Genesis 24 Isaac and Rebekah

God’s Hand in Family Stories and the Search for a Spouse

One of the things that I enjoy when I get together with family is talking about life experiences things of our past. Many many years ago. We had a huge family gathering on my side of the family Down the shore and my mom and dad came and all my brothers and sisters Nieces and nephews and we let dad and mom speak about what life was like when they were young.

It's a special moment it's things that we we enjoy talking about. Probably one of the questions that's fun to answer. With people say so how did you and Sandy meet? And usually that is a fun conversation because We were both believers at the time and we could see God's hand in action.

I thought I was going on a ski trip. It turned out that it was a Officers Christian Fellowship retreat. And the speaker was was John Bishop. It was it was one of the most amazing life-changing Times for me as he ministered, but on that trip, this was from the Naval Academy, which was all men at the time.

There were about 12 young ladies that came on the trip. And we know of seven weddings that they came out of that trip. Ours was one I actually ran into Sandy literally on the ski slope knocked her down.

That's that's how we met. So we probably could go around the room on how did you meet and those those are good stories and they're fun stories. Genesis 24 How does Isaac meet Rebecca and that's what we're going to look at.

We're gonna see God's hand throughout this entire chapter. Carol you were there last night when I told the group I'm gonna be teaching 67 verses in one day and nobody believed I could do it. We will see.

We will see Jeff would you open us in a word for father God. Thank you for this study. We do pray for John that you give him the strength and the mental ability to handle 67 Verses in one sermon Lord.

We also pray that you would use this sermon for young people to find their Rebecca Lord God their Isaac. So God we pray that we would see marriages formed in this church amongst the young people and even old people as well Lord that you would just do this wonderful thing because your word says he who finds a wife finds what Is good and receives favor from the Lord?

So in this in this chapter, we're going to see things like a Parental involvement even before the concept of the wedding is going to take place. We're going to see the hand of God and in his sovereignty.

Then we're going to see how godly women are actually prepared by God blessed by God and we're going to see family Involvement on the woman's side, but yet we're going to see that the woman is honored because her response matters.

We're going to see how Rebecca does respond and how Isaac and Rebecca come together, but an amazing outline. For a family heritage. So Rick, I'm going to ask you to read verses 1 through 93. No, that's not I.

Please thank you. And while we're doing that I'm going to ask Jeff if you would get Jeremiah 29 11 you probably don't even need to look it up. But go ahead 1 through 9. Now Abraham was old well advanced in years.

And the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things. And Abraham said to his servant the oldest of his household who had charge of all that he had. Put your hand under my thigh. That I may make you swear by the Lord the God of heaven and God of the earth.

That you will not take a life for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I dwell. But will go to my country and to my kindred and take a life for my son Isaac. The servant said to him perhaps the woman may not be willing to follow me to this land.

Must I then take your son back to the land from which you came. Abraham said to him see to it that you do not take my son back there the Lord the God of heaven who took me from my father's house and from the land of my kindred and He spoke to me and swore to me to your offspring.

I will give this land. He will send an angel before you and you shall take a wife for my son from there. But the woman is not willing to follow you. Then you will be free from this oath of mine. Only you must not take my son back there.

So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master and swore to him concerning this matter. We start out with a picture of Abraham. He as it says here is now well advanced in years. Jeff last week you took us to the stage of life where Sarah has now gone home and.

And Abraham is now the father to Isaac. We could we could presume that Isaac by this time. If we were in chapter 22. It's debatable whether in that chapter 22 Isaac was a tweenager a teenager or a 20-something.

He's described as a lad. Let's for argumentation's sake say he was about 20. Time has passed. Has passed and now more time has passed so Isaac is definitely of the age. We're finding a wife would be the next perhaps stage in his life.

And it says Abraham is old and advanced in years so for him to take personal action. Probably it describes to me that this isn't something physically Abraham's going to do but he has a servant who is apparently well trusted.

He has in charge of all that he had so this would be a highly trusted servant in my mind. I'm thinking of Joseph down in Egypt and eventually gained the trust of Pharaoh and was given charge, so it's not unusual for there to be a servant master relationship like this.

