February 25, 2007

Gen. 24:1 - 64

Some parts of the Bible need to be studied with close scrutiny be they Old testament law or prophecies or new testament doctrine, even parts of genesis because they contain important words of special importance that need to be savored before we can move on.

Other parts though are pure narrative and to examine those as we would heavy doctrine would be as much a mistake as to rush through the heavy teachings.

Genesis 24 is one of those portions. It is a long chapter, the longest in Genesis with its 67 verses and the second longest episode next to the flood which takes three chapters (75 verses).

This chapter concerns Abraham sending His servant to find a bride for Isaac, as well as Rebecca’s willingness to leave her family and travel across a great desert to share her life with a man she had never met. It is a love story, and a touching one at that.

It is more than just a love story though, Henry Morris writes: Not only is this a heart warming love story, but it chronicles a very important time in the redemptive history of man. Since the New Testament indicates that Isaac is a type of Christ it is not surprising that there are many fascinating parallels between the story of Isaac’s search for a bride through the ministry of his father’s entrusted servant, and the sending forth of the Holy Spirit to take out of the Gentiles a people for his name.(Acts 15:14), a bride for Christ (2 Cor 11:2)

Of greater importance than the symbolism here is the fact that the bride selected for Isaac had to be chosen with particular care since she would be the mother of the multitude of nations which God had promised would come through Abraham’s seed, through which the promised savior would come, and in which all the nations of the world would be blessed.

It would perhaps be well for young people and their parents to study the principles guiding the preparation for this marriage as they contemplate their own.

There are 5 parts to this episode:

1 Abraham’s solemn charge to his most trusted servant to find a bride for Isaac from among Abraham’s relatives (1-9)

2. The servant’s journey across the desert and his meeting with Rebecca at a well (10-27)

3. The servants explanation of his mission and the parents positive response to the request)vv28-53)

4. The servant’s desire to return home immediately with Rebecca and her willingness to go (54-58)

5. Rebekah’s departure from home, with her family’s blessing and her meeting with and marriage to Isaac.

This passage involves various relationships relationships...parents to children, children to strangers, husbands to wives, and it begins with the relationship of Abraham(the master) and his trusted servant.

This passage does not tell us the servant’s name. Isn’t that interesting? God is not concerned that his servants get headlines in this world. I notice a lot that many people are anxious to let you know just what a powerful servant THEY are. I have bragged on my own greatness (of course in a modest manner) too often not to know God disapproves. Many are the mighty works of God but BEWARE a person who is swift to tell you just how greatly God is using them. Unnamed yet faithful was this servant and that is what God desires of us.

It is more fun to have name recognition than to be in the back ground you know? It is, for the most part, what discourages people most about service after years and years...They feel unappreciated, let down because no one notices and so they quit.

They might as well. If the motive for service is anything less than “God, my gracious Loving Father, this one is for you and you alone” then it really isn’t service for God at all. So take a break.

We do surmise that this servant may have been Eliezer of Damascus as a named servant from Genesis 15, but that incident occurred some 60 years before this one so he may have died but what we do know is that an unnamed faithful servant had come to trust the God of Hi master Abraham.

Notice His devotion. When He arrives in the town of Nahor , where he hopes to find Isaac’s bride, he prays, “Oh Lord God of my master Abraham, give me success today, and how kindness to my master Abraham. See I am standing beside this spring, and the daughters of the town are coming out to draw water. May it be that when I say to a girl “Please let down your jar that I may have a drink’, and she says, ’drink and I’ll water your camels too- let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my Master. (12-14)

Later after Rebecca has responded and has been identified as the granddaughter of Nahor Abraham’s brother, the servant prays, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of my Master Abraham who has not abandoned his kindness and faithfulness to my master. As for me the Lord has led me on this journey to the house of my master’s relatives.

Do you know that with the exception of Abraham’s intercession for Sodom , this is the first recorded prayer in the Bible? Where did Abraham’s servant learn to pray like this? Where did he learn to Trust in JHVH GOD? Evidently from Abraham.

