Pastor Ralph Posted November 12, 2009 Report Share Posted November 12, 2009 Q3. (Genesis 27:6-29) God had told Rebekah that Jacob is supposed to rule over Esau (Genesis 25:23). To what extent does this excuse her plan to deceive her husband Isaac? How much responsibility does Jacob bear in the deception? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vincent Paul DiMino Posted January 15, 2010 Report Share Posted January 15, 2010 Rebekah was a skillful culinary artist,or,possibly, even inspired,in order to have made goat taste like venison,especially to someone who loved wild game,but,as affirmed in the lesson material,intentional deception,on the part of human beings,is never the best way,and,in fact may demonstrate our individual lack of faith in God's providence,when we resort to it,even to protect someone we love from doing wrong.Did she repent of this? How will our Lord judge this,or has it already been "forgotten"? (I don't know) God does not need the help of sinners to accomplish his will,but "all things work for the good,for those who love God and are called according to his purpose",which is positively not an excuse for less than righteous behavior,but,in retrospect, may allow for God's grace and mercy in this case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iam4-1god Posted January 16, 2010 Report Share Posted January 16, 2010 Q3. (Genesis 27:6-29) God had told Rebekah that Jacob is supposed to rule over Esau (Genesis 25:23). To what extent does this excuse her plan to deceive her husband Isaac? How much responsibility does Jacob bear in the deception? What Rebekah did was wrong-100 percent. God had told Rebekah that the older would serve the younger. She was not willing to wait on God-she made it happen herself. Jacob did what his mother told him to do. He could have said "No, Mother, this isn't right!", but he just did what she said. So, he is just as responsible as she is. I think sometimes, God will use our mistakes to bring about His will for us. He can do that, because He is sovereign. He is way smarter than us, and He knows the end from the beginning. He doesn't have to explain Himself to anyone, but when we are in Heaven, everything will be clear. So we need to obey, and not ask why. Trust and obey-and WAIT! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia A. Conti Posted January 16, 2010 Report Share Posted January 16, 2010 God told Rachel that Jacob would rule over Esau however, God would not set Rachel on a deceptive road to have this done. God would bring it about in his own time. Rachel did not have the right ton interfere in this plan, even if she deluded herself into believing that this had to be done to fulfill God's prophesy. If she were truly spiritual, she would have belived that God would bring this to happen. She was overcome with desire for this for her son Jacob and spent her time talking him into deceiving his father to bring the prophesy to fruition. She was deceptive and her dception seemed to take over any spiritual that she had had. Jacob was wrong in foloowing his mother's lead, so he has some responsibility in this deception. However, I believe his mother had more of the blame for she was leading him in this direction all of his life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Standing On the Rock Posted January 16, 2010 Report Share Posted January 16, 2010 Q3. (Genesis 27:6-29) God had told Rebekah that Jacob is supposed to rule over Esau (Genesis 25:23). To what extent does this excuse her plan to deceive her husband Isaac? How much responsibility does Jacob bear in the deception? A3. Rebekah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delivered Posted January 16, 2010 Report Share Posted January 16, 2010 Q3. (Genesis 27:6-29) God had told Rebekah that Jacob is supposed to rule over Esau (Genesis 25:23" Your two sons will become two separate nations. The younger of the two will be stronger, and the older son will be his servant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bro Steven Posted January 17, 2010 Report Share Posted January 17, 2010 Q3. (Genesis 27:6-29) God had told Rebekah that Jacob is supposed to rule over Esau (Genesis 25:23). To what extent does this excuse her plan to deceive her husband Isaac? How much responsibility does Jacob bear in the deception? I think that there is no excuse for Rebeca to push it because God can make it happen any way he wants. This is one reason I believe that God does not tell us his plan for our life or others, more than likely we would try and make it happen our way and not God's way. Now if she went to Issac and told him what God had said then I think she would been alright. Now Jacob should hold responsibility because he knew it was wrong when he said I don't want to be cursed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
okno Posted January 17, 2010 Report Share Posted January 17, 2010 In the first two questions, we have discussed the "spirituality" both of Rebekah and Isaac too. Isaac was more oriented to hunting, to common life than to the God. On the contrary to Rebekah. Maybe, she saw this as only way how to obtain the blessing for Jacob. Today, we prefer the discussion, but the discussion in then society, according to my opinion, was not so common, not possible. And Jacob? He bought the birthright from Esau. It was a fair deal, both from then and today Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