But this servant as we go into the chapter appears to be a Yahweh Worshipper and we'll see that as that plays out and so Abraham approaches the servant and his concern is going to be. That Isaac does not settle for less than what God would want him to have as a wife.

He wants to make sure that he doesn't take a Canaanite that appears to be one bridge too far. They're going to live in the land of Canaan. But not to be married into the land of Canaan where there could be Compromise there could be the reintroduction of idolatry.

But it's interesting that he has given insight that the best place he could find a wife Suitable for his son was going to be back in the land of earth. Now that's where they left and they were all idolaters.

But in God's providence he encourages The servant to leave this land and go to that man and find a wife. The danger of finding the wrong wife. We know from a lot of experience in scripture like Solomon.

The wrong wife can lead the heart astray. Jeremiah 29 11 Clearly says that God is going to have a direction for us to go Jeff. For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord. Plans for welfare and not for evil to give you a future and a hope now that could be taken in a lot of ways.

He's talking about the nation of Israel, but it's definitely applicable as a parent is considering their child. And parents praying that the right godly spouse. Whether it's a woman for their son or whether it's a man for their daughter having the right godly.

The right godly spouse is really a submission to the sovereignty of God that God knows. He already knows who the right person would be and that doesn't mean that we're going to go down that path. Picking the wrong spouse Can be can be disastrous.

We're told to watch over our heart because allowing ourselves to be in the influence of peoples that we shouldn't could be. Encouraging us to take part of the practices of those people. But I find interesting in this passage.

Not only is Abraham speaking very Specifically to the servant go to the land and find the spouse. Do not let my son take a wife from the Canaanites and don't let my son go back and live there because God has Placed us here.

This is God's plan that they would be where they are and he wants this to be maintained. But I find it also interesting the interchange that the servant has with With Abraham actually introduces another very important point even at this point in time in history.

There is respect for the women. Having some say in who she's going to marry. He says what happens if the woman may not be willing to come what do I do then? And basically Abraham says then your oath is taken care of it's done.

So even now there is respect for God for his plan. There is definitely respect for the woman and her say in this but there is definitely a realization that the parents. The parental involvement and their children in finding the right spouse.

I think we could extend that to grandparents involvement and praying for their grandchildren. Who is the right spouse? To be done. And so what we have is we move into verse 10. We're gonna have the servant heading off and being obedient.

So Barb, I'm gonna ask you to read 10 through 14, please. And Psalm 121. Carol I'll ask you to have that ready 10 to 14.

The master's cabins and left taking. Kicking with him not bothers Neil by the town. Then he prayed a little God my master Abraham. Give me success today and show kindness to my master Abraham. Standing beside this spring and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water.

May it be that when I said say to a girl, please let down your jar that I may have a drink. She says drink and I'll water your camels to let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master.

I love this situation of first of all The the servant has received marching orders from Abraham. And and there's no indication of a delay the word then could be a period of time. It could be an immediate Transition but the servant having heard and they have been given marching orders by Abraham.

He takes ten of the camels and departs and brings all kinds of gifts and heads off Mesopotamia or he's heading off to the father's home. And he's on his way. So the the servant is going to be obedient in taking action.

It's the father's will but he's taking action and then what he does as he gets to the well. He has the camels and yelled out. This is okay. This is normal. They're gonna need a drink. But what he does now is he prays and he seeks God and he knows in his heart.

He knows that success to do what he needs to do, which is to find this woman. Should it be so success is going to rely on calling on God? And so he says Oh Lord God of my master Abraham. Please grant me success today and show steadfast love to my master Abraham going to the place of Direction a place where God would have this.

The servant Phil was first of all of importance. We have a Relative and I'm not going to go any deeper than that. She's having a hard time finding a husband. She purports to be a believer. But she's trying to find a husband in a bar.

What could go wrong. A lot can go our ways to find a believer that perhaps are more conducive To God's hand of lead and perhaps a bar is one of them. Now I know that there are there are Christian match calm websites.

They're they're awesome being in prayer and seeking but in this particular case The master instead of taking a shortcut where there might be some women closer to home. Finding an attractive woman who is willing to come and tend to be betrothed to to Isaac the journey from Canaan to her Is an arduous one.

