Answers Bible Curriculum Second Edition Unit 4 Lesson 39
This week in Sunday school, we look at how God brought about the marriage of Isaac and Rebekah. What is so remarkable about the way they were brought together? Why did Moses write this account for the people of Israel? And what should be our own takeaway for life today?
Our main text for this lesson is Genesis 24:1-67.
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good morning everyone welcome to Sunday school thank you so much for being here it is great privilege to go through the Scriptures together with you today we are moving along in Genesis we reached the historical account of God providing a bride Abraham’s son Isaac now we’re gonna jump right into the text a little bit of review of last week’s gonna come as we approach the context for a new passage here’s our agenda for today’s class we’re going to examine the time details that inform the context of Genesis 24 and then we’re going to observe and interpret that section of Scripture we’re gonna conclude by considering once again application of this passage because even though this is an interesting story and in some ways maybe even a little bit romantic it was written for our instruction it was written for us to be changed by a new courage but and so we don’t want to miss that well take some time again to look at application with this passage so let’s pray and we will get to text our Lord and God we thank you that you are the faithful God and that you are so full of compassion thank you for your word this was a great act of compassion and giving us a record of things that we could not know and we could not know accurately unless you told us we think you God because your revelation is indeed a lamp it shows us how to live it shows us how to think it shows us how to walk so I prayed that you would make your word clear to our understanding please work by your spirit in both the way I speak and and how the people listens so that we can apply this work in Jesus name Amen okay open your Bibles please to Genesis chapter 24 if you’re using the Pew Bible maybe page 22 Genesis 24 I’m not going to read the text right away because like I said want to start by examining the context especially the time details related to this passage this is our main passage for today though Genesis 24 what is the context of this passage well last time we were in chapter 22 and we saw Abraham’s great test where God commanded Abraham to sack provides the son of promise his son Isaac but abraham believed God and he trusted that God could bring Isaac the son of promise back from the dead if God had to because God did say it was from Isaac that your descendants would be named so Isaac had to survive and God showed himself faithful God showed that Abraham’s belief was not misplaced God provided a substitute for Isaac and Isaac was spared but he just glanced back a couple pages the end of chapter 20 to get some little details worth noting end of chapter 22 you scared verses 20 to 24 you see Abraham received some news what’s the news all his relatives have had children it’s relatives back in Mesopotamia they had children that’s not insignificant for what happens in chapter 24 but if we also want to say something about chapter 23 we’re starting to transition we’re starting to transition from the life of Abraham and things started happening quickly at the end of chapter 22 because in chapter 23 Sarah dies yes Sarah we’ve been with us for the last number of lessons she dies in chapter 23 focuses on Abraham obtaining a burial ground purchasing a burial ground from the Canaanites so that he can bury Sarah if we skip over to chapter 24 for a second and just look at the beginning of chapter 25 if you just scan the first 11 verses of chapter 25 you’ll see that we have two events recorded for us in this passage at the beginning of this passage we have Abraham’s new marriage yes Abraham does give me married after Sarah’s death and we also are told about the death of Abraham so like I say we’re transitioning out of the life of the first patriarch Sarah dies Abraham dies but Abraham before he dies he hears about his relatives having kids and that’s important because what does Isaac meet Isaac needs a bride so this is Moses by the Spirit of God moving us from the life of Abraham to the life of Isaac and chapter 24 in many ways represents a transition chapter now can we be specific can we be more specific about the timing of Genesis from before well in fact we can that’s when I want to walk you through now like a true historian moses as once again left us a number of specific time details so we know and israel wouldn’t know exactly where they were in the chronology of the world you’re a couple of questions that will focus us on the time details how old was Isaac at the time of his mother’s death we actually get this information if I go back to Genesis 1717 this is when God was announcing the birth of Isaac part of his what part of his announcements because he doesn’t multiple times Genesis 17 17 says an Abraham fell on his face and laughed and said in his heart will a child be born to a man one hundred years old and will Sarah who is 90 years old bear a child so how was she when she bore Isaac 19 now Genesis 23 Genesis 23 verses 1 to 2 talks about Sarah’s age at her death Genesis 23 1 to 2 says now Sarah lived 127 years these are the years of the life of Sarah Sarah died and kiryat arba that is Hebron in the land of Canaan and Abraham went into Morris air until weep for her so if Sarah was 91 she had Isaac and died at 127 how old was Isaac when Sarah died I always get trying to do math in our Sunday School class but I believe the answer is 37 years old right hundred 27 – 90 Isaac would have been 37 when his mother died now hold it how old is Isaac when he gets married we get this detail as well and Genesis 25 2010 is’s 25 20 says an Isaac was 40 years old when he took Rebecca the daughter of Beth the world aramean of paddan-aram the sister of Laban the air man to be his wife so then Isaac’s marriage takes place about three years after his mother’s death when Isaac is 40 ah how long would it be until Isaac and Rebecca would have children Moses tells us this as well Genesis 25 26 Genesis 25 26 it says afterward his brother came forth with his hand holding on to Esau’s heel so his name was called Jacob and Isaac was 60 years old when he gave birth to them interesting how long