Women of the Bible Rebekah Part 2

In this study we will take a look at the women within the Bible. We will look at each one of them and see how their story influences our lives today.

As we continue our study in this fantastic insight of the Women of the Bible, this morning we will take a look at Rebekah.

Rebecca – We can say that she is Ambitious

 Rebecca was the much-loved wife of Isaac. A woman of Godly character, but not without her human weaknesses. She had twin sons Esau and Jacob. Esau, born first, should have inherited the role of leader of the tribe, but Rebecca judged that Jacob would be better than his brother, so she and Jacob tricked the old man into giving the leadership to Jacob.

Names in the Bible often says something about the person:

Rebecca means 'ensnarer’
Isaac means 'laughter', perhaps a reference to his mother Sarah's laughter when she heard she was to become pregnant in her old age
Jacob means 'heel catcher' - either his brother's heel at the moment of birth, or his brother's inheritance later on
Esau was nicknamed Edom, which meant 'red'; he was born with a ruddy complexion then spent most of his time outdoors in the sun, so his face and skin may have been unusually red. 

What her story is about

This story shows the gradual fulfillment of the promise made by Yahweh, that Sarah and Abraham would have many descendents, enough to become a nation.

The story of Rebecca contains three different episodes:
 1 the engagement and marriage of Rebecca(Genesis 24). Rebecca is introduced as a brave and resourceful young woman; she impressed all the people who met her. She was a good match for Isaac.      

2 the birth and youth of Esau and Jacob(Genesis 25:19-34). Rebecca gave birth to two sons with very different temperaments. The conflict between them would be the basis for conflict between later generations and nations.

3 Rebecca and the blessing of Isaac(Genesis 27). Rebecca manipulated the situation so that the tribe would be led by an intelligent man rather than a popular but shallow man, so that decisions for the tribe would be based on wisdom rather than impulse or emotion.

Now we come to Part 2 of the story, The Birth and Youth of Esau and Jacob 

In our last study we read the story of Rebekah as Abrahams servant (Eliezer) went back to the homeland of Abraham to bring back a wife for his son Isaac. Now we continue with her story as she is barren and we see Isaac seeking out Yahweh on this issue of Rebekah barrenness.

Just as Sarah and Abraham, this was true of Isaac and Rebekah. Rebekah was barren and Isaac prayed for her and Yahweh heard his prayer (Genesis 25:21). Couples need to lift each other up in prayer. There are times when it is your prayers that will help your partner. 

Rebekah was a woman of prayer and had no less access to Yahweh than Isaac did. Indeed we see her seeking Yahweh over the issue of her children and getting a clear answer (Genesis 25: 22-25). Maybe she had gained her confidence back after becoming pregnant.

23.          Two nations are in your womb = What Yahweh said was simple. Rebekah would give birth to twins. The twins would each be ancestors of nations. One of the sons and nations would be greater than the other. The younger son and the nation descended from him would be greater than the older son and his descendants.

And the older shall serve the younger = Yahweh commanded that in the case of these twin sons, the long-established practice of privilege for the firstborn be set aside and the younger son be considered as privileged over his older brother. In normal cases, Yahweh recognized the custom of preference for the firstborn and older. Yet Yahweh may upset normal customs and hierarchies to advance His plan and purpose.

Despite her beauty, and despite Isaac's love for her, Rebecca did not an easy time of it. She did not conceive for quite some years, and this was considered both a personal misfortune and a sign that she was not favored by Yahweh. Eventually however she became pregnant, but even then it was not plain sailing. She had a difficult pregnancy, since the two babies inside her were constantly moving, so that she had no peace. Like many women before and since, she wondered what she had got herself into.  

 So she 'went to enquire of Yahweh'. Rebecca was the first woman we hear of who sought Yahweh out and asked Him for some explanation of her condition. This shows her initiative and self-confidence. The method she used to speak with Yahweh is not explained, but a common practice in the ancient world was to consult a prophet or oracle. Rebecca may have followed this practice or, as in Numbers 12:6, the message may have come to her in a dream.  

 Yahweh told her that

'Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples born of you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the elder shall serve the younger.' 

Couples need to support one another. Taking support from your partner is not a sign of weakness. Rebekah could certainly hear from Yahweh directly, nevertheless she still allowed Isaac to do it when it regarded child birth. My guess is that they had both been praying for children together and as discouragement set in Isaac took it up more aggressively.

 The next chapter involves Rebecca and King Abimelech in Gerar.

The episode is really about water rights in the area, essential to a nomadic people. In the section involving Rebecca (26:1-11), all Rebecca's actions suggest that she was active, not passive, a planner and doer, not a victim. So the episode with Abimelech is likely to have resulted from co-operation between her and Isaac. Indeed, judging from other events in her life, the plan may have originated with her. 

There was a famine in the land = Though Isaac lived in the land Yahweh promised to his father Abraham and his descendants, it did not mean that life in the land would be without trouble or challenge. As there was a famine in the days of Abram (Genesis 12:10), so there was a famine in Isaac’s day.

Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines, in Gerar = Isaac began to go south towards Egypt, as Abram did in famine (Genesis 12:10). It seems that Isaac thought to travel along the famous road between Egypt and Canaan that went along the Mediterranean Sea.

 Gerar was the same place where Isaac’s father Abraham met another Abimelech and almost compromised his wife (Genesis 20:1-18). A similar story, comparable in the actions of Yahweh and men, would play out with Abraham’s son.

The ruler of Gerar was called Abimelech as a title, not as a personal name. This is why both Abraham and Isaac dealt with Abimelech (Genesis 20, Genesis 26).

 Join me as we go Chapter by Chapter, Verse by Verse, Unraveling the Words of Yahweh!

Have any questions? Feel free to email me; keitner2024@outlook.com