Lesson 54

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Bible Study 1 - Genesis 24

 

Series # 4:         FOLLOWING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF FAITH

Lesson 54:        Genesis 24.1-67 A BRIDE OF GOD’S CHOOSING

 

INTRODUCTION

(The story in a “NUTSHELL”)

Abraham is at an advanced age when we meet him in Genesis 24, he knows that the time of his departure is at hand, and he knows he has one thing left to do: provide for Isaac a godly wife. Therefore, it is that he calls to him his most trusted household servant, and makes him swear that he will seek the right kind of spouse for Isaac. Abraham stipulates that she must not be “from the daughters of the Canaanites;” rather, the servant must go to Abraham’s own relatives and seek a wife for Isaac. Abraham knew that among his relatives there was the knowledge of the Lord and there would be found a wife who would share a common Christian faith with Isaac. Abraham expresses to his servant his confidence that the Lord would give His provision concerning the right spouse for Isaac. Abraham’s confidence was based upon the importance of this matter, as well as the fact that it was in accordance with the Lord’s will. Furthermore, Abraham’s confidence was supported by the fact that he himself was setting a godly example in his request. When Abraham’s servant is entrusted with this most important task, he looks to the Lord for grace and favor. The servant asks the Lord to guide him and make clear to him who is the right woman for Isaac. When the Lord answers his prayer, Abraham’s servant remembers to express his gratitude to the Lord. If Rebekah’s family is unwilling to give her in marriage to Isaac, Abraham’s servant will continue his search among the other families of the area (presumably Abraham’s more distant relatives). However, even if the servant encountered the discouragement of having Rebekah’s family refuse to allow her to marry Isaac, he was still determined to do God’s will and trust Him for His provision. He would still trust in the Lord and pursue his search for a suitable wife for Isaac, confident that the Lord would honor his master’s undertaking and answer his prayer.

 

We must appreciate the spiritual perspective that regulated Abraham’s life and persuaded him to take such action on behalf of his son. There would have been a great temptation for Abraham to have his son, Isaac, wedded to one of the daughters of the Canaanites. Abraham, as a wealthy man, could have selected a very choice spouse for Isaac from among his Canaanite neighbors. By so doing he would have created an alliance with one of the leading families of Canaan. As a result he would have obtained a possession in the land of Canaan, securing a place in the land for Isaac; not to mention guaranteeing Isaac a continued and increased source of wealth. Nevertheless, Abraham’s spiritual perspective enabled him to look beyond the immediate and the worldly to that which is transcendent and divine. Christian parents of today would do well to have the same perspective as Abraham whose first priority with regard to a marriage partner for his son was his concern that she be a fellow believer so that they might share together a spiritual life in the Lord. This story is a marvelous illustration of Jesus who is the Heavenly Bridegroom and the Church which is the Bride of Christ.

My approach in this study will be a little different than usual, as you will notice some commentary and then more application toward the end. I just feel it to be important to understand what is going on and the meaning of the process in that day. However the end result and focus is A BRIDE OF GOD’S CHOOSING and the comparison between Isaac and his bride Rebekah, and Jesus and His bride, the church.

INTERPRETATION:

ABRAHAMS COMMISSION TO HIS SERVANT.

IN VV 1-4 ABRAHAM SENDS OUT A SERVANT TO SEEK OUT A BRIDE FOR HIS SON.

“1 And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.  2 And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh:  3 And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell:  4 But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac. ”

 

  1.  “2 And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had…” This was the servant named Eliezer . The reference to this is found in Genesis 15:2, or at least he was some 60 years before this. If it was someone else, the Holy Spirit didn’t give any indication of it.

  2. “…Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh” According to ancient custom, this described a serious oath. Abraham was extremely concerned that Isaac not be married to a Canaanite bride. The person binding himself put his hand under the thigh of the person to whom he was to be bound. He put his hand on the part that bore the mark of circumcision, the sign of God's covenant. Our ideas of fragility may rebel from the rite used on this occasion; but, when the nature of the covenant is considered, of which circumcision was the sign, we at once recognize that this rite could not be used without producing emotions of reverence and godly fear, as the contracting party must know that the God of this covenant was a consuming fire.