masika Posted January 17, 2010 Report Share Posted January 17, 2010 Q3. (Genesis 27:6-29) God had told Rebekah that Jacob is supposed to rule over Esau (Genesis 25:23). To what extent does this excuse her plan to deceive her husband Isaac? How much responsibility does Jacob bear in the deception? Although God had already told her that Jacob would become the family leader, Rebekah took matters into her own hands. She resorted to doing something wrong to try to bring about what God had already said would happen. For Rebekah, the end justified the means. No matter how good we think our goals are, we should not attempt to achieve them by doing what is wrong. Would God approve of the methods you are using to accomplish your goals? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hidi Posted January 17, 2010 Report Share Posted January 17, 2010 Q3. (Genesis 27:6-29) God had told Rebekah that Jacob is supposed to rule over Esau (Genesis 25:23). To what extent does this excuse her plan to deceive her husband Isaac? How much responsibility does Jacob bear in the deception? I do not feel that Rebekah has an excuse. God may give you a prophesy of his will, but he doesn't want us to use deception to bring about his will. I feel that she made God small and did not hold on to the faith that what God pronounced he will bring around in his own time. When God takes his time (sometimes he seems very slow) he is accomplishing things that we as people can not understand. You have to be patient and wait for God to bring about the future. That is the hardest part for us, we are a little like Esau and want instant answers and God doesn't always work that way. God teaches us faith, patience and endurance when he makes us wait. Jacob is equally responsible for the deception. His mother may have thought of the plan, but he followed it and thought nothing of deceiving his father. Not a very good lesson to teach your child how to deceive and lie to his other parent to get his own way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cynthiaphillips Posted January 17, 2010 Report Share Posted January 17, 2010 Q3. (Genesis 27:6-29) God had told Rebekah that Jacob is supposed to rule over Esau (Genesis 25:23" Your two sons will become two separate nations. The younger of the two will be stronger, and the older son will be his servant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josie Posted January 18, 2010 Report Share Posted January 18, 2010 Q3. (Genesis 27:6-29) God had told Rebekah that Jacob is supposed to rule over Esau (Genesis 25:23). To what extent does this excuse her plan to deceive her husband Isaac? How much responsibility does Jacob bear in the deception? Rebekah did not go to her husband, her partner, and explain and share about how Esau gave up his birthright. Nor did she remind Issac about what God revealed, that the descendants of the older would serve the descendants of the younger. Instead she told Jacob to take action to deceive Issac; I beleive she encouraged and sparked rivalry in her sons in this way. She assured Jacob that she was fine if the curse for her behavior fell upon her, so Jacob obeyed. Rebecca understood her wrong doing...so did Jacob. God calls us to a righteous life...Rebekah chose wrong to obtain her means. There is no excuse for her wrong doing.Jacob was an adult, and a willing partner in the crime, so to speak. A Godly man wouldn't have done this. A Godly man would have taken his concern and anguish to the Lord for direction, if he wasn't sure what to do. Jacob was equally responsible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyStylz Posted January 18, 2010 Report Share Posted January 18, 2010 Rebekah has no excuse to deceive her husband Issac. God gave Rebekah a prophecy that the younger will rule over the older but what Rebekah failed to remember is God doesn't need our help to fulfill His promises. He will NEVER cause us to do anything evil to see that His promises come to pass. Jacob demonstrated by manipulating Esau out of his birthright that he understood the importance of receiving such a blessing for their father. We assume that because Jacob spent more time closer to the home and his mother that she had to have told Jacob what God told her. Because Jacob knew God's plans he should have allowed God to do His work in His time therefore he is as responsible as Rebekah is. Rebekah actually shows a lack of faith and trust in God by her actions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bokchoon Posted January 18, 2010 Report Share Posted January 18, 2010 Rebekah has no excuse to deceive her husband Issac. God gave Rebekah a prophecy that the younger will rule over the older but what Rebekah failed to remember is God doesn't need our help to fulfill His promises. He will NEVER cause us to do anything evil to see that His promises come to pass. Jacob demonstrated by manipulating Esau out of his birthright that he understood the importance of receiving such a blessing for their father. We assume that because Jacob spent more time closer to the home and his mother that she had to have told Jacob what God told her. Because Jacob knew God's plans he should have allowed God to do His work in His time therefore he is as responsible as Rebekah