v.1-33
1. R. W. God blessed Abraham
v.1 the LORD had blessed him in everything
12 He prayed, “O LORD, God of my master Abraham, guide me today. Be faithful (NET Heb “act in loyal love with” or “show kindness to.”) to my master Abraham...v14 May the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac reply, ‘Drink, and I’ll give your camels water too.’ In this way I will know that you have been faithful to my master
21 Silently the man watched her with interest to determine if the LORD had made his journey successful or not.
26 The man bowed his head and worshiped the LORD, 27 saying, “Praised be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his faithful love (Heb=mercy and faithfulness) for my master! The LORD has led me to the house of my master’s relatives!”
R.W. Abraham did not allow the servant to take Isaac back to his hometown
v.6 Be careful never to take my son back there!” Abraham told him.
v.8...But you must not take my son back there!
The reason was given in v.7 To your descendants I will give this land.’ He will send his angel before you so that you may find a wife for my son from there.
Summary: God blessed Abraham in things large and small, including finding a wife for Isaac. The servant prayed for the faithfulness of God to Abraham because God has helped Isaac to stay in the Promised Land and raise his family to inherit the Promised Land.
Just like in the past, God has kept Sarah for Abraham so that he could have a son through her. The promise was kept through God intervention.
Reflection: God shows kindness faithfully and He is merciful. Therefore, He will keep His promise to us. He promised me eternal life and He will make sure it will be done. Not because I am worthy for it, but because of His characters. I should have no doubt and trust in Him. He also promise us His presence when we follow the great commission, the in dwelling of the Holy Spirit, the strength of each day, and the fact that He will not abandon me.
2. About Rebekah
R.W. Drink...and give his camels water too
v.14 (the servant's prayer) May the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac reply, ‘Drink, and I’ll give your camels water too.’ In this way I will know that you have been faithful to my master.”
(NET It would be an enormous test for a young woman to water ten camels. The idea is that such a woman would not only be industrious but hospitable and generous.)
v.18 “Drink, my lord,” she replied, and quickly lowering her jug to her hands, she gave him a drink. 19 When she had done so, she said, “I’ll draw water for your camels too, until they have drunk as much as they want.” 20 She quickly emptied her jug into the watering trough and ran back to the well to draw more water until she had drawn enough for all his camels.
Summary: She was the one who met this tough requirement set by Abraham and his servant. She was willing to leave her family and move to the Promised Land to marry a man she had never known.
She fulfilled the criteria set by the servant regarding whom the LORD guided him to met. Not only she did all the action he required but her manner. God is faithful and provided the one whom they were looking for and beyond what they were expected.
Reflection: I do not need to worry about the faithfulness of God. He provided more than what I can expect.
3. About Laban
The theme of the passage was the blessings of the LORD to Abraham in regarding leading his servant to find a bride for his son. The only other person in this narrative who mentioned the blessings of the LORD was Laban, but with a totally different meaning.
v.29 ...Laban rushed out to meet the man at the spring. 30 When he saw the bracelets on his sister’s wrists and the nose ring
31 Laban said to him, “Come, you who are blessed by the LORD!
(NET- Laban’s obsession with wealth is apparent; to him it represents how one is blessed by the LORD. Already the author is laying the foundation for subsequent events in the narrative, where Laban’s greed becomes his dominant characteristic).
4. Questions
1) EBC-the inhabitants of Canaan are considered to be under a divine curse for their iniquity (e.g., 15:16)
2) The faithfulness of God
3) He set a criteria
v.34-67
1. R.W.
Success/successful v. (21), 40, 42, 56
In v.39-40, the servant asked Abraham, "But I said to my master, ‘What if the woman does not want to go with me?’ He answered, ‘The LORD, before whom I have walked, will send his angel with you. He will make your journey a success and you will find a wife for my son from among my relatives, from my father’s family."
The success was regarding finding the right woman whom not only from the relatives of Abraham's family but also willing to go back to the Promised Land with the servant.
However, the servant did not ask the question directly when he met Rebekah, "Are you willing to move to the Promised Land with me?" Instead, he set a criteria. When the woman met that then she was the one God had chosen for Isaac v.42-44.
2. Why he did not ask Rebekah directly?
After the servant gave the gift to Rebekah, the first party he talked to was her brother and father v.34-49.
49 Now, if you will show faithful love to my master, tell me. But if not, tell me as well, so that I may go on my way.”
(BKC-In that society a woman’s brother gave his sister in marriage, which explains why Laban, Rebekah’s brother, was the negotiator in this marriage contract).
Only after their approval then the wish of Rebekah was consulted about when she wanted to leave. Now, the reader knew that the servant was correct. The girl who met the criteria was willing to go disregarding her family's wish of delaying the process v.58.
3. Why would Laban and Bethuel agreed for Rebekah to go?
v.35-36 “The LORD has richly blessed my master and he has become very wealthy...my master has given him everything he owns
v.40 ...‘The LORD, before whom I have walked, will send his angel with you. He will make your journey a success and you will find a wife for my son from among my relatives, from my father’s family.
v.44-48 Then she will reply to me, “Drink, and I’ll draw water for your camels too.” May that woman be the one whom the LORD has chosen for my master’s son.’ 48 Then I bowed down and worshiped the LORD. I praised the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me on the right path to find the granddaughter of my master’s brother for his son.
50 Then Laban and Bethuel replied, “This is the LORD’s doing. Our wishes are of no concern. 51 Rebekah stands here before you. Take her and go so that she may become the wife of your master’s son, just as the LORD has decided.”
As #1,2 concluded the success was that the woman from his relatives was willing to return to the Promised Land. How did the LORD and his angel work this out?
1. The servant needed to find her. The LORD led his path to find her, which including setting up a criteria by the servant.
2. Her family would see who God has led the path and agree for her to go.
3. But, more important, she was the one chosen the LORD had chosen/decided for Isaac. Therefore, she was willing to go.
Conclusion and reflection: When God guided a process, both parties are led by the LORD. Those whom the LORD has prepared will be willing to commit just because they are chosen. Pray for the M college's student ministry. Pray that there will a willing party from our church who will contact the student, and there will be a willing person from the college who will start this ministry.
4. Questions
4) v.50
5) ??
6) Rebekah was willing to go to a place unknown to her based on what the servant said and her family's decision. She acted according to her faith in God.
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