The Lord Will Show Steadfast Love in his Provision

God Provided a Wife
(Genesis 24, Preaching: Pastor Nathan Snyder, February 8, 2015)

God had promised Abraham descendents through his son Isaac.  But at the start of this chapter, Isaac is still unmarried.  Abraham must arrange a marriage for his son.  He did not want his son marrying one of the women from among the Canaanites.  So he sent his chief servant to his relatives in Mesopotamia.  This unnamed servant, who is clearly himself a man of great faith in the Lord, was to bring a wife back to Isaac in the land of Canaan.  Since God had led Abraham out of Haran and promised to give the land of Canaan to his descendents, Abraham would not permit Isaac to move back to the land of his relatives.  He trusted that the Lord would provide so that this would be unnecessary.

This faithful servant devoted himself to completing the mission.  He knew that success was dependent on the faithfulness of the Lord, so he earnestly prayed that God would show “steadfast love” to Abraham by providing a wife for his son.  What are we to make of the test he concocts to determine whom Isaac’s bride should be?  The test he lays before the Lord is actually a character test.  When he asks for a little water to drink for himself, if the woman offers of her own accord to water all of his ten thirsty camels, this would show that she is generous and eager to serve.  Rebekah shows up even as he is still praying and she does exactly this.  When the servant discovers that she is from the relatives of Abraham, he immediately gives thanks to God for showing steadfast love and faithfulness to Abraham by leading him to Abraham’s kin (verse 27).

When the servant explains all these things to Rebekah’s family, they cannot help but recognize the Lord’s providential leading.  They are willing that Rebekah go with the servant, but they wish to keep her for a time before saying goodbye.  The servant is urgent to return since God has prospered his mission.  When they bring the matter to Rebekah to ask what she will do, she says simply, “I will go.”  The blessing her family pronounces upon her and her offspring resembles the blessing given to Abraham’s offspring by the angel of the Lord in 22:17.  So Rebekah and her maids travel to Canaan with the servant and his men.  When they arrive, Isaac takes her to be his wife.  The narrative ends with the touching words, “and he loved her.  So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.”  The Lord was gracious in his provision to Isaac, and to Rebekah.

What are we to take away from this story for ourselves?  A strategy for securing a bride for our sons?  Hardly.  This chapter is another demonstration of God’s steadfast love and his faithfulness to keep his covenant promises to Abraham.  Isaac must have a wife if God’s promises and purposes for Isaac were to come true.  Indeed, this was necessary for our salvation.  No wife for Isaac, no more descendents.  No more descendents, no Savior for the world.  Do you realize that your eternal destiny was wrapped up in the success of this mission to find Isaac a wife?  Praise God that Abraham’s servant was faithful, that he sought the Lord in prayer, that Rebekah came out to the well just when she did, that her family was willing to let her go, and that she was willing to go and be joined to Isaac as his wife.  If God provided all that was necessary for our salvation, including a wife for Isaac, then of course he will provide all that is necessary for us to serve him faithfully in the life he has ordained for us to live each day, whether that be as a single person, or married, or in whatever life situation God has for us.  God knows exactly what each of us needs to fulfill his purposes for our lives, and he is loving and faithful to provide.  What we need in our daily mission, like Abraham’s servant, is to seek God, trust him, and be faithful. 

Put the Word to Work: God will provide all that we need to fulfill his good purposes for our lives.  He wants us to move forward in faith.

Memory Verse from the Psalms of Ascents: Psalm 127:3 – Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward.

Gospel Reading: Matthew 18:10-14 – The Parable of the Lost Sheep