They could go directly across the desert which they don't or they can go up and back down. It is it is a multi-day journey. And he takes the effort to go where he's supposed to go. And once he gets there and he has the camels kneeling down for some water he prays Oh Lord, God is my master Abraham.

Please grant me success today and show love to my master Abraham. He's going to take the journey. He is going to pray and now he is going to express trust in God. Because he's where God has ordained that he should go that God has already prepared a place.

Now it's interesting because he gets very specific in this prayer. But hold on standing by the spring of water and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. Okay, this is what's going on.

But now he gets very specific. Let the woman to whom I shall say Please lay your jar down that I may drink and who will say drink and I will water your camels. This is very specific. So we have a stranger coming into the land and he is already specifically saying we're here and the women are coming and going.

Lord, I trust that you're going to encourage me to approach the right woman the right lady the right young woman. And I'm going to ask her Please let down your jar so that I may drink me. But this woman is not only going to say sure but she's going to take it one step further.

And she is going to say let me take care of your camels as well. There is there is faith and there is trust and there is expectation that God is going to give what must be. Did I give Psalm 121? The servant is doing what needs to be done.

He is recognizing that God's will is going to be preferred amongst anything else that he could even put together in his own mind. Perhaps a shortcut, but he is going to rely on the fact that God's will is Preferred and when you understand that God's will is preferred.

The picture that he says is take action be in prayer and Trust and those must take the center stage as God is preparing to take care of what you need. So it's not only Abraham praying and being involved.

But now it's the servant taking action praying and trusting and so now we get introduced to Rebecca 15 to 21 candy if you would do that. And we're going to go to Proverbs 16 9. Tim you're going to have that one it's another one of Jeff's favorites.

But go ahead, please. Genesis 24 15 to 21. Okay stop. I gotta stop on this one. Do you hear what she just said. Okay, go back to the section before that now. Here's the servant and he's going to be saying and the woman will come and by this I shall know.

That you have shown test said test before he had finished. Saying Rebecca is on the scene an accident. No, this is God's already Placing and leading Rebecca to where she needs to be his sovereign will the sovereign plan is already unfolding.

Continue on. I Got an answer to that last question. Yeah, you did so here we have Rebecca and Can there be no doubt that this was already prepared in advance that Rebecca was already prepared in advance.

Now just as a little bonus. She's a she's a babe. That's a new living translation. And she had never been with a man. God had been preparing her for this very Moment in time and it just so happens that she was born to Bethel the son of Milka the wife of neighbor Abrams.

Brother, it just so happens that the right lady has been put together to be presented. That would be Isaac's Wife and that she would show up at just that moment. I Have to look at this now. The well would be outside the city and as it says here the woman come and go and they're taking you're getting water and so there would be a walk to go out and she has the jug on her shoulder and she's walking out and Well, this is about to happen the servant and his camels and everybody else.

They're coming down the road and they come to the well and all this is coming together. And now he starts to pray while he's praying she shows up. All of this was set in motion before the prayer. And so now she shows up and who is she.

She happens to be the right person that God has already selected. She happens to be prepared as a beautiful young maiden. She happens to be a woman that has never known a man before and by the way, she happens to have a servant heart.

Yeah, I think it's interesting that we don't know the name of the servant he plays such an important part. There are people we don't know their names and Noah's wife was not Joan of Arc. We do not know what her real name was, but she plays a big part.

Yeah, there are people that God has playing a huge part in Scripture. But you're right we don't know who the servant was. But he clearly is a man that understands and prays to Yahweh and has trust in Yahweh in this particular case Rebecca has been prepared by God and she is responding according to God's will she goes to the well at just the right time.

The stranger comes up and says give me a drink and she says let me dip my finger in the well. And get a drink that you may drink and having done that she says and let me get some water for your camel as well.

How random is that? And that's exactly the prayer that the servant had had in this section above now if I'm thinking of The servant and the marching orders he was given. Would go to the land of my forefathers and find a woman that would come and be the wife for my son.

It's not written that Abraham told him how to do it. He was just told do it. He could have gone out and perhaps had A bachelorette party or something, you know find the one that wins the no. That's not what he does.

