REBEKAH, THE TRUSTED WIFE OF ISAAC
Genesis 24:58-67
Genesis 24:58
58 So they called Rebekah and asked her, "Will you go with this man?" "I will go," she said.
Genesis 24:61-67
61 Then Rebekah and her maids got ready and mounted their camels and went back with the man. So the servant took Rebekah and left.
62 Now Isaac had come from Beer Lahai Roi, for he was living in the Negev. 63 He went out to the field one evening to meditate, and as he looked up, he saw camels approaching. 64 Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel 65 and asked the servant, "Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?"
"He is my master," the servant answered. So she took her veil and covered herself. 66 Then the servant told Isaac all he had done. 67 Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah, and he married Rebekah. So she became his wife, and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.
Throughout the Bible trust is the foundation of a relationship with God. Trust and faithfulness go together. You can’t have faith without trust and
You can’t have trust without faith. Rebekah was a wife who trusted the
Tradition established by Abraham of choosing a wife for a child from the
Family line. Abraham and Sarah were half brother and sister from the
Town of Huran.
Abraham and Sarah’s only son was Isaac. They moved to the promised
Land from Huran under the direction and guidance of the Lord. Abraham became very rich and prosperous during his lifetime (Genesis 13:1). Before he died it was Important to choose a wife for Isaac. The promised land was given to Abraham and his descendants. In order for the family line to continue a wife for Isaac had to be chosen from Abraham’s family.
REBEKAH, CHOSEN BY GOD FOR ISAAC
God’s plan of redemption includes incidents and circumstances that happen in our lives. They may seem random and unrelated, but they are under the control of God. Rebekah’s life is a remarkable story of faith and
Trust in God.
SEVEN POINTS ABOUT REBEKAH
SHE WAS A RESPONSIBLE WOMAN
SHE WAS A WORKING WOMAN
SHE WAS AN INDEPENDENT WOMAN
SHE MADE RESPONSIBLE DECISIONS
SHE WAS A FAITHFUL WIFE
SHE WILLINGLY DECEIVE HER HUSBAND FOR GOD’S SAKE
SHE LOVED HER FAMILY, BUT SHE LOVED GOD MORE
WE NEED SOMEONE IN OUR LIVES WE CAN TRUST
When Abraham was 175 years old, he knew his life on earth was coming to a close. He made a pact with his trusted servant who was in charge of his
Affairs to go back to Huran, find a wife for Isaac from his family.
Genesis 24:1-5
24 Abraham was now old and well advanced in years, and the Lord had blessed him in every way. 2 He said to the chief servant in his household, the one in charge of all that he had, "Put your hand under my thigh. 3 I want you to swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living, 4 but will go to my country and my own relatives and get a wife for my son Isaac." 6 "Make sure that you do not take my son back there," Abraham said. 7 "The Lord, the God of heaven, who brought me out of my father's household and my native land and who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, 'To your offspring I will give this land' — he will send his angel before you so that you can get a wife for my son from there.
Notice the faith Abraham had in His God and the trust he put in his servant. In today’s time, hundreds of thousands of dollars was involved. More importantly, the purity of the family line of Israel was trusted in the hands of this servant.
We need someone we can trust. We must first put our trust in Jesus. If
Necessary, allow Jesus to lead us to one we can trust to do what we can’t do for ourselves. Abraham was too old to travel. He knew the importance of the family line and he chose someone who had proven himself trustworthy. He did not trust Isaac to find the right wife for himself. Parents must know their children and know what is best for them.
REBEKAH WAS GOD’S CHOSEN WIFE FOR ISAAC
Genesis 24:7
He (God) will send his angel before you so that you can get a wife for my son.
The travel to Huran was 460 miles from the promised land. When you travel for the Lord you must take with you provisions for the journey and be guided by the Lord. Abraham knew children were considered assets and
Payment was required for lost value for the child to be released to another
Family.
Genesis 24:10-11
Then the servant took ten of his master's camels and left, taking with him all kinds of good things from his master. He set out for Aram Naharaim and made his way to the town of Nahor. 11 He had the camels kneel down near the well outside the town; it was toward evening, the time the women go out to draw water.
NIV
REBEKAH WAS A WORKING WOMAN
Genesis 24:12-14
Then he prayed, "O Lord, God of my master Abraham, give me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. 13 See, I am standing beside this spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water.
Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah, who was the wife of Abraham's brother Nahor. 16 The girl was very beautiful, a virgin; no man had ever lain with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar and came up again.
God always has a listen ear to our prayers. There is nothing wrong with asking God for success on a mission for Him.
Genesis 24:21
21 Without saying a word, the man watched her closely to learn whether or not the Lord had made his journey successful.
When you follow God’s instructions, He is on your side. Prayer before you make a decision is important.
Genesis 24:22-25
22 When the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring weighing a beka and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels. 23 Then he asked, "Whose daughter are you? Please tell me, is there room in your father's house for us to spend the night?"
24 She answered him, "I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son that Milcah bore to Nahor." 25 And she added, "We have plenty of straw and fodder, as well as room for you to spend the night."
Continued communication with God is important in every step of your journey. We have no idea what is ahead of us, But God does. The servant
Prayed immediately for guidance upon reaching the city of Abraham's relatives. He did not know the family, but he prayed for God’s selection.
Genesis 24:50-54
50 Laban and Bethuel answered, "This is from the Lord; we can say nothing to you one way or the other. 51 Here is Rebekah; take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master's son, as the Lord has directed."