 

IN VV 5-9 THE MISSION IS CLEARLY DEFINED.

 

“5 And the servant said unto him, Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land: must I needs bring thy son again unto the land from whence thou camest? 6 And Abraham said unto him, Beware thou that thou bring not my son thither again. 7 The LORD God of heaven, which took me from my father’s house, and from the land of my kindred, and which spake unto me, and that sware unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land; he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence. 8 And if the woman will not be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my oath: only bring not my son thither again. 9 And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and sware to him concerning that matter.”

  1. “Abraham said to him…” Apparently, Abraham anticipated that he might die while his servant was gone, so the instructions were made perfectly clear. “…Beware thou that thou bring not my son thither again.” Isaac, the son of promise, never once left the Promised Land.

 

IN VV 10-14 THE SERVANTS MISSION IS COMPLETELY FULFILLED.

In these verses we also have Eliezers prayer to God. “10 And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his master were in his hand: and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor.  11 And he made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, even the time that women go out to draw water.  12 And he said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and show kindness unto my master Abraham.  13 Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water:  14 And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast showed kindness unto my master.”

 

  1.  “And he said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day…” Essentially, Eliezer asked God to guide through providential circumstances. Often (but certainly not always) this is a bad way to discern God’s will. Generally speaking, circumstances alone can be a dangerous way to discern God’s will. We have a way of ignoring circumstances that speak against our desired outcome (or we attribute those circumstances to the devil), while focusing on the circumstances that speak for our desired outcome. However in this case, Eliezer established what he would look for before anything happened. He wasn’t making up the standard as the process unfolded.

  2.  “…and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also…” Eliezer was wise enough to ask for a sign that was remarkable, but (in human terms) possible. He didn’t tempt God by asking for fire to fall from heaven or for protection as he made a leap from an unsafe height.

  3.  “…let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac…” In praying this prayer, there was a sense in which Eliezer set the odds against finding someone. It would take a remarkable woman to volunteer for this tedious task. (Considering that a camel may drink up to 20 gallons, watering ten camels meant at least an hour of hard work.)

  4.  “…and thereby shall I know that thou hast showed kindness unto my master.” Eliezer cared nothing about the woman’s appearance. He wanted a woman of character, a woman whom God had chosen.

 

IN V. 15 GOD ANSWERS THE SERVANTS PRAYER BEFORE IT WAS FINISHED.

 

“15 And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder.”

 

  1.  “And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out…” In Isaiah 65:24 it speaks of this kind of gracious answer to prayer: “It shall come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear.”

  2. “…Rebekah came out…with her pitcher upon her shoulder.” The servant did not yet know the prayer was answered; only time would prove it.

 

IN VV. 16-21 THE SERVANT, THOUGH SURPRISED, WAITS FOR COMPLETE CONFIRMATION OF HIS PRAYER.

“16 And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her: and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up. 17 And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher. 18 And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink. 19 And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw water for thy camels also, until they have done drinking. 20 And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels. 21 And the man wondering at her held his peace, to wit whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not. ”

 

  1. “And the damsel was very fair to look upon…” We generally regard the Bible as sometimes being given to understatement. When we read Rebekah “was very fair to look upon,” we should understand Rebekah was indeed very beautiful.

  2. “And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher.” The servant did not think it was unspiritual to introduce himself to Rebekah; yet, he certainly did not do anything to suggest that she should provide water for the camels. Prayer is no substitute for action.

  3. “…when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw water for thy camels also, until they have done drinking.” As Rebekah began the hard work of watering all the camels, the servant did not stop her. He wanted a woman who would not only say that she would water the camels, but who would actually do the hard work. Perhaps Eliezer knew that for some, it is much easier to talk like a servant than to actually serve. He wanted to see if she had a servants heart, not only a servants talk.

 

IN VV. 22-28, WHEN THE BRIDE HAD BEEN CHOSEN THE SERVANT GAVE HER RICH GIFTS EVEN BEFORE THE MARRIAGE TO THE FATHERS SON.