What he does is seeking God because of God's plan. Proverbs 16 9. The heart of a man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps. Everything about this episode in this section here 15 to 21 is God Establishing the steps and putting all the pieces together Where they must be and I love the fact that even before Before he had even started his prayer God put the steps in place to answer that prayer.

And because of this prayer everything that comes to be completely is fulfilled through this episode. Prayer that he played godly women are definitely led by the Lord now 22 to 28 we see blessings and Matthew 6 33.

If you would get Matthew 6 33 ready for us, please give me 22. Oh, who's next to read? Are you ready? Can you read a big passage for me? Yeah. All right 22 through 28. And then Rick you're gonna go to Matthew 6 33 godly women are blessed 22 to 28.

And it came about when the camels had finished drinking that the man took a gold ring. Weighing a half shekel and two bracelets for her wrist weighing ten shekels in gold and said Whose daughter are you?

Please? Tell me is there room for us to lodge in your father's house? And she said to him I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Melchizedek. Who she bore to Nahor and again? She said to him we have plenty then the man and he said Blessed be the Lord God and my man who has not forsaken his loving kindness and his truth toward my master.

As for me, the Lord has guided me in the way to the house of my master's brother. Then the girl ran and told her mother's household about these things. There is blessings abounding in this situation and it has a lot to do with the fact that the servant is obedient.

Rebecca has been prepared. Rebecca is obedient. So the camels are done drinking. I've never raised camels. I Think they drink a lot of water. So they store they store a lot of water. So it's not like Rebecca went to the well and dropped and picked up one pail full of water.

I imagine this was this was a job that they she did and she did. But then the family when the camels had finished drinking by the way the servant back in Verse 10 had taken verse 11. He took camels and all sorts of choice gifts.

He was already prepared to honor and bless this woman that God was going to bring so he gives her a Gold ring and bracelets and all this other kind of stuff and then he asks this important question. Who are you?

Now I find it interesting that he didn't say who are you and base that answer. Give her the gifts. There seems to be a certain level of confidence in God that he gave her and so then he asks her Who are you and I don't think this is a test to see if this is the right woman.

This could just as well be a validation to this woman that there is a reason why she's being called. Or now he has the information to bring back to Abraham, but in any way, please tell me whose daughter you are.

Is there room in your father's house? And now comes the hospitality side. She says yeah, I'm actually a relative of your of your master. And oh, by the way, we got room we got straw. We have a nice king-sized bed with a my pillow pillow for you to lay on by the way, I guess.

What's his name? Mike Lindell, I guess some big-box store canceled the order. And so he has all of these my pillow pillows and he's selling for $19 .95. It's commercial 1488. Yeah. There is Hospitality and there is willingness to have fellowship.

There doesn't seem to be any concern. This is a stranger there just seems to be an Acknowledgement that this is the right person and how does the servant respond. He bows his head and he prays Blessed be the Lord the God of my master Abraham who has not forsaken his steadfast love and his faithfulness.

Toward my master and as for me. The Lord has led me in the way to the house of my master's kitten giving credit to God and seeing how God has been orchestrating this union between Isaac and Rebecca it's been prayed for and prepared on Abram's side and now it's clear on Rebecca's side.

The house is prepared and God has had a hand in bringing them together. Did I have Matthew 633. Sorry, go ahead. Give me the verse before that. Knows what you need. And and we learn that if you seek his kingdom.

That the things that you need will be given unto you and in this case God has Honored Abram is out of the servant and now he is honored Rebecca's family because all of this is coming together at this point in time.

See God has prepared this way. And with God having prepared this way there are going to be blessings that follow out of it. Family involvement on Rebecca and I love this section too, because it demonstrates that women are not chattel.

Women are co-equal in the eyes of the Lord with a different role. But women are co-equal in the eyes of the Lord. 29 to 33. Jeff if you would do that Rebecca had a brother whose name was Laban. Laban ran out toward the man to the spring as soon as he saw the ring and the bracelets on his sister's arms and Heard the words of Rebecca his sister.

Thus the man spoke to me. He went to the man and behold he was standing by the camels at the spring. Okay, hang on a second. This is this is so cool. Have you ever been involved with people and perhaps you've been praying for something to happen?

