Q2. An Interest in Spiritual Things

[studybug52]

Q2. Was Rebekah a spiritual woman, that is, interested in spiritual things? Was Isaac a spiritual man? Which do you think was the more spiritually sensitive? What evidence of spirituality do you see in Jacob? In Esau?

In my opinion both Rebekah and Isaac were spiritual and connected to God as far as

Isaac would pray for Rebekah to conceive and Rebecca sought God for the reason the

twins fought inside her. Yet they had their carnal side and at least Rebekah wanted

to help alond Jacob because she knew he was to be the leader from what God said to her. I think Isaac was the more spiritual of the two as he did not participate in

any disception and was decieved by both Rebecca and Jacob.That he gave the blessing

to Jacob not Esau. It was Gods plan to have Esau serve but God would have worked it

out in an honest way not in the way of deception it was done in at least in my opinion. I at this point of the story do not see much spirituality in either Jacob

or esau.

[quilter]

I think both isaac and rebekah were spirtial. I think isaac was more sensitive

due to rebekah plotting with jaccob.

[Cynthia Wilson]

Q2. Was Rebekah a spiritual woman, that is, interested in spiritual things? Was Isaac a spiritual man? Which do you think was the more spiritually sensitive? What evidence of spirituality do you see in Jacob? In Esau?

Yes Rebekah was a spiritual woman, however the motives of her heart were impure. She had many issues of deceit and lying. She knew nothing of being a woman of integrity and noble character. She wasn't a woman that her husband could confidently trust in, since she chose to deceive her husband. Isaac was a spiritual man. However, even though he was blind physically, he lacked spiritual discernment and dependence on God. He sensed something wasn't right about the person he was about to blessed, instead of asking God if he was speaking to the right person, he relied on his physical sense, the touch of hair on his son's hand. So, we see when we rely on self to lead and guide us, we'll eventually find ourselves on the wrong path. Rebekah and Isaac considered themselves spiritual, however, instead of comparing there spirituality, one can ask: Is my heart in alignment and agreement with God?

There is spirituality in everyone, whether it be aligned with God or of the evil one, Satan. Esau did not have a have a heart that treasured things of eternity. He lacked reverence, respect and value for the things of God. Jacob, although he was cunning and deceitful knew the value of inheritance for himself and the next generations to come.

Cynthia

[Commissioned]

Q2. Was Rebekah a spiritual woman, that is, interested in spiritual things? Was Isaac a spiritual man? Which do you think was the more spiritually sensitive? What evidence of spirituality do you see in Jacob? In Esau?

In this instance Rebekah's actions displayed fleshly gratification more that spiritual. Rebekah was well aware of the future standing of Jacob over Esau, God had revealed this to her. She did not trust God to bring about the prophecy, instead she felt that she had to plant the seed which caused Jacob to deceive his brother. Jacob on the other hand, he also failed to trust that God would bring to pass that which He had revealed to Rebekah. In spiritual things Esau failed to seek God before rashly giving up his birthright. This tells us that in everything that we do we need to trust God and to seek His direction before we make decisions.

[smurf1948]

I think they were both spiritual to a point but didn't rely totally on God.I think both boys lacked some spirituality.

[leihaynes]

Q2. Was Rebekah a spiritual woman, that is, interested in spiritual things? Was Isaac a spiritual man? Which do you think was the more spiritually sensitive? What evidence of spirituality do you see in Jacob? In Esau?

1. Was Rebekah a spiritual woman, that is, interested in spiritual things?

I would seam that she was because she inquired of the Lord immediately when she sensed something was different her boys.

2. Was Isaac a spiritual man?

I believe so as God spared his life at the alter.

3. Which do you think was the more spiritually sensitive?

In that incident looks like Rebekah was since she initiated the whole thing.

4. What evidence of spirituality do you see in Jacob?

I'm not really sure if Jacob possessed any spirituality at the time or was he just obeying his mother. Not sure if he really understood the significance of doing what he did at the time.

