Life Application: Living Out God's Truth as the Body of Christ

1. Rebekah was infertile (20 years). Her culture taught her to engage in bazaar cultic practices to become pregnant. Instead, she and her husband prayed to the God of Abraham, Yehovah. Rebekah discovered the faith of Abraham. Infertility: No legacy, unloved, rejected, unwanted, punished, unworthy, less of a woman.

2. After Rebekah became pregnant with twins, the twins moved so violently (רָצַץ raw-tsats: Gen 3:15) in her womb, her fear and anxiety caused her to question herself. Pregnancy: The baby would not be safe. Afraid when the baby didn’t move for a day or two. Genetic problems. I won’t be a good mom. I will love one more.

3. Rebekah turned to God for help.

4. Yehovah not only answered the prayer of Rebekah, He talked to her and gave her deep theological truth about her children. God talks to women just like He talks to men. In Jesus, men do not have rights of access to the Father based on their gender. God gave Isaac what he wanted. God gave Rebekah a conversation.

5. Her sons: Esau the hairy hunter and Jacob the Cheater.Birth: Will the cord be around my baby’s neck? Fetal monitor and distress, fearing for my life, feeling helpless.

6. The two sons represent faith and law, the work of Christ and the work of Satan. Cf., Sarah (Jerusalem) and Hagar (Sinai), Isaac and Ishmael. Note Romans 9:6-13; Galatians 4:21-31.

7. The birth process and John 3:1-8. (“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life” 3:16).

LIFE APPLICATION QUESTIONS:

Abraham learned to trust what God said and make decisions that honor God’s promises.

Abraham took the promise of descendants to include keeping the bloodline in his family.

Why did Abraham forbid Isaac to go back to Ur?

What does this story teach us about parenting, family, and faith?

What is important about having a dad or mom who will keep their kids out of Ur?

What would you say to someone who’s parent(s) won’t leave Ur?

What does this story teach us about “signs” from God and being silent in the waiting?

Life Application

God wants us to take faith seriously. See Matt 9:28; Mark 9:24; 9:35; 11:26; Heb 11:6; 1 Pet 1:8.

God wants us to take Him at His Word. See Gen 15:1; Isaiah 12:2; Matt 8:5-10; John 6:53; 2 Tim 2:13.

Sometimes the promises of God are laughable when we haven’t settled faith and what we don’t have. See Genesis 18:12-15.

Sometimes the promises of God, when fulfilled, lose their intended meaning and may become idols.

All of God’s promises and plans are still active in the lives of His very broken and very doubtful children (Abraham, Sarah, me, and you). God never stopped giving grace to Abraham and Sarah. See Matt 28:17; Mark 9:24; 2 Cor 1:20; 2 Tim 2:13.

God wants us to laugh for the right reasons (יִצְחָק yiṣḥāq means to laugh, he laughs). See Gen 21:6; 1 Tim 6:17. Can you imagine the difference between Sarah’s first and second laugh?

Who or what is your Isaac? What difference would being fearless, protected, and rewarded make? Gen 15:1.

What would you say to a Christian who will not see their “Isaac” in their lifetime?

God wants us to come to know and believe the love which He has for us. His love casts out our fears. See 1 John 4:16-18.