Apart from me you will bear no Fruit

In Genesis 24, we are introduced to Rebekah, the woman whom we come to know as the one chosen to be the wife of Abraham’s son, Isaac. When we first come across Rebekah, she comes through as a strong young woman who is hospitable with an attitude and heart willing to serve. Trusting in God’s plan for her life, she says yes to go along with Abraham’s servant leaving all that was familiar to her.

Rebekah and Isaac get married and we learn that she remains barren for many years. Although scripture does not allude to the emotional aspect of this wait, one can only image the toll this took on them as they waited and prayed for God to bless them with a child.

Isaac prays to the Lord on behalf of his wife. The Lord answers and she becomes pregnant and is found to be expectant with twins. In Genesis 25:22, we read “The babies jostled each other within her, and she said, ‘why is this happening to me’, so she went to inquire of the Lord.” The Lord answers her “Two nations are in your womb, and two people from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.”

When Rebekah found herself pregnant with the babies jostling within her, she was concerned and worried for what this meant. She took that worry and confusion to God and inquired of Him and allowed the Lord to speak into her worry. Rebekah here sets a wonderful example for us on seeking God when something troubles us. She gets an answer from God and within that answer is a prophetic revelation for her two sons.

As Rebekah’s story continues, her character and integrity take a dive with how she handles the prophecy she heard from the Almighty.

She played favourites with her children, Jacob (the younger) was favoured by his mother, whereas Esau (the older) was favoured by his father, Isaac. Genesis 27 tells us how Rebekah and Jacob manipulated Isaac’s blessings. Nearing death, Isaac summons Esau in order to make arrangements to formally bless him as his firstborn son. This blessing would confirm Esau as Isaac’s principal heir, making him the one through whom the family line associated with God’s redemptive plan would continue. Rebekah upon hearing what Isaac intended to do, urged Jacob to deceive his father and get the blessing while taking advantage of his failing eyesight. This results in conflict between the brothers and Rebekah shares in this consequence as she is forced to send Jacob away.

Rebekah heard the prophecy over Jacob directly from God. What happened while waiting to see that Prophecy come to fulfilment? In the normal course of things, Rebekah would assume that it would carry forth through Isaac’s blessings. But when she sees that Isaac intended to bless Esau, Rebekah saw the coming unfolding of events as an end to how she could see the prophecy come through for Jacob. And Rebekah decided to take matters into her own hands, instead of taking her confusion to God like how we see her do when she was pregnant.

Rebekah had experienced a miracle herself when she got pregnant after nearly two decades of being barren but yet we see that even an experience of a miracle so profound faded her trust in the present. God’s plans and intentions always come to pass, there is no doubt in that and yet we too like Rebekah can feel compelled to jump in and ‘make things happen’ or ‘try and give things a push start’ when we are yet to see how God is working things out.

How can we ensure that with the length of waiting on God, there is not a corresponding decrease in our trust in Him? I think of Jospeh and how through his various ordeals, he remained faithful to God. David, had a long and tumultuous wait before he saw his promise to be king come through.

John 15:4 says, “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” The believer has no fruitfulness apart from union and fellowship with Christ. A branch out of contact with the vine is lifeless. Practically, we remain in Jesus by spending time with the Lord in his Word and in prayer, obeying him by the grace he supplies, and fellowshipping and worshiping with his body, the church.

Staying connected and rooted in God through consistent, ongoing communication with prayer and supplication will enable our spirit to be sensitive to what God is teaching and telling us. Time at His feet will help us stay sensitive to His voice, and a sensitivity to Him will constantly remind us to go to Him first, no matter how impossible something seems. May we wait with trust, knowing that what God has said will come to pass. And when we feel the urge to take control, may we choose to surrender and submit to God, letting go of the “how,” and focus on remaining in Him.

God Bless.