If It Be So, Why Am I Thus

If it be so, why am I thus?

Text: Genesis 25: 19-26

Most of us remember the promise God gave Abraham concerning his descendants becoming a great nation.

God made a covenant with Abraham that is recorded in Genesis chapter 17.

Abraham was at this time 90 years old, an age when most people would have given up on ever accomplishing anything great in life.

But God appeared to Abraham and said, “I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.”

God said, “Thou shalt be a father of many nations. I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee and kings shall come out of thee.”

It shall be “an everlasting covenant.” In other words, not only to you, but to your offspring forever and ever.

You know the story of how Abraham and Sarah his wife were both well-stricken in age, and yet God said “Sarah, your wife shall have a child.”

The story is old, you’ve heard it before, but Sarah, even though well past the childbearing age in her life, did conceive and have a son, just like God has promised.

God is a God of His word! When God says it, He will bring it to pass!

His promises can be depended upon. Someone may promise you something and they may not keep their promise, but God never breaks his promises.

Even when it seems an impossibility, God is a God of the impossible, and nothing is impossible for Him to do.

God always has a time and a plan to fulfill His promise. It may not always be when we want it, but it will always be directly in God’s timing.

You see, God promised Abraham and Sarah a son, and through this son, many nations would come into existence.

How could this be? Abraham was almost ready for the nursing home, and Sarah not too far behind.

Yet in Genesis 21:2, the bible says, “And Sarah conceived and bare Abraham a son in his old age, AT THE SET TIME of which God had spoken to him.”

Not a day too soon, not a day too late. But it was at God’s set time! Abraham was 100 years old when this birth took place, but God is a God of his promises.

You all know the story. They named this son, Isaac.

Isaac grew up knowing about the covenant God gave to his father Abraham.

He too, would be a part of that covenant. So he took a wife named Rebekah.

It seemed the covenant was in danger again. She was barren, could not have children.

So Isaac entreated the Lord on the behalf of his wife, Rebekah.

It is interesting that both Sarah and Rebekah were barren, but God wanted to prove that the children of the promise was not simply the fruit of nature, but they were God’s gift of grace.

This great nation would not become great because of man’s efforts and accomplishments, but it would be because of God’s great Love, God’s great mercy, God’ grace, and God’s promises.

Now, no doubt Rebekah also had knowledge of God’s covenant. She no doubt was aware that God’s covenant included her.

She knew her husband Isaac depended upon her to bring forth a son, that continue on with God’s promise to create a many nations.

But how could it be so? She was barren! What a disappointment!

No doubt it took some time before she realized she could not have children.

They waited and waited for a sign of her pregnancy. But no sign came.

Could it be that God is not going to fulfill His promise?

Could it be that she would not be in God’s covenant after all?

In the midst of their anxieties, Isaac entreated the Lord, or earnestly prayed unto the Lord, because the desired son they wanted was not just to have a child, but because the desired son was to be the heir of promise.

God answered his prayer. Rebekah conceived and became pregnant.

But it was not a normal pregnancy. Complications began.

There was an internal commotion within her womb.

It was more than the normal kicking and moving around, but it was a violent commotion.

I think it became so severe that she must have thought, either, “I am going to die, or I am going to loose this baby.”

So she said these words, “If it be so, why am I thus?”

Or, “If the covenant of God is so, why am I having these problems with this pregnancy?”

If I am in the will of God concerning this covenant, why am I having such severe complications?

If God’s word is so, why am I in this condition?

So she began to inquire of the Lord.