is. Rebekah actually shows a lack of faith and trust in God by her actions. I am fully agreed with your view especially the sentence "He will NEVER cause us to do anything evil to see that His promises come to pass". We should always remember that God will guide us through if we submmit to Him and do the way He like.Never take things our way against His wish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pickledilly Posted January 18, 2010 Report Share Posted January 18, 2010 Rebekah knew the prophecy, but obviously was not trusting the LORD for its fulfillment. God NEVER fulfills His will by instigating evil. Evidently she didn't trust her husband either. Maybe there had been disagreement about this with Isaac over the years, or Isaac had such favoritism for Esau that she didn't trust him to bless Jacob. She certainly knew that Esau had disdained the rights and responsibilities of the firstborn. But Rebekah was surely held accountable before God for taking things into her own hands with this outright fraud. And this approach caused an even more intense antagonism between the brothers. By lying, deceiving, and stealing to gain the prophesied rights and position, Jacob was not humble before God to become the leader he was destined to be. Responsible for his own actions/choices, he showed a profound lack of integrity and faith. He was definitely culpable, as well. I agree with "cynthiaphillips" thoughts on prophecy. I think that prophecy is not so much a decree to make things happen as a revealing of what the LORD already knows is going to happen, with the time-line of human history in the all-seeing view of El-Roi. He knew what Rebekah and Jacob were going to do and had purpose for it. But I think of the later times when He used conquering enemies in judgment against Israel's unfaithful rebellions. He still judged those enemies for their own wrongs in brutalizing/enslaving/persecuting/murdering His chosen people. I believe Rebekah and Jacob were held accountable for the theft of this birthright and father's blessing. But thanks be to our gracious God that He can still change and use us for His glory even after grievous sin! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stan Posted January 18, 2010 Report Share Posted January 18, 2010 Q3. (Genesis 27:6-29) God had told Rebekah that Jacob is supposed to rule over Esau (Genesis 25:23). To what extent does this excuse her plan to deceive her husband Isaac? How much responsibility does Jacob bear in the deception? I don't think that it excuses her but I do think that if she hadn't of used her deceit that God would have used another way of making Jacob rule over Esau. Jacob is the motivator, he being his mom's favorite, and him wanting what he knows should go to his brother by law. God had made it know that the eldest should get a double portion and Jacob wanted that portion for himself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hope4all Posted January 18, 2010 Report Share Posted January 18, 2010 Q3. (Genesis 27:6-29) God had told Rebekah that Jacob is supposed to rule over Esau (Genesis 25:23). To what extent does this excuse her plan to deceive her husband Isaac? How much responsibility does Jacob bear in the deception? There is a line of deception being passed down from generation to generation.Both Abraham and Issac lie about their wives being their sisters.Now we see that same sin develop in Rebekah and Jacob.Rebekah's plan does not give her a pass,she lacked faith and wisdom.The Bible is clear on what will happen to liars,so her plan does not hold up to God's standard.While Rebekah was the master mind of this deceit,Jacob was a willing participant.He was like the get away driver in a bank robbery,he agreed to go along and participate.The Bible teaches us not to share in the sin of another.So Jacob as well does not hold up to God's standard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charmed1 Posted January 18, 2010 Report Share Posted January 18, 2010 There is no excuse for Rebekah's deception. There is never any excuse for our sin. It is true that God had spoken directly to Rebekah telling her the younger would lead the older. So she was armed with that knowledge and I can understand her confusion--even her panic--when realizing that Isaac is apparently going to bless Esau. But that shows a marked lack of faith. If God says a thing, then that's what it is. He cannot lie, and He does not need any help from any of His created ones to make His word come to pass, no matter what the current situation looks like. With Rebekah being Sarah's daughter-in-law, and stories passed down and told over and over, surely Rebekah knew that. But she had to be sure. So she resorted to trickery to ensure her will would be done, and even if her will was God's will, her methods were not His. But Jacob isn't all innocent here, either. I'm sure he wanted the birthright. I'm sure he wanted to obey his mother and be her "good son." But obedience to God comes before everything. And God never calls us into sin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studybug52 Posted January 18, 2010 Report Share Posted January 18, 2010 Q3. (Genesis 27:6-29) God had told Rebekah that Jacob is supposed to rule over Esau (Genesis 25:23). To what extent does this excuse her plan to deceive her husband Isaac? How much