God's Covenant Continues Through Generations: Isaac and Rebekah
- Be God's Glory
- Jan 8
- 7 min read
Updated: Jan 8
Welcome to The Glory Team Bible Reading plan. In Chapters 24-26 Isaac marries Rebekah, continuing God’s covenant. God reaffirms His promises to Isaac, showing His steadfast love and faithfulness through generations.
Genesis 24: Abraham, concerned about Isaac marrying a Canaanite woman, instructs his most trusted servant to travel to Mesopotamia to find a suitable wife for his son from among his relatives; the servant prays for guidance at a well and encounters Rebekah, a young woman who readily agrees to accompany him back, demonstrating her kindness and willingness to leave her family to fulfill Abraham's wishes; this is God's provision in securing a righteous wife for Isaac, highlighting the importance of following God's guidance in significant life decisions.
Genesis 25: This chapter details the later life of Abraham, including his marriage to Keturah after Sarah's death, the birth of several more sons, and his eventual passing at the age of 175, where both Isaac and Ishmael bury him together. The chapter then shifts focus to Isaac and Rebekah, highlighting their struggle with infertility until God answers their prayers by granting them twin sons, Esau and Jacob, whose contrasting personalities foreshadow future conflicts within the family line.
Genesis 26: Narrates the story of Isaac, Abraham's son, who travels to the Philistine land of Gerar during a famine, where he encounters King Abimelech and repeats his father's mistake by claiming his wife Rebekah as his sister to protect himself; despite this deception, God blesses Isaac with great wealth and prosperity, leading to conflicts with the Philistines over water rights as they fill up wells dug by Abraham; Isaac then digs new wells, naming them based on the disputes he faced ("contention," "enmity," and "room"), and eventually settles in Beersheba where God reaffirms his covenant with Isaac, assuring him of his presence and protection.
God's Covenant Continues Through Generations: Isaac and Rebekah
The purpose of the book of Genesis are to record God's creation of the world and His desire to have a people set apart to worship Him. The author of the Book of Genesis is Moses. There is plenty of evidence that leads to this conclusion:
The Talmud (The Hebrew Bible, the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law and Jewish theology.) attributes this book to Moses.
Citations from Genesis show that the Old Testament is part of the Law of Moses (Deuteronomy 1:8; 2 Kings 13:23; 1 Chronicles 1:1)
Jesus and the New Testament writers attribute Moses as the author of as an essential part of Scripture (Matthew 19:8; Luke 16:29; 24:27)
The original audience of the book of Genesis are the people of Israel and it was written in the wilderness during Israel's wanderings. The setting is primarily the region presently known as the Middle East.
The Key People we will learn about are Adam, Eve, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob, and Joseph.
What is God's Name in these Chapters?
In this portion of our journey we want to dive deep into the character of God described in His name. By identifying who God is, we can further relate to Him personally and build a stronger relationship and connection with Our Father.
Names are important. They give significance to places, people, and things. We identify with so much based off what it's name is. This is considerably notable when it comes to the names of God.
The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God, including His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption.
Elohim - God, The Strong Creator
Jehovah - Lord, The Self-Existing One
El Elyon - The Lord God Most High
Adonai - Lord, Master
El Roi - God who sees me
El Shaddai - God Almighty
Jehovah Jireh - The Lord will provide
In Genesis Chapter 24, God reveals Himself as Yahweh (the LORD), emphasizing His covenant-keeping nature and faithfulness. He is also shown as Elohim, the sovereign Creator who orchestrates events with precision. Through His guidance of Abraham’s servant in finding a wife for Isaac, God demonstrates His attribute as Jehovah Jireh (the LORD who provides), answering prayers and ensuring the continuation of His promises. His providence and steadfast love are evident, as He directs Rebekah to fulfill His divine plan, reflecting His perfect wisdom and care.
In Genesis Chapter 25, God’s character as Yahweh (the LORD) highlights His sovereignty in fulfilling His covenant promises through Abraham’s descendants. As El Shaddai (God Almighty), He ensures His blessings continue beyond Abraham’s life, seen in the birth of Isaac’s sons, Jacob and Esau. God’s wisdom and divine election are evident in His choice of Jacob, showing His authority over human traditions and plans. He is also Elohim, the Creator who controls the destinies of nations, fulfilling His word given to Rebekah about her sons, foreshadowing His redemptive plan through Jacob’s lineage.
In Genesis Chapter 26, God reveals Himself as Yahweh (the LORD), reaffirming His covenant with Isaac by renewing the promises made to Abraham. He demonstrates His faithfulness and provision as Jehovah Jireh, blessing Isaac with abundant resources even amid famine. As El Shaddai (God Almighty), He shows His power and sovereignty by protecting Isaac, guiding him to the right places, and causing him to prosper despite opposition. God’s steadfast love and covenant loyalty are evident in His assurance to Isaac, "I am with you," highlighting His presence and unchanging commitment to His people.
Christ in Every Book of the Bible
Christ is the theme throughout the Bible. From Genesis to Revelation, God reveals His Son, Jesus Christ.
