If there are some commonalities between Rebekah and her mother-in-law (Sarah) they include the following: they are both beautiful, they both struggled with childbearing and they were both declared “sister” by their husband’s. Isaac, Rebekah’s husband committed a similar act his father Abraham did; they lied about their wives. Could lying be a family thing? Isaac’s son Jacob also lied and Jacob’s children lied against their brother Joseph. If there is any recurring pattern in your family, it is better to go to the root cause and if possible pray to be delivered from them. Rebekah experienced the familiar challenge of barreness until Isaac prayed for her. Now, she is about to face the second familiar challenge: a lie about who she is. “Now there was a famine in the land—besides the previous famine in Abraham’s time—and Isaac went to Abimelek king of the Philistines in Gerar. The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land where I tell you to live.” (Genesis 26:1-2) When the men of that place asked him about his wife, he said, “She is my sister,” because he was afraid to say, “She is my wife.” He thought, “The men of this place might kill me on account of Rebekah, because she is beautiful.” (Genesis 26:7) So, the family stayed in Gerar and there the Lord confirmed His promises of blessing to Isaac. Isaac and his family lived peacefully in Gerar and prospered. Genesis 26:7 states that, “When the men of that place asked him (Isaac) about his wife, he said, “She is my sister,” because he was afraid to say, “She is my wife.” He thought, “The men of this place might kill me on account of Rebekah, because she is beautiful.” Isaac committed the same lie his father Abraham committed twice against his mum. Like Sarah, Rebekah was the trophy wife. Isaac called her, “my sister” so his life would be spared. Was Rebekah consulted before this? Did she agree to becoming a “sisterly figure” to rescue her husband? Was Rebekah aware that her mother-in-law was passed off as sister twice in her lifetime? The lie has been given and now Rebekah should act “sisterly” as long as they live in Gerar. Can they keep up to the lie? I am not sure how long the couple managed to cover up the lie but it seems like the people of Gerar were deceived for a long time. Thankfully, no one requested for Rebekah as Sarah was taken to two kings because she was Abraham’s “sister”. When Isaac had been there a long time, Abimelek king of the Philistines looked down from a window and saw Isaac caressing his wife Rebekah. So Abimelek summoned Isaac and said, “She is really your wife! Why did you say, ‘She is my sister’?” Isaac answered him, “Because I thought I might lose my life on account of her.” Then Abimelek said, “What is this you have done to us? One of the men might well have slept with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us.” So Abimelek gave orders to all the people: “Anyone who harms this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.” (Genesis 26:8-11). So the couple could not keep the lie safe forever. They were caught on spot: siblings don’t engage in caressing each other like the one the king saw happening between Isaac and Rebekah. The couple were having fun and it seemed they were enjoying each other’s touches. I am sure Abimelek might have been so shocked to see Isaac and Rebekah having intimate moments together. Isaac’s defense was just like his father’s defense: he lied to save his life. No lie is life-saving and as Revelations 21:8 states, the place for liars is hell. The lie against Rebekah and Sarah represents a generational sin that ends up being part of the next generation even without them trying. We need to understand the place of deliverance in the believers’ life. Fortunately for us, we have been crucified with Christ and we no longer live, but Christ lives in us. The life we now live in the body, we live by faith in the Son of God, who loved us and gave himself for us. (Galatians 2:20) Until we denounce generational pacts, curses, sins, recurrent sins etc. We would still experience traces of it in our lives. Reach out to your church leadership should you discover such patterns occurring in your life and that of your siblings.
top of page
bottom of page
Comments