with anyone willing to enter into a covenant relationship with Him.
In v.32-34 of today's passage we read, "32 Thus they made a covenant at Beersheba. So Abimelech rose with Phichol, the commander of his army, and they returned to the land of the Philistines. 32 Thus they made a covenant at Beersheba. So Abimelech rose with Phichol, the commander of his army, and they returned to the land of the Philistines. 33 Then Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there called on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God. 34 And Abraham stayed in the land of the Philistines many days."
The fact that the name of this place has lasted for 4000 years tells us that God is carefully watching over His land and is demonstrating the significance of these accounts in His word. Abraham planted a tamarisk tree there at Beersheba; Abraham planted that tree as a means of worship to the covenant keeping God of the Bible. The greatest covenant ever established was ratified upon a tree on the hill of Golgotha some two thousand years ago. It was on that tree that the Lord Jesus Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through the Lord Jesus Christ, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Holy Spirit of God.