C.H. Spurgeon observed that this is the way the gospel should be spread when he said, “Though grace does not run in the blood, and regeneration is not of the blood or birth, yet it doth very frequently-I was about to say almost always-happen that God, by means of one of a household, draws the rest of the household to himself. He calls an individual and then uses him to be a sort of spiritual decoy to bring the rest of the family into the gospel net.”

Just think of the difference it would make for the cause of Christ if those closest to us or who work with us would learn to trust Christ as a result of our testimonies.

If the first important feature of this passage is relationships, the second is prayer. This unnamed servant understood the principle penned 2000 yrs later “Pray unceasingly.” He knew of and practiced prevailing prayer. The immediacy and fervency of this recorded prayer leads us to believe that this whole journey was bathed in prayer, a fervent seeking of God’s direction and blessing. I don’t doubt that the caravan began each days march with prayer that God would prosper and protect it and bring its mission to fulfillment. I don’t doubt that the days ended with prayer as this servant thanked God for granting the morning’s requests. BUT note that as he prayed he continued traveling. Prayer is number one, but it is not to replace action he prayed and plodded, he knew that prayer isn’t given to make work unnecessary, but to make it effective.

Now put these two ideas together and you have a plan. ONE: Pray for the members of your immediate circle of family and friends. TWO: Live so that the holiness of Jesus Christ will shine through and you will be a light to draw them to Christ.

This servant was sent to draw a bride to Isaac and God did the real work. You are sent to draw a bride to Christ and the Spirit of God will do the real work. BUT he calls you to pray and live and speak.

Do not expect God to deliver the water of life in a dirty cup, he’s not partial to that, oh he can use you, he used Baalam’s Ass to fulfill his purpose, but he calls us as a people to be true servants, ones who desire to do the will of the master. To make the master successful.

The Holy Spirit is at work wooing a bride for the bridegroom, Jesus Christ.

He has only one plan to win them and that plan involves you.

It involves you becoming a surrendered servant to Jesus that you may honestly do the master’s bidding and travel into the land to find the one who is slated to be part of the bride of Christ, the body, the church.

The spirit is the one who works in hearts but he sends us to bear the message. Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem , and in all Judaea , and in Samaria , and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

The Mark of being filled with the Spirit is a clear witness. You shall be witnesses.

He told the disciples: Mt 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Mr 16:15 and he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

That is our task. That is the only job he gave us. Oh, along the way we are salt and light. Along the way we stand for what is right and just. Along the way we speak out about injustice, discrimination, abortion and other wrongs. But our MAIN task is to proclaim the gospel...bring in a bride for the one we serve.

DO NOT be side tracked by anything good or bad that deters you from drawing others to the master’s side. That is the task you were sent to do. I was sent to do. Let us ask God to prepare the way and let us do it in His power.

You see contrary to the teaching of the day the Holy Spirit isn’t sent to make us feel good, although he does that, He is sent to empower us, to empower us for evangelism, Acts 1:8 tells the main sign of being filled with the spirit: YE SHALL BE WITNESSES......

Like Eleazar the Holy Spirit does not desire to draw attention to Himself, he points only to the son of the Father, wooing not a bride or a following to himself, but wooing a bride for the Son of God.

We are left here to bring others in and we are travelers only in this land, travelers who are doing the bidding of our master to bring a bride for the son.

Closing ill: In Plymouth Congregational Church in Chicago in 1856 a congregation of well dressed people flocked into their rented pews. They silently shuffled in to take their places in regal manner.

But this Sunday morning there was a commotion at the door which caused the elite to turn and gape. Something they had never seen before was taking place.

In walked a young man, a 19 year old salesman. Following him was a motley group of tramps, slum people, and alcoholics. The young man led them to the 4 pews he had personally rented for his visitors. He continued this practice each Sunday until God called Him to a worldwide ministry.

After one of His evangelistic crusades as a part of that ministry one of the elite came up to him after the sermon and said, “Mr. Moody, I counted 18 grammatical errors in your sermon today.” Young D.L. Moody, not a high school graduate even, replied, “I’m using all the grammar I know to win people to Jesus. How are you using yours?”

Now please think on that AMEN