1. Write down any thoughts or insights that you gained from reading this chapter. What was notable to you from the reading?
Favoritism is not something God does. And when we do this with our children, it's very harmful and the end result can negatively impact future generations. We must be intentional and do it God's way.
2. How was Rebekah disobedient to some of the Titus 2 principles we have studied thus far?
Rebekah was intentionally NOT being a good wife that loved, respected and honored her husband. Rather in trusting in God to work through her husband, she took matters into her own hands. In the end, she did not trust God. She also was not intentionally being a godly mother. Raising her children as God wanted her to.
a. How did her disobedience affect her marriage and her parenting?
Rebekah's disobedience bred mistrust and deceit in her marriage. She showed favoritism in her parenting. So there was resentment and discord between Jacob and Esau, rather than a good bonding between the two. No child likes to be the least favored. This also causes the favored one to be spoiled and to get away with things.
b. How were her sons affected?
Esau was foolish. He didn't understand nor regard his birthright as the firstborn son. He made foolish decisions that cost him his birthright. Jacob learned to be deceitful and devious through her mother, Rebekah, who favored him. He learned to be manipulative. Instead of Isaac and Rebekah teaching their sons about not having favoritism, they did the opposite.
In the end, this would affect all future generations.
3. Matthew 6:21 reminds us that "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
a. What was Rebekah's treasure? How was it an idol?
Rebekah's treasure was Jacob as she put him over her husband and her other son, Esau. She disregarded their customs as well as what God said.
b. What do women tend to worship today? How does 1 John 5:21 speak to our tendencies to have idols?
1 John 5:21 - Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.
Women tend to worship their children or their husband, or materialism. How the verse speaks to us is that God knows it's easy for us to place idols before Him and we are to purposefully, intentionally guard from having ANY idols in our lives of any type, whether this is an ideal, a person, goals, ambitions, whatever.
4. How was Isaac and Rebekah's favoritism toward their sons destructive in their family dynamics? What can we learn from their dysfunction?
It created jealousy and discord between Jacob and Esau. We can be intentionally fair, but godly, entrusting to God His order in our families.
5. Have you ever partnered with your children against your husband? How is this dishonoring to God and to your husband? What does it say about trusting God?
Unfortunately, yes I have occasionally. God always convicts and in the end, I always have to confess and repent. Very humbling. God has put our husbands to be the head of the household, not us wives. We are to entrust to God our husbands, even if they make decisions that we are not for. In doing so, it allows God to work and to change our husbands. I have also done it the right way and seen God's tremendous blessings in this. But, often my own selfishness or controllingness makes this a change. But, God is working and I usually leave it to God than take things into my own control.
Make It Personal Journal
Write any thoughts or convictions that you have in regard to this chapter. What personal lessons from Rebekah's life will you apply to your own life? How will you be more intentional as a woman of God?
If I have any gripes, I just need to take it to God in prayer and be patient, step back and let God do His work. Sometimes I find I am impatient and will want to write about it, share with someone, but God typically stops this. And when I'm in my right mind again, not caught up in the emotions, I realize and am thankful that I don't "vent" or didn't "vent" about things in my highly emotional state. When I am not in an emotional state, I see things much more clearly.
In my first 2 marriages, I wanted to control things and the truth was, I didn't control anything and it led to destruction. In this marriage, I have learned and am still learning to relinquish control and leave it to God to control. And I see more changes within my husband and marriage than if I were to take control.
As a result, our children are also changing as I allow God's order in the family to take place, rather than me taking control to be head of the household, which is not God's design for the family.
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