 

“22 And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold;  23 And said, Whose daughter art thou? tell me, I pray thee: is there room in thy father’s house for us to lodge in?  24 And she said unto him, I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, which she bare unto Nahor.  25 She said moreover unto him, We have both straw and provender enough, and room to lodge in.  26 And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the LORD.  27 And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I being in the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master’s brethren.  28 And the damsel ran, and told them of her mother’s house these things.”

  1.  “…I being in the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master’s brethren.” That showed the mentality of the servant. He felt it was his duty to be “in the way,” and to trust that God would guide him along the way. It is hard to steer a parked car. If we want to be guided by the Lord, we should be “in” or “on our way” and trusting God.

 

IN VV. 29-33 LABAN ENTERTAINS THE SERVANT.

 

“29 And Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban: and Laban ran out unto the man, unto the well.  30 And it came to pass, when he saw the earring and bracelets upon his sister’s hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, Thus spake the man unto me; that he came unto the man; and, behold, he stood by the camels at the well.  31 And he said, Come in, thou blessed of the LORD; wherefore standest thou without? for I have prepared the house, and room for the camels.  32 And the man came into the house: and he ungirded his camels, and gave straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet, and the men’s feet that were with him.  33 And there was set meat before him to eat: but he said, I will not eat, until I have told mine errand. And he said, Speak on. ”

 

  1.  “And Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban: and Laban ran out unto the man, unto the well.” Genesis 24:50 tells us that the father of Rebekah was Bethuel, who was still alive, yet it seems that Laban took the lead in representing the family. Perhaps Laban was already known for his ability to make a deal to his advantage.

  2. “…when he saw the earring and bracelets upon his sister’s hands…he said, Come in, thou blessed of the LORD; wherefore standest thou without?” Labans eyes were on the riches the servant brought. He was motivated to show appropriate hospitality to this mysterious visitor and to warmly greet him: Come in, O blessed of the Lord!

 

IN VV. 34-49 THE SERVANT TELLS HIS STORY AND THE PURPOSE OF HIS VISIT.

“34 And he said, I am Abraham’s servant.  35 And the LORD hath blessed my master greatly; and he is become great: and he hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and asses.  36 And Sarah my master’s wife bare a son to my master when she was old: and unto him hath he given all that he hath.  37 And my master made me swear, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife to my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell:  38 But thou shalt go unto my father’s house, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son.  39 And I said unto my master, Peradventure the woman will not follow me.  40 And he said unto me, The LORD, before whom I walk, will send his angel with thee, and prosper thy way; and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my kindred, and of my father’s house:  41 Then shalt thou be clear from this my oath, when thou comest to my kindred; and if they give not thee one, thou shalt be clear from my oath.  42 And I came this day unto the well, and said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, if now thou do prosper my way which I go:  43 Behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall come to pass, that when the virgin cometh forth to draw water, and I say to her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water of thy pitcher to drink;  44 And she say to me, Both drink thou, and I will also draw for thy camels: let the same be the woman whom the LORD hath appointed out for my master’s son.  45 And before I had done speaking in mine heart, behold, Rebekah came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder; and she went down unto the well, and drew water: and I said unto her, Let me drink, I pray thee.  46 And she made haste, and let down her pitcher from her shoulder, and said, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: so I drank, and she made the camels drink also.  47 And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? And she said, The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bare unto him: and I put the earring upon her face, and the bracelets upon her hands.  48 And I bowed down my head, and worshipped the LORD, and blessed the LORD God of my master Abraham, which had led me in the right way to take my master’s brother’s daughter unto his son.  49 And now if ye will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me: and if not, tell me; that I may turn to the right hand, or to the left. ”

 

REBEKAH IS BROUGHT TO ISAAC.

