We read in 2 Corinthians 9:8, “Besides, God is able to make every blessing of yours overflow for you, so that in every situation you will always have all you need for any good work.” (ISV)
The Lord wants us make every blessing overflow in our lives, and He is able to lead us to that place of overflowing abundance. We studied the life of Joseph and saw that when Joseph was in a place of abundance in Egypt, his father and brothers were in a situation of want in the land of Canaan.
In Genesis 41:57, we read that, “People came to Egypt from all over the world to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe everywhere.” (GNB)
People from all over came to Joseph for grain because the famine was so severe all over the world. The Lord had in the earlier years had revealed these things to Joseph so that all of Egypt were well prepared for the famine and had grain in abundance with no lack whatsoever.
Sometimes we may have this overflowing blessings in many areas of our lives, but find that this is lacking in our relationships in the family.
We read in Genesis 37:33-35, “He recognized it and said, "Yes, it is his! Some wild animal has killed him. My son Joseph has been torn to pieces!" Jacob tore his clothes in sorrow and put on sackcloth. He mourned for his son a long time. All his sons and daughters came to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted and said, "I will go down to the world of the dead still mourning for my son." So he continued to mourn for his son Joseph.” (GNB)
While Jacob mourned for his son Joseph for many long years thinking that he was dead, we see that Joseph was in Egypt living like a prince. For more than 21 years Jacob believed the lies that was fabricated by his sons not knowing that his son Joseph was alive and well. This mourning of Jacob we can say was unwarranted. If you want to know where this weeping began we need to go back into the life of Jacob and will realize that it began when Jacob was a young man in his father’s house.
Often the problems in a family are coming down generations. Many families have all the wealth and all the comforts, but there is no sound relationship between family members.
We read in Genesis 25:28, “Isaac preferred Esau, because he enjoyed eating the animals Esau killed, but Rebecca preferred Jacob.” (GNB)
Isaac and Rebecca had two children Esau and Jacob. In their family while the father favored the eldest son Esau, the mother favored the younger son Jacob. The father loved Esau because he was a good hunter, and used to bring home good game meat which he also cooked deliciously. Rebecca on the other hand loved Jacob because he was a home bird who probably did favors for his mother.
Many children these days spend much time outside their homes, and sadly their parents are not even aware of their whereabouts. This is truly not a safe situation for any family.
There are three problems in this family.
Firstly, Isaac failed in his duty as the head of the family. Isaac should have loved Rebecca more than he loved his son Esau.
Every man who is a husband should realize that God has appointed you to be the head of your family. If you do not fulfill your responsibility as the head, there will certainly be problems. Also as the head of the home, the husband has a responsibility and command from God to love his wife. Many husbands leave the entire responsibility of running the family to their wives. There are also those who don’t support the home financially, but let the wife take on the entire burden.
Secondly, Rebecca did not submit herself to her husband Isaac.
Every woman who is a wife has the command from the Lord that they should be obedient to their husbands. While the man must fulfill his role in the home, so also the wife should do what is her responsibility.
Thirdly, the sons Esau and Jacob did not honor both the parents.
Children are given the command to honor their parents which means that every child should honor the father and mother equally without differentiation.
In many homes we have this issue where the mother will favor one child, and the father will favor the other child, and you can be certain that this will lead to problems in the family. We can have all the wealth and many houses too, but if we do not raise our children in a godly way, we have failed miserably. Our God is a God of generations, and hence it is our duty to raise godly children.
In many families, one parent will support the child, and hide somethings from their spouse just to safeguard their child from discipline from the other spouse. If we do this we can be certain that we are sowing the seeds for contention and sorrow in the family. Children must be taught to obey their parents for this is a command from the Lord, and only those who honor their parents are promised that it will go well with them, and they will have a long life here on earth.
If as a man you have relinquished your position as the head of the family, it is time to don the role again. Many have let their wives take on this position as the head of the family, and for certain there will be trouble in the future.
If we look at Isaac, he was an extraordinary young man. When his father Abraham laid him at the altar, tied him down and raised the knife to sacrifice him, Isaac did not resist his father in any way. So also, when Abraham sent his servant to find a bride for Isaac, and when his servant brought back Rebecca, Isaac did not refute the proposal in any way.
You can imagine our children today. There is no way any young person will agree to such a proposal these days, especially when the bride was brought home by the servant.
So also, if we study about Rebecca, we see that she was a beautiful and bold young woman. When her father asked her if she would like to go with the servant whom Abraham had sent to become Abraham’s daughter in law, she did not hesitate, but went away courageously.
No matter what our nature is before marriage, after marriage we have roles that God expects us to take on. The husband should be the head of the home, and must take on their responsibility for decisions regarding the family. When a husband abdicates his role, and the wife takes on this role, you can be sure that there will be problems in the family. So also children should see that the husband and wife are united in all their decisions. If not, children will play politics between parents for their own benefit. There are some children who will use their mother to be the channel to convince the father about certain things that they want approval for. Children should be taught to love both Dad and Mom the same way and to respect them both equally, for only then there will be joy in the family.