On the other hand I do not believe that Esau possessed any spirituality at the time.

[Helen Williams]

Q2. Was Rebekah a spiritual woman, that is, interested in spiritual things? Was Isaac a spiritual man? Which do you think was the more spiritually sensitive? What evidence of spirituality do you see in Jacob? In Esau?

When we look at Rebekah, Issac and Jacob we may come to the conclusion that they may have not been spiritual because of their choices. I believe they were all spiritual. We see them being devious and calculating.God had told Rebekah that her younger son would have precedence over the older. They all knew God yet and still bad decisions were made. We know God and many of us as believers have done the same.In the end we see God identified Himself as the God who Issac and Jacob believed.

[Cindy Chan]

Q2. Was Rebekah a spiritual woman, that is, interested in spiritual things? Was Isaac a spiritual man? Which do you think was the more spiritually sensitive? What evidence of spirituality do you see in Jacob? In Esau?

Rebekah was a spiritual woman, she was in tune with God. When she felt the babies jostling within her, she prayed to God for guidance. Her relationship with God enabled her to hear what the Lord God said,

[hanks]

Q2.

Was Rebekah a spiritual woman, that is, interested in spiritual things?

Was Isaac a spiritual man?

Which do you think was the more spiritually sensitive?

What evidence of spirituality do you see in Jacob? In Esau?

Yes, I would say that all the members of the family were spiritual in that they attached importance to things spiritual, but they erred in trying to do things in their own way. God had promised Rebekah that Esau would serve Jacob. Everyone knew about this. God expects His servants to carry out their spiritual responsibilities by faith. They acted without faith, which only complicated matters. Jacob gets the blessing of his father Isaac through deception and only results in fragmenting the family. Each member of the family was at fault. Isaac knew that the elder would serve the younger; yet he set out to prevent it by blessing Esau. Esau, agreeing to the plan, broke the oath he had made with Jacob earlier. Rebekah and Jacob, with a just cause, each tried to achieve God

[sallymander]

It appears that Rebekah and Isaac both had a relationship with God, enough of a relationship to go to Him for guidance, to lift things to Him in prayer, but it also appears that neither of them fully trusted God. They both took things that were revealed to them but then thought they needed to help God along. I think overall that Isaac was closer to the Lord than Rebekah. Her interests were of a selfish nature, figuring out ways to get her favorite child more money, more power, more influence at the expense of the less-favored child. While I

[Jen]

Q2. Was Rebekah a spiritual woman, that is, interested in spiritual things? Was Isaac a spiritual man? Which do you think was the more spiritually sensitive? What evidence of spirituality do you see in Jacob? In Esau?

I see some degrees of spirituality in all of them at some point although not all at the beginning and not until they made some good and bad choices.

Rebekah went immediately with the servant to go to be Isaac's wife. That could be seen as interested in doing God's will. Certainly required some faith to whatever degree she had. Certainly her brother was a very fleshly person. The Bible doesn't say why. It says she prayed about the children in her womb. Was she interested in spiritual things? I don't see it. But maybe she was just doing what was protocol for a woman in that day and time. She also used deception to get Jacob the blessing meant for Esau and as a result she had to send Jacob away and never saw him again.

I think Isaac was a spiritual man and interested in spiritual things. He was the son of Abraham and I believe that had a profound effect on him. He was still human though and did make some wrong choices.

In his early life I don't see any spirituality or interest in spiritual things in Jacob (except acquiring the birthright by I think guestionable means) (Did Rebekah tell him what the Lord told her?) but I do as the Lord worked on him.

Esau recognized too late the importance of the birthright but he seems to have prospered. There seems to be a problem in his choice of wives and the reasons for the choices. I do not in Esau see a desire for spiritual things. I see a desire for instant gratification of the flesh.

We need to pray that we make wise, godly, spriritually discerned choices. It's very easy to get caught up in the here and now and the deception of small lies or coloring the truth.

