Isaac and Rebekah: Family Favorites • Genesis 25:24-28; 27:5-13
By Bobby McKay
Does your family have a perceived “golden child?” He or she may have been the one others thought never messed up or was a favorite with the adults in the home. Some parents make the mistake of favoring one of their children over another due to the child’s personality or abilities. Regarding the love found within a family, there should be no place for favoritism. However, we are aware that no family is perfect or without struggles.
Scripture is the perfect lens through which to see this truth in action. The Bible is filled with stories of family conflict and turmoil. God’s word doesn’t pull any punches, and it allows us to glimpse other people’s lives while serving as a mirror to our own experiences. The family unit is perhaps the best training ground for life and can help lay a foundation for our faith in God.
Genesis 25:24-28
Both Isaac and Rebekah played favorites with their twin sons. While the two boys shared the same DNA, they were still distinct. One was born “reddish” and “covered with hair,” and the other was born grabbing his brother’s foot. Esau was the rugged, outdoors type, but Jacob preferred to keep to himself and stayed at home. Early in chapter 27, we read how the parents dealt with the sons as hers and his, not in unison as their sons. Isaac had more in common with Esau, and Rebekah favored Jacob. All the while, this was setting up a consequential future.
Genesis 27:5-10
Deception is revealed in these verses. Note the downward, sinful cycle. Enabling leads to excuses; the excuses become lies; the lies grow into betrayal, then hatred, and ultimately, they give birth to death. Rebekah hatched a plan that involved trickery and deceit. Rebekah desired for Jacob to receive the family’s blessing. This blessing was given to a patriarch in the family, empowering them to rule the family until death. Rebekah’s goal was power, and her methods were dishonest. There is never a right way to do the wrong thing. If it violates the teachings and principles of Scripture, we should only expect negative results to follow.
Genesis 27:11-13
Rebekah was incredibly short-sighted and paid the price. She took advantage of her husband’s diminishing eyesight, and her heart was filled with deceit. In her sin, she rationalized her logic. When you or I succumb to sin, we do the same thing. We may justify our actions or even believe God needs our assistance to make things right. No matter our logic, God will never excuse our wrongful deeds or allow them to go unnoticed. Sin, like an infectious disease, affects more than the person committing it. Sin has a significant ripple effect that harms other people. Think of how the marriage relationship between Isaac and Rebekah was strained following this event. Imagine your mother seeking to undermine what was rightfully yours, to begin with. Rebekah would take the blame, but so much damage had already been done. Is there any conflict or hurt in your family that has caused division? While no family is perfect, they can be forgiven. Reach out and reconcile today.
McKay is pastor of New Liberty Baptist Church, Morton.
