genesis 24

title- Gods providence on display

Does anybody get afraid of the future?

Do you ever get nervous of how something is going to turn out?

today we are going to learn about Gods providence

and we will be learning that we can trust God no matter what we walk into

because he is in control.

Genesis 24:1–9 NKJV

Now Abraham was old, well advanced in age; and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things. So Abraham said to the oldest servant of his house, who ruled over all that he had, “Please, put your hand under my thigh, and I will make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell; but you shall go to my country and to my family, and take a wife for my son Isaac.” And the servant said to him, “Perhaps the woman will not be willing to follow me to this land. Must I take your son back to the land from which you came?” But Abraham said to him, “Beware that you do not take my son back there. The Lord God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my family, and who spoke to me and swore to me, saying, ‘To your descendants I give this land,’ He will send His angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there. And if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be released from this oath; only do not take my son back there.” So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter.

teach- Abraham sends oldest servant eliazer to mesopetamia

land of ur of the chaldeans

abraham wanted more than anything to

prevent isaac from marrying cananite pagan

because he didnt want the influence of idolatry in His family

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He saw how they lived and the detestable things they did

and the false gods they worrshiped

Q. Why would abraham not want Isaac to mary a cananite?

-He would be living close to them

- and may be tempted to take part in their wicked idolatries..

it would tempt him to lead his people to worship false gods

and practice sinful things

2 king 21 talks about how this very thing happened in Israel

king manasa

2 Kings 21:2–3 NKJV

And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, according to the abominations of the nations whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel. For he rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; he raised up altars for Baal, and made a wooden image, as Ahab king of Israel had done; and he worshiped all the host of heaven and served them.

Ma-nasa did the same things that King Ahab had done

because they went after the practices of pagan nations

Ahab was a wicked king in the northern kingdom of Israel

Ahab married a pagan woman Jezebell

Because of this marriage

Ahab led Israel into the worship of these false gods

Baal and Asherah

many other kings from their on followed in the same wicked ways of Ahab

It was a problem in Israels history

and it is a problem with christians today

lets be careful not to invite the evil things of the world into our famalies

Q. What are some cultural norms that we should be careful not to embrace?

abortion, sexual sin , vulgarity, filthy joking

how about false religion

relativity.... all religion lead to the same place

good person theology

q. Do you think its a good idea to marry an unbeliever?

Q. What challenges might you run into?

dont marry someone who is going to lead you into pagan things

you want to start a family with someone who has the same values that you do

disaster to marry someone who is even lukewarm…

this is what Abraham is wanting to do…

keep his family line pure in a sense..

because of Gods promise

therefore he doesnt even want eliazer to ever bring Issac out of canan

instead he sends eliazer to go and get issaac a wife

in step with common practice of arranged marriage..

Genesis 24:10–14 NKJV

Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed, for all his master’s goods were in his hand. And he arose and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor. And he made his camels kneel down outside the city by a well of water at evening time, the time when women go out to draw water. Then he said, “O Lord God of my master Abraham, please give me success this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham. Behold, here I stand by the well of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. Now let it be that the young woman to whom I say, ‘Please let down your pitcher that I may drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink’—let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. And by this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master.”

we see the faith of eliazer---oldest servant in the house

goes to the city of Nahor

while at the well he prays

lets not use this as an example to call the shots with God

we cant say Lord, the next girl to say hi to me is going to be my wife and

expect that to be …

what eliazer is doing is walking out in faith

to a degree asking the Lord to show him

and there is nothing wrong with doing this..

story- God you need to show me what church to go to

1 corinthians

blessed assurence

eliazer prays not only God, will you show me by the giving water to me but also to my camels..

again cultural

in our sense it would be

giving me a drink and filling my car with gas

we see Eliazer display FAITH in his prayer for direction

I want you guys to be praying for direction in your life

Genesis 24:15–21 NKJV

And it happened, before he had finished speaking, that behold, Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, came out with her pitcher on her shoulder. Now the young woman was very beautiful to behold, a virgin; no man had known her. And she went down to the well, filled her pitcher, and came up. And the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please let me drink a little water from your pitcher.” So she said, “Drink, my lord.” Then she quickly let her pitcher down to her hand, and gave him a drink. And when she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking.” Then she quickly emptied her pitcher into the trough, ran back to the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels. And the man, wondering at her, remained silent so as to know whether the Lord had made his journey prosperous or not.