Christ is the Seed of the woman Genesis 3:14 , He is the Passover Lamb Exodus 12:3, The Atoning Sacrifice Leviticus 17:11, The Smitten Rock Numbers 20:8, 11, The Faithful Prophet Deuteronomy 18:18, Christ is the Captain of the Lord's Host Joshua 5:15, The Divine Deliverer Judges 2:18, The Kinsman Redeemer Ruth 3:12, Christ is the anticipated as the Anointed One,1 Samuel 2:10, The Son of David 2 Samuel 7:14, The Coming King 1 & 2 Kings, Builder of the Temple 1 & 2 Chronicles (1 Chronicles 28:20), Ezra represents Christ as the Restorer of the Nation Ezra 6:14, 15, Nehemiah shows Him as the Restorer of the Temple Nehemiah 6:15, and Esther portrays Him as the Preserver of the Nation Ester 4:14, Christ is seen as the Living Redeemer Job 19:25, The Praise of Israel Psalm 150:6, The Wisdom of God Proverbs 8:22, 23, The Great Teacher Ecclesiastics 12:11, The Fairest of Ten Thousand Song of Solomon 5:10. Christ is the Suffering Servant Isaiah 53:11, The Maker of the New Covenant Jeremiah 31:31, The Man of Sorrows Lamentations 3:28-30, The Glory of God Ezekiel 43:2, The coming Messiah Daniel 9:25, The Lover of the Unfaithful Hosea 3:1, The Hope of Israel Joel 3:16, The Husbandman Amos 9:13, the Savior Obadiah 21, the Resurrected One Jonah 2:10, the Ruler in Israel Micah 5:2, the Avenger Nahum 2:1, the Holy God Habakkuk 1:13, the King of Israel Zephaniah 3:15, the Desire of Nations Haggai 2:7, the Righteous Branch Zechariah 3:8, and the Sun of Righteousness Malachi 4:2.
The King of the Jews Matthew 2:2, the Servant of the Lord Mark 10:45, the Son of Man Luke 19:10, and the Son of God John 1:1. Christ is the Ascended Lord Acts 1:10, the believer's Righteousness Romans 1:17, Sanctification 1 Corinthians 1:30, Sufficiency 2 Corinthians 12:9, and Liberty Galatians 2:4. He is the Exalted Head of the church Ephesians 1:22, the Christian's Joy Philippians 1:26, and the Fullness of Deity Colossians 2:9. In the Thessalonian epistles Christ is the believer's Comfort 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17 and Glory 2 Thessalonians 1:12. The Christian's Preserver 1 Timothy 4:10, Rewarder 2 Timothy 4:8, Blessed Hope Titus 2:13, and Substitute Philemon 17. He is the High Priest Hebrews 4:15, the Giver of Wisdom James 1:5, the Rock 1 Peter 2:6, and Precious Promise 2 Peter 1:4. John represents Christ as the Life 1 John, the Truth 2 John, and the Way 3 John, Jude portrays Christ as the Advocate and Revelation shows Him as King of Kings and Lord of Lords Revelation 19:16. The whole Bible is literally all about Christ!
Questions: Let's expand how these chapters expanded your faith and your relationship with God.
Questions About the Character of God:
Genesis 24: How does God’s guidance in finding Rebekah demonstrate His role as Jehovah Jireh (the LORD who provides)?
Genesis 25: How does God’s sovereignty as El Shaddai (God Almighty) appear in His choice of Jacob over Esau, even before their birth?
Genesis 26: How does God’s reassurance to Isaac, “I am with you,” reflect His faithfulness and covenant-keeping nature as Yahweh?
Across these chapters, what attributes of God stand out, and how do they demonstrate His consistent character through generations?
Relating These Chapters to Us Today:
Genesis 24: How can we learn to trust God’s guidance in our life decisions, like Abraham’s servant did?
Genesis 25: How does God’s plan for Jacob and Esau encourage us to trust His purposes, even when they don’t align with human expectations?
Genesis 26: In what ways can God’s promise of His presence bring comfort and confidence in times of challenges or opposition?
How do these chapters inspire us to trust in God’s faithfulness for future generations in our families or communities?
Questions About Themes:
Theme of Covenant: How does God’s covenant with Abraham continue to unfold through Isaac in these chapters?
Theme of Guidance: How does Genesis 24 teach us about seeking and recognizing God’s direction in prayer and daily life?
Theme of Provision: How does God’s provision for Isaac during the famine in Genesis 26 reveal His care for those who follow Him?
Theme of Election: What does the story of Jacob and Esau in Genesis 25 teach us about God’s sovereign choice and His plans for nations?
Reflective Application Questions:
How can we seek God’s guidance in our relationships and commitments, as seen in Genesis 24?
In what ways do these chapters encourage us to trust God during seasons of waiting or uncertainty?
How can recognizing God’s unchanging character in these chapters strengthen our faith in His promises?
Reference Guides:
Life Application Study Guide
A Popular Survey of the Old Testament by Norman L. Geisler
The Power of God's Names by Tony Evans
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