was it before Rebecca bore children Isaac twenty years he gets married at 40 house Jacob and Esau when he’s 60 so 20 years went by now as you can see that’s kind of a long time and this problem this trial of bareness and infertility it wasn’t just a problem for Abraham and Sarah and actually proved to be somewhat of a problem for Isaac and Rebecca and it’s gonna come back even with Jacob and Rachel is this all a big coincidence no of course not this is our sovereign good wise God providentially working in the lives of the patriarchs and even the life of Isaac and the life of Rebecca just as he did with Abraham and Sarah Isaac and Rebecca would pray to the Lord about obtaining a child and remember they too had the promises of a seed the wonderful promises given to Abraham and yet they didn’t see it right away it’s because God was working in their lives he was refining them so that they too would be people of faith now just another little time thing how old was abraham when jacob and esau were born actually he was still alive at that time because we hear later on in chapter 25 that abraham died at a hundred and seventy five and if Abraham was a hundred when Isaac was born and now as it has kids at sixty then that means that Abraham was 160 years old when Jacob and Esau were born it was still alive so he got to see the next generation even after Isaac and saw these two these two these two babies grow up into young men it’s just as the writer Hebrew says Abraham didn’t totally obtain the promises but he saw them from a far distance and he welcomed them he was seeing the beginning of the Lord’s purposes and even the Lord’s specific promises to Abraham being worked out he saw it in Isaac and he saw it even in the birth of Jacob so this gives us a little bit more context and if we combine this information from war with the time information given in Genesis 5 in Genesis 11 remember those unique Crono genealogies that Moses gives us we can roughly place all of all of these events or particular the events of Genesis 24 around 1915 BC guys if we use Genesis 5 Genesis 11 and we don’t infer gaps which I’ve argued with I’ve argued in this class that we shouldn’t infer gaps in those genealogies that gives a creation date of about 4000 BC and based on a number of calculations from that we would have the marriage of Isaac to Rebekah around 1915 BC so again you see you can see that Moses is very conscious about giving time details because this is true history and he wanted the people of Israel to know when these things were taking place and where their own lives are taking place in the timeline of the world and that’s helpful for us even the modern-day okay so we’ve got some context but now let’s actually get to our main passage so if you haven’t yet turn to Genesis 24 it’s a big chapter well won’t read every verse but we will read a good chunk of it and I’ll summarize some of the other parts of course in any big passage we can’t observe everything in fact even though I’m trying to model observation interpretation application in class there’s so much more that we could observe and talk about then we have time in one hour each Sunday morning but I’m trying to highlight for you the key details and give you a sense of what the process of Bible interpretation looks like that three-step method inducted Bible study observe just look for the basic details interpret ask questions based on what you observe and then apply based on what you interpret ask yourself how does it work out in your life but before we can do any of that that’s actually read the text it’s let’s do that we’re gonna start with just Genesis 24 verses 1 to 8 Genesis 24 1 to 8 how long with me please as I read now Abraham was old advanced in age and the Lord that is Yahweh Yahweh had blessed Abraham in every way Abraham said to his servant the oldest of his household who a charge of all that he owned please place your hand under my thigh and I will make you swear by Yahweh the God of heaven in the god of Earth that you shall not take away from my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I lived but you will go to my country and to my relatives and take a wife for my son among I take away from my son Isaac the servant said to him suppose the woman is not willing to follow me to this land should I take your son back to the land from where you came then Abraham said to him be aware that you do not take my son back aid Yahweh the God of heaven who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my birth and who spoke to me and you swore to me saying to your descendants I will give this land he will send his angel before you and you will take a wife for my son from there but if the woman is not willing to follow you then you will be free from this my oath only do not take my son back there so the servant placed his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master and swore to him concerning this matter okay this first part here got two people Abraham and an unnamed servant now it’s interesting that this servant who’s kind of an important character in this past that she never gets a name and even though he doesn’t have a name we do get some important details about him notice that he is the oldest of Abraham’s household old a servant they’re the most experienced and most trusted he had charge of all that Abraham owed this isn’t the first time that Abraham’s top servant is mentioned in the Bible if we go back to Genesis 15 to before Isaac is born Abraham confesses to God that his heir is someone of his own household Eliezer of Damascus this is someone not of Abraham’s bloodline what’s that all about on those days if you had no children you still had to pass your stuff along to somebody and so it would be the oldest most trusted most experienced servant in your household so likely Eliezer of Damascus was Abraham’s top servant and if Eliezer had not died between Genesis 15 and Genesis 24 then this would be that same servant but if you had this would be even the next top servant in Abraham’s household by the way kind of interesting to note that if Isaac were not to inherit all that belong to Abraham to whom would it go well namely this servant but Abraham Commission’s this servant to act on behalf of Isaac and if the servant is successful then that forever precludes the servant from getting any of what Abraham would pass on nevertheless Abraham entrust the servant with this vision