Genesis 21:1 ESV
Genesis 22:1-19 (Isaac’s obedience)
Genesis 24:1-4 NCV
Genesis 24:10-14; Genesis 24:15-25 (Abraham’s servant meets Rebekah)
Genesis 24:26-28 NCV
Genesis 24:34-38 (meeting Rebekah’s family)
Genesis 24:50-51 NCV
Genesis 24:63-67 NCV
Genesis 25:19-22a (Rebekah conceives)
Genesis 25:22b-26 NCV
Genesis 25:27-34 (Story of Birthright); Genesis 27 (One son received the Blessing)
Genesis 27:28-29 NCV Jacob’s Blessing
Genesis 27:39-40 NCV Esau’s Blessing
Genesis 35:27-29 (Isaac’s death); Genesis 49:31(Rebekah buried in the cave of Machpelah)
A Story of Love Series
The story of love from Abraham, Sarah, and God continued with their blessed long awaited son, Isaac.
We read in Genesis 21:1-3, “The Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as he had promised. And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him. Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him, Isaac.”
Isaac grew and God blessed him. We know from Genesis 22:1-19 that Isaac was an obedient son and he did all his father asked of him.
Then in Genesis 24:1-4 we read, “Abraham was now very old, and the Lord had blessed him in every way. Abraham said to his oldest servant, who was in charge of everything he owned, “Put your hand under my leg. Make a promise to me before the Lord, the God of heaven and earth. Don’t get a wife for my son from the Canaanite girls who live around here. Instead, go back to my country, to the land of my relatives, and get a wife for my son Isaac.”
Putting a hand under someone’s leg meant the person will keep the promise. And in Genesis 24:10-14 the servant did all Abraham commanded. In Genesis 24:15-28 Abraham’s servant met Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel (who was the son of Milcah and Nahor, Abraham’s brother) at the well. Rebekah was a maiden who had not known a man and she served Abraham’s servant and cared for his animals. When the servant was certain she was the one God sent, he gave her a gold ring and two gold arm bracelets and he asked if there was a place where he could stay. Rebekah welcomed the servant and in Genesis 24:26-28 we learn, “The servant bowed and worshiped the Lord and said, “Blessed is the Lord, the God of my master Abraham. The Lord has been kind and truthful to him and has led me to my master’s relatives.” Then Rebekah ran and told her mother’s family about all these things.”
In Genesis 24:34-38 Abraham’s servant is taken to Rebekah’s family and he tells them he has come on behalf of Abraham seeking a wife for his son, Isaac. In Genesis 24:50-51, “Laban and Bethuel answered, “This is clearly from the Lord, and we cannot change what must happen. Rebekah is yours. Take her and go. Let her marry your master’s son as the Lord has commanded.”
Abraham’s servant and Rebekah left her home and went to meet the man who would be her husband. In Genesis 24:63-67we learn, “One evening when he went out to the field to think, he looked up and saw camel’s coming. Rebekah also looked and saw Isaac. Then she jumped down from the camel and asked the servant, “Who is that man walking in the field to meet us?” The servant answered, “That is my master.” So Rebekah covered her face with her veil. The servant told Isaac everything that had happened. Then Isaac brought Rebekah into the tent of Sarah, his mother, and she became his wife. Isaac loved her very much, and so he was comforted after his mother’s death.”
The instant Isaac saw Rebekah and Rebekah saw Isaac they loved each other. Isaac was forty years old when he met Rebekah. But Rebekah could not have children so Isaac prayed and asked the Lord to bless her with child. God answered in a mighty way. After she had been pregnant for a while, it seemed like a great struggle was going on in her womb.
In Genesis 25:22b-26 Rebekah prayed to the Lord, “She asked, “Why is this happening to me?” Then she went to get an answer from the Lord. The Lord said to her,“Two nations are in your body, and two groups of people will be taken from you. One group will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.” When the time came, Rebekah gave birth to twins. The first baby was born red. Since his skin was like a hairy robe, he was named Esau. When the second baby was born, he was holding on to Esau’s heel, so that baby was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when they were born.”
As the twins grew Esau became a hunter and Jacob often stayed in to spend time with people. One day when Esau came in from hunting he was hungry and he asked his brother Jacob for some stew. Jacob told his brother he would feed him but he had to sell his birthright. Esau agreed and he sold his brother his birthright in exchange for the meal (Genesis 25:27-34). The struggle between the twins continued and we read in Genesis 27 of Jacob’s plan to also receive his father’s blessing.
In Genesis 27:28-29 Isaac gives the blessing given to Jacob (who now also owns the birthright), Isaac said: “May God give you plenty of rain and good soil so that you will have plenty of grain and new wine. May nations serve you and peoples bow down to you. May you be master over your brothers, and may your mother’s sons bow down to you. May everyone who curses you be cursed, and may everyone who blesses you be blessed.”
When Esau found out the birthright and blessing had been given to Jacob he begged his father Isaac that he would also give him a blessing. In Genesis 27:39-40 the blessing that was given to Esau said, “You will live far away from the best land, far from the rain. You will live by using your sword, and you will be a slave to your brother. But when you struggle, you will break free from him.”
Despite their struggles with their two sons Jacob and Esau, Isaac and Rebekah’s love for each other and love for God carried them all the days of their lives. Isaac lived one hundred and eighty years and his sons buried him. We are told in Genesis 49:31 that Rebekah was buried in the cave of Machpelah but scripture doesn’t state how old she was when she died.
The story of Isaac and Rebekah’s love continued with their son Jacob who held the birthright and blessing. Jacob had two wife’s and two concubines who bore him twelve sons. They were Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjamin. Those twelve sons are the twelve tribes of Israel.
Jesus, Son of God and earthly son of Mary and her husband Joseph were from the tribe of Judah. Mary was from the tribe of Judah and her husband Joseph was from the tribe of Judah. Jesus is called the Lion of Judah.
Today’s Spiritual Practice is: Trust
Trust God in the same way Isaac and Rebekah trusted that their meeting was part of God’s plan. If you are struggling to trust, surrender it to God.
In God, Deborah
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