Who Was Rebekah In The Bible?

Who Was Rebekah In The Bible?

KEY SCRIPTURES

Genesis 24:15 “And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder.”

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Genesis 24:51 “Behold, Rebekah is before you, take her and go and let her be your master’s son’s wife, as the LORD has spoken.”

INTRODUCTION

Rebekah was first mentioned in Genesis 24 as the morally upright damsel that appeared to Eliezer, the chief servant of Abraham who was sent to find a wife for Isaac, Abraham’s son. Sarah, Abraham’s wife died and was buried and due to Abraham being aware of his own mortality, keen to put things in order before his death instructed his chief servant, Eliezer, to go to his country to find a wife for his son. She appeared after the Eliezer prayed to God to make his journey heed good speed. Rebekah was the daughter of Bethuel, the great-niece of Abraham and the sister of Laban. After the Eliezer gave her bracelets and earrings, and followed her to her house, he told her people about what he was instructed to do. Even when the family of Rebekah tried to delay the process, he implored them to release him and the damsel since God has favored him. After the family called Rebekah to know her mind, she agreed to go with the servant, that was how she became married to Isaac, Abraham’s son. In this article, we will be learning who Rebekah was in the bible and also her part in the big deception between her sons.

• REBEKAH AS ISAAC’S SISTER: Genesis 26:6-16

Rebekah was passed off as Isaac’s sister after he was asked by God to travel to Gerar when there was famine in the land. Isaac feared that the physical charms of his wife might excite the desires of the King of Gerar, so he lied due to the dire consequences. After the lie, beautiful Rebekah had been taken by Abimelech, king of the Philistines but one day, as he looked out of the window, he saw Isaac caressing Rebekah and the truth was uncovered. Abimelech rebuked Isaac for this deception and commanded his people not to touch Isaac or Rebekah, his wife. 

• REBEKAH HAD TWINS Genesis 25:23 “And the LORD said unto her, two nations are in your womb, and two manners of people shall be separated from your bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.”

After twenty years of being married to Isaac, she couldn’t conceive which led to Isaac praying to God on her behalf. When she was experiencing issues with the pregnancy, it was revealed by God to her in Genesis 25:23 that she was pregnant with twins and that the second born child would actually be greater than the first which implies that the first would serve the younger sibling. She kept this revelation in her heart. Rebekah and Isaac had twins’ boys Esau and Jacob, who would later be the fathers of two conflicting nations. 

• REBEKAH’S PART IN DECEPTION: Genesis Chapter 27: 1-46

Rebekah saw an opportunity to see her revelation coming to pass and acted on it by tricking her husband into believing that Jacob was Esau which was difficult for her husband to know since he was basically blind. Rebekah overheard her husband’s intentions and took action. She encouraged Jacob to dress like his brother Esau and covered his hands and neck with goatskin so he would appear to be hairy like his brother. When Jacob hesitated because he feared a curse if his father found out, Rebekah invited the curse upon herself should this happen. Rebekah understood that in order for the revelation that God had spoken to her to be fulfilled, it required that Jacob be given the blessings of the first born as the father’s blessing was prophetic which is speaking forth God’s purpose in the receiver’s life. 

As parents, Rebekah and Isaac showed great favoritism towards their sons and from the bible, they even continued that partiality when the children were grown adults which the account can be found in Genesis Chapter 27. After her significant part in the plot against her husband and oldest son, Rebekah then encouraged her son Jacob to flee to her brother’s home to escape the anger of his brother Esau. Her husband also encouraged Jacob to do this. The deception resulted in Esau spitting and grieving his parents by marrying two ungodly women. Also, he became a remorseless avenger and swore the death of his brother, Jacob. Rebekah never saw the face of her much-loved son again and also, endured the weariness the heathen women Esau caused throughout her lifetime. Genesis 27:46. Rebekah’s ambition for her son, Jacob made her sacrifice the love of her husband, the loss of the esteem of her elder son and the peace of her soul.

CONCLUSION

Like Rebekah, we must strike a balance between both internal and external forces on the outcomes of our lives. You must earn to take advantage of the opportunities that God brings your way and seems to come by chance. Also, you must also know when to create your opportunities thereby putting action behind your faith in the word or revelation of God. You must stop believing there is nothing that you can do to change anything, you must act in faith and believe you can effect changes in your life by yourself with the help of God. In short, we must do what we can and let God do what we can’t. Rebekah deceived her husband and had her favorite son. As women of God, we should do our best to never deceive our husband or favor one child more than the other or try to help God because God had no need of trickery and deceit to fulfill His promises. Though Isaac and Rebekah lived faithfully together for many years, her unjustifiable treacherous and wholly inexplicable intervention for her favorite son, stained Rebekah’s solemn marriage and also changed the initial destinies of her two children.