Genesis 24:21-61 Divine guidance comes readily to those who fear God
Genesis 24:21-61 Divine guidance comes readily to those who fear God
21 Meanwhile, the man was gazing at her in silence, to know whether the Lord had made his journey successful or not. 22 When the camels had finished drinking, the man took a gold ring weighing a half-shekel and two bracelets for her wrists weighing ten shekels in gold, 23 and said, “Whose daughter are you? Please tell me, is there room for us to lodge in your father’s house?” 24 She said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.” 25 Again she said to him, “We have plenty of both straw and feed, and room to lodge in.” 26 Then the man bowed low and worshiped the Lord. 27 He said, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His lovingkindness and His truth toward my master; as for me, the Lord has guided me in the way to the house of my master’s brothers.”
28 Then the girl ran and told her mother’s household about these things. 29 Now Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban; and Laban ran outside to the man at the spring. 30 When he saw the ring and the bracelets on his sister’s wrists, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, “This is what the man said to me,” he went to the man; and behold, he was standing by the camels at the spring. 31 And he said, “Come in, blessed of the Lord! Why do you stand outside since I have prepared the house, and a place for the camels?” 32 So the man entered the house. Then Laban unloaded the camels, and he gave straw and feed to the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him. 33 But when food was set before him to eat, he said, “I will not eat until I have told my business.” And he said, “Speak on.”
34 So he said, “I am Abraham’s servant. 35 The Lord has greatly blessed my master, so that he has become rich; and He has given him flocks and herds, and silver and gold, and servants and maids, and camels and donkeys. 36 Now Sarah my master’s wife bore a son to my master in her old age, and he has given him all that he has. 37 My master made me swear, saying, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live; 38 but you shall go to my father’s house and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son.’ 39 I said to my master, ‘Suppose the woman does not follow me.’ 40 He said to me, ‘The Lord, before whom I have walked, will send His angel with you to make your journey successful, and you will take a wife for my son from my relatives and from my father’s house; 41 then you will be free from my oath, when you come to my relatives; and if they do not give her to you, you will be free from my oath.’
42 “So I came today to the spring, and said, ‘O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, if now You will make my journey on which I go successful; 43 behold, I am standing by the spring, and may it be that the maiden who comes out to draw, and to whom I say, “Please let me drink a little water from your jar”; 44 and she will say to me, “You drink, and I will draw for your camels also”; let her be the woman whom the Lord has appointed for my master’s son.’ 45 “Before I had finished speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder, and went down to the spring and drew, and I said to her, ‘Please let me drink.’ 46 She quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder, and said, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels also’; so I drank, and she watered the camels also. 47 Then I asked her, and said, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ And she said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bore to him’; and I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her wrists. 48 And I bowed low and worshiped the Lord, and blessed the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who had guided me in the right way to take the daughter of my master’s kinsman for his son. 49 So now if you are going to deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me; and if not, let me know, that I may turn to the right hand or the left.”
50 Then Laban and Bethuel replied, “The matter comes from the Lord; so we cannot speak to you bad or good. 51 Here is Rebekah before you, take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master’s son, as the Lord has spoken.”
52 When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed himself to the ground before the Lord. 53 The servant brought out articles of silver and articles of gold, and garments, and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave precious things to her brother and to her mother. 54 Then he and the men who were with him ate and drank and spent the night. When they arose in the morning, he said, “Send me away to my master.” 55 But her brother and her mother said, “Let the girl stay with us a few days, say ten; afterward she may go.” 56 He said to them, “Do not delay me, since the Lord has prospered my way. Send me away that I may go to my master.” 57 And they said, “We will call the girl and consult her wishes.” 58 Then they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” And she said, “I will go.” 59 Thus they sent away their sister Rebekah and her nurse with Abraham’s servant and his men. 60 They blessed Rebekah and said to her,
“May you, our sister,
Become thousands of ten thousands,
And may your descendants possess
The gate of those who hate them.”
61 Then Rebekah arose with her maids, and they mounted the camels and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and departed.
Background
Having met Rebekah, the servant proceeds to engage her family. The servant’s god-fearing nature and single-mindedness has brought him success in this very crucial undertaking. The servant represents the unsung heroes that play crucial roles in God’s salvation plan for the world. The servant’s name though unknown to the reader is known to God and heralded in heaven. Today’s devotion also teaches us that to be successful in all our endeavours, we must make decisions and live life according to God’s predestined plans. As seen in the bible, God’s unseen hand guides the faithful; in the appointment of kings, divine relationships, in governance and even in the execution of battle plans. Like the servant, divine guidance comes readily to those who fear God.
