Isaac loved Esau, in spite of his immorality and wickedness; Rebekah loved Jacob, the one chosen by God. Man often “messes up,” but this doesn’t nullify the plans of our sovereign God. Discover how Rebekah’s plot was used by God for the ultimate good of Israel and even us today!

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Our Sovereign God

In this episode:

• Learn about the character of our sovereign God

• See how God used Rebekah’s plot to accomplish His greater plan for human history

• Get answers to the following study questions:

1. How did Isaac turn away from God in his later years?
2. What was the “awful thing” that Isaac was intending to accomplish?
3. How did our sovereign God accomplish His perfect plan for the Messianic line?
4. What would’ve happened if Rebekah and Jacob didn’t succeed in their plot against Isaac?
5. What would Rebekah and Jacob gain (or lose) for succeeding in their risky plot?

Source: Wikipedia; Jacob and Rebekah, as in Genesis 27:15-23, 41-45; illustration from a Bible card published 1906 by the Providence Lithograph Company (public domain)

I have heard sermons by many. I’ve read commentaries by many that put all the blame on Jacob and said he was doing it so that he could get more money, so that he could put Esau in the background. None of that is true.

Jacob is a man—remember God called a perfect man, an upright man, a complete man—whose heart is focused on the things of the Kingdom and is getting ready to take place to prevent his father from doing an awful act. He knows that it will cost him dearly.

Here’s the question that I always get when I talk about these things: “Well, what would have happened if Jacob and Rebekah didn’t do this?” I hope you know that saying “what if” is a silly thing to say, because you can’t ever figure out “what if.” It didn’t happen, it won’t happen, it couldn’t happen, so it’s not going to happen, and it’s a silly thing to say. But let’s play this silly game, okay?

What if Jacob and Rebekah didn’t do this? Well, all the circumstances would have indicated that Esau would’ve gotten the blessing and been in charge of the Messianic line going forward; or, God would’ve pulled out some other thing. Perhaps the better thing is simply to trust God’s sovereignty here and to know that He will always complete His plan no matter how bad we mess it up.

One of the greatest confidences the Lord has given me over the years is not to worry about His plans. He will do it. Now, I’d like to be in on it. I’d like to be on the side that God is doing it.

Sometimes I make mistakes and don’t go there; make a bad decision. But I always have in the back of my mind—and I’ve told you this before and I’ll tell you it again in this context—every morning when I get up I say, “Lord, do not let me mess it up today.” I try as well as I understand to do what God wants me to do.

I pray those prayers daily, and many times during the day, but if I do mess it up God will still get it done no matter whatever I do, no matter what you do.

[Review: Jacob and Esau – The Promised Heir, Twins, and the Sovereignty of God]

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Did you miss any episodes? Listen to Part 1 and Part 2.

Learn more about the work of our sovereign God during this part of history: The Book of Beginnings, Volume Three.

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Listen to previous episodes of the Heroes and Villains of the Bible podcast by clicking on the links below:

• Adam and Eve
  • Episode 1: A Very Good Relationship Gone Bad – First Couple, First Heroes and Villains
  • Episode 2: Pulling Back the Curtain on the Ultimate Villain – How the Spiritual Realm Impacts Humanity
  • Episode 3: Satan’s Triple Threat Strategy – This Strategy Is Still Used Today
  • Episode 4: The Pivot Point in Scripture – Consequences for Rebellion and Hope for Redemption
• Cain and Abel
  • Episode 5: A Very Different Earth – Explore the Pre-Flood World of Cain and Abel
  • Episode 6: Centuries, Cain, and Corruption – Sin’s Effects and Eve’s Hope
  • Episode 7: Marriage, Family, and Sacrifice – Formation of the First Family and their Offering to God
  • Episode 8: Brother’s Keeper – Arrogant Cain Murders Righteous Abel
• Lamech and Enoch
  • Episode 9: How Evil Infiltrated Society – The Flagrant Rebellion of Lamech
  • Episode 10: Ancient Civilization Rivals Modern – Population Growth, Family Reunions, and Sociological Impact
  • Episode 11: The Conqueror vs. The Preacher of Righteousness – A Contrasting Character Study of Lamech and Enoch
  • Episode 12: Evolution Paints the Wrong Picture – Discover the Truth about Ancient Humans—Hint: They Weren’t Grunting Cavemen!
• Noah and the Nephilim
  • Episode 13: The Worst Time in History – Why God Decided to Flood the Whole World
  • Episode 14: Noah Found Grace and Built an Ark – How God Preserved Life on Earth through a Preacher of Righteousness
  • Episode 15: Who Were the Nephilim? – What the Scripture Says about the Powerful Giants
• The Sons of Noah
  • Episode 16: What Happened After the Sons of Noah Left the Ark? – The Second Age: From Worldwide Destruction to Preservation and Repopulation
  • Episode 17: There’s No Such Thing as Race – What You Need to Know About Race, Rainbows, and Retribution
  • Episode 18: How Did the Sons of Noah Transform Civilization? – Explore the Development of Major Nations of the World
• Abraham and Lot
  • Episode 19: Who Was Abraham? Trace the Physical and Spiritual Journey of the Father of Many Nations
  • Episode 20: How Abram Interacted with VIPs of the Ancient World – Meet the Pharaoh of Egypt, the King over Sodom and Gomorrah, and the Mysterious King of Salem
  • Episode 21: God Always Keeps His Promises – How Abraham Received His New Name, Sarah Conceived the Promised Heir, and Lot Escaped a Fiery Judgment
• Sarah and Hagar
  
  • Episode 22: What’s the Deal with Sarah and Hagar? See What Happens When Men and Women Deviate from God’s Plan
  • Episode 23: Will We See Hagar and Ishmael in Heaven? Trace the History of Hagar’s Banishment, Ishmael’s Descendants, and Abraham’s Name Change
  • Episode 24: Who Will Become the Friends of God? An Eternal Principle Revealed through the Bondwoman and Free Woman
• Isaac and Ishmael
  
  • Episode 25: Modern Middle East Conflict Caused by Isaac and Ishmael – Discover the Origin of the 4,500 Year Struggle in the Arab World and Why it Persists Today
  • Episode 26: Redemption Revealed through the Sacrifice of Isaac – The Sacrifice of an Innocent Son by a Loving Father
  • Episode 27: Isaac and Jesus Christ – Willing Heart, Obedient Submission, Selfless Sacrifice
• Eliezer and Rebekah
  
  • Episode 28: We All Have a God-Given Responsibility – Meet Eliezer: Abraham’s Steward and CFO
  • Episode 29: God Leads Us Only When We’re On the Way – An Important Principle about Direction from the Lord
  • Episode 30: Kingdom Stewardship – 3 Stewardship Principles You Must Stick in Your Mind
• Jacob and Esau
  
  • Episode 31: Jacob and Esau – The Promised Heir, Twins, and the Sovereignty of God
  • Episode 32: Jacob the Supplanter – Study the Contrasting Characteristics of Jacob and Esau