Divine Direction

Philadelphia Baptist Church

7/1/2007 Sun. p.m.

Divine Direction

Genesis 24:26–67

Genesis 24:27. And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I being in the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master’s brethren.

Introduction: As we study this passage tonight, we should note that we stand on this side of the Cross the same distance as Abraham did on the other side of the Cross. Abraham lived 2,000 years before Christ. We live 2,000 years after Christ. Yet, despite such a time gap, we live by faith just as Abraham did. God took great care in providing a wife for Isaac to fulfill His plan for the coming of Jesus some 2,000 years later. In this passage, we will discover further the greatness of the Lord’s leading in our lives, our response to His leading, and how we interact with His providence.

1.     Focus on God’s Plan (vv. 28–33). Rebekah ran back to her home with great enthusiasm at the news of this servant’s arrival from Abraham. Laban saw the ring and bracelets and quickly left the house for the spring. His greetings to the servant were overly warm and gracious. We get the sense that Laban is greedy and opportunistic, pursuing riches over and above the Lord. In contrast to Laban, the servant would not be distracted from his oath and assignment. Even the lavish feast before him didn’t divert his attention from God’s plan (Prov. 23:1–7; John 4:31–34). We often face the temptation to lose focus when the cares of this life cloud our vision of God’s glory. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith (Heb. 12:2).

Guides Galore

The world is looking for good guides—and I don’t just mean the ones who can lead you on a hiking trip through the wilderness. One of America’s popular magazines is TV Guide, designed to guide our television viewing habits. Travel guides help us plan our trips, and a host of books have the word “Guide” in their title, such as Beginners Guides, Study Guides, Official Guides, Unofficial Guides, Ultimate Guides, Dating Guides, Marriage Guides, Pregnancy Guides, and Parenting Guides. But there’s one guide that out-guides them all, and one book that is our ultimate guidebook in life.

      I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. (Ps. 32:8).

      Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which  thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation. (Ex. 15:13).

      For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death. (Ps. 48:14).

      Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.  (Ps. 73:24).

2.     Acknowledge God’s Provisions (vv. 34–54a). The servant, staying focused on God’s plan, rehearsed the story of God’s provisions for Abraham and for this quest. We are quick to recognize that Abraham is in fact a man of great wealth. Riches are not a sin. Rather, it is the attitude toward riches that is of concern. The servant emphasizes God’s provision not the provisions themselves (vv. 35–36). Specifically, the servant gives attention to the success that the Lord has given to him on the journey. The purpose for recording the story a second time is to ensure that we get the point of God’s absolute control over His creation. Living becomes simplistic when we acknowledge the providence of God in all things and submit to His Word.

1. Resolve to Fulfill God’s Purpose (vv. 54b–61). The servant was no sluggard “sleeping in late after the party last night.” He showed the same resolve as his master Abraham—up early the next morning to complete the task (Gen. 21:14; 22:3). The servant, however, was asked to delay his return for at least ten more days. As we learn more of Laban’s manipulative techniques and shrewd business dealings in the chapters to come, we understand that Laban was seeking to get more treasure; he wondered what else there might be stowed away on those ten camels. Probably confident that Rebekah inherited some greediness, Laban and his wife suggest that Rebekah should decide. Rebekah’s response is one of resolve like that of the servant. She says, “I will go.” We, too, are to follow the Lord’s leading with resolve and determination to fulfill God’s purpose for us. This is the mark of one who follows Christ, for our Lord Jesus also was resolved to do the will of the Father (Luke 9:51).

Zigzagging?

Charles Swindoll tells of being in the Marine Corps on a ship stationed near Taiwan. The ship stopped at the harbor of Taipei and waited for the arrival of the harbor pilot who came and took the wheel of the ship and began to weave through the pathless waters toward the dock. It seemed like useless zigzagging until the Marines looked over the side of the ship into the crystal clear waters. There were mines located randomly beneath the surface of the water. If the hull of the ship had nudged a mine just enough, disaster would have occurred. But the pilot of the harbor knew where every mine was located.

1. Meditate on God’s Promises (24:62–67). The scene now changes to Beer-lahai-roi. You may remember this place form chapter 16 when Hagar had run away from Sarai. There God had seen her distress and helped her. Now in his loneliness, Isaac is at the same well. Here he meditates. The psalmist writes of meditation on the Word of the Lord (Ps. 119:9, 15–16, 147–148). To meditate on the promises of God’s Word is to think on them, to let them shape and form our thinking and acting. This is the means by which the Lord leads us (Rom. 12:2).

Conclusion: We should interact with the sovereign control of God. We should respond to His leading as we focus on God’s plan, acknowledge His provisions, resolve to fulfill His purpose, and meditate on His promises. This we endeavor to do by His grace and in His Son, Jesus Christ, who has accomplished this for us.

Great and Precious Promises

2 Peter 1:3–4

Whatever your situation today, there’s a promise from God to meet every need.

      The Nature and Variety of the Blessings Contained in the Promises. The promises of God are of an excellent nature and suited to every circumstance. They address our needs, both of body and spirit. They address the various troubles and calamities that befall us.

      The Manner in Which They Are Expressed. They are not expressed in general or ambiguous terms, but are specifically stated to meet our practical needs.

      The Certainty with Which We May Depend on Them. God has confirmed His promises with an oath and ratified them with His own blood.

      Their Happy Influence on the Mind. As Puritan Samuel Clarke quaintly put it: “A fixed, constant attention to the promises, and a firm belief in them, would prevent solicitude and anxiety about the concerns of life. It would keep the mind quiet and composed in every change and support and keep up our sinking spirits under the several troubles of life.”

As Christians we deprive ourselves of our most solid comforts by our unbelief and forgetfulness of God’s promises. For there is no extremity so great but there are promises suitable to it, and abundantly sufficient for our relief in it.