Genesis 24 “Isaac and Rebekah”
Intro: Story of Abraham—left home at 75; God’s promise to him (Gen 12:1-3); 25 years later: Isaac; Great test of faith
-Sarah has died, Abraham is an old man and Isaac is a 40 year old bachelor
-How will God’s good purposes to bless the world through Abraham’s family come to pass?
M.I. God provides His people’s needs!
I. Old Abraham, Bachelor Isaac and a Faithful Servant (1-9)
-Abraham is old and has experienced God’s blessings in his life (1)
-He has seen God faithfully protect him and provide for him—child, wealth, and care.
-A Charge to His faithful servant: Find Isaac a wife from my people back in Mesopotamia (2-9)
-Abraham charges his servant to find a wife, not from the Canaanites, but from his own people (2-4)
-Possibly out of concern for their wickedness and idolatry
-The servant knows it will be hard task, and asks what to do if the woman refuses to come, should Isaac go there? (5)
-Abraham reassures that God will provide, but if the woman does not go then he is free of oath (6-9)
OBSERVE: There is a real need—Isaac need a wife, so that the fulfillment of promise will come to be!
-Abraham is trusting God’s provision and entrusting this difficult task to his faithful servant.
II. The Servant Departs with 10 Camels and Arrives at the City of Nahor (10-14)
-Taking 10 camels, and many gifts, the servant arrives at the city of Nahor (500 miles away—3 weeks) (10)
-New scene: at the well where the women of the city come out to draw water (11)
-A Prayer for Direction (12-14)
-The servant needs God to guide him and for a very specific action to take place ‘water for him AND camels’ (14)
–NOTE: His prayer and trust in God—He is seeking God to guide Him.
–CAVEAT: Don’t take this a model for us, normally God guides by His Word, wisdom, counselors
-But we’ll see, that like Gideon, God graciously responds to the servant’s prayer.
III. God’s Answer to the Servant’s Prayer (15-21)
-Quickness of God’s answer to the servant’s prayer (15-16)
-Fits what Abraham and servant sought out and more: Abraham’s family, virgin, beautiful, water jar (15-16)
-WATER JAR MOMENT (17-21)
-Servant requests water and is granted it by Rebekah (17-18), but we wait to see about the second part of request
-Rebekah also offers to water the camels! (19)
-Servant ponders if this is the one that will marry Isaac (20)
- The Woman is Revealed to be of Abraham’s Clan and Offers Hospitality to the Servant (22-28)
-After giving of generous gifts, an inquiry is made to the woman about lodging and kin (22-23)
-It is confirmed: Rebekah is of Abraham’s clan and there is room to stay (24-27)
-The servant WORSHIPS God, which is right response for us in answer to prayer (27)
–QUESTION: Have you been quick to worship God in all the ways He has answered your prayers?
-Rebekah runs home (28)
QUESTION: How will her family respond?
V. The Servant Meets Rebekah’s Family (29-57)
-The servant meets Laban, Rebekah’s brother (29-33)
-Commentators note the greed of Laban (30)
-The servant is before the family, with food and refreshment, but his MISSION FIRST! (33)
-The servant recounts his oath to Abraham and God’s guidance (34-49)
-Abraham’s experience of God’s blessing and the oath made (34-41)
-The servant’s pray made and answered (42-47)
-Rebekah is of Abraham’s clan!
-The servant’s worship and plea (48-49)
QUESTION: How will Laban and Bethuel respond?
-Laban and Bethuel Response Positively to the Marriage Request (50-54a)
-Laban and Bethuel accept that all this is from the LORD (50-51)
-The servant responds in worship (52)
-Gifts are given and the servant spends the night (53-54a)
-The servant requests leave, but Laban and Rebekah’s mother want a delay (54b-57)
-The servant’s character: eager to obey and not get sidetracked (54b)
-A delay is requested by Laban and Rebekah’s mother, and there is a disagreement (55-56)
-It will come down to Rebekah (57)
QUESTION: Will Rebekah be willing to leave her family and home?
VI. Rebekah Leaves Her Home and Travels to Caanan (58-66)
-The Willingness of Rebekah (58-61)
-Commentators note: Rebekah is like Abraham—leaving home and family in faith (58-59)
-The family blesses Rebekah as she leaves (60-61)
-Blessing is similar to the one received by Isaac after the testing
-Rebekah Arrives in Caanan (62-66)
-Rebekah completes the LONG journey back and sees Isaac from afar, and then veils herself (62-65)
-Isaac has been “meditating” in the field and sees her coming from a distance
–NOTE: First mention of meditating in Scripture
-Christian mediation: taking God’s word in our hearts and minds (tea bag)
-Eastern mystical: emptying of mind
-The servant recounts everything that took place to Isaac (66)
QUESTION: Will Isaac accept Rebekah as his bride?
VII. BEAUTIFUL, SATISFYING CONCLUSION (67)
-Isaac marries Rebekah! (67)
-She became his wife
-“he loved her”àcommentators ‘marriage, then love’
-Even better than just a wife: “Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death”
-As all of God’s gifts: come with other blessings.
SUMMARY: Isaac is married, and now the fulfillment of God’s promises to bless the world through the family of Abraham can continue. God has provided!
*BIG IDEA: God provides His people’s needs!
FULLFILLMENT IN THE GOSPEL: God provides His people’s needs!
-Our great need is to have our sins forgiven.
-Christ came into the world to save sinners (1 Tim 1:15)
-NOTICE: OTHER Gospel Blessings
-Love; Family; Forgiveness; Hope; Work; Rest; Life with God!
APPLICATION: Because God provides our needs, let us WORSHIP Him, SEEK Him and TRUST Him!
1 WORSHIP: Isn’t God amazing in the way He provides?
–Acts 17:25-27
-Unbeliever: God has been so good to you, that you might turn to Him!
-How long with you not respond to His kindness to you?
-Believer: see all the ways God has provided and give him thanks today.
OBJECTION: But what about unanswered prayer and needs that seem to go unmet?
ANSWER: 1 Our needs may actually just be wants
2. God may just not have answered that need yet—His timing is different ours
3. He may not be answering because our actually the thing will harm us (James 4:2-3)
4. Though painful, He may be using this to make you more like Christ
5. He may be using this to teach others what a genuine faith looks like—you love Him even as He withholds
**STILL STRUGGLING TO PRAISE GOD AS PROVIDER?
DO THIS: Start by praising Him for ALL the blessing that ours in the gospel (forgiveness, life, relationship w/God)
-THEN, ponder the ways He has provided for you and praise Him.
2. SEEK: Seek God who generously provides what His people need to accomplish His good purposes.
-Matt 7:7-11
-Let’s seek God to provide what we need!
-Marriage, family, ministry, work, relationships
-CCF Constituting: funds, people, continued grace
3. TRUST: trust in God’s provision and timing.
–Rom 8:32
-Let’s trust in God. He has shown himself trustworthy, and Christians are called to trust.
CLOSE: Praise God, our great provider! May God grant us the grace to praise, seek and trust Him this week!