There was a Couple that we knew a family that we knew many many years ago at a previous church. And the guy was part of our men's fellowship. He was on our softball team, but he did not know the Lord.

The wife did and Jenny had been praying praying praying the church had been praying and praying and praying, you know for Bill to come to know the Lord and and one day We're in the vestibule outside the sanctuary and Jenny came in and I took one look at her and I said Bill just accepted the Lord.

Because it was written all over her face. Do you ever see that where the expression of somebody is just so there that the reality of what is there because of God's. You know the glory of God. So here here's Laban Rebecca's brother.

He comes out and he sees his sister and she's got all these jewels on and he goes. Oh, I know what just happened. I Continue on he said come in. Oh blessed of the Lord. Why do you stand outside for I have prepared the house in a place for the camels?

So the man came to the house and unharnessed the camels and gave straw and fodder to the camels and There was water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him. Then food was set before him to eat.

But he said I will not eat until I have said what I have to say. He said speak on. Even Rebecca's family is going to be involved in this now because The again the charter was go find the wife for my son Isaac.

From my my parents household bring her back to me. Do not let him take a wife of the canine I expect don't let my son live there, but go find. So he goes in obedience and then he prays. He prays very specifically and while this is all going on God has already prepared Rebecca to come and they meet and the very specific prayer is answered and and she goes running into the house and Lavin sees her.

The young woman ran and told her mother's household and Rebecca told a Brother his name was Lavin. He says I saw the ring. I saw the bracelets. What's up, dude? I know what you're all of us. The man spoke to me.

He went to the man of a whole standing. He said come in. Oh blessed of the Lord. Why do you stand outside for I have prepared a house and a place for your camels? The family was even involved. It wasn't just Rebecca.

It wasn't just Abraham. It wasn't just a servant. The house of Rebecca has already been prepared for this to happen. So the brother goes out and he sees the servant and he says come in blessed of the Lord.

Now I didn't dive too deep into this but What do we know about? Abram's family. God calls Abram out his family his heritage were not Yahweh worshippers. But in this case. In this case the family of Rebecca is given the grace.

And the vision to know that this was something from God. This is something special. Oh blessed come in blessed of the Lord. Why do you stand outside for I have prepared that's past tense. I have already been anticipating your coming.

I have prepared a place for the camels. So the man came in and he took care of the camels and he washed the man's feet and those were with him and set food before him. But he said I will not eat until I have said what I have to say.

He said speak on. There's got to be a communication and all this hospitality and all this caring is beautiful stuff. It happened incredibly quickly, which is why I say that God has already been doing this while the servant was on the way.

There you go. This is the sovereignty of God. Was all this by accident clearly not Constantly. How much of this is the result of the fact that I think that Abraham has been praying for Isaac. And I I don't think it's too big of a stretch for me to say that that this family has Some knowledge of Yahweh and they've been preparing in prayer for the right man for their daughter Rebecca.

I See I see family involvement in a godly bringing together of a young man. That's why we pray for your children, that's exactly it that's exactly right. That's why you pray for your children. She still is a beautiful woman just to know that God can be involved in establishing.

There is hospitality. There is love. There's all this stuff in here. What confirmation is there? What more confirmation? Can you have that God has taken care and prepared the way we now go to? 34 to 39 Barbara unit 34 to 39 and we're going to skip part of it because it is a is going to be a repeat but start started.

34.

Servants and maidservants and cattles and donkeys. My master's wife Sarah has born him a son in her old age and he has given him everything he owns. And my master made me swear an oath and said You must not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites in whose land I live.

But go to my father's family and to my own clan and get a wife for my son. Then I asked my master What if the woman will not come back with me? He replied the Lord before whom I have walked will send this angel with you and make your journey a success.

So that you can get a wife for my son from my own clan and from my father's family.

Okay, now stop. What's gonna happen now is he's gonna repeat everything pretty much that we've read almost almost verbatim and if we take this down to. They started at verse 48 and.

Now what's going to happen here now is is the servant this this is already seemingly coming to place Servant of my master Abraham who had led me on the right road to get the granddaughter of my master's brother for his son and then 49 is now if you will show kindness and faithfulness to my master tell me and if not Tell me so I may know which way to turn.