Rebekah is issacs 2nd cousin- common practice

it is later prohibited in leviticus 18 and 20

God chose rebekah as a wife for Issaac

to keep the lineage close

and to build a nation uncorrupted

Here we see the

patience of eliezer in vs 21 as he waits for his prayer to come to fruition

as God providentially chooses rebekah

I want to encourage you to practice patience in your prayers

Genesis 24:22–28 NKJV

So it was, when the camels had finished drinking, that the man took a golden nose ring weighing half a shekel, and two bracelets for her wrists weighing ten shekels of gold, and said, “Whose daughter are you? Tell me, please, is there room in your father’s house for us to lodge?” So she said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, Milcah’s son, whom she bore to Nahor.” Moreover she said to him, “We have both straw and feed enough, and room to lodge.” Then the man bowed down his head and worshiped the Lord. And he said, “Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His mercy and His truth toward my master. As for me, being on the way, the Lord led me to the house of my master’s brethren.” So the young woman ran and told her mother’s household these things.

eliazers worships after his prayer is answered

He gives costly goods

and blesses the name of the Lord

this should be our reaction to answered prayer

God has answered the prayer of eliazer

who humbly went to bat for Abraham

the love of eliazer here is amazing as he serves ABraham.

Genesis 24:29–33 NKJV

Now Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban, and Laban ran out to the man by the well. So it came to pass, when he saw the nose ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s wrists, and when he heard the words of his sister Rebekah, saying, “Thus the man spoke to me,” that he went to the man. And there he stood by the camels at the well. And he said, “Come in, O blessed of the Lord! Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house, and a place for the camels.” Then the man came to the house. And he unloaded the camels, and provided straw and feed for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him. Food was set before him to eat, but he said, “I will not eat until I have told about my errand.” And he said, “Speak on.”

Laban welcomes eliazer

shows hospitality

eliazer will not eat until his mission is accomplished

Genesis 24:34–41 NKJV

So he said, “I am Abraham’s servant. The Lord has blessed my master greatly, and he has become great; and He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys. And Sarah my master’s wife bore a son to my master when she was old; and to him he has given all that he has. Now 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 dwell; but you shall go to my father’s house and to my family, and take a wife for my son.’ And I said to my master, ‘Perhaps the woman will not follow me.’ But he said to me, ‘The Lord, before whom I walk, will send His angel with you and prosper your way; and you shall take a wife for my son from my family and from my father’s house. You will be clear from this oath when you arrive among my family; for if they will not give her to you, then you will be released from my oath.’

Abraham was blessed greatly by God

Eliazer makes his pitch as to why Rebekahs family should accept the marriage proposal

God re establishes why Abraham wanted his son to

marry from his kinsman —avoid wickedness of the cananites

we are also reintroduced to eliazers initial doubts

followed by abrahams faith

As abraham says God will send his angel with you and prosper you in this mission

We see the faith of Abraham in Gods providence

the providence of God- is his governing power that oversees his creation and works out his plan.

Abraham could have faith because he believed in the providence of God

He believed that God would oversee his servants mission

and provide a wife for his son

according to his plan..

Eliazer speaks the plan to Rebekahs family

and continues recapping the way that it unfolded

Genesis 24:42–44 NKJV

“And this day I came to the well and said, ‘O Lord God of my master Abraham, if You will now prosper the way in which I go, behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall come to pass that when the virgin comes out to draw water, and I say to her, “Please give me a little water from your pitcher to drink,” and she says to me, “Drink, and I will draw for your camels also,”—let her be the woman whom the Lord has appointed for my master’s son.’

Genesis 24:45 NKJV

“But before I had finished speaking in my heart, there was Rebekah, coming out with her pitcher on her shoulder; and she went down to the well and drew water. And I said to her, ‘Please let me drink.’

before he was able to finish his prayer

God had answered it

we have to understand prayer is not about changing Gods mind

it is about getting on the same page as him

lets get on the same page as God in our prayer life..

Genesis 24:46–49 NKJV

And she made haste and let her pitcher down from her shoulder, and said, ‘Drink, and I will give your camels a drink also.’ So I drank, and she gave the camels a drink also. 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.’ So I put the nose ring on her nose and the bracelets on her wrists. And I bowed my head and worshiped the Lord, and blessed the Lord God of my master Abraham, who had led me in the way of truth to take the daughter of my master’s brother for his son. Now if you 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.”

again we have a recap

and we see an important point eliazer makes

that Abraham pointed him in the way of truth

because he pointed him to the way of trusting in Gods providence

trust in Gods providence today

where does he have you in this moment

look around and try to understand that he has you where he does for reasons that are greater than yourself

it is all about Him!!!!

seriously it is all about glorifying Jesus…

thats Gods ultimate plan

to glorify His son throught he salvation of sinners

that we will become a church that will be inherited by Christ in eternity

this is why we are called the bride of Christ and we are starting to realize that this story is a picture of the gospel..

lets read on

Genesis 24:50–51 NKJV

Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, “The thing comes from the Lord; we cannot speak to you either bad or good. Here is Rebekah before you; take her and go, and let her be your master’s son’s wife, as the Lord has spoken.”