Isaac’s weakness
We read in Genesis 27:1-4, Isaac was now old and had become blind. He sent for his older son Esau and said to him, "Son!" "Yes," he answered. Isaac said, "You see that I am old and may die soon. Take your bow and arrows, go out into the country, and kill an animal for me. Cook me some of that tasty food that I like, and bring it to me. After I have eaten it, I will give you my final blessing before I die." (GNB)
It seemed that Isaac had a weakness for tasty food, and hence before he blessed Esau, he wanted Esau to bring him a delicious meal so he could first satisfy his appetite before he blessed his son. It was a strange request, because Jacob had a huge flock of cattle and he could have asked his son to make a feast out of their own sheep. Instead, Jacob insisted that his son Esau should hunt an animal, cook it for him for only then he would give him the blessing that was due to him. If only Isaac did not insist on this he could have averted a huge problem in the family. A huge confusion began in the family because of this weakness that Isaac had.
As a husband and father we must recognize our weakness, and set it right. Our family is well aware of some of these weaknesses, which is the reason why many men are not respected in their own homes. If only men can set this right, maintain his testimony, and be the responsible head of the family, it will bring much blessing to the family. Some men will have some habits that may seem harmless, but it will affect the family in the long run. For instance, there are some men who are so hooked on to fishing that they will spend hours with their fishing lines, and not spend much time at home. There are also some men who want to spend much time with friends outside the home, even after they are married. By doing so, we set a bad example for our children.
Rebecca planned to cheat her husband
We read in Genesis 27:5-7, “While Isaac was talking to Esau, Rebecca was listening. So when Esau went out to hunt, she said to Jacob, "I have just heard your father say to Esau, ‘Bring me an animal and cook it for me. After I have eaten it, I will give you my blessing in the presence of the LORD before I die.' Now, son," Rebecca continued, "listen to me and do what I say.” (GNB)
While Esau left to hunt for his father, Rebecca plotted with Jacob to deceive her husband Isaac.
We read in Genesis 27:9-13, Go to the flock and pick out two fat young goats, so that I can cook them and make some of that food your father likes so much. You can take it to him to eat, and he will give you his blessing before he dies." But Jacob said to his mother, "You know that Esau is a hairy man, but I have smooth skin. Perhaps my father will touch me and find out that I am deceiving him; in this way, I will bring a curse on myself instead of a blessing." His mother answered, "Let any curse against you fall on me, my son; just do as I say, and go and get the goats for me." (GNB)
Rebecca knew exactly how the meat had to be cooked in order to please her husband’s appetite. She also knew the exact time that this should be done so that Jacob could receive the blessings from his father that were not duly his.
There are some mothers who encourage their children to disrespect their fathers. They speak disrespectfully about their husbands, and so the children also do the same. Whenever a wife begins to love her children more than her husband, we can be certain that they are sowing the seeds for dissension and discord in the family. We may not realize it immediately, but these seeds are poisonous and will create issues in the family.
If as a mother you plot with your child to deceive your husband, you are actually hating your own body because you are not cheating your husband, but cheating yourself.
We read in Genesis 27:15-17, “Then she took Esau's best clothes, which she kept in the house, and put them on Jacob. She put the skins of the goats on his arms and on the hairless part of his neck. She handed him the tasty food, along with the bread she had baked.” (GNB)
Rebecca had everything worked out. She decided to cook the meat exactly as Isaac would like it. Since Jacob was smooth skinned and Esau was hairy, Jacob feared that his father would feel and recognize him and curse him instead, but Rebecca had a plan to sort out that problem too. She took the skin of the sheep and wrapped it on his arms and neck, so that the father would not recognize that the son before him was not Esau. We see that Rebecca joined hands with her son and deceived her husband and Jacob deceived his father.
Many years later, we see that Jacob’s son did the exact same thing. Just as Jacob wore his brother’s clothes and deceived his father, Jacob’s sons deceived him by bringing Joseph’s coat by soaking it in the blood of a lamb, and made him believe that Joseph had been killed by a wild animal. You see how the deception of Jacob played back in his own life after many long years by his own sons. That was the reason why Jacob was in mourning for 21 long years.
Husbands, wives and children must repent, and set things in order in the family. We may have all that we need, but if our families are not in accordance to God’s plan, there will be no overflowing blessing that God intended for us. If you have failed as a husband, think about it and ask God to help you set it right. The same is true of the wife too. If you love your children more than your husband ask God to help you love your husband the way you should. Children must decide that you will honor both your Dad and Mom and not favor one over the other. Love both of them equally and you will find that the Lord will certainly bless you with His overflowing abundance.
Rev. F. Andrew Dixon
www.goodnewsfriends.net