VV. 50-53 THE FAMILY AGREES TO GIVE REBEKAH TO ISAAC.

“50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceedeth from the LORD: we cannot speak unto thee bad or good.  51 Behold, Rebekah is before thee, take her, and go, and let her be thy master’s son’s wife, as the LORD hath spoken.  52 And it came to pass, that, when Abraham’s servant heard their words, he worshipped the LORD, bowing himself to the earth.  53 And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave them to Rebekah: he gave also to her brother and to her mother precious things.”

  1.  “Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceedeth from the LORD: we cannot speak unto thee bad or good. Behold, Rebekah is before thee, take her, and go, and let her be thy master’s son’s wife, as the LORD hath spoken.” In light of the evident hand of Gods providence, and the wealth of the servants master, the answer seemed obvious to Rebekah’s brother and father.

  2.  “…he gave also to her brother and to her mother precious things.” When an agreement of marriage had been made, it was customary for the bridegroom (or his representative) to give the family of the bride gifts as a dowry to demonstrate his financial ability to provide for the bride.

 

IN VV. 54-60 THE SERVANT INTENDS TO DEPART QUICKLY AND REBEKAH AGREES.

“54 And they did eat and drink, he and the men that were with him, and tarried all night; and they rose up in the morning, and he said, Send me away unto my master.  55 And her brother and her mother said, Let the damsel abide with us a few days, at the least ten; after that she shall go.  56 And he said unto them, Hinder me not, seeing the LORD hath prospered my way; send me away that I may go to my master.  57 And they said, We will call the damsel, and inquire at her mouth.  58 And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.  59 And they sent away Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant, and his men.  60 And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them. ”

  1. “…her brother and her mother said, Let the damsel abide with us a few days, at the least ten; after that she shall go.  56 And he said unto them, Hinder me not, seeing the LORD hath prospered my way; send me away that I may go to my master.” The servant was determined to leave promptly, and Rebekah was determined to make her home with her new husband. She understood that her loyalty should be with her new family. If the world does not succeed in persuading the believer to abide in the world, it will seek to delay his exit. When you decide to go with the Lord, the world will applaud your devotion but will say, “Don’t rush. Abide a few days, at least ten, and then go.”

  2.  “And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.” One of the most remarkable things about Rebekah was her total willingness to leave all to be with a bridegroom she had never seen. Her words “I will go” were worthy words of faith.

 

IN VV. 61-67 REBEKAH IS BROUGHT UNTO ISAAC AND THEY MARRY.

“60 And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them.  61 And Rebekah arose, and her damsels, and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man: and the servant took Rebekah, and went his way. 62 And Isaac came from the way of the well Lahairoi; for he dwelt in the south country.  63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels were coming.  64 And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel.  65 For she had said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, It is my master: therefore she took a veil, and covered herself.  66 And the servant told Isaac all things that he had done.  67 And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.”

 

  1. “And Rebekah arose, and her damsels and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man: and the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.” We can well imagine the conversations Rebekah and Eliezer had on the journey. She wanted to know all she could about Isaac, whom she loved without ever seeing, and he would be delighted to tell her.

  2. “What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, It is my master: therefore she took a veil, and covered herself.” The covering with a veil signified chastity, modesty, and submission. This was how Rebekah wanted to meet her bridegroom.

  3. “…Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide…” This was the first mention of Isaac since he was left on top of Mount Moriah in Genesis 22:19. We see nothing of Isaac from the time of his rescue from death (which might be thought of as a symbolic resurrection) to the time he was united with his bride.

     

  • In all this, we see the coming together of Isaac and Rebekah as a remarkable picture of the coming together of Jesus and His people. A father desired a bride for his son. A son was accounted as dead and raised from the dead. A nameless servant was sent forth to get a bride for the son. The servants name was actually Eliezer, meaning “God of help or helper.”  The lovely bride was divinely met, chosen, and called, and then lavished with gifts. She was entrusted to the care of the servant until she met her bridegroom.

 

  • The way Isaac and Rebekah came to each other is also instructive. They did not date in the modern sense; they served and sought God (Isaac did meditate in the field), and God brought them together. They obviously were more concerned with the will of God than with modern notions of romantic love.

 

ISAAC LOVED HIS BRIDE, AND JESUS LOVES HIS CHURCH.