Now what's going to happen here now is is the servant this this is already seemingly coming to place the The events that are occurring and occurring in a special way. There's clear evidence to it. But notice that the servant is submitting to the authority of Rebecca's family.

And this is in God's economy, too. There are scriptures that talk about Ephesians 6 1 2 3 obey your parents honor your father and mother. There are scriptures that talk about a father's responsibility to have spiritual Authority spiritual teaching over his children.

There are scriptures that talk about the familial relationship but the the the picture of Somebody who has perhaps been courting is dating has desires for in this case It's through a servant that a daughter's hand would be given in marriage is Submitted to the authority of the father of the family and I think this is scriptural.

And I think it's a good picture for our young people to understand to have that as well. Abraham's design was accepted by Abraham's Servant and he goes and he talks first of all. He worships and blesses the Lord after recounting everything that had happened.

So that the family is fully apprised of who he is how he got here what has led him to this decision and then he bows his head and I think in front of her family and Worships the Lord and blesses the Lord.

And has led me to the daughter of masters can now tell me if it's okay with you. He is not Presuming anything. He is following after biblical structure of the family and in this case Rebecca's family honored obey your father and your mother Carol.

Thank you. God, please 50 to 61. Bring in Rebecca. Then leave it. Yes. Okay, stop right there so the interchange at this point in time is one of respect obedience and anticipation that God has already ordained this union, so Laban and Bethuel answer this thing has come from the Lord.

We can't speak to you good or bad. Rebecca is before you we need to see what she has to say. Abram's servant heard the word. And Rebecca comes. They give her more ornaments and then we're with them ate and drank.

And he said send me away to my master. So now he wants to give this good news back to Abram and there is this conversation. Well, let her stay ten more days and after that she should go started. 56. Wow.

Isn't that isn't that beautiful. This seems to be ordained by God everybody in agreement everybody in agreement. This seems to be ordained by God. But let's ask Rebecca see in God's. In God's economy men and women are created equal.

Women are not just chattel to be taken and given away women are women are. Women are people now. There are different roles within the marriage, but I love this and it says let's call the woman. And ask her go ahead.

Okay, let's stop there. So the parents the father her family they give a set. This is the proper and the orderly way that it should go yet. They are going to stop before this train leaves the station and make sure that this is Rebecca's desire as well.

See, I think Rebecca has been preparing Abram. He's been preparing the servant. He's been preparing Rebecca for the response the family for the inner Interchange and now he's preparing Rebecca's heart to say yes.

I am willing to leave my family my home and become the wife of another man. The blessings are given may you become the mother. That's a lot of kids. I think it's offspring and generations. May your offspring possess the gates of those who these are.

This is almost a repeat of Genesis 12 1 to 3 the blessings that God gives to Abraham you'll be the father of many nations and many of those promises and then Rebecca and a young woman. Rode with the camels and followed the man.

And now we get into the beautiful Culmination of this story that is so candy. Give me a 62 to the end.

I love this picture.

If I go back to Genesis 2 18 22 God said it's not good for man to be alone and he brings all of the animals of the kingdom. But there was no suitable help mate to be found. And so God puts a deep sleep on the Adam takes a rib and from rib He forms woman and when the Adam wakes up, he brings them together.

God brings the husband and the wife together. And how has this story culminated with Isaac out in the field and Rebecca coming in on the camels again? They just happen to be at the same place at the same time and the introduction of Isaac and Rebecca is one of the most beautiful culminations of a love story of a God's Sovereignty story and this marriage is established in love and in comfort.

It says that that he loved her for the rest of his life and was comforted in his mother's death. This is God's design. Okay women the world is going to encourage you to be all that you want to be. You can bring all the bacon you can.

Fry it up in the pan. The world is going to encourage women to be all of that. But I'm telling you that God has a better plan a sovereign plan. He wants you to be with a husband and wife together in perfect union.

That's his design men. You need to be seeking after a godly woman. Not the most attractive one. Definitely not one. You're just gonna find in a bar find a godly woman. Women seek after a godly man. Don't settle for less.