There are in reality for each of us destiny helpers and destiny destroyers. I am sure that if we individually undertake a quiet and deep reflection, we can recount those whom God used to help and assist us in our life journey and those who were in reality destiny blockers some of them operating in the spiritual realm. But those who argue in favour of predestination would argue that what we are to be in life has all been determined. But can that really be so? If so, why did God give us free will to make our life choices as we sojourn here on earth? We will not let this argument bug us down here.
But let’s us just settle on the fact that there are destiny helpers as well as blockers. We must, therefore, be encouraged to begin early to solicit with God to multiply our destiny helpers as we journey in this life. What brought this issue to my mind this morning was the first reading at morning Mass today; Saturday, July 05, 2025. In this passage, the legend of how Esau was robbed of his birth rights as the first born was recounted along with the apparent despicable role which Rebecca their mother played as she championed the process. I wish to think that most of us Christians are quite familiar with this story. Isaac we read was aged, and his sight was dimmed and failing.
He knew his time on earth was coming to an end and he called his first son Esau, who is a hunter and always gave Isaac pleasure with the game he brought back home to prepare a meal for their father Isaac which he often enjoyed. Isaac asked Esau to go hunt and prepare a meal for him to receive his blessings before his death. Rebecca had listened to this conversation and was able to manipulate Isaac to bless Jacob instead of Esau because she preferred Isaac to Esau.
This situation is very common with us. Parents, as we all have the duty to love and care for the children God has put under our care. But it is entirely human not to like your children equally. In fact, it is not possible for the situation to be otherwise. So, on the face of it, we conclude that Rebecca played the role of destiny destroyer for Esau while, on the other hand, a destiny helper for Jacob. Therefore, what is our view about the role Rebecca played in this situation? Do we pass judgement and condemn her for what she has done? Supposing that is how God wanted it, and Rebecca was just a willing instrument in the hand of God. Be reminded that God is able to write straight on crocked lines and that God knows the end from the beginning. We must also recall that Isaac, in reality, is a destiny child.
It was through him that God was going to fulfil his promise to Abraham to make his descendants as many as the stars in heaven and as the sands on the seashore. We must also recall that Esau had earlier sold his birth right to Jacob for a mess of porridge. Legend has it that Esau returned from one of his regular hunting trips and was famished. (Gen. 25: 29-34). He asked Jacob to help him with the meal he was preparing. Jacob asked Esau to renounce his birth right and to swear and bequeath it to him. Esau surprisingly did oblige, arguing that there is not much to such rights because soon we will all be dead.
Therefore, one can argue in mitigation of the role Rebecca played that she only concluded what Esau had already conceded. What has happened here could be traced to the “FALL”! The disobedience of our first parents; Adam and Eve, when they ate of the forbidden fruit at the centre of the Garden of Eden, which God specifically asked them not to eat. As a result of this disobedience mankind lost paradise as our first parents were expelled from the Garden of Eden so that they might not end up eating of the fruit of the tree of life.
As a result, sin and death also entered the world. This partly accounts for one of the reasons mankind suffers from the propensity to sin (Concupiscence) and our relationships among ourselves and with God was affected as we lost God’s friendship. For completeness, this offence accounts for the reason why suffering became the lot of mankind recalling God’s curse in consequence. Therefore, the verdict about the role Rebecca played in this tragic or may be not so tragic account must not be that of outright condemnation because God who is able to do all things should have stopped what transpired from taking place if that was not his will. It might also be helpful to recall the experience of Joseph in the hands of his brothers.
He was the favourite of their father who had him when he was advanced in age and bought him a coat of many colours to the envy of his brothers. We recall that Joseph had the special charism of being able to interpret dreams. His brothers disliked him and sold him into slavery after first attempting to kill him. But in Egypt, he became the favourite of Pharaoh, who charged him with the role of the distribution of grains during the period of the ravaging famine that came upon the world. He was able to leverage his position to be of assistance to the chosen people.
Therefore, God, who knows all things, actually sent Joseph ahead for the role he eventually played in the life of the chosen people inspite of tortuous experience he had. God’s ways are not ours, just as his thoughts are not usually aligned to ours. Therefore, at best, we should suspend judgement about the role Rebecca played in keeping with the advice that we must judge not if we ourselves are not to be judged. Thank you for coming along so far on this Biblical journey, and I do hope that I have been able to get you thinking on this quiet, slow, rainy, and hopefully fruitful weekend. Shalom.
• Dr. Boniface Chizea, a Financial/Management Consultant writes from Lagos.
