The Dysfunctional Family Portrait – Genesis 26:34-28:9
“Happy families are all alike, every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” (Leo Tolstoy)
1. A passive…
“Then Rebekah said to Isaac, “I loathe my life because of the Hittite women. If Jacob marries one of the Hittite women like these, one of the women of the land, what good will my life be to me?” (Genesis 27:46)
“A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother.” (Proverbs 10:1)
“Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years. And the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things. And Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he had, “Put your hand under my thigh, that I may make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell, but will go to my country and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac.” (Genesis 24:1-4)
2. A secretive…
“Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.” (Genesis 25:28)
3. A manipulative…
“Rebekah is the patron saint of all who serve a helpless god, who has no hands but our hands and no resources but our schemes.” (Dale Ralph Davis)
4. A deceptive…
“The picture is of a weak man, thoroughly duped by his conniving wife and son, but more than that, he’s fooled by his own passions, his own appetites, and as we’ll see at the very conclusion, the contrast here is meant to show us this is what happens when you live your life controlled by your five senses.” (Kevin DeYoung)
5. A bitter…
1. God’s sovereign plan…
“Our God is in the heavens, he does all that he pleases.” (Psalm 115:3)
“And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.” (Matthew 3:9)
2. Laws …
“And in the morning, behold, it was Leah! And Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?” (Genesis 29:25)
“Then they took Joseph’s robe and slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood. And they sent the robe of many colors and brought it to their father and said, “This we have found; please identify whether it is your son’s robe or not.” And he identified it and said, “It is my son’s robe. A fierce animal has devoured him. Joseph is without doubt torn to pieces.” Then Jacob tore his garments and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days.” (Genesis 37:31-34)
3. God’s grace is…