I’m certain as you read the title you can think of many strong willed momma’s. The one we will look at today is Rebekah. She was a very beautiful woman with many great character traits. At the age of twenty, she was a young beautiful virgin lady. There was nothing about her that suggested that she was anything but a perfect godly lady. Although she was from a family of wealth she was not afraid to work. If you remember, when Eliezer first saw her she was drawing water and she offered to water his camels. She also prepared them a meal and she was a woman that did not shun work. Just from meeting her Isaac knew this was the one for him.
It is evident she was also a woman of faith. In Genesis 25:23 the Lord talked to her and told her that she would have twins and the elder will serve the younger and there would be a universal blessing through Jacob.
Genesis 25:23 “And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.”
Rebekah became a mother later in life than most. God had blessed her after 20 years of waiting. However, motherhood changed Rebekah. This sweet, young, serving bride, became a divisive mother. She loved Jacob more than Esau and Isaac loved Esau. In Genesis 27 Isaac realized he was getting closer to death so he tells his favorite, Esau, to go hunting and kill venison and cook it for him. Now the plot comes into play. Rebekah hears Isaac and plans a way to deceive him. She wants Jacob to get the blessing that normally belongs to the eldest.
She has Jacob to put animal skin on his arm to feel hairy like his brother. Then she made the stew and dresses him in the clothing of his brother, so he will smell like Esau. As he goes to his father, Isaac questions him. Isaac is almost blind, but he recognizes that the voice sounds like Jacob, but he believes it is Esau because of his smell, the feel of his hairy arms, and the taste of the stew he brought him.
Rebekah is totally to blame for the deception and the problems that it causes. No time is deception acceptable to God. She deceived her husband, caused her son to lie, and causes her other son to become so hurt and angry that he sought to kill Jacob. Esau became a remorseless avenger and swore the death of his brother. The hatred was so bad Jacob had to flee. Again, Rebekah runs interference for her youngest and sends him away to a relative to escape the wrath of his brother. Because of Rebekah’s plan her eldest married heathen wives and she would never see her favorite child again.
God had told Rebekah the elder would serve the younger, but she chose not to wait on God, but to take matters into her own hand. Anytime we get ahead of God there will be problems. We must wait on God and allow him to work his plan. It is never right to do wrong, no matter what the circumstances. When God says wait, he has a perfect plan, a perfect time, and a perfect outcome.
Proverbs 3:5-7 “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.”
To read the entire story read Genesis’s chapters 22 through 28.