God Bless!

Jen

Numbers 6:24-26

[JulieAnn]

Q2. Was Rebekah a spiritual woman, that is, interested in spiritual things? Was Isaac a spiritual man? Which do you think was the more spiritually sensitive? What evidence of spirituality do you see in Jacob? In Esau?

Rebekah was a spiritual woman. She spoke to God and God spoke to her and answered her prayers. She sought God on many things in her life. Yet, like many, she felt she needed to "help" God fulfil His promise concerning Jacob. Rebekah let worry influence her decisions. She tried to justify her actions but failed to recognize that God does not do anything arbitrary and He does not do anything using deception or manipulation. You can bet that if you are planning something and have asked God about how you should respond, and you don't hear right away, then the answer is to wait, not to go ahead and do what you are planning. So many times we say, "Well, God didn't say no," when in fact He didn't say anything yet.

Isaac was a very spiritual man. He sought God's counsel on everything and trusted God to take care of him. Isaac had more trust in God and was willing to wait for God to manage things.

Jacob was determined and worked hard. He honored his father and mother.

Esau worked hard and loved his parents. He strived to please Isaac.

[Patriciaa]

Q2.

• Was Rebekah a spiritual woman, that is, interested in spiritual things? Yes, Rebekah was a spiritual woman who prayed to God. However, she was like most of us in that she did not always trust in God's timing as being the best timing. Often we get "uptight" when things don't happen on our schedule rather than wait in contentment for God's timing.

• Was Isaac a spiritual man? Yes, I believe Isaac was a spiritual man who prayed on his wife's behalf that she would be fertile.
• Which do you think was the more spiritually sensitive?Each was spiritually sensitive to some degree but I would find it hard to say which was more spiritually sensitive.
• What evidence of spirituality do you see in Jacob? It's pretty obvious that neither Jacob nor Esau had a sterling character. God didn't chose Jacob over Esau because Jacob was more righteous. God had a plan in spite of Jacob's character. God works on Jacob's character and changes it, as we'll see, but God's plan and purpose for Jacob is not dependent upon Jacob's goodness and worthiness, but on God's grace and plan.
• In Esau?"Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He It's pretty obvious that neither Jacob nor Esau had a sterling character. God didn't chose Jacob over Esau because Jacob was more righteous. God had a plan in spite of Jacob's character. God works on Jacob's character and changes it, as we'll see, but God's plan and purpose for Jacob is not dependent upon Jacob's goodness and worthiness, but on God's grace and plan. ate and drank, and then got up and left. So Esau despised his birthright." (25:34)This incident also says a lot about one's value of spiritual things, if we can consider the birthright in a spiritual as well as legal light. Esau values stew more than the birthright, while Jacob values the birthright more than his own integrity. The narrator notes, "So Esau despised his birthright" (25:34). "Despised" is bāzā, "to despise, distain, hold in contempt," with the root ning, "to accord little worth to something."¹³
  

[Nina]

Q2. Was Rebekah a spiritual woman, that is, interested in spiritual things? Was Isaac a spiritual man? Which do you think was the more spiritually sensitive? What evidence of spirituality do you see in Jacob? In Esau?

I believe Rebekah was a spiritual woman. She was willing to leave her family and become Issac's wife because she believed Abraham's servant and that her reactions to him were what he had prayed for. Another indication of her spirituality was praying for a child and after becoming pregnant asking why the struggle in her womb. God spoke to her and she accepted his word that there were two nations struggling in her womb.

Issac was also a spiritual man. He had the upbringing of Abraham and saw what God did for him. He prayed for his barren wife and she became pregnant. I believe Issac probably was more spiritual only because it was Rebekah who plotted with Jacob to obtain the blessing from Issac.

Both Jacob and Esau had evidence of spirituality, however, Esau turned from his family and God after Jacob obtained his birthright and blessing. He became bitter and took wives from foreigners although later he forgave Jacob.. Even though Jacob sinned by deceiving Issac, he turned to God and was richly blessed in obtaining his wives, growing a large herd of animals, and becoming a part of the lineage of Jesus. He prayed, set up memorials to God, and was greatly blessed by God.

