Faith or Doubt in Action?

RELATED SCRIPTURE:

Genesis 27

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

Many of us have learned these verses in Proverbs by heart. They are a comforting promise: when our hearts completely trust in God, when we do not rely on our limited knowledge but seek His wisdom and counsel, and when we let God lead in all areas of our lives, He will direct and bless our paths.

I’ve always loved the stories of the Patriarchs; there is such depth of wisdom we can draw from their lives. Each one of them faced and overcame their challenges and struggles in responding to God.

The story of Isaac and Rebekah’s marriage is one of faith and obedience on the part of man, and of God’s power and sovereignty at work on the other.

But even this God arranged marriage had its challenges.

Isaac and Rebekah were unable to have children, so Isaac 'pleaded with the Lord for his wife' Genesis 25:21

Isaac's prayers were not answered immediately, but in God's perfect timing, twenty years into their marriage.

God's promises were fulfilled through waiting and prayer, through faith and patience. - David Guzik

The pregnancy was difficult, which made Rebekah enquire of the Lord: 'If all is well, why am I like this?'

Then the Lord revealed to her that she was carrying twins, who would become the fathers of two distinct nations, one would be stronger than the other, and the older would serve the younger. Genesis 25:23

God went against the customs of the times, choosing the younger to become the heir to the covenant of Abraham. He made His will known to Isaac and Rebekah even before the twins were born.

The boys grew up, and Isaac loved Esau, while Rebekah loved Jacob.

When Esau was forty, he married Hittite women who made life miserable for Jacob and Rebekah. Esau went against the pattern established by Abraham, that his descendants should not marry the women of Canaan. Genesis 24:3-4

Despite Esau's character, described as 'immoral and godless' (Hebrews 12:16), Isaac still favoured him because of his skilful hunting and his love of game.

Rebekah, on the other hand, loved Jacob, who was a 'mild man' (the same word is used in Job 1:8 to describe Job), content to stay at home, among the tents. Genesis 25:27

Isaac and Rebekah's faith was tested again when the time came for the Patriarchal blessing to be passed on. Instead of acting in faith and fulfilling God's will for the blessing to go to the younger son, each of them acted in their own wisdom.

Isaac, disregarding God’s revealed will, planned to secretly give his blessing to Esau.

Though Esau had despised his birthright - selling it to Jacob for a bowl of stew - he still planned to receive his father's blessing.

Rebekah intervened and deceived her husband by helping Jacob steal the blessing, which, in God's eyes, was his anyway. Jacob willingly participated in his mother's plan; his only concern was being caught.

When Esau realised what had happened, he wept bitterly, begging his father for another blessing. Yet, his sorrow was not one of repentance for disregarding his birthright and its spiritual blessings, but of frustration at losing its material benefits.

Instead of trusting God, instead of choosing to fulfil His will, this family was torn apart by their efforts to take matters into their own hands and follow their own wisdom.

Good men have gone very wrong when they have thought of aiding in the fulfilment of promises and prophesies … we had better leave the Lord’s decrees in the Lord’s hands. - Spurgeon

In the end, Isaac submitted to God's will and gave Jacob the Abrahamic blessing. Genesis 28:1-5

It is thought that Jacob was then 77 years old.

But the consequences of their meddling with God's plan remained.

Esau hated Jacob and planned to kill him.

Jacob had to leave his father’s house and did not see his family for twenty years.

Rebekah very likely never saw her son Jacob again.

Twenty years later, despite human interference, God’s sovereign plan was fulfilled.

Jacob, now a wealthy man with a large family, returned to the land that was rightfully his.

Esau, also prosperous, was blessed by God, even though he had missed out on his father’s blessing.

His character had changed; he was now content, calling Jacob 'my brother' and graciously accepting his gifts.

Jacob, too, was transformed. He recognised that God had dealt graciously with him, blessing him, despite his unworthiness. Genesis 33:9-11

God is still involved in the lives of his children today. His sovereign plans will always be fulfilled.

Many are the plans on a person's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails. Proverbs 19:21

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him. Romans 8:28

God's promises are still received through waiting and prayer, through faith and patience.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of Him. 1 John 5:14-15

Will we trust God to fulfil His work in us and His plans for us, in His timing and according to His will, not ours?

For we walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1