Lessons from Rebekah’s Life (Part II)

How important is it to you to get your way!?  And what are you willing to do to make it happen!? Rebekah teaches us a lesson about getting her way and the price she had to pay for it!

5 Now Rebekah was listening when Isaac spoke to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt game and to bring it. 6 So Rebekah spoke to Jacob her son, saying, “Indeed I heard your father speak to Esau your brother, saying, 7 ‘Bring me game and make [b]savory food for me, that I may eat it and bless you in the presence of the Lord before my death.’ 8 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to what I command you. 9 Go now to the flock and bring me from there two choice kids of the goats, and I will make savory food from them for your father, such as he loves. 10 Then you shall take it to your father, that he may eat it, and that he may bless you before his death.”

11 And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, “Look, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth-skinned man. 12 Perhaps my father will feel me, and I shall seem to be a deceiver to him; and I shall bring a curse on myself and not a blessing.”

13 But his mother said to him, “Let your curse be on me, my son; only obey my voice, and go, get them for me.” 14 And he went and got them and brought them to his mother, and his mother made [c]savory food, such as his father loved. 15 Then Rebekah took the choice clothes of her elder son Esau, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob her younger son. 16 And she put the skins of the kids of the goats on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck. 17 Then she gave the savory food and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob. Genesis 27: 5-17

Esau was the firstborn who would have had the right to receive the blessing of the firstborn. Interestingly, when Esau was famished he had no problem selling his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of stew until the time came that it was important to him.

Rebekah and Isaac each had their favorite child. Isaac had planned to enjoy a meal that his firstborn would prepare for him and then he was going to bless him. However, Rebekah overheard the conversation, and she called her favored son Jacob to take Esau’s place by deceiving the father.

Rebekah plotted against her own husband to ensure that Jacob was going to get Esau’s blessing.  This deception was not going to be a little white lie. It was a detailed plan that she and Jacob were going to execute to ensure that Isaac did not recognize he was blessing Jacob instead of Esau. Rebekah was successful in her plot of deception and manipulation but at a cost!

  1. Rebekah worked against her husband by deceiving him of his right to bless his firstborn. She subverted his authority by putting herself in that position through manipulation and deceit. This was the curse that God declared over Eve. Her desire was going to be for her husband, which had to do with his position.
  2. She alienated Esau by favoring Jacob.
  3. Her favorite son had to flee to get away from Esau’s wrath  thereby being separated from Jacob for years. 

The Lord had already spoken that the older was going to serve the younger. There was no need for Rebekah to try to help God or subvert her husband’s authority by manipulating the whole process. Rebekah’s family ended up spending years of separation from each other because of her plot and deception.

Women tend to manipulate and deceive because they see it as the only option to get their way. Sadly, these actions bring strive and division and can bring a curse on the family. Rebekah’s actions brought about a generational curse in her family. Her own beloved son, Jacob, was deceived by his sons about Joseph years later.

Do you tend to manipulate things in your favor or in favor of those you love? Do you tend to tell half-lies or white lies to make things happen? Do you know why? What is the real need that you try satisfy by taking the matters in your own hands? Some may claim that the men in their lives don’t listen or are stubborn. The truth is that one may get their way for a while, but in the end, deceit and manipulation brings about pain and suffering.

This is a good time to repent from any form of manipulation and begin to pray faithfully about those things you desire and matter to you. Remind yourself of God’s promises and rest in what He has spoken to you. Continue to surrender your desires to the Lord and trust Him that He will do it His way and in His timing!

Image by GUDE PAVAN from Pixabay

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