Genesis 25:23 NKJV
And the LORD said to her: “Two nations are in your womb, Two peoples shall be separated from your body; One people shall be stronger than the other, And the older shall serve the younger.”
Raised by parents whose walk of faith in God was remarkable, Isaac must have grown up learning a life of faith from a tender age. When the time came for Isaac to marry, it took faith in God to have Rebekah in his life, which God did (Gen 24)! Like his father’s experience, Isaac also had to trust in God for an offspring because Rebekah took a while to conceive. Graciously, the LORD heard their prayers and blessed them with twins (Gen 25:20-21)! As Rebekah was expecting, the Scripture says, “…the children struggled together within her; and she said, “If all is well, why am I like this?” So she went to inquire of the LORD” (Gen 25:22 NKJV).
That alone indicates that Rebekah had been in a prayerful mode; she was no stranger in the presence of God through prayer. In response, the LORD said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, Two peoples shall be separated from your body; One people shall be stronger than the other, And the older shall serve the younger” as in our reference text. Ordinarily, the younger should have served the older; but God’s design was different. It is the same design with which John the Baptist (who was older) served Jesus Christ in all humility and gladness (Joh 3:27-35). In a spiritual sense, that design also applies between our inner regenerated spirits and our outer physical bodies.
In comparison with the years our physical bodies have lived on earth, for almost all of us, our born-again regenerated spirits are much younger in age (number of years). In the same design, the Scriptures teach that our bodies must submit to our regenerated spirit—who is empowered and led by the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:6; 1 Cor 14:14-15; Gal 5:16). That said, the perception that God’s people cannot break free from ungodly bodily habits and passions is a lie from the pit of hell that cannot hold. The older physical self must serve the younger regenerated self. Yes, in Christ, our bodies are meant to serve the interests of our Holy Spirit-led regenerated spirit, not the other way round. Therefore, let the inner self reign; you will certainly lead a life that pleases the LORD.
Pst. Emmanuel