DEJA VU

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

This is the account of Abraham's son Isaac.

Abraham became the father of Isaac, and Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan Aram and sister of Laban the Aramean.

Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was barren. The Lord answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant. The babies jostled each other within her, and she said, "Why is this happening to me?" So she went to inquire of the Lord.

The Lord said to her, "Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger."

When the time came for her to give birth, there were twin boys in her womb. The first to come out was red, and his whole body was like a hairy garment; so they named him Esau. After this, his brother came out, with his hand grasping Esau's heel; so he was named Jacob.

Isaac was sixty years old when Rebekah gave birth to them.

Genesis 25:18-26

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

In the beginning of Genesis, chapter 25, we read where Abraham has passed away but not before he found his son Isaac a wife in one of his relatives named Rebekah.

As we begin to read about Isaac and Rebekah’s life after Abraham, we see a very ironic similarity to the marriage of Abraham and Sarah. You’ll remember that Sarah was barren and yet God promised both her and Abraham that they would bear a son together, a son who would assume the birthrights of Abraham which included his full inheritance after death.

In today’s passage, we read where Isaac and Rebekah are facing the same problem for she is barren.

What would they do? How would they produce a son to carry on the lineage of Abraham, a lineage that God promised would continue?

We turn to our scripture passage today for the answer:

This is the account of Abraham's son Isaac.

Abraham became the father of Isaac, and Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan Aram and sister of Laban the Aramean.

Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was barren. The Lord answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant. The babies jostled each other within her, and she said, "Why is this happening to me?" So she went to inquire of the Lord.

The Lord said to her, "Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger."

When the time came for her to give birth, there were twin boys in her womb. The first to come out was red, and his whole body was like a hairy garment; so they named him Esau. After this, his brother came out, with his hand grasping Esau's heel; so he was named Jacob.

Isaac was sixty years old when Rebekah gave birth to them. Genesis 25:18-26

As we see in these verses, Isaac reveals himself to be a man who is a devout in his relationship with God and places trust in his Lord’s ability to do anything, even making the way for Rebekah to become pregnant with a son to carry on the family name. We know this because the scriptures tell us that “Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was barren."

Well, just as He blessed Abraham and Sarah with Isaac, we find where God now blessed Isaac and Rebekah, removing her barrenness so they could have children of their own.

This is where the similarities end in these two accounts though because we read where Isaac and Rebekah, end up getting two children, twins who will play an important part in future events, especially regarding the coming nation of Israel.

Well, even before they emerged from the womb, the scriptures tell us “the babies jostled each other within” Rebekah, so much so that she asked the Lord?

"Why is this happening to me?"

Note that she knew who held the answer and so she asked God and He offered the following reply:

"Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger."

These words were prophetic as Rebekah would learn for herself because the two boys inside her would definitely be distinguished from one another (two nations, two peoples that will be separated) and this signaled that there was going to be more discord than unity between them.

More on that in future messages but for now, we read where the time came for Rebekah to give birth to her twins and we’re told "the first to come out was red, and his whole body was like a hairy garment; so they named him Esau”. And right after this, his brother emerged “with his hand grasping Esau's heel; so he was named Jacob."

Even at birth, we see signs that there will be competition between these two sons and as they live out their lives afterwards, we will see God’s prediction come to fruition.

As we close this message, a quick question:

Are you facing something that seems impossible?

If so, God has the same question for you as He did for Sarah when she doubted anything could change within her circumstances. He simply asked this:

"Is anything too hard for God?" Genesis 18:14

If we’re honest with ourselves, the answer to His question is a resounding “NO!”.

Within this first book of the Bible, we have already seen Him bless a barren Sarah with Isaac. And then He followed this up with blessing a barren Rebekah with two sons, Esau and Jacob.

So what part of your life is barren and lacking?

It doesn’t need to be an inability to bear children. Maybe there is a different void that you long to be filled or a barrier to be removed in life. If so, I encourage you to simply trust that the Lord will provide for you as He is the One who provides every good and perfect gift from above in accordance with His will (James 1:17).

Know and believe that the same Lord who moved in the lives of Abraham and Sarah, and Isaac and Rebekah, is ready to move in your life today and bring you your own “déjà vu” moment.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it. Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.