        4.  “And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her:” Both Rebekah and the church were chosen for marriage before they knew it.

  • The Bible says in Ephesians 1:3-4, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:” They both were necessary for the accomplishment of Gods eternal purpose.

  •  The Bible says in Ephesians 3:10-11, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:” They were both destined to share in the glory of the son.

  • The Bible Jesus says in John 17:22-23, “And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: 23I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.” Rebekah and the church learned of the son through God’s representative. Rebekah and the church must leave all with joy to be with the son. Rebekah and the church were and are loved and cared for by the son.

 

EXPLANATION:

 

BOTH ISAAC AND JESUS WERE PROMISED BEFORE THEIR COMING.

 

They both finally appeared at the appointed time. They were both conceived and born miraculously. They were both given a special name before birth. They were both offered up in sacrifice by the father. They were both brought back from the dead. They were both head of a great company to bless all people. They both prepared a place for their bride. They both had a ministry of prayer until united with the bride.

 

For Rebekah, her encounter with Abraham’s servant came down to one important question, “Wilt thou go with this man?” She said, “I will go” and this response changed her life forever! From a spiritual viewpoint, everything boils down to that very same question. You see, in this story, Abraham is a picture of God the Father. The Servant represents the Holy Spirit. Rebekah represents the church, or those saved by grace and Isaac is a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

God the Father has sent His Holy Spirit into this world to call out a bride for Jesus Christ.

  • The Bible says in John 16:7-11, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 8And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.”

 

Like Abraham’s servant, the Holy Spirit does not promote Himself, but He talks about Jesus and calls lost people to come to Him for salvation.

  • The Bible says in John 16:13-14, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. 14He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.” Those who have their hearts encountered by Jesus through the Holy Spirit will be confronted with the greatest question man will ever face! “Wilt thou go with this man?” How we answer that question determines where we spend our eternity!

 

I want us to look at this passage from Rebekah’s perspective. I want to point out a few summarized thoughts that should make saying “Yes!” to the question “Wilt thou go with this man?” a little easier for anyone who has not already. 

 

SOME MATTERS WERE VERY CLEAR TO REBEKAH

 

ISAAC IS A MAN OF MYSTERY

The name of this man is not even revealed to Rebekah! This servant had over 500 miles to teach Rebekah about Isaac. His bag of riches was for her but she was unaware of it and it was mysterious. To a lost person, Jesus Christ can be mysterious and frightening. Lost people have all kinds of questions and fears. The best way to learn about Jesus is to come to Him by faith. The Spirit of God will teach us all about Him as we journey toward home! The Holy Spirit is in the teaching business.  

  • The Bible says in John 16:13-14, “13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. 14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you” We will never get Him all the way figured out, until we get home!

 

ISAAC IS A MAN OF MONEY

Everything Abraham owns is in the hand of the son. Verses 35-36 says, “35 And the LORD hath blessed my master greatly; and he is become great: and he hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and asses. 36 And Sarah my master’s wife bare a son to my master when she was old: and unto him hath he given all that he hath.” Laban is very interested in this! Everything the Heavenly Father owns has been given to His son. 

  • The Bible says in Romans 8:17, “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together” and He shares all He has with His Bride which is the church which is made up of those who believe and receive Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord.

  • The scope of this thought is found in Deuteronomy 10:14 where the Bible says, “Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the LORD’S thy God, the earth also, with all that therein is.”

  • The Bible says in 1st Corinthians 10:26, “For the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.” Look up and look around, everything you see belongs to Him and to us!

  • The Bible says in 1st Corinthians 2:9 “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” Jesus is well able to care for His bride!

