GENESIS 27
11 But Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, “Behold, my brother Esau is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man. 12 Perhaps my father will feel me, and I shall seem to be mocking him and bring a curse upon myself and not a blessing.” 13 His mother said to him, “Let your curse be on me, my son; only obey my voice, and go, bring them to me.” 14 So he went and took them and brought them to his mother, and his mother prepared delicious food, such as his father loved. 15 Then Rebekah took the best garments of Esau her older son, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob her younger son. 16 And the skins of the young goats she put on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck. 17 And she put the delicious food and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob. – Genesis 27:11-17
GENESIS 27 JACOB OBEYS REBEKAH DESPITE FEAR
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
Rebekah explains to Jacob the details of the birthright theft
Even though Jacob feared that he will be cursed when discovered
He obeyed his mother Rebekah whom he honored
Jacob knew that his mother knew what she was doing
His obedience to her have been inherited from his grandfather
He followed Rebekah who he believes is doing what is right.
In Hebrews 11:31 it says that Rahab the prostitute didn’t die with those who were disobedient in Sodom because she allowed God’s spies a refuge. And in James 2:25, James uses Rahab as an example of justification of her faith by her work when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way. Rahab was driven by her fear of the Lord that made her draw a covenant with the angels to be spared her life and her relatives because they believe in the Lord.
Could it be that Rebekah’s plot to steal the birthright of Esau be also borne out of her fear of the Lord? God spoke to her when she was pregnant with the twins and declared to her that the elder son will serve the younger. Wasn’t she allowing that prophecy of God to come to fulfillment by letting Jacob have the birthright and get the blessing of his father Isaac? Wasn’t her fear of God much heavier than the fear of a curse if Isaac found out?
REFLECTION
- Did Rebekah do what’s right according to James 4:17?