Observation
Blessed be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His lovingkindness and His truth toward my master…
After Rebekah has finished drawing water for all the camels, the servant presents to her some jewelry which amounts to about US$4000 (based on current gold prices). The gifts are a gesture of honour befitting a woman who is prospected to be the wife of Isaac, the heir of salvation. At the prompting of the servant, Rebekah introduces herself as the granddaughter of Nahor (Abraham’s brother). The servant, upon hearing Rebekah’s reply is elated at how things work out through the Lord’s providence. Not only does he not expect to identify the girl so early in the mission, Rebekah is really a close relative of Abraham. The servant bows and give thanks to God, for otherwise it will be a daunting task that likens to looking for a needle in a haystack.
Then the girl ran and told her mother’s household about these things.
Pleasantly surprised by the servant’s generous gestures, Rebekah ran home to prepare for the man’s coming. Laban, Rebekah’s brother, as soon as he sees his sister’s ring and the bracelets races towards the man. Laban’s avarice contrasted with Rebekah’s gentle hospitality. The text withholds nothing in describing Laban’s obvious obsession with material blessing. His statement, “Come in, blessed of the Lord! Why do you stand outside since I have prepared the house, and a place for the camels?” lacks sincerity and smells of greed. Laban’s welcome is motivated by the prospect of further enrichment by the yet identified man.
I am Abraham’s servant…
Here, one cannot help but question how a man who has yet made known his identity or his purpose can be given such a lavish welcome. Perhaps, it is his intention to lodge or his generous gift for Rebekah; both point to an important and substantive discussion, which they supposed is best carried out over a proper meal. The servant, in order to accord the meeting its proper context insists to speak before he eats. He introduces himself, a servant to his master whom he describes as greatly blessed with flocks and herds, and silver and gold, and servants and maids, and camels and donkeys. Having established his master’s identity, he moves on to more intimate family matters: Now Sarah my master’s wife bore a son to my master in her old age, and he has given him all that he has. The servant is in fact saying that his master’s son is a very eligible bachelor for two reasons: he is young enough (Sarah my master’s wife bore a son to my master in her old age), and he is the sole heir of his master (he has given him all that he has). In connection to his son’s marriage, the servant speaks about his master’s aversion to acquiring a Canaanite woman as wife to his son and his desire to have Isaac marry a woman from “my father’s house and my relatives”. The oath that the servant undertakes underlines the seriousness of this condition. The hard condition also involves his son’s wife relocating to Canaan.
Having established the desirability of marriage between Isaac and Rebekah, the servant now moves onto the incident at the well. He purposes to persuade Rebekah’s family that God, by His providence has unmistakably led him to Rebekah and she is indeed chosen of God to become wife to Isaac.
Here is Rebekah before you, take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master’s son, as the Lord has spoken.
The servant, having spoken at length presses for their approval of the marriage proposal. Laban and Bethuel, particularly the latter who is Rebekah’s father reply that they cannot contradict anything he says (so we cannot speak to you bad or good) having been convinced that the chanced encounter at the well is indeed divine (the matter comes from the Lord). And in that same breath, they consent to the marriage proposal.
What follows are the customaries of the betrothal which involve transfers of large gifts to the bride’s family. As part of the dowry lists, articles of silver and gold and garments are also given to Rebekah.
Let the girl stay with us a few days, say ten; afterward she may go.
Only after the lengthy discussion does the servant finally get to enjoy his meal and his much deserved rest. When they arise in the morning, the text records the servant’s waking words as, “Send me away to my master.” The servant’s determination to leave promptly is met with resistance from Rebekah’s mother and brother. Her behaviour from the perspective of a mother who is just coming to terms with the sudden loss of her daughter is understandable. The matter is then deferred to Rebekah and the impasse broken with Rebekah’s simple reply, “I will go.” The send off includes her sisters blessing Rebekah with words that foreshadow her legacy. Indeed, it is through Rebekah that the descendants of faith will be greatly multiplied.
Truth
Divine guidance comes readily to those who fear God.
In order to succeed in all our endeavours, we must make decisions and live life according to God’s predestined plans. As seen in the bible, God’s unseen hand guides the faithful; in the appointment of kings, divine relationships, in governance and even in the execution of battle plans. Through seemingly unplanned circumstances, we see God’s rejection of Hagar in preference of Sarah as mother of Isaac, as well as God’s very specific choice of Rebekah as Isaac’s wife. Without God’s guidance, man will miss out on God’s salvation and perfect plans for his life.
