Tag Archive | Rebecca

Genesis 27

Oct24

Good Morning y’all. Thank God it’s Friday 🙂
Today we in chapter 27 of Genesis. I am honored to have one of my good friends write today’s blog. I pray you are blessed 🙂

Genesis 27 by Amara Okoloekwe

Good morning everyone! It is my utmost prayer for God to open our eyes to see wonderful things in his word and our hearts to understand them all in Jesus name.

This chapter tells a strange story of greed, deception, hatred and lack of faith in God. Isaac felt that because of his blindness he was nearing death. He must have given up on life hence his confinement to bed and preparation for ‘a handover’. However, his death wish didn’t tamper with his appetite. Even though he mistook spiced up goat meat for hunted game.

Observations:

1.      The disobedience of Isaac to the revealed will of God as to who should receive the blessing.
2.      Lack of communication in the family. My goodness!! This family operates strictly under secrecy and conspiracy. Isaac planned to hold a secret handover ceremony 43yrs before his actual death to transfer the birthright to Esau. Instead of blessing Esau (his favorite) he put him under a curse because he ordained that whoever cursed Jacob should be cursed, and Esau planned to kill Jacob vs 29. Esau who had willingly sold his birthright (first son status) to Jacob for a mere bowl of porridge (Gen 25:31-34) now intends to reclaim it. Obviously, this right belong to Jacob now. Rebekah (this woman), she couldn’t trust God enough and conspired to commit identity fraud and finally, Jacob impersonated his brother and told lies repeatedly (vs 19,20,23,24 &27).
3.      Another thing is that faith doesn’t have to be perfect. Bible talks about the mustard seed size of faith. Isaac didn’t have a pure motive for his actions. But in the end he believed God, and he accepted that Jacob was the one who was going to be blessed with regard to things to come.

What happened to telling the truth and trusting God at all times? I wonder what would have happened if Esau had told their father that he actually sold his right to Jacob and sealed it with an oath or if Isaac was opened in telling his wife his plans. Rebekah must have thought that her actions were backed by God after all she was told in Gen 25:23 ‘the older will serve the younger’. And Jacob (a man past 70yrs) should have rebuked his mother for her deception but not at all, his only fear was that the plan might bounce back on them. God doesn’t need us to sin in other to fulfil his promises. Matt 6:1 warns us that there is no reward for doing good things for the wrong reasons. God is not concerned with our outward appearance. ‘For I desire goodness, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt-offerings’. (Hosea 6:6ASV)

‘You cannot fool God, so don’t make a fool of yourself! You will harvest what you plant. 8 If you follow your selfish desires, you will harvest destruction, but if you follow the Spirit, you will harvest eternal life.’ (Gal 6:7-8 MSG)

We cannot say why God chose Jacob over Esau Rom 9:10-13. One thing is clear that God is all-knowing and no one is born by his own choice, so we shouldn’t lay claim to any title. Isaac pronounced the blessing on Jacob and later makes it irrevocable.

This chapter is full of intrigues. We can also see a strange example of faith. Isaac in faith spoke about the future of his family. ‘By an act of faith, Isaac reached into the future as he blessed Jacob and Esau’ (Heb. 11:20 MSG). Gen 27 vs 33, Isaac realized late that he had been fighting with God and had lost. He started to tremble, shaking violently and eventually accepted the will of God.

Whatever Isaac meant in vs 40, Esau intended to make it sooner than later vs 41. Yet we still see Rebekah scheming again vs 46. Nevertheless, she paid the high prize, lost both of her sons, and spent her last years emotionally detached from her husband. Jacob after receiving the blessing, fled for his life and became a servant of Laban. Esau moved to Edom, alienated himself from God and his promise to the descendants of Abraham.

PRAYER: Thank you Lord for your word. We ask that you strengthen us and help us walk in faith and not in fear. Help us to trust you completely even when we don’t know or understand what you are doing. Give us your grace today to build up our faith by reading your word and acting on it in Jesus Name. Amen. Thank you.