now Abraham tells this servant to place the servants hand under Abraham’s thigh ooh that sounds a little weird what’s going on with that well the context should help us understand basically what is a ritual here this act of placing is a one’s hand under his thigh what must it me it must have something to do with seriousness sobriety solemn this and we can tell this because of the other details here in the passage abraham makes him swear an oath while his hand is placed there and the oath is not just any oath the object of the ODE is Yahweh himself his name is invoked and Yahweh’s name is not to be trifled with of course the area under once the eye is a very private intimate area so this is serious now we don’t quite have a custom like this today I’d say thankfully a somewhat similar custom would be something like swearing on the Bible though even that it’s something that people don’t really do anymore it’s the idea that you’re showing as you swear that you are extremely serious you recognize the importance of what you’re swearing to Abraham is sending his servant on a very serious mission and it wants a servant to square by the God of heaven and the god of Earth to obey its be careful to fulfill all that Abraham tells them to do now notice the specific charges Abraham gives to his servant they first has you must not do something what must the servant not do do not Abraham says take a wife for Isaac from the Canaanites among the people who live around Abraham stead Abraham says go to my relatives in my former country and take a wife from among my relatives now look down at verse 10 for just a second we’ll read this person a little bit what is it that Abraham’s relatives lives in a town of nahor in Mesopotamia don’t know exactly where that is but based on the travel of Abraham’s family before it’s likely then they or is close to the city of Haram where Abraham stopped along with his father on the way from her the Chaldeans the way to Cain so likely Nahor is in northwest mesopotamia this would have been a long way from where abraham is currently living about 400 or 500 miles one way or a round-trip would be about 800 to a thousand miles that’s roughly the distance between New York City and Columbus Ohio it’s even a long trip by today’s standards and if we go by car but back then of course they didn’t have cars they were using camels or other animals or just their moon feet so this would be a long way to go and it would take some time nevertheless this is the chart Abraham kids to his servant the servant however anticipates a potential problem with this trip he says well there’s something that might happen the woman in might not want to come back with me and we can see why it’s a long way especially for someone that she doesn’t know that well to marry a man whom she’s never met what might the interested woman as she is indeed interested what might she suggest instead of traveling all the way to came in to meet and marry this husband why aren’t you burning it here look at let me talk to myself so their servant asked should I take your son with me to this land Abraham’s reaction is quite poignant how would you characterize that reaction absolutely not emphatic no do not take my son back do not do that that at all cost do not take my son back to Mesopotamia any PM says two things to reassure history he says God previously called me to separate from my relatives and to come to this land to be blessed here he will send my angel or he will send his angel before you to grant success and if she refuses to come back you’re free from my oath and your mission is over so with this reassurance service places his hand under Abraham’s thigh and swears to do just as Abraham commanded let’s pause here and ask just a few interpretation questions before we go on why does an Abraham want Isaac to marry a Canaanite woman okay that would certainly seem to be part of it the Kuna Knights generally not Yahweh followers they are pagan and they do abominable things and we’re gonna see later on in the law of Moses that God specifically forbids any intimates of the people of Israel what the idolatrous people in the land now there are some exceptions to this when some of those people do generally trust your way they are committed to be part of Israel we see this with Rahab the Canaanite and we see this with Ruth the moat like they become part of the people of God and true Yahweh followers but God did forbid Israel and even today a new Testament we are forbid from marrying those who do not truly follow Yahweh not truly follow pod that’s not the only thing at play here likely Abraham is thinking about okay is this bride gonna be idolatrous Canaanites idolatrous around me generally so do not take away from them what would be another important reason though for not taking a wife from the Canaanites yes mark okay right so I think that’s part of it like we said some of the Canaanite ooh who did follow y’all or like Rahab they would be permitted to live in the land but generally these are the people are gonna be driven out of the land and I think you’re really getting to something which is what I was also getting to there’s a difference between who’s gonna inherit the blessings of Abraham and the land when it comes to Abraham and the Canaanites Canaanites gonna be driven out the land is given to Abraham and his seed so if the son of Abraham marries a descendant of the land and we’ve got a confusion here who who’s supposed to obtain the land is it the Canaanites or is it Abraham see if they mix together isn’t it kind of both maybe hamsa where these Covenant promises or to my seed not to the people of the land so he doesn’t want any confusion God is not onee any confusion between to whom when the promises really belong remember we saw this concept when it came to the separation of Abraham and his nephew law it’s important that a lot separated from Abraham because the promises were not given to lot the lot was blessed because of God’s promises Abraham promises work to him they were to Abraham’s chosen sea so in the same way it’s important that the bride of Isaac not the aquinnah night because the promises are not meant for that so we know at least these two factors are at play just by inference then the text is not explicit about why he says this though it is quite clear that he is determined to have a wife from among his own relatives well the question to ask is why must I SiC not