 

ISAAC IS A MAN OF MATRIMONY

 

Genesis Chapter 24 and verse 4 says concerning Isaac, “4 But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac.” Verses 34-40 say concerning Isaac, “34And he said, I am Abraham’s servant. 35And the LORD hath blessed my master greatly; and he is become great: and he hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and asses. 36And Sarah my master’s wife bare a son to my master when she was old: and unto him hath he given all that he hath. 37 And my master made me swear, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife to my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell:  38 But thou shalt go unto my father’s house, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son. 39And I said unto my master, Peradventure the woman will not follow me. 40 And he said unto me, The LORD, before whom I walk, will send his angel with thee, and prosper thy way; and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my kindred, and of my father’s house:” 

 

Isaac was a man looking for a bride! It was every woman’s desire, in that day, to marry and have children. For Rebekah this must have been thrilling! Out of all the women this rich, eligible man could have chosen, he chose her! Don’t take the call of God to be saved lightly! To be called to come to Him for salvation is an honor beyond compare! When you think of the lost man’s condition, and what the Lord wants to do for him, it is an honor to be called and chosen to come to him for salvation!

  • The Bible says in Ephesians 2:13-22, “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. 14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;  15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;  16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:  17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.  18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.  19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;  20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;  21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:  22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.”

 

SOME MATTERS WERE VERY CLEAR TO REBEKAH AND GOD WANTS THEM TO BE CLEAR TO ALL OF US.


APPLICATION

SOME MATTERS ARE VERY CONCEALED TO REBEKAH

HER ROAD IS CONCEALED

She does not know what lies between where she is and where he is! There are many unknowns along the way, but the servant has all the necessary resources to make the journey successful! Just imagine some of the questions she might have had! None of us knows what will happen between here and Heaven! But, we can rest in the sure knowledge that He knows and plans the road ahead.

 

  • In the Bible Jesus says in John 10:4, “4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.”  

  • The Bible says in Psalm 37:25  “ I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.”

 

That tells me that He will go with us all the way home. Not a single one who begins the journey with Jesus will fail to make it home! The road may be rough and it may be fraught with peril, but we are ALL going through!

 

HER RECEPTION IS CONCEALED

When he sees her what will he think of her? Will she be accepted? Will she be loved? Notice that all her fears were in vain.

  • The Bible says in Genesis 24:67! “67 And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.”

 

My lost friend, you don’t wonder whether Jesus will have you or not. If you have never received Jesus as your Savior, if you will come to Him, He will never turn you away.

  • The Bible says in John 6:37 Jesus promised, “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” If you are already saved, you need not fear His rejection at the end of the journey!

 

HER REWARD IS CONCEALED

What is in this for Rebekah? Is this offer for real? If I could answer her, I would tell her, “Rebekah, you get a new Father, you get a new Family, you get a new Faith, you get a new Fortune, you get a new Future, and you get a new Fame. Rebekah, you get more than you could ever imagine when you get Isaac!” The world, the flesh and the devil will try to tell the believer that there is no payoff in serving God. Nevertheless, you remember this: the rewards for coming to Jesus are without number and without limit. 

  • The Bible says Paul declared in 1st Corinthians 2:9, “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” 

SOME MATTERS ARE CONCEALED TO US RIGHT NOW, BUT IT WILL BE WORTH IT ALL WHEN WE SEE JESUS.

 

SOME MATTERS ARE VERY CERTAIN TO REBEKAH

 

SHE WAS WILLING TO CHOOSE

  • The Bible says in Genesis 24:58, “And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.”

Even though she does not know all there is to know about Isaac, she knows that she wants to be with him. She doesn’t have all the information, but she has enough to choose! He sounds just like the man she wants to be married to. Salvation boils down to your wanting Him more than you want anything else in life. Being saved means coming to a place where you are willing to choose Jesus over your sins; Heaven over Hell; God over Satan. Salvation is about you reaching a place where you want to be free more than you want to be bound! Salvation is about you coming to a place of faith in Jesus Christ alone.

  • The Bible says there was an occasion recorded in  Acts 16:31 when those who were willing to choose said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” This is not something you can do just as a passing thought, but it is what Jesus wants to do for you.

  • The Bible says in Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

 

Rebekah looked around and said, “I want him more than anything I have here. I will go!” Salvation comes down to your being willing to make Him your choice, after He has made you His choice. It is no accident that you have this opportunity to make a willing choice. Jesus has chosen you and now it is up to you to choose him.

