Rebekah - Doing the right thing the wrong way - Part 2

Rebekah knew that Jacob was preferred to Esau. But now Issac intends to bless Esau rather than Jacob. This is contrary to the prophecy given when the boys were in the womb. Panic, "godly concern".."I need to defend the church of God"..."I need to do what's right for God." Such were the thoughts that may have been raging through her mind at that critical time because in a few hours Esau will show up with the prepared meal and take the blessings. Instead of consulting God, as she did in the past, or instead of reasoning with her husband, she decided to take the matter into her own hands and devised her own plan.What were the consequences of the plan:

• She cheated her own husband.   Gen 27:9-10 - Go out to the flock and bring me two choice young goats, so I can prepare some tasty food for your father, just the way he likes it. Then take it to your father to eat, so that he may give you his blessing before he dies.”  In Rebekah's mind, what she was doing was alright because she was fulfilling God's intend. It does not matter if the way she did it was wrong. "God understands, I am doing this for God... not for myself.." Today in the name of God, terrorists are killing the innocent, people are destroying the church, relationships are being broken and sin tolerated. But in the eyes of God, a sin is a sin no matter how much color we add to it or how spiritual we make it appear.

• She made her son to cheat.   Gen 27: 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.”  Let the curse come on me, she boldly told Jacob. I will take the responsibility. Spiritual arrogance and pride blinds the conscience, dilutes the conviction, blurs the distinction of right from wrong and often lures others to a trail that leads to destruction. Rebekah sowed the seeds of cheating into her son. He was eventually called a "cheater". But the trail did not stop there. You would recall that many years later Jacob's own sons cheated him concerning Joseph. It continued down the generations. But think for a moment. It all started out as a "holy anger". "We need to protect what is Gods" Gen 27:35 - But he said, “Your brother came deceitfully and took your blessing.”

• She sowed enmity between her sons.   Gen 27:41 - Esau held a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing his father had given him. He said to himself, “The days of mourning for my father are near; then I will kill my brother Jacob.”  Esau is now fuming mad with his brother and probably with his mother as well. Sin has its consequences. Here the mother becomes the cause of sibling rivalry. How parents need to be careful that we handle and love our children equally. In this family, Issac favored Esau and Rebekah favored Jacob. Favoritism by the parents is the conduit for sibling rivalry. One unseemingly  innocent goldy pursuit, became the stage for a potential murder. This however does not exonerate Jacob or Esau, but Rebekah became the key pin in the domino effect..

The act was finally complete. Jacob got the blessing. Esau was furious. Rebekah achieved what she wanted. In desperation she sends off Jacob to her brother. The consequence was she never got to see her favorite son thereafter again. "Let the curse come on me" ,The curse did eventually come upon her.

Gal 6:7 - Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.

Lets learn from this lesson. Lets do God's work in God's way