A Wife for Isaac

Genesis 24 August 4, 2013

A. Introduction Why do you think finding the right wife for Isaac was so important to his dad? Gen. 12:1-3, Gal. 3:8-9 • She would be the mother of the nation through which God’s promised Savior would come.

B. Abraham’s faithfulness How old is Abraham at this point? 21:5, 25:20 • ________________________________________________________________________________.

To whom did Abraham entrust the vital matter of finding a wife for his son Isaac? 2 • ________________________________________________________________________________.

What was Abraham’s greatest fear in locating a wife for Isaac and why was he so concerned? 3,4 • ________________________________________________________________________________.

What instruction did Abraham give to his servant? 4,10 • ________________