Tag Archives: Rebekah

JACOB – DECEIVER TURNED DEPENDENT – 2

Bible Study, ,

Unlike his son, Joseph, Jacob seems to have had no moral compass. He was an opportunist. His mother must have coached him to believe in his future (being above his brother) without instilling in him a trust in God that would allow God to work out His plans in his life.

So, when the opportunity presented, Jacob exploited his brother’s weak moment to get what he wanted, his brother’s birthright. Hunger gnawing in his belly, Esau agreed without giving it another thought.

Esau’s foolishness is a good example of a person who lives FOR the moment rather than IN the moment. To live for the moment implies that the foolish person does not consider what impact a present decision will have on his/her future, for example, a young girl gets pregnant after a one-night stand.

To live in the moment means to live fully in the present with an eye on the future.

So, our Jacob has set himself up for trouble in the future. No only has he jumped the gun on God’s plans but he has also sown the seeds of discord in his family. Jesus said that a family divided against itself will not stand. How tru that was for Jacob. No only was his own family divided but also the family into which he married in Haran.

The scene is set for phase two of his plan to defraud his brother. Aided by his mother, he jumps at the opportunity to steal his father’s blessing, the second half of the birthright of the eldest son.

‭Genesis‬ ‭27:1‭-‬10‬ ‭NLT‬
[1] One day when Isaac was old and turning blind, he called for Esau, his older son, and said, “My son.” “Yes, Father?” Esau replied. [2] “I am an old man now,” Isaac said, “and I don’t know when I may die. [3] Take your bow and a quiver full of arrows, and go out into the open country to hunt some wild game for me. [4] Prepare my favorite dish, and bring it here for me to eat. Then I will pronounce the blessing that belongs to you, my firstborn son, before I die.” [5] But Rebekah overheard what Isaac had said to his son Esau. So when Esau left to hunt for the wild game, [6] she said to her son Jacob, “Listen. I overheard your father say to Esau, [7] ‘Bring me some wild game and prepare me a delicious meal. Then I will bless you in the Lord’s presence before I die.’ [8] Now, my son, listen to me. Do exactly as I tell you. [9] Go out to the flocks, and bring me two fine young goats. I’ll use them to prepare your father’s favorite dish. [10] Then take the food to your father so he can eat it and bless you before he dies.”

The plan, cleared of obstacles by Rebekah’s ingenuity, falls into place and Jacob, once again, gets what he wants by manipulation, lies, and trickery.

True to God’s warning, and in keeping with the deceptive behaviour of both Abraham and Isaac, Jacob, continues a life of deception into the third generation.

‭Exodus‬ ‭34:7‬ ‭NLT‬
[7] “I lavish unfailing love to a thousand generations. I forgive iniquity, rebellion, and sin. But I do not excuse the guilty. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children and grandchildren; the entire family is affected— even children in the third and fourth generations.”

To be continued…

DIARY OF THE FATHER OF FAITH – 9

Bible Study,

The sequel to this life of faith, grown and matured in the real world of trial and trouble, is told in two closing stories.

‭Genesis‬ ‭24:1‭-‬4‬ ‭NLT‬
[1] Abraham was now a very old man, and the Lord had blessed him in every way. [2] One day Abraham said to his oldest servant, the man in charge of his household, “Take an oath by putting your hand under my thigh. [3] Swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and earth, that you will not allow my son to marry one of these local Canaanite women. [4] Go instead to my homeland, to my relatives, and find a wife there for my son Isaac.”

Abraham’s faith is God was so secure that he even trusted Him for a wife for Isaac. No Cannanite idolatrous pagan woman would suit his son of promise. If Isaac was to be the ancestor of God’s chosen nation, his bloodline must not be contaminated by someone from the people God would eventually destroy because of their wickedness.

What was the solution? Go back to his roots and find a wife from his own family. He was too old to go himself but he had a loyal and trusted servant who would go for him.

‭Genesis‬ ‭24:2‭-‬7‬ ‭NLT‬
[2] “One day Abraham said to his oldest servant, the man in charge of his household, “Take an oath by putting your hand under my thigh. [3] Swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and earth, that you will not allow my son to marry one of these local Canaanite women. [4] Go instead to my homeland, to my relatives, and find a wife there for my son Isaac.” [5] The servant asked, “But what if I can’t find a young woman who is willing to travel so far from home? Should I then take Isaac there to live among your relatives in the land you came from?” [6] “No!” Abraham responded. “Be careful never to take my son there. [7] For the Lord, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and my native land, solemnly promised to give this land to my descendants. He will send his angel ahead of you, and he will see to it that you find a wife there for my son.”

So, the servant set off in obedience to his master’s instructions, loaded with gifts for the prospective bride and armed with his master’s faith in God. He prayed, on behalf of Abraham, for a successful mission, and even asked Him for a clear sign that would assure him that he had chosen the right woman.

‭Genesis‬ ‭24:12‭-‬14‬ ‭NLT‬
[12] “O Lord, God of my master, Abraham,” he prayed. “Please give me success today, and show unfailing love to my master, Abraham. [13] See, I am standing here beside this spring, and the young women of the town are coming out to draw water. [14] This is my request. I will ask one of them, ‘Please give me a drink from your jug.’ If she says, ‘Yes, have a drink, and I will water your camels, too!’—let her be the one you have selected as Isaac’s wife. This is how I will know that you have shown unfailing love to my master.”

God graciously answered Eliezer’s prayer through Rebekah, young daughter of Bethuel, Abraham’s brother’s son. She fulfilled Eliezer’s conditions to the last detail. No only was she Abraham’s relative but she was also beautiful and willing, with the blessing of her family, to go to a foreign country to marry a stranger.

‭Genesis‬ ‭24:57‭-‬59‬ ‭NLT‬
[57] “Well,” they said, “we’ll call Rebekah and ask her what she thinks.” [58] So they called Rebekah. “Are you willing to go with this man?” they asked her. And she replied, “Yes, I will go.” [59] So they said good-bye to Rebekah and sent her away with Abraham’s servant and his men. The woman who had been Rebekah’s childhood nurse went along with her.
[67] And Isaac brought Rebekah into his mother Sarah’s tent, and she became his wife. He loved her deeply, and she was a special comfort to him after the death of his mother.”

Notice how confident Abraham was in the success of his servant’s mission, so confident that he released Eliezer from his oath if he could not find the right woman ih Haran.

‭Genesis‬ ‭24:7‭-‬8‬ ‭NLT‬
[7]”The Lord, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and my native land, solemnly promised to give this land to my descendants. He will send his angel ahead of you, and he will see to it that you find a wife there for my son. [8] If she is unwilling to come back with you, then you are free from this oath of mine. But under no circumstances are you to take my son there.”

This is the same man whose wobbly faith, years before, had tried to help God fulfill his promise by producing a son from Sarah’s Egyptian slave! Truly, Abraham had become the father of faith!

To be continued…