Bible in 90 days: Day 2

While I have committed to reading through the Bible in 90 days, I haven’t committed (to myself) to blog each day. It’s my intention to blog as things stand out to me. So, that’s what I am doing today.

Scripture Read: Genesis 17:1-28:9

Two things stood out to me:

#1 Abraham married after Sarah died & had several more children. He even lived long enough to see them into adulthood. (Genesis 25:1-8)

Even though I took Survey of the Old Testament at a Bible College, I did not recall Abraham remarrying and having more children. I actually stumbled upon this passage a few months ago during the Sunday service. The sermon was about something else, but I glanced down to read “Now Abraham married again…” and became very intrigued. This is one of those reminders for re-reading the Bible & always having new things revealed each time. Though we don’t know much about Abraham’s 2nd wife and her children by him, it’s interesting that this is a much ignored topic in all those stories & sermons about Abraham. Many might shrug their shoulders saying “Big deal. Abraham remarried.”, but I’m drawn back to remember Bruce Wilkinson teaching on The Prayer of Jabez. The Bible is the inspired Word of God. If it’s in there, He wants us to know…just like the short blurb about Jabez. I, for one, am very tired of watered-down Bible teaching.

#2 It’s always been taught as if pure greed motivated Rebekah and Jacob to trick Isaac into giving Jacob his brother’s blessing. Again, our watered-down Bible lessons fail to mention some important family dynamics. Esau had married not 1, but 2 Hittite women (Genesis 26:34) and verse 35 says, “But Esau’s wives made life miserable for Isaac and Rebekah.”

Even though Rebekah clearly took matters into her own hands rather than trusting the Lord, Genesis 26:34-35 indicates that she did so because she feared what would happen if Esau received his father’s blessing. She probably saw it as leaving the family inheritance to the child who consistently makes bad decisions and blessing the very women who made her miserable. Perhaps she had the same sick feeling I get when I see parents bailing out their irresponsible adult children rather than allowing them to experience the consequences of their repetitive bad choices.

Esau’s taking Hittite women for his wives bothered Isaac too. In Genesis 28:1-2, Isaac tells Isaac not to marry any Canaanite women, but to return to Abraham’s family to seek a bride. Rebekah even says, in Genesis 27:46, that she is tired of these “Hittite women” and that would “rather die than see Jacob marry one of them”.

Of course, tricking Isaac was wrong…and it would be really interesting to know what God’s plan had been, and Rebekah and Jacob’s behavior is not to be excused, but there is more to the story than many of us have been told.