52 When Abraham's servant heard what they said, he bowed down to the ground before the Lord. 53 Then the servant brought out gold and silver jewelry and articles of clothing and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave costly gifts to her brother and to her mother. 54 Then he and the men who were with him ate and drank and spent the night there.
NIV
REBEKAH WAS AN INDEPENDENT WOMAN
Genesis 24:57-60
, "Let's call the girl and ask her about it." 58 So they called Rebekah and asked her, "Will you go with this man?" "I will go," she said.
59 So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way, along with her nurse and Abraham's servant and his men. 60 And they blessed Rebekah and said to her,
Genesis 24:62-67
62 Now Isaac had come from Beer Lahai Roi, for he was living in the Negev. 63 He went out to the field one evening to meditate, and as he looked up, he saw camels approaching. 64 Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel 65 and asked the servant, "Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?"
"He is my master," the servant answered. So she took her veil and covered herself.
66 Then the servant told Isaac all he had done. 67 Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah, and he married Rebekah. So she became his wife, and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.
REBEKAH WILLINGLY DECEIVED ISAAC FOR GOD’ SAKE
Isaac was 40 years old when he married Rebekah. They had two twin sons. Esau and Jacob. Esau was born first.
Genesis 25:21-23
21 Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was barren. The Lord answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant. 22 The babies jostled each other within her, and she said, "Why is this happening to me?" So she went to inquire of the Lord.
23 The Lord said to her, "Two nations are in your womb,
and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger."
The tradition at the time was that elder son would be blessed with the family property at death of the father. Isaac favored Esau, but Rebekah
Favored Jacob.
Genesis 25:27-33
The boys grew up, and Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the open country, while Jacob was a quiet man, staying among the tents. 28 Isaac, who had a taste for wild game, loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
29 Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished. 30 He said to Jacob, "Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I'm famished!" (That is why he was also called Edom.)
31 Jacob replied, "First sell me your birthright." 32 "Look, I am about to die," Esau said. "What good is the birthright to me?" 33 But Jacob said, "Swear to me first." So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob.
REBEKAH WAS SMART INDEPENDENT WOMAN WHO LOVED GOD
Genesis 26:34-27:4
34 When Esau was forty years old, he married Judith daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and also Basemath daughter of Elon the Hittite. 35 They were a source of grief to Isaac and Rebekah.
27 When Isaac was old and his eyes were so weak that he could no longer see, he called for Esau his older son and said to him, "My son."
"Here I am," he answered.
2 Isaac said, "I am now an old man and don't know the day of my death. 3 Now then, get your weapons — your quiver and bow — and go out to the open country to hunt some wild game for me. 4 Prepare me the kind of tasty food I like and bring it to me to eat, so that I may give you my blessing before I die."
Rebekah heard the plan and immediately put together a plan with Jacob
To deceive Isaac that he was Esau. Jacob was smooth skin and Esau was
Hairy. Rebekah’s plan was necessary to Keep the promised land from falling into the hands of Hittites. If that had happened, the genealogy of Jesus would have been broken.
Rebehak loved her husband and Esau, but she loved God more.
While Esau was out hunting game, Rebekah cooked Isaac favorite
Meal and disguised Jabob as Esau with the hair of animal skin around
His arms
Genesis 27:18-20
He went to his father and said, "My father." "Yes, my son," he answered. "Who is it?" 19 Jacob said to his father, "I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me. Please sit up and eat some of my game so that you may give me your blessing."
20 Isaac asked his son, "How did you find it so quickly, my son?"
"The Lord your God gave me success," he replied.
NIV
Genesis 27:23-24
23 He did not recognize him, for his hands were hairy like those of his brother Esau; so he blessed him. 24 "Are you really my son Esau?" he asked. "I am," he replied.
WAS IT RIGHT FOR REBEKAH AND JACOB TO DECEIVE ISAAC?
Judge for yourself but it was allowed by God.
Esau had earlier, sold his birthright to Jacob with an oath sealed with a
Bowl of stew. Esau’s marriage to Hittite women was against the covenant
God made with Abraham, his grandfather.
It is my opinion that Rebekah’s deception was necessary to protect the heritage of Israel. Certainly God could have done it another way.
Sometimes God uses the evil of men to bless those He loves.
SUMMARY: REBEKAH’S LOVE
SHE WAS A RESPONSIBLE WOMAN
SHE WAS A WORKING WOMAN
SHE WAS AN INDEPENDENT WOMAN
SHE MADE RESPONSIBLE DECISIONS
SHE WAS A FAITHFUL WIFE
SHE WILLINGLY DECEIVE HER HUSBAND FOR GOD’S SAKE
SHE LOVED HER FAMILY, BUT SHE LOVED GOD MORE
WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM REBEKAH?
GOD’S PLAN FOR LIFE IS TIED TO HIS PLAN OF REDEMPTION
YOU HAVE AN IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY IN GOD’S PLAN
YOUR JOURNEY IN LIFE PUTS IN CONTACT WITH PEOPLE TO PREPARE YOU FOR YOUR ROLE
GOD PREPARES YOU TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT OTHERS REJECT
GOD POSITIONS YOU TO HELP OTHERS MAKE RIGHT DECISIONS
REBEKAH’S REWARD
GAINED A HUSBAND, A NEW FAMILY, A NEW GOD
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