I imagine it was the kind of starry night that would’ve inspired Vincent Van Gogh when the Lord took Abram outside and said these words to him from Genesis 15, Look up into the sky and count the stars. If you can. That’s how many descendants you will have. Now, what is marvelous and mysterious about those words is that Abram didn’t even have a son yet. Look at the faith it took to believe what the Lord was saying. But Abram, who would become Abraham, yes, God did change his name and he did have faith, and he did become the father of many nations. You can kind of see why it was so important to find the right wife for his son. Isaac.
We are smack dab in the middle of an epic loved story in the Bible. I’m so glad to be on this journey with you this week, as we discover how loved we really are and how chosen you and I are. Today, we’re continuing where we last left off, in Genesis 24. Here we go!
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Transcription:
I imagine it was the kind of starry night that would’ve inspired Vincent Van Gogh when the Lord took Abram outside and said these words to him from Genesis 15,
Look up into the sky and count the stars. If you can. That’s how many descendants you will have.
Now, what is marvelous and mysterious about those words is that Abram didn’t even have a son yet. Look at the faith it took to believe what the Lord was saying. But Abram, who would become Abraham, yes, God did change his name and he did have faith, and he did become the father of many nations. You can kind of see why it was so important to find the right wife for his son. Isaac.
Hi, I’m Erica. Welcome to the Bible for Busy People. We are smack dab in the middle of an epic loved story in the Bible. I’m so glad to be on this journey with you this week, as we discover how loved we really are and how chosen you and I are. Okay. Last time we met Abraham sent his servant on a mission and the Lord answered Abraham’s prayer in the servant’s prayer in the form of a beautiful woman named Rebekah. Rebekah ran home to tell her brother Laban the news, and the family welcomed the servant into their home and they sat down to dinner and this is where we left off last time in Genesis chapter 24, verse 34,
I am Abraham servant, He explained, and the Lord has greatly blessed my master. He has become a wealthy man. The Lord has given him flocks of sheep and goats, herds of cattle, a fortune in silver and gold, and many male and female servants, and camels and donkeys. When Sarah, my master’s wife, was very old, she gave birth to my master’s son, and my master has given him everything he owns, and my master made me take an oath. He said, do not allow my son to marry one of these local Canaanite women. Go instead to my father’s house, to my relatives and find a wife there for my son. But I said to my master, what if I can’t find a young woman who is willing to go back with me? He responded, the Lord in whose presence I have lived,
Don’t you want to be able to say that like Abraham Lord, I have lived in your presence. That’s beautiful.
…the Lord in whose presence I have lived will send his angel with you and will make your mission successful. Yes, you must find a wife for my son, from among my relatives, from my father’s family. Then you will have fulfilled your obligation. But if you go to my relatives and they refuse to let her go with you, you’ll be free from my oath. So today when I came to the spring, I prayed this prayer, oh Lord God of my master Abraham, please give me success on this mission. See, I am standing here beside this spring. This is my request. When a young woman comes to draw water, I will say to her, please give me a little drink of water from your jug. If she says yes, have a drink and I will draw water for your camels too, let her be the one you have selected to be the wife of my master son. Before I had finished praying in my heart,
To me that’s so significant.
I saw Rebekah coming out with her water jug on her shoulder. She went down to the spring and drew water. So, I said to her, please give me a drink. She quickly lowered her jug from her shoulder and said, yes, have a drink and I will water your camels too. So, I drank and then she watered the camels. Then I asked, whose daughter are you? She replied, I am the daughter of Bethuel and my grandparents are Nahor and Milcah. So, I put the ring on her nose and the bracelets on her wrists. Then I bowed low and worshiped the Lord. I praised the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, because he had led me straight to my master’s niece to be his son’s wife. So, tell me, will you or won’t you show unfailing love and faithfulness to my master? Please tell me yes or no, and then I’ll know what to do next. Then Laban and Bethuel replied. The Lord has obviously brought you here, so there is nothing we can say. Here is Rebekah, take her and go. Yes, let her be the wife of your master son. As the Lord has directed. When Abraham servant heard their answer, he bowed down to the ground and worshiped the Lord. Then he brought out silver and gold jewelry and clothing, and presented them to Rebekah. He also gave expensive presence to her brother and mother. Then they ate their meal and the servants and the men with him stayed there overnight. But early the next morning, Abraham servant said, send me back to my master. But we want Rebekah to stay with us at least 10 days, her brother and mother said, then she can go. But he said, don’t delay me. The Lord has made my mission successful. Now send me back so I can return to my master. Well, they said, we’ll call Rebekah and ask her what she thinks. So they called Rebekah. Are you willing to go with this man? They asked her and she replied, yes, I will go. So they said goodbye to Rebekah and sent her away with Abraham’s servant and his men. The woman who had been Rebekah’s childhood nurse went along with her. They gave her this blessing, as she parted; our sister, may you become the mother of many millions. May your descendants be strong and conquer the cities of their enemies. Then Rebekah and her servant girls mounted the camels and followed the man. So Abraham’s servant took Rebekah and went on his way. Meanwhile, Isaac, whose home was in the Nagev, had returned from Beer-lahai-roi, one evening as he was walking and meditating in the fields, he looked up and saw the camels coming. When Rebekah looked up and saw Isaac, she quickly dismounted from her camel, who is that man Walking through the fields to meet us? She asked the servant and he replied, it is my master. So Rebekah covered her face with her veil. Then the servant told Isaac everything he had done, and Isaac brought Rebekah into his mother Sarah’s tent, and she became his wife. He loved her deeply and she was a special comfort to him after the death of his mother.
What an incredible story. I want you to know today that you are also chosen. In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians chapter two, verse 10, he writes, for we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us a new in Christ Jesus so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. You were created on purpose, for a purpose. You are chosen and you are loved.
Thank you so much for listening to the Bible for Busy People. If you need prayer or you’re ready to go a little deeper in your faith, we’ve posted some resources for you in our show notes. We’d love for you to share this podcast with a friend and leave us a review. It helps us reach even more people with the hope of Jesus. This podcast is part of Purposely, a podcast network designed with practical podcasts to help you find and live in God’s purpose for your life.
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