go why can’t he go call a bride out from Mesopotamia why send the servant I mean it’s notable that Abraham himself doesn’t go I mean Abraham is getting older but he’s still gonna live at least another 30 years after this he’s not infirm as far as we can tell so why why does he say so adamantly Isaac must not go what you think I think we get an idea based on the explanation Abraham gets right after he says be sure you do not take my son back there he then rehearses some of the promises that God gave and what were those promises separate from your relatives separate from your country and go to the country that I will show you go to the land and I will show you Abraham is aware that God called him out of that land to Canaan to stay there and to receive the promises to send Isaac all the way back to Mesopotamia is a step backwards no this is the land this is the land of of a receiving blessing and besides if he goes back there he might be tempted to stay there you might notice Jacob later on the chosen seed from Isaac he is also going to journey to this land or he’s also going to have interaction with this man but he’s gonna go there himself and he’s gonna stay there a long time in fact he would probably have stayed there maybe permanently after all I didn’t want to come back to the lantern to deal with Esau but it was only because things got so tumultuous in laymen’s household that Jake that Jacob and his wives were forced to leave Iran there’s a good chance just humanly speaking that if Isaac went he might not come back and if him says don’t let that happen I don’t want that he gonna be a temptation this is the land of promise this is the land that goddess God has ordained for which we will receive blessing promises associated with this man don’t take Isaac with you bring her back and maybe that seems unusual servant but Yahweh’s angel will go before you he’ll make this come to pass we’re going to see this theme actually as we go through the Old Testament of Canaan beings land of blessing and being driven out of Canaan that is a sign of God’s disfavor and that’s actually going to be the ultimate outcome with the people of Israel and it’s I think significantly even in the promises for the last days when God does establish his kingdom on earth what does he say he says my people I’m gonna bring you back I’m gonna bring you back to the land of promise I’m gonna bring you back to the land of blessing because that’s why I’m gonna be all right let’s move on in this chapter well just look at the next section now verses 10 to 14 see what happens as the servant makes the journey and arrives in the town look along in the verse 10 then the servant took 10 camels from the camels of his master and set out with a variety of goods good things of his master’s in his hand and he arose and went to Mesopotamia to the city of nahor he made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at evening time the time when women go out to draw wine he said o Yahweh God of my master Abraham please grant me success today and show loving-kindness to my master Abraham behold I’m standing by the spring and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water now may it be that the girl to whom I say please let down your jars that I may drink and who answers drink now water your camels also may she be the one whom you have appointed for your servant Isaac and by this I will know that you have shown loving-kindness to my master now we’re gonna pause right here and make some more observations the Serpent and his entourage we’re gonna see that he has other men with him they arrived outside the sea of nahor and Mesopotamia it’s been a long journey it’s toward evening time and the servant takes a moment to pray to Yahweh notice for what he asks he asks for success on this mission to which Abraham has given you and he comes up with a certain plan and he incorporates it in his prayer to God notice how he asks God to point out the right woman the one who offers the servant a drink and who offers to water his camels let her be the one now normally apart from God’s intervention how likely was it that a woman would respond in this way probably unlikely why because it’s a lot of work I mean a woman might permit a drink just had a simple politeness if it’s just for the man himself oh I’m thirsty could you give me a drink all right fine here’s a drink I mean it’s not too much water the springs right there the politeness wouldn’t cost too much boy what about watering ten camels ten camels have just been on a long journey camels could drink a lot that means a lot of going to the well or to the spring drawing the water taking it carrying it and emptying it into some into a trough for the camels to drink that’s not something that could be done quickly that’s gonna take a lot of time that’s gonna take a lot of sweat just even know this guy so it’s there for a little chance the average woman would agree to much less offered to without prompting to fulfill this kind of desire but what kind of woman might do that what kind of character would she have to have if she would do that she would have to be a hospitable compassionate one hard-working one that kind of woman would make a good wife so the servants or his own reason yes God to point out the woman that Isaac should marry by having this woman display an extravagant and rare generosity to him a stranger now is this the only way that a servant could identify her the only way that the servant could identify the wife that Isaac needs no in fact Abraham’s directions did not include this his directions were merely to go to his relatives sermon could have asked around the city say hey do you know the house of or do you know the house of beth UL and trying to find them they could direct into the dwelling place you can meet the family and see if there are any unmarried daughters that would have been a much more normal and perhaps practical way to fulfill his mission so why does the server do this thing why does the servant ask for God to do something extraordinary beyond what is normal believe the key is in the servant’s prayer itself notice how this turban ends his prayer he says by this by this thing I’m asking you what will I know I will see that you have shown loving-kindness to my master I will know that this is your low in kindness to my master I mean Abraham did tell his sermon yabai will send his angel before you so based on that promise