[Al Ballard]

Q2. Was Rebekah a spiritual woman, that is, interested in spiritual things? Was Isaac a spiritual man? Which do you think was the more spiritually sensitive? What evidence of spirituality do you see in Jacob? In Esau?

It appears Rebekah was a spiritual woman, however, she did not have a spiritual tie to Isaac, as she did not discuss what the Lord told her.

It appears Isaac was a spiritual man, however, it also shows by the actions of his wife and sons that he did not communicate, educate or instill in them the values in the birthright and the sin in deceiving others.

Jacob did show restraint in not promoting his winning of a birthright, however, he did not exhibit the ability to know he was doing wrong. Could it be that his father did a poor job in explaining righteous living.

Esau trusted his birthright was only worth a meal, where did he get such a low value.

This family exhibits dysfunction in the spiritual head of the family was not successful in transferring the values in tradition and the family members, including his wife, felt it appropriate to deceive. When a wife, children decide it is appropriate to deceive, the failure lies in the spiritual headship not accomplishing their role, ie Isaac.

[JanMary]

Q2. Was Rebekah a spiritual woman, that is, interested in spiritual things?

Yes, she was. When the babes struggled together within her, she said "If it's so that the Lord has answered our prayer, why am I like this?" And she went to inquire of the Lord. Even more impressive, the Lord answered her! Explaining that the two babies were two nations, separated, one stronger and the other weaker, and the elder would serve the younger. She believed the promise, but rather than allowing God to fulfill the word spoken, in unbelief she schemed and deceived Isaac to make it happen. (very poor mentoring for her children...makes me wonder if Jacob's future scheming was learned at Rebekah's feet)

Was Isaac a spiritual man?

Yes, he was. He went to the Lord in prayer and "prayed much" (It was 20 years before the answer came in Jacob and Esau) believing God for an heir, because Rebekah was barren. When he was old and near death, he prepared to give his first born the traditional, spiritual blessing. After Jacob lied to him about being Esau, Jacob blessed him. He knew the blessing was irrevokable and could not be taken back once given, so when Esau exposed the lie, Jacob gave him the secondary "blessing"...the prophecy of his serving his younger brother.

Which do you think was the more spiritually sensitive? What evidence of spirituality do you see in Jacob? In Esau?

It seems on the surface that Rebekah was....she questioned what was going on in her womb, believed what God said to her through the children's growing up years, and though wrongly, manipulated and deceived to make it happen. Jacob openly favored Esau because he was like himself...a man of the flesh and the field. (Rebekah favored Jacob, who stayed near the tents, so I'm assuming she taught Jacob spiritual things, while Isaac and Esau hunted, since Jacob valued the spiritual heritage, and Esau did not.

[haar]

Rebekah was spiritual only to the extend that she remembered God's declaraition that Esau shall serve his younger brother Jacob. However, she tried to help God to accomplish what He had planned. This was not spiritual because it was an act of unrighteousness.

Isaac was spiritual because he still remembered that God requires that blessings be imparted on a first son. However, he either forgot that God had instructed that the blessing was to be for Jacob and not Esau or he loved Esau more than Jacob and wanted to favour him. If the latter is the case, then he was not spiritual.

The evidence of spirituality in Esau was his knoledge that he was the first son who should be blessed.

[Magnus]

Rebekah inquired of the LORD and listened for His response. Yet, like Abraham before her, she felt compelled to move the LORD's prophesy forward through her own actions.

Issac too, was a spiritual, leading his family in prayer for a son

[nurselaino]

Q2. Was Rebekah a spiritual woman, that is, interested in spiritual things? Was Isaac a spiritual man? Which do you think was the more spiritually sensitive? What evidence of spirituality do you see in Jacob? In Esau?