  • The Bible says in John 15:16 that Jesus said, “16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” Don’t allow anything to stand between you and your soul’s salvation! Nothing you can name in this world or in the world to come is more valuable than your being saved.

 

SHE WAS WILLING TO CHANGE

 

Rebekah had come to the place where she esteemed Isaac as being more valuable than anything else in her life. She was willing to turn her back on everything to go be with Him. She was willing to live in a new place, in a new way, under new management! This is the essence of salvation. It is a total life change, because it is a new life, period.

  • The Bible says that Jesus said in John 3:3, “…Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

  • The Bible says that Jesus said in verse 7, “Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.”

  • The Bible says that Paul said in 2nd Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.”

 

Coming to Christ means coming to the place where you are willing to turn your back on the old life forever and embrace a new way of living and walking. Being saved, is not turning over a new leaf, it is taking on a brand new life. Many balk at this point, but a heart of repentance is a necessary component of salvation.

  • The Bible says that Jesus said in  Luke 13:3, “I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. ”

 

SHE WAS WILLING TO COMMIT

 

Rebekah had reached the place where she was willing to commit the rest of her life to being Isaac’s wife. She was willing to give her all to him! Salvation is not about mere profession, it is about total commitment! There is no place in the church for so-called “easy-believism.” Salvation is a radical commitment to follow Jesus Christ for the rest of your life, with no reservations! Salvation comes when a lost sinner is convicted of his sins and is drawn to Christ. When that sinner believes the Gospel and repents of sin, he or she is saved! Salvation is a total, radical, permanent commitment!


CONCLUSION:

Rebekah made her decision to go to Isaac. As a result, she was loved, blessed and lived a happy, joyous life. It all happened because she said, “I will go!” when she heard the question, “Wilt thou go with this man?” 

 

What about you my friend? Deep in your subconscious mind and heart you know Jesus is calling, isn’t He? In your heart, you are hearing that same question asked today, “Wilt thou go with this man?” Well, will you? If you will go to Jesus, He will save you and change your life forever. You and you alone can decide what you will do with Jesus! Either you will go with Jesus or you will not! It is a choice only you can make. The Devil is telling you not to to it. Jesus is simply giving you His gracious invitation to a wonderful life the Devil is trying to keep you from knowing. Who are you going to listen to?

 

Jesus is standing at your heart's door. Standing and knocking, He's knocked before; this is the question we face once more:

WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH JESUS?

At your sad heart He is knocking still, Longing to enter your soul to thrill; you must accept or reject His will:

WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH JESUS?

Oh, will you leave Him alone outside? Or, will you choose Him whate'er betide? This is the question you must decide:

WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH JESUS?

What will you do with Jesus? What will you do with Jesus? Neutral you cannot be; Someday your heart will be asking:

WHAT WILL HE DO WITH ME?

 

DO YOU NEED SOME HELP?

 

To find more help in receiving Jesus Christ as your personal Savior please go to the Bible Study Title Page “ETERNAL LIFE.” Please send me an email and let me know about any decision for Christ you make so that I may pray for you. Feel free to send me any questions, comments, or responses you may have as well. For those who are already Christians I invite you to also please let me know of any decisions you make in your Christian life for Jesus. Please send me your questions, comments, or responses and let me know if the Bible Studies are helping you.

rfdenning1951@gmail.com

ALWAYS REMEMBER!

The support of your local Church ministry and the ministry of your Pastor should be the first priority of your Christian life and your service to the Lord. Be faithful to prayerfully prepare and attend Sunday School and Worship Service this Sunday and participate in worship as your Pastor preaches the Word. Do not forget to give the Lord at least your TITHE through your local church from your gross income – that is your first fruits. Any other other giving is an offering to a ministry unto the Lord. Honor the Lord in all you do and with all that you have. Always remember that everything you have and all you are belongs to the Lord. It is on loan to you – so manage it well! There will be an audit one day! Make sure the Books Balance!

 

All Bible Studies Are Prepared by Pastor Frank Denning And May Be Be Used By Permission.