Plotting instead of Trusting

The Wycliffe Bible commentary sums this up very well and I’m going to quote it to save time. “It is difficult to imagine all the pathos, agony, and cruel disappointment wrapped up in this colorful narrative. The old patriarch, with blinded eyes and a tottering frame, now made plans to give the sacred blessing to his first-born son. But the crafty Rebekah, who listened to his directions to Esau, immediately set about subverting and frustrating his plans. Her favorite son, Jacob, already had the birthright; she was determined that he should receive the blessing, too, from the lips of the Lord’s representative, so that all would be well with the divine inheritance. She could not risk waiting for God to work out his plans in his own way. So she resorted to the most contemptible deceit to secure the blessing for her younger son. - Charles F. Pfeiffer, The Wycliffe Bible Commentary: Old Testament, (Chicago: Moody Press, 1962), Ge 27:1.

The result of all this sinful scheming is that Jacob lies directly into the face of his near death, blind father and steals the blessing. Jacob and Rebekah have in their own minds and hearts, fulfilled the prophecy, but their scheme had nothing to do with the plans and paths of God. The immediate result of all family betrayal is outright war. Esau determines once his father is dead, he will kill Jacob. Rachael instead of begging forgiveness of her husband instead goes to him and lies once more, telling him to send Jacob away, not to save his life but to keep him from marrying one of the daughters of Heth. Genesis 27:46 And Rebekah said to Isaac, I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth: if Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these which are of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life do me?

And so Jacob is sent by Isaac away to his uncle Laban. Genesis 28:5 And Isaac sent away Jacob: and he went to Padanaram unto Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob's and Esau's mother.

Rachael never sees her son again. The one person she loved above all others, more than her husband that she so easily lied to and certainly more than her son Esau who she seems to not care for at all. She loses Jacob, never sees his family, never holds her grandchildren. And never sees how God had a plan for Jacob all along. A plan that at best she delayed. Now God knew what Rachael and Jacob would do and because He is God. Their sin and mistakes would not prevent His plans for Jacob, and the nation that would come from Him, being put in place.

Patience Instead of Plotting

To me the lesson I should learn through the story of Rachael and Jacob’s lying and betrayal is that instead of plotting, how to work my own plans, I need to patiently wait for God to work His plans.

Don’t we rightly go to Romans 8:28 so often? Romans 8:28-30 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

We go there because we need to remind ourselves of the truth of God’s eternal plan for His people, for his children, for his redeemed, forgiven and sanctified family.

God’s plan to save us from our sin through Jesus’ death on the cross. God’s plan to call us through the Gospel. God’s plan to work in us that we might be molded into the image of his son. God’s plan justify us. And praise His holy name, His plan to glorify us body and soul one day for all eternity.

That is a plan worth believing and worth patiently waiting for.