The Manipulation

DEVOTION

GENESIS

THE MANIPULATION

Gen 27:42-46

42 When Rebekah was told what her older son Esau had said, she sent for her younger son Jacob and said to him, "Your brother Esau is consoling himself with the thought of killing you. 43 Now then, my son, do what I say: Flee at once to my brother Laban in Haran. 44 Stay with him for a while until your brother's fury subsides. 45 When your brother is no longer angry with you and forgets what you did to him, I'll send word for you to come back from there. Why should I lose both of you in one day?" 46 Then Rebekah said to Isaac, "I'm disgusted with living because of these Hittite women. If Jacob takes a wife from among the women of this land, from Hittite women like these, my life will not be worth living."

NIV

We have to travel back to the command of God to Noah to understand this concern of Rebekah about losing both her sons should Esau fulfill his anger and kill Jacob. God told Noah whoever sheds the blood of man, by man his blood be shed. The nearest of kin to Jacob would avenge his death by killing Esau and then both of them would be dead. Again we see this family in crisis and its resolution is to separate the brothers rather than talk it out. Even the way in which this separation happens is not due to truth. Rebekah wants her son Jacob to flee back to Haran where her brother lives, but from her conversation with Isaac, it appears she has no real authority to command Jacob to leave. His departure must be ordered by his father Isaac. But Rebekah hides her real concern from her husband because that most likely would implicate her in the deception and reason for Esau’s determination for vengeance. So she comes up with this idea to get Isaac to be the one to think about sending Jacob to their own clan to take a wife, which is what happens in the next portion of the narrative. But the point here is Rebekah manipulates her husband to accomplish her wishes. She is even threatening to commit suicide if Jacob were to marry a Hittite woman. This is a twofold slam to Isaac. Because he loved Esau more the Jacob and Esau had married Hittite women, Rebekah is revealing her disgust with Isaac’s favorite son as well as her preference for Jacob. But this plot, this threat, this manipulation is our lesson. Do we in any way use an underhanded method to get our way? Do we make up reasons other than the truth to get someone else to do things our way or to accomplish what we want done? Would not the truth be better? Maybe we might think the other person would refuse if the truth were told, and that just would not do. We cannot afford to act in a manner that this dysfunctional family does. We need to talk out any differences as well as speak our minds truthfully when we have a desire or need in order that we do not attempt to deceive those who we profess to love.

1 Cor 13:6

6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

NIV          

Rebekah was not being truthful, she was compounding evil upon evil which makes us wonder about her true love for Isaac. This we cannot allow in our marriage. We need to be honest in all our ways within our relationship. No manipulations allowed.