responsibility does Jacob bear in the deception? Again keeping to my opinion I feel that Rebekah was overstepping her role or right to act with helping decieve Isaac with the clothes , food and skins to disguise her son Jacob. And he is doing just as his mom asks but he knows it is wrong so He shares just as much blame as his mohter they were equal partners in crime. And share the same amt. of responsibility in the deception. God had and has his way of dealing with situations and people that are not deceptive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smurf1948 Posted January 18, 2010 Report Share Posted January 18, 2010 Q3. (Genesis 27:6-29) God had told Rebekah that Jacob is supposed to rule over Esau (Genesis 25:23). To what extent does this excuse her plan to deceive her husband Isaac? How much responsibility does Jacob bear in the deception? It doesn't sxcuse her at all she should have relyed on God to carry out his plan. God would not excuse deception. He is as responsibile as his mother he knew what he was doing was wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jburry Posted January 19, 2010 Report Share Posted January 19, 2010 Q3. (Genesis 27:6-29) God had told Rebekah that Jacob is supposed to rule over Esau (Genesis 25:23). To what extent does this excuse her plan to deceive her husband Isaac? How much responsibility does Jacob bear in the deception? I don't think it excuses her at all because in manipulating the situation, she was showing a lack of faith in God to fulfill his prophesy. She felt she needed to make it happen instead of watching how God made it happen. We know from the story of Joseph that the younger can overcome the older siblings in power and authority. We need to always do what is right - and trust God to take care of the rest. Jacob bears a great deal of responsibility in the deception because he was the one who acted and carried out the plan. He was grown and accountable for his own actions. We have to be willing to take a stand for what is right, even when we are being pressured to do otherwise. We need to care more about what God thinks than man. (or woman - or parent - or spouse etc) Jacob carried out the deceptive plan because it was his desire to get ahead and be prosperous in life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maryj Posted January 19, 2010 Report Share Posted January 19, 2010 Q3. (Genesis 27:6-29) God had told Rebekah that Jacob is supposed to rule over Esau (Genesis 25:23). To what extent does this excuse her plan to deceive her husband Isaac? How much responsibility does Jacob bear in the deception? Being a mother, I believe she was extremely proud that God gave her a promise regarding her favorite son...God's promise is always true and it is an honor to hear the voice of God..I believe Rebekah knew Issac was dying and felt she had to make sure the birthright was passed to Jacob...In a sense, she may have felt she was already given the promise and felt she had to help God...Jacob loved his mother and I am almost sure she reminded him of God's promise and he himself felt that since His mother was given the word from God, it did not matter how he obtained the promise what matttered is his mother favored him and treated him from birth as special and his trust in his mother was strong... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sallymander Posted January 19, 2010 Report Share Posted January 19, 2010 Nothing excuses her plan to deceive her husband. God can bring about His will without deception. While Jacob is influenced by his mother, he is still an adult and held accountable for his actions. Anytime we try to "take care of thing" for God without seeking His guidance and direction first, we are saying that we know better than Him. His ways are not filled with lies and deception. Think of the examples of this from scripture and from your personal experience. Does taking matters into our hands ever turn out very well? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imastartu Posted January 19, 2010 Report Share Posted January 19, 2010 Q3. (Genesis 27:6-29) God had told Rebekah that Jacob is supposed to rule over Esau (Genesis 25:23). To what extent does this excuse her plan to deceive her husband Isaac? How much responsibility does Jacob bear in the deception? Rebekah was in a tough spot. The Lord spoke to her concerning the blessing and Jacob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maryj Posted January 19, 2010 Report Share Posted January 19, 2010 Q3. (Genesis 27:6-29) God had told Rebekah that Jacob is supposed to rule over Esau (Genesis 25:23). To what extent does this excuse her plan to deceive her husband Isaac? How much responsibility does Jacob bear in the deception? I do not think it a crime..as God could have intervened in it, but did not...yet...there were consequences, just like there are consequences today for wrong choices...There are some choices that can be fixed,,but then there are consequences that effect your life and never go away...In that day, sins were forgiven once a year as the Lord had not come nor the Holy Spirit...Did Jacob, Rebekah and Esau offer a sin offering?..Is that what led Jacob to see his brother that there would be forgiveness?.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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