Genesis 25:19-34; 27:1-41

In the beginning I believe she was a very spiritual woman...as when she felt different type of movement she went to the Lord asking why. Her nature took over, picking favourites from her sons...and was actually jealous of her own son. Desires took over her trust on the Lord.

Isaac also may have given his to pleasure and treasures rather than trusting on the Lord. He from an early age had been told by his mother he was special... I dont see Rebecha holding on to God promises even after they were in place . The father Jacob of all seemed the most spiritual. He held on to the hope of children and we are not sure if he was not duped how the inheritance would have played out. Esau is in some ways seemingly to me very immature. He worries about the here and now when his eyes should have been on the future

[brandedcowgirl]

I think that Isaac was the most spiritual because he prayed to the Lord not for himself but on behalf of his wife to have a child of which was answered with twins. Esua selfishly valued immediately gratification more than his birthright. He may have been sorry later and was forgiven but some things cannot be undone by our actions. Jacob was not deceitful but not totally blameless since he knew of Esua weakness and took advantage. Never sons were what I would consider spiritual and Rebekka seemed to put the seed in Jacob's head in the first place.

[janel]

Q 2

Rebekah is spiritual at one point and to her advantage. Obeying the plan of God, to become Isaac's obedient wife. Recalling God's word that 'the older will serve the younger' Rebekah fulfilled the prophecy and God's will for her favourite son, Jacob

by deceiving Isaac to bless Jacob instead and was willing to take upon herself the

curse should Isaac found out.

Isaac was definitely a spiritual man. Ever since he was a boy and being the

sacrificial lamb for his father Abraham, he had depended on the Lord especially when

Rebekah could not conceived.

To fulfill God's will rather than her husband's will was more spiritually sensitive.

Jacob has no spirituality. He cared more of self than of God by the evidence that he

would be cursed if his treachery was found out.

Esau is more complacent taking things for granted expecting things to fall in favour

of him.

[charisbarak]

Rebekah was spiritual to a point. She recognized God's promises to her & her children & really banked on them. However, using deception to "help God" was not correct. Isaac didn't seem to be as spiritual--was big on "man-type" things--the outdoors-hunting and saw that his favored son pleased him by being the great outdoorsman. Rebekah was the more spiritual of the two and the time Jacob spent with her, he picked up on it. Unfortunately, he didn't wait to see God work either, to bring about the promises made to his mother when he was born--they both "helped God."

[Anna LL-J]

Q2. Was Rebekah a spiritual woman, that is, interested in spiritual things? Was Isaac a spiritual man? Which do you think was the more spiritually sensitive? What evidence of spirituality do you see in Jacob? In Esau?

I think Rebekah was spiritual but with little faith, leaving her to (as modern time would say) try to help God's Will out.

I think Issac was a spiritual man but I don't think his train the boys about God's Will.

I think Rebekah was spiritually senisitive, I say this because I think she tried to help God out along the way so his Will would come true with the youngest ruling over the oldest.

[Kings Kid]

Q2a: Was Rebecca a spiritual woman, that is, interested in spiritual things?

Yes Rebecca was a spiritual woman. Firstly she was chosen by God to be Isaacs

[charchar]

Q2. Was Rebekah a spiritual woman, that is, interested in spiritual things? Was Isaac a spiritual man? Which do you think was the more spiritually sensitive? What evidence of spirituality do you see in Jacob? In Esau? Yes She was but because she favor one son over the other she wanted the promise to take place now. Not learning to wait on God. Isaac was a spiritual man also. He spent many days walking and talking with the Lord seeking answers for unexplain question. He was a child of Abraham one that was call a friend of God. Jacob was hungry to get ahead to do the will of God but he went about it the wrong way. Esau on the other had didn't care one way or the other what happen he just wanted to live his life day by day doing and getting what he wanted at the time not taking into consideration about the next day or the result of his action for the future. We must all consider our everyday action that can result in a bad outcome at the end to the day.