Abraham’s servant sets off for the city of Nahor being assured of divine guidance through the angel of God. As the story unravels, we witness God’s unmistakable guidance even in the spontaneous decisions the servant makes. First, God’s guidance is evident in the servant’s decision in picking the spot where Rebekah emerges. Secondly, the servant’s eyes are guided towards Rebekah aided by his perception of her exceptional beauty. Thirdly, he devices a test of character to discern and validate God’s specific choice of Rebekah. How is it that the servant can be so perceptive and responsive to God’s invisible guidance?
The servant is guided by the intuition of peace that comes from a God fearing spirit. The prophet Isaiah says concerning judgment and decision making for those who fear God,
And He will delight in the fear of the Lord,
And He will not judge by what His eyes see,
Nor make a decision by what His ears hear. Isaiah 11:3
There is this peace that does not come from human analysis of external circumstances (what His eyes see… what His ears hear). Some people, because they cannot sense the Spirit’s inclinations depend on external signs to acquire some semblance of peace and divine approval. As a result, many are deceived into making costly decisions being led by their own desires. Their inability to hear God attest to their pride and lack of maturity in spiritual things. The righteous and god-fearing often depend on a profound peace that emanates from deep within the soul to make important decisions. The prophet Isaiah says concerning the guiding compass of peace and confidence,
The fruit of that righteousness will be peace;
its effect will be quietness and confidence forever. Isaiah 32:17
Put in a nutshell, the path of the righteous is paved with peace, quietness and confidence. The servant’s righteousness and fear of God is clearly evident in his interactions with Rebekah’s family. The servant is not distracted by human agendas or idle talk: He prefers to make known his mission before he eats. And after he spends the night, he insists on speedy leaving fearing they may change their minds in which case he will lose both marriage and dowry. From the start of the undertaking, the servant neither slumbers nor rests until he fulfils his mission. A god-fearing person puts God’s business above his personal needs and goes beyond his comfort zone to fulfil it.
The believer must seek to remain unknown while doing his best to fulfil the tasks at hand
The servant represents the unsung heroes that play crucial roles in God’s salvation plan for the world. The servant’s name though unknown to the reader is known to God and heralded in heaven. The bible makes mention the names of worthy individuals for the sole purpose of validating their historicity. Included in heaven’s hall of glory are for the most part, little known individuals who have sacrificed their lives for the benefit of their people. Therefore, God accords value without prejudice to the roles that appear less significant and will in due time exalt the faithful.
The servant’s role is crucial in that he is instrumental in bringing continuation to the Messianic lineage from Abraham to Jesus. To put it simply, the salvation of humanity hangs on his shoulders. Although the servant plays a relatively minor role, his portion is nonetheless crucial. Therefore, those who serve God must seek to remain unknown while doing his best to fulfil the tasks at hand. The apostle Paul teaches this principle in the context of the church,
On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker (less significant) are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty. 1 Corinthians 12:22-23
Paul teaches that God does not determine the value of a role according to its seeming “significance” in the eyes of the world. For example, God does not accord more value to the role of a pastor as compared to that of an usher. However, God exalts those who demonstrate humility, faithfulness and single-mindedness towards their roles. The apostle Peter says,
All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” 1 Peter 5:6
Application
Do you have difficulty understanding God’s instructions for your life on a daily basis? God may not reveal His plans concerning the distant future, but he will certainly guide you through the challenges of today. Therefore, our focus is primarily today while keeping a listening ear to what God has planned for tomorrow and beyond. By keeping the fear of God, the love of God and humility, we posture our hearts to hear God in our every decision. Even though we may not know what we should do at every juncture, God will guide us moment by moment as we keep in check the Spirit’s peace and confidence. Refrain from dwelling on matters that you have no answers for. In due time, God will reveal what you must do. Nevertheless, keep your heart in the fear of God and from inclinations towards worldliness, selfish agendas and the tendency to test God’s patience. In so doing, you will sense in greater clarity His heartbeat, thoughts and passions.
One of the devil’s devices that he uses to distract us from our divine mission is people without mission. People who are lost pose the greatest threat. Rebekah’s family at some level poses a threat to the servant’s mission. There are those who love to sit and talk aimlessly. Idle talk leads to slandering, lying and gossiping about other people. Paul mentions that people who get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also busybodies who talk nonsense, saying things they ought not to (1 Timothy 5:13). Proverbs 20:19 advices not to associate with anyone who talks incessantly and idly.
Dear Lord, I believe that you have kept in record everything that I have done out of a pure heart. Therefore, I will keep silent and humble concerning my good works and achievements. Create within me the fear of God and single-mindedness towards your kingdom’s work. Use me in small and great ways in bringing salvation to the world. In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.