Thanks for joining today.

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Have a blessed Friday walking in Faith and not fear 🙂

***With God all things are possible***

Genesis 25

Oct22

Good Morning y’all. Happy midweek 🙂 Today we in chapter 25 of Genesis. In this chapter, Abraham dies and Esau sells his birthright for a meal.

Be blessed 🙂

Abraham died at a ripe old age after living a long and satisfying life.
In a nutshell Abraham lived a fulfilled life. I ask myself what it means to live fulfilled. According to Google, the definition for fulfilled is to be “satisfied or happy because of fully developing one’s abilities or character”. In order to live fulfilled, we must know what our purpose in life is – what we were created to do. Abraham was satisfied in God. He walked with God and God blessed him and brought to pass the promises he made concerning him. His satisfaction didn’t come from material things rather from His relationship with God knowing that He alone is able to provide and meet His needs.

Friends are you fulfilling purpose? can you say you are satisfied in life? Satisfaction and fulfillment can only come from a personal relationship with God where He begins to reveal to us His plans for our lives and gives us the grace to walk in them. If we do not know what our purpose is, good news is we have a God who is ever ready to reveal it to us. All we need do is ask him. We don’t have time to waste living aimlessly. Ephesians tells us to make the most of the opportunity you have.
Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. (‭Ephesians‬ ‭5‬:‭16-17‬ NLT)

Friends, It’s time for us to step into our destiny. Abraham was 75 yrs old when God called him and he was 175 yrs when he died. That means 100yrs of walking with God and fulfilling purpose!. Absolutely awesome!  It’s never too late friends. We too can make that decision to start living in Gods purpose and we will see God do wondrous things in and through us. Be encouraged 🙂

V21b says Isaac prayed for Rebecca and the Lord answered his prayer. How awesome!  Notice Isaac didn’t moan or wallow in self pity. He took the situation to the one he knew has power to change/fix the situation. Friends, God still hears and answers prayers. He has not changed. Hebrews tell us that He is the same yesterday, today and forever. Let’s start talking to God about our problems rather than moaning and He will hear us. In Jeremiah, He promised us he will answer when we call.
Then you will call to me. You will come and pray to me, and I will answer you. (‭Jeremiah‬ ‭29‬:‭12‬ GNT)

Jacob and Esau oh my! Right from the womb the two of them have been competing. Isaac loved Esau, Rebecca loved Jacob. Esau sold his birthright for a bowl of stew. His birthright wasn’t important to him at all. He gave it up conveniently without thinking twice. He let is current need dictate his action and as a result he made a decision that impacted and altered the cause of his life. He was shortsighted….lived for the present moment and didn’t think about the future or the implication of his action. I like the way the message version summarises Esaus action in Hebrews. I believe the verses speak for themselves
Watch out for the Esau syndrome: trading away God’s lifelong gift in order to satisfy a short-term appetite. You well know how Esau later regretted that impulsive act and wanted God’s blessing—but by then it was too late, tears or no tears. (‭Hebrews‬ ‭12‬:‭16-17‬ MSG)
Friends what gift of God are we trading for a short term appetite or for few minutes of pleasure/gratification? Let’s turn to God and ask for his mercy and grace to be led by his spirit and not our flesh.

Prayer:
Dear Lord we thank you for today. We ask for the grace to walk in obedience and fulfil the purpose for which we were created. For as many of us who do not yet understand our purpose, we ask that you will please reveal them to us. Lord, we also ask for your mercy for the times we have traded your gifts for short term appetites. Pls restore us and give us the grace to be led by your Spirit at all times. We thank you for reminding us again that when we call on you, you always answer us. We love you Lord. In Jesus Name. Amen

Thanks for joining today. Pls feel free to leave your thoughts on the chapter.

Have a fulfilled Wednesday and Remember to walk in the Spirit 🙂

***With God all things are possible***