The Woman Called Rebecca
Central Thought: Our actions must be guided by the word of God and the fear of the Lord.
Text: Genesis 24:15-25; 27:1-46
Introduction:
Rebecca was the young woman who became the wife of Isaac, Abraham’s son. She came from a well-to-do family in Mesopotamia, now North-eastern Syria. She was the daughter of Bethel, a relative of Abraham; her family background is given in Genesis 22:20-23. Rebecca’s humility and hospitality earned her favor before Eliezer, Abraham’s servant. It was common courtesy to give a drink to a stranger, but it took added character to also fetch water for ten thirsty camels. In this study, we shall be looking at her character and attitude, with the view of deriving some lessons.
Questions and Answers
1. Who was Rebecca in the Bible? Genesis 24:15-16, 18-20, 24 & 67
Rebecca was the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah which she bare unto Nahor, Abraham’s brother. She became the wife of Isaac and the mother of Esau and Jacob.
Rebecca was dutiful, chaste, respectful, humble, loyal, loving, obedient, hospitable, good, smart, strong, wise and faithful.
2. How did Rebecca treat Abraham’s servant, Eliezer? Is there any lesson here? Genesis 24:15-25; Leviticus 19:34; Hebrews 13:1-2
Rebecca treated Abraham’s servant well. She fit into Eliezer’s prayer and did according to all his desires regarding the woman what was to marry his master’s son. She did not mind whether he was a stranger, she treated him respectfully.
We should prayerfully do good to all that come across our way for we may at the same time entertain angels unawares.
However, we should be careful the way we receive strangers today because many people especially believers have suffered untold hardship spiritually and physically while trying to show hospitality. We should be wise and prayerfully allow God to lead us to those we can entertain as He did to Rebecca. There is no doubt that satan has dispersed his demons and human agents to counter God’s plan of hospitality but God also is there to give His children grace to discern, and wisdom to reject demonic strangers.
3. As a wife, how was Rebecca to Isaac? Is there any lesson for today’s woman here?
‘And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent and took Rebecca and she became his wife and loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death’. Rebecca was a wife to Isaac and comforted him. Wives of today should be a source of comfort to their husbands. She was loyal and submissive to her husband in the face of challenges.
In situations of delayed child bearing, we should encourage ourselves with the scripture, Deuteronomy 7:14, ‘. . . there shall not be male or female barren among you. . .’ Believers are expected to solely depend on God who has promised that there shall be no barrenness. Rather that trading blames, partners should pray for each other as Isaac entreated the Lord for Rebecca, Genesis 25:20-21. Patience is also required by those who have such a challenge in their homes seeing that God is faithful to fulfill His promise in His own time. Sarah, Rebecca, Elizabeth and Hanna are all examples of God’s Faithfulness. We have also heard and seen many women in our time that had their babies after many years of marriage. Such believers should prayerfully and expectantly wait on the Lord. Abraham waited for 25 years before he received the promised child. Like Apostle Paul, we should be fully persuaded that what He had promised, He is able also to perform, Romans 4:21.
4. Read Genesis 25:22, 28; 27:1-46 and examine Rebecca’s disposition with regard to her family’s harmony? Is there any lesson here?
Rebecca had faith in God because when the children struggled in her womb, she enquired of the Lord. However she expressed more love for Jacob than Esau by conniving with Jacob to rob Esau of their father’s blessing.
A lesson to learn from Rebecca is to inquire of the Lord whenever we have challenges of any kind instead of using other means for a solution.
The second lesson is that as parents we should strive to give every child his or her fair share of things in the home especially love, knowing that love is the fulfillment of the law. We should not play any partial role in the family. God had earlier declared that the elder would serve the younger. So Rebecca’s connivance with Jacob to take Esau’s blessing was not what brought Jacob the needed blessing rather it brought hatred, division, envy and attempted murder by Esau.
5. Discuss whether Rebecca played any role in the plan of God concerning God’s promise to Abraham that through his seed all nations shall be blessed? Romans 9:8-13
Rebecca played a big role in the plan of God concerning God’s promise to Abraham that through his seed all nations shall be blessed not because she cheated on the elder son but that God in His divine plan had made it so. As the wife of the promised seed, Isaac, Rebecca was the mother of Jacob (Israel) through whom the promise was established. God has a purpose for our individual lives, regardless of the situation we find ourselves, He can, through it, work out His eternal purpose.
Daily Living Application:
Rebecca was a very faithful woman. Her faithfulness to the Lord was demonstrated in her hospitality and loyalty to her husband. She had faith in God and waited patiently for God to bless her with Isaac. Her example is worthy of emulation. Christians, especially women, should learn to trust God with the challenges of life in the family. When it comes to the issue of delayed child bearing, the believer should avoid visiting ‘prophets’ and ‘prayer houses’, etc., because satan has used this to destroy homes. They should put their trust in the unfailing word of God whose timing is different from man’s timing.
Memory Verse:
Hebrews 13:2 – “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers; for thereby some have entertained angels unawares”.