the servant says or really the servant ask God for something special I’ll paraphrase if you will it God do something unexpected to confirm your loving-kindness your head your covenant love your faithful love to Abraham mate be that even as I speak to a woman at the spring let her be the one let her be the one who shows such great hospitality and let her be the relative that I was sent to get now as we’ll see later on the passage the servant is ready for God not to answer this prayer he’s ready to go a more practical route but by praying this way the sermon gives God the opportunity to give himself glory and to show his faithful love to Abraham to show his ability and his commitment to keeping his promises to bless and provide for Avery so he makes this prayer how does God respond well let’s look at verses 15 to 27 follow along in me as I read more before he had finished speaking behold Rebekah who was born to bath you well the son of Milcah the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor came out with her jar on her shoulder the girl was very beautiful a virgin and no man had had relations with her she went down to the spring and filled her jar it came up in the servant ran to meet her and said please let me drink a little water from your jar she said drink my boy and she quickly lowered her jaw to her hand and gave him a drink now when she had finished giving him a drink she said I will draw also for your camels until they have finished drinking so she quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran back to the well to draw and she drew for all his camels meanwhile the man was gazing at her in silence to know whether Yahweh had made his journey successful or not when the camels has finished drinking man took a gold ring weighing a half shekel and two bracelets for her wrist weighing 10 10 shekels in gold and said whose daughter are you please tell me is there room for us to lodge in your father’s house she said to him I am the daughter of bethuel the son of Milcah whom she bought to Nahor again she said to him we have plenty of both straw and seed and room to lodging and the man bowed low and worshiped Yahweh he said blessed be the god of my master Abraham who has not forsaken his loving-kindness and his truth toward my master as for me Yahweh has guided me in the way to the house of my Master’s brothers yeah this is amazing let’s stop and make some more observations how quickly does God answer the servants prayer next a pretty quickly speaking before you even finished speaking in his heart Rebecca does exactly as the servant pray she gives him a drink and then offers to water all his camels and did you notice how she did it what stands out about the way she did it she was fast she was quick about it and said she quickly lowered her jaw she quickly emptied it into the truck she waited back to get more wine this is not half-hearted generosity this is not oh you know I know the custom is let’s be a bit of all right let me do this no this is full effort and notice verse 16 says she went down to the spring and then came up that’s interesting down tube came up what does that imply about the location of this spring a lot of elevation it’s somehow lower than where the sermon is so probably she has to go downhill or down a set of stairs to reach this spring it reads as well and then ascend the same way so not only is she running and moving quickly but she’s doing incline and decline work while holding a huge jar full of water so not only is this woman generous but she is hardworking then probably physically fit I don’t know if I could do this what’s the servant doing while this is happening watching in silence wondering if this is God’s answer to his prayer and that’s a little bit interesting right it doesn’t say here it is I can’t say that yes because what doesn’t you know doesn’t he know right away not sure she’s Abraham’s relatives not just looking for the sign of what she said she’s got to be the right lineage so he watches though in amazement after she does this great act of hospitality he gives her a ring and we learned later on in the passage it’s a nose ring gives her a ring and he gives her two gold bracelets and he asks two questions what’s your family this is her place is there provision for lodging at your father’s house and lo and behold she she reveals that she is Abraham’s relatives not only do they have lodging for the men with the servant but they have food and places for the animals and all this without her knowing precisely who this servant is so how does the servant respond to this final statement from her he bounced low any worships Yahweh he pronounces a blessing on God he confirms that God has answered his prayer he’s showing loving-kindness to Abraham because he’s brought the servant to exactly the right woman and one a woman consider what we’ve learned about her just in this passage that makes her seem like a great bride for Isaac she’s hard-working she’s generous and hospitable she’s strong she’s of the right household she’s very beautiful she’s a young maiden a marital age she’s still unmarried and she’s emergent what more could you ask she sounds actually a lot like the progress 31 woman this surgery couldn’t have found a better bride for Isaac is this all again just really fortunate coincidence no this is as the servant says this is the Covenant kindness of God on display toward Abraham and toward a PMC and isn’t this exactly what God promised this is God fulfilling his word keeping covenant so what happens next actually gonna skip the next 30 verses or so I’ll just summarize it for you now that Rebekah knows who this sermon is that he serves her kinsmen she runs back to tell her family lady and her brother he then runs out he continues the outstanding hospitality of the household he urges the servant and his men to come and lodge with them the group goes the house all ten animals are provided for a meal a set before the servant and the other men but the servant refuses to eat he refuses to eat until he explains his mission he relates to the family Abraham’s situation how God blessed Abraham and all that transpired and Abraham sending the servant to find a wife and the servants prayer about discerning who this wife is and how Rebecca fulfilled that prayer serve and then asks if he might be allowed to take Rebecca back all the way to Canaan as a wife for Abraham’s son Isaac after hearing all