A grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah

Bible Reading: Genesis 25-26

Genesis 26:34-35 And Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite: 35 Which were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah.

Esau married two wives which were a grief of mind to his parents. Part of the grief must have been from the fact that Isaac had seen the results of a man having more than one wife. His own father had to send Hagar and his half-brother Ishmael away because of the strife in their home. How can a man be one flesh with more than one woman?

From the very beginning, God intended one man and one woman to be married and be one flesh. They are in a covenant together with God as a couple. Trying to have this kind of relationship with more than one is an absurdity.

Another part of the grief of Isaac and Rebekah was the fact that Esau married Hittite women. These were not followers of the one true God. They worshipped false gods. Surely their idolatrous beliefs would have an effect on Esau and especially on their grandchildren.

So many times, people marry someone that holds a very different set of beliefs and core values than themselves. They think these things do not matter, but as time goes by they begin to realize how important they truly are. Isaac and Rebekah were people in covenant with God. They knew there was only one God and all others were idols and impostors. Their grief came as they saw Esau go away from what he was taught. Their grief would continue as they saw the strife of Esau's home. Their grief would get greater as they saw the results of the Hittites upon their grandchildren.

Marriage is a wonderful thing in the sight of God. However, he warns us:

2 Corinthians 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

In Christ,
Rody