It is beautiful to see

Rebekahs dad and brother

admit this is of the Lord

and if its of the Lord we must obey

Genesis 24:52–54 NKJV

And it came to pass, when Abraham’s servant heard their words, that he worshiped the Lord, bowing himself to the earth. Then the servant brought out jewelry of silver, jewelry of gold, and clothing, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious things to her brother and to her mother. And he and the men who were with him ate and drank and stayed all night. Then they arose in the morning, and he said, “Send me away to my master.”

Again we see Eliazer give even more gifts to rebekah and her family

a costly price for the bride of Issacc

they then continue to bless the Lord and celebrate the grace and goodness of Gods provision

God showed up and blessed them

for it was in Gods will for this to happen

we should rejoice when we are pleased with Gods decision

but it doesnt always go our way

and when he decides not to dow hat we want him to do, it must not lead us in despair..

they were able to rejoice because God said what he would do

and then he did it…

we should rejoice when we see God move and we should expect to see God move!!!!

Genesis 24:55–60 NKJV

But her brother and her mother said, “Let the young woman stay with us a few days, at least ten; after that she may go.” And he said to them, “Do not hinder me, since the Lord has prospered my way; send me away so that I may go to my master.” So they said, “We will call the young woman and ask her personally.” Then they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” And she said, “I will go.” So they sent away Rebekah their sister and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant and his men. And they blessed Rebekah and said to her: “Our sister, may you become The mother of thousands of ten thousands; And may your descendants possess The gates of those who hate them.”

Rebekahs family wants her to stay longer before she leaves

and who could blame them

but Eliazer replies do not hinder me

the Lord has prospered me and answered my prayer

please dont get in the way

and here we learn how in laws were a problem even 4,000 years ago..

with that in mind let me remind you we are reading of a story that took place 4,000 years ago.

God has preserved his word..

the family asks rebekah what she wants to do

and she is ready to go

As she leaves the family bleses her with a blessing that surely came to pass

as she was the mother of Jacob

who was the head patriarch of the 12 tribes of Israel..

Genesis 24:61–67 NKJV

Then Rebekah and her maids arose, and they rode on the camels and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and departed. Now Isaac came from the way of Beer Lahai Roi, for he dwelt in the South. And Isaac went out to meditate in the field in the evening; and he lifted his eyes and looked, and there, the camels were coming. Then Rebekah lifted her eyes, and when she saw Isaac she dismounted from her camel; for she had said to the servant, “Who is this man walking in the field to meet us?” The servant said, “It is my master.” So she took a veil and covered herself. And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent; and he took Rebekah and she became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.

Rebekah makes the long journey home,

sureley talking with eliazer all about the man she loved

whom she has yet to see

upon meeting she veils her face

showing submission and modesty

Isaac took rebekah to be his wife and He loved her

furthermore he was comforted by his bride after the

death of his mother

here is a good reminder that you honor your mother and father

but after marriage you leave your parents and cling to your spouse

Genesis 2:24 NKJV

Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

Ephesians 5:31 NKJV

“For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”

If God blesses you with a spouse they will be a great comfort and encourager..

in a way its a picture of the holy spirit who comes and helps, comforts, convicts, and encourages you in your walk with God

speaking of pictures this story is a picture of the gospel.

we see a picture of Christ and the church

the father secures a bride for the groom —father God calls a people to be the church (bride)

the father sends a helper to lead the bride to the groom, eliazer is a picture of the holy spirit

the holy spirit keeps us secure until the day we meet Christ

a great price is paid for the bride ---christ paid for his bride on the cross

He also gives us every spiritual blessing

Ephesians 1:3 NKJV

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

rachel is then loved and cared for by her husband

the church is called the bride of Christ for this reason

not sexually

but in the way of Him treasuring the entire body of Christians with a sacrificial love

we are beautiful to Christ

and He is looking forward to spending eternity with us

as the bride rachel was called to leave it all behind for her groom issac—

we too must leave our old life behind with Joy

to be with Christ our Lord and God

Q. Are you ready to give your entire life over to being with Christ?