this the family confesses that what has happened is from Yahweh and they consent at this the servant again vows and worships God super then unloads a caravan of camels and it gives various treasures to the family in other words he pays the bride price now what’s a bride price well in those days losing a family member due to marriage was really losing a part of the family’s workforce family’s income it was customary for the husband’s family to pay money or give gifts to offset the financial loss of the young woman Abraham’s servant therefore gives gifts to Rebecca’s family articles of silver articles of gold precious garments other objects and this would be a very happy time for the household of Beth ul Rebecca’s just secured a great marriage with a wealthy man and a kinsman this is not just some Rando no this is somebody that the family knows family Beth Hoole has been handsomely compensated but then next morning serpent says he wants to depart with her reckon family had not expected such a quick departure I mean they’re probably never gonna see Rebecca again no doubt they had some celebration plans they asked for ten more days with Rebecca but the servant ever committed to his master’s will and not his own he requests that his God blessed mission not be slowed down so the family decides to ask Rebecca what she wants and so they do and she says that she’s ready to leave now you can ride away let’s go to Kenan so the family blesses her and they send her on the 500-mile trip back with a nurse and a number of other maids caravan sets out and we see their arrival recorded in the last verses of the chapter look at verses 62 to 67 will read and briefly comment on these now Isaac had come from going to Perla hi Roy but he was living in the Negev Isaac went out to meditate in the fields what evening he lifted up his eyes and looked and behold camels were coming Rebekah lifted up her eyes and when she saw Isaac she dismounted from the camel he said to the servant who is that man walking in the field to meet us and the servants said he is my master and she took her veil and covered herself the servant told Isaac all the things that he has done then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent and he took Rebekah and she became his wife and he loved her thus Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death really this is quite amazing it’s like a Disney Princess story isn’t it just a hard-working beautiful girl living with her family doing Armel everyday tasks suddenly a servant arrives and tells her that a rich Prince wants her to be his bride let’s ask a few more interpretation questions first is the most important what’s the point of this passage what’s the point of this account I mean it is interesting and all but why did Moses write this and include this in Genesis I think again the servant clues this in on the main point what’s the truth that’s highlighted here this is how God determined to show loving-kindness gaybraham all this was written down for Israel and for us so we do understand more about the kind of covenant keeping God that we have look at how he keeps his promises look the way he shows care for those and covenant with him he provided Abraham with a servant who delighted to do his master’s will and sought his master’s benefit with no thought to himself even to the point of doing something for his master that would mean that the servant would lose out the servant would never get the inheritance it would go to the master’s son but he was glad to do it God provided that kind of certain God also provided an exceptional wife for his son and in arranged circumstances in such a way that not only was this wife available but she was ready and willing to come to Kenan this is God’s handiwork this is indeed the loving kindness of God now why why would this have been such a relevant message to the people of Israel as they go into the land of promise themselves what do you think can you say it again hmm that’s right and so why would that be relevance that people have is you as they go into the land I mean they don’t have the exact same situation but they do have the same God they do have a God who needs they keep his promises today so as they seek on being faithful to Abraham and Isaac it can be more confident that God will be faithful to them they’d be encouraged to believe the Lord’s promises they’d be encouraged to a baker they’d be encouraged to trust go I mean they face many unknowns just as Abraham did but you know interestingly the same phrases use of issuess is used for Abraham’s servant God tells Israel later on Yahweh will send his angel before you he will drive out the people of the land he will grant you victory it’s the same language used to describe Abraham uses to describe what happens to serpent God will send his angel before you and He will grant you success why because this is the covenant keeping God keeps his promises and of course this is important for sure but it’s important for us to I mean let’s think about our own lives perhaps and this is always true perhaps you’re wondering if you have God will keep his promises to you you’re wondering if whether you should really obey God whether you should really adjust your life to be more in conformity to God because you’re wondering well will God come through well God really gave me what he promises can I trust God to be good to me if I follow him will he give me what I need will he provide my daily bread will he help me endure through the hard times will he help me endure suffering and trial and temptation and persecution will he even provide me with a spouse the message of God through Moses to you to me is you can trust God is in total control of everything he knows your needs he delights to do you good look at how he provided for Abraham it for Isaac extravagant loving-kindness the same God if you truly know through Christ is covenant with you to show you everlasting countenance so don’t doubt his love don’t doubt his wisdom don’t doubt his ability believe and watch how the Lord provides now of course the Lord will allow difficulties in your life we need those difficulties to refine us and to show us what is true treasure and God will not provide for you the exact same way he provides for someone else even as abraham and isaac here how does something unique with each person but though the means are different in each person’s life god’s faithfulness his power