At that time Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army said to Abraham, “God is with you in all that you do. Now therefore swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me or with my descendants or with my posterity, but as I have dealt kindly with you, so you will deal with me and with the land where you have sojourned.” And Abraham said, “I will swear.” (21:22-24)
The text doesn’t explain who is where and why, as in verse 32 it says, “Then Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army rose up and returned to the land of the Philistines.” but then in verse 34 it appears that Abraham was in the land of the Philistines, “And Abraham sojourned many days in the land of the Philistines.”
Perhaps there was a bit of visiting back and forth; after all, they were neighbours.
Wherever they are, the king and the army commander recognizes that God is with Abraham in all that he does, and so the Philistine king entreats Abraham’s favour on him and his descendants.
I love that even a pagan king and army commander can see the favour of God in everything Abraham does! And that is one reason for God’s favour, that His name would be glorified.
Note that when God’s favour is on someone, it doesn’t mean that that person will not undergo difficult things. In Genesis 39–41, it is obvious that God’s favour was on Joseph, yet he was sold into slavery by his brothers, framed by his master’s wife, and put in prison for a few years before rising to a very powerful position. Yet it is obvious that wherever he went (even as a slave and as a prisoner) that God’s favour was on him.
I know many people who have had God’s favour upon them, but they, too, have gone through trials as we all do.
Often people who don’t know God will see that there is something special about a person who has God’s favour upon them, and they will credit it to that person. That is when we need to remember to point them to the Source—that it is actually God’s favour.
Prayer: God, may your favour be upon me and my family, that your name would be glorified! And may we realize that your favour is upon us!
