22 Jul 08 — Some thoughts about Rebecca, an unsung hero

The story of Jacob stealing Esau’s birthright and Jacob’s subsequent flight is reasonably well known as Bible stories go. But little is made of Rebecca, the true hero of the story. If she is mentioned at all, it is because she was instrumental in helping Jacob swindle his brother. Swindle it may have been, but uncomfortably, it was also God’s Will.

Ouch. Does that mean that the ends fit the means? Not necessarily. Only if the means are an expression of love and the ends an expression of love. Usually love and swindle do not match each other. But here we have one of those rare exceptions. At the beginning of the story, Rebecca is very upset about the turmoil in her womb. She even gets so frustrated at what is going on that she says, “If this is what being a mother is all about, forget it!” She then goes on to inquire of God what on earth is going on inside her. And God answers her. “Inside your womb, two nations are growing. And the Elder shall serve the Younger.” As it turns out, Esau is the elder; Jacob the younger. Clearly God is stating God’s Intent that Jacob will be the carrier of God’s Promise into the next generation, even though that flew in the face of cultural expectations.

Rebecca respects this and proceeds to groom Jacob for his future. He becomes her favorite, but her husband Isaac favors Esau because he is a good hunter and Isaac loves meat. For whatever reason, Isaac is allowing his own personal favoritism get in the way of God’s Sovereign-Choice. (Presumably Rebecca would have told Isaac of her conversation with God at some time.) So when the time comes to give his blessing to one of his sons, he announces his intention of giving it to Esau. Isaac was therefore announcing his defiance of God. Rebecca acted. We can quibble about how she did it, but Jacob got the blessing from Isaac — just as God wanted.

So, are Christians or other believers allowed to swindle if that swindle fulfills God’s Intent, Desire, or Promise? We can only answer “No.” Why? Because Christian values so permeate the law codes and expectations of our society, that in almost every conceivable instance, to swindle for any supposed reason of supporting what we believe to be Divine Intent would in fact only be to sin.

Today there are those who honestly believe that they must do “x,” “y” or “z” to fulfill God’s Desires. And time after time again, it is proven that they were mistaken in understanding God’s Desires. We see this every time a church says some can not belong or some can not serve because of who they are. Knowing full well the inclusion Christ won for us on the Cross, they continue to believe it is righteous to swindle other Christians out of their birthright. And there is the bottom line. In Christ, we all receive the same birthright and there is no longer a case of one being firstborn and another second born — there are no second class citizens in Christ’s Love.

Rebecca understood that her son Jacob was not second class even if he were second born, and she remembered God’s Word to her and she acted upon it. In doing so she went against her husband, against one of her sons, and against the dictates of her society. But she did so because she was following God. So she is a hero for her times. Thank God, none of us need ever walk in her footsteps — Jesus taught us that God’s Promise, Desires, and Intent work there way through every believer.