his love this wisdom they’re always the same so we can believe the promises of scripture like Psalm 84 11 I’ve quoted this in class before but Psalm 84 11 says very Yahweh God is a Sun and shield Yahweh gives Grace and glory no good thing to see withhold from those who walk uprightly that’s you if you know Christ and Romans 8:28 says and we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God those were called according to his purpose again that’s you if you know Christ God is a God of covenant love and kindness if you’ve been brought into his covenant by Christ’s saving grace nothing of your own just God’s goodness to you in Christ then you are an object of God’s constant unfailing covenant kindness so let that truth being fortress to you when your flesh the world the devil try and tell you otherwise now don’t miss out on another aspect of this text what allowed God to show us kindness in an astounding way the servant’s prayer I mean it still would have been on display even if a servant hadn’t prayed but because the servant asked for something extraordinary God is able God saw fit to do the extraordinary and do you want to see that kind of work of God in your life then you should pray we know the scripture constantly commands us to prayer it’s one of those commands where we’re we’re given so many assurances there’s so many blessings that we will if we will but pray but it’s one of the last things that we want to do that’s the flesh that’s the world that’s Satan working against us we should pray because God then sees fit to work in an astounding way again not necessarily exactly the same with Abraham and Isaac but when you pray it gives him glory and God often chooses to act an aqueous way and responds to your prayer one final question somewhat related to what we’re saying truly pray for specific signs of God’s choice like Abraham’s servant did we say God I’m not sure who they marry I need you to show me God forgot I’m not sure what I should do here I need you to make your will clear to me need you to give me a sign should we pray that way well in some ways yes in some ways no some ways the answer is yes we know James 1 says if any man lacks wisdom let him ask God and He gives generously and without approach do we need wisdom was an understand her situation wisdom to act godly life we do we need wisdom to discern for example who is the right person and where to marry or what’s the right job for super where should they for what church should I be pardon and it’s good to pray to God about this but understand what you’re praying for you’re praying for let’s say in the instance of a spouse you’re praying that you might discern evidence of that person’s character you’re praying that you might be able to apply wisely and rightly the principles of scripture about the kind of wife or the kind of husband you should marry look and see if they really line up with what the scripture says because I think the thing we want is stay away from them when we pray we should not look for a miraculous or seemingly miraculous signs and know God’s will remember the difference between descriptive and prescriptive writing in the Bible descriptive just tells you what happened prescriptive tells you what you should do just because someone righteous does something in the Bible doesn’t mean that you’re gonna do the exact same thing God was doing something special with Abraham the servant and Rebekah guy you’ve been foretold specifically there through Abraham that the angel was going ahead of Abraham servant to accomplish something special we should not expect God to be working the exact same way for us today as I’ve said in other classes God has never promised to speak to us through circumstances through vague feelings dreams through visions through prophecy all of these are highly interpretive ultimately unverifiable we’re over the work of giving and validating new revelation it has finished for this age the Apostles are the foundation the apostles and prophets has been laid Ephesians 2:20 the church is being built on in Revelation God’s revelation for this age has culminated in Christ as apostles explained it there’s nothing more to add God does speak to us today but it’s through his word it’s through the scriptures so if you want to know God’s will even about what we think of us maybe not completely straightforward moral issues today who should I marry what profession should I pursue what church should I attend where should I look whatever it is you need to listen to God’s Word pray for understanding of God’s Word talk with others who can help you understand and live out God’s Word and then apply the Bible’s principles you know a scripture I often refer back to is Deuteronomy 29:29 so I think it really sums up this principle the secret things Moses says belong to the Lord but the things revealed they belong to us and to our children that we may entirely keep this law God spoke back through Moses to Israel but the principle really applies to us as well we should not be looking for in the mysterious secret sovereign will of God and ask for some sort of sign for God to point out no God sovereign will is gonna happen no matter what but what does God told you to pay attention to what does God told me to pay attention to to what he revealed because what is the Bible it’s God’s will for you that’s one way of looking at it God tells you what he wants what he desires what he commands he says live this way act this way think this way believe this way you say God I just want to know what you wanted my life God says to my word I’ve told you there did you say no but that’s not specific enough God says the principles are there many things are addressed specifically but otherwise the principles are there pay attention to what is revealed don’t worry about the secret things that belongs to God knowing God’s will is not as mysterious as we often think it is we are to look to what God has commanded us what God has prescribed not look for the secret will of God’s mind God wants you and I to do is in his Bible that’s why I wrote it for us now we can benefit from that well just individually but as a community as a fellowship we’re seeking God’s will together that’s why we talk about the word of the one another we’re talking about how to apply the word to one another this is part of the beauty and part of the gift that is God’s church that brings us to the end of today’s lesson questions about what you’ve heard today yes mark sorry I’m not hearing the using the microphone kid someone from the microphone Becca go ahead mark I think I hear now okay that’s a great question how do we deal with circumstances and what they seem to be communicating to us and understanding God’s will now here’s the thing about circumstances they are very difficult to understand in terms of God’s will miss we might look at a circumstance to say well look God has closed all the doors this must mean I should not go this direction are you sure it may be that God is saying you should persevere it could go both ways in many situations no i-i’ve related I think maybe sometimes before in class there are some missionaries who just looking at the circumstance did you say uh God has not called you to be a missionary God has not called you to that land because look you have no success that William Carey is famous missionary to India a great great missionary he’s famous for not having not seeing a single convert for decades I think it was like 20 years that he was in India before he saw his first time just looking at the circumstance you’d say I think there’s something wrong oh my god is definitely showing you something when you probably shouldn’t be here but then for whatever reason after those 20 years his ministry suddenly became fruitful we can say the same thing about other missionaries who seem to have just terrible circumstances in the beginning and then things went well so this is not to say that circumstances have nothing to do with how we proceed in life I mean let’s face it we have to just face the opportunities we have before us if you let’s say you want to become a pastor you want to serve the Lord and certain churches just aren’t interested in you you can’t say well it still might be God’s will for me to go to that church well let’s face it you have to act based on your circumstances it these churches are not giving you the opportunity so a wise person someone who is paying attention to the principles of God’s Word would say well I need to act wisely here I can’t go in that direction so I’m gonna go in this direction it’s the same thing with feelings you know I caution you like washing us against saying okay well the impression or what feeling what sense do I get about a certain thing maybe that will indicate God’s will my feelings are very subjective they can they can be informed by the flesh they can be informed by the spirit they’re not totally reliable but they are important if you want to discern who it is that God wants you to marry you partly have to pay attention to your feelings do you actually like the person do you enjoy being around the person because if you say to yourself oh you know what this person’s really godly I just I just don’t really like being with this person well that should tell you something you should pay attention to your feelings there because you don’t actually like the person if you’re not attracted their person then it’s not gonna be wise for you to marry that person I mean it’s just basic principle of wisdom so you shouldn’t just sit there to yourself and ignore your feelings and just just go on go off of a more objective data now sometimes I feelings need adjustment so you shouldn’t necessarily close off that having you right away but it is something else to consider so it’s the same thing with circumstances we are paying attention to opportunities open doors close doors but that’s only part of the picture ultimately we want to bring all our feelings all our circumstances back to what the word actually says no sometimes I think about this in terms of evangelism we have to say God do you want me to talk to this person about you God is at the right time what does God say God says make disciples and God says let your speech be seasonable salt know how to answer each person so the word tells you be discerning and the word tells you be a witness so always always then we’re and always in a sense the right thing to do is to talk to somebody about Christ that’s God’s will for you now again yeah attach some discernment you say oh I don’t know because from what I’m seeing right now this person’s in a bad mood this is not a good time thing you know or because I’m on the job right now I’m on the work clock I need to wait until I’m on a break I need to talk to this person act to work those are things that that would be part of our discernment but if we just sit back and wait for a sign a waitress feeling or wait to the circumstances just seemingly line up perfectly then a lot of times we actually end up not doing what God called us to do in his word so somewhat long explanation to your question mark but I think those are some of the important principles that we’re dealing with in in destroying what is God’s will for us if you have other questions I think Danny a sorry hand now sorry we’re out of time for today but please email me your questions or email any other comments you have and I’ll try and answer or respond as best I can and if it’s something that I missed then I feel like I need to bring it next time then I’ll do that but thank you for being part of the class today next time is our review day it’s the end of unit 4 and it’s our last class before we go on a summer break the review day and the lower class is going to is going to consist of a number of different activities but in our class or again I’m gonna be looking at a video from Answers in Genesis has a lot to do with what we looked at over the last nine lessons apologetics those focused and also focus on the idea of one blood one race a very relevant topic and what is a great racially charged racially conscious culture that we have here in America so I look forward to watching that video and discussing it with you next time and I hope you’ll be there with me that’s closing prayer okay thank you for your word we thank you for how it guides us and we thank you how you gave us this testimony this additional testimony of your faithfulness so that we can trust and obey you God protect us from unbelief please continue to grow us in faith grow in holiness because if we will trust you follow you pray to you see you work in a wonderful way even through hard things we don’t want to miss out on that thank you for Jesus Christ thank you for these people okay did you continue to bless and help and instruct them today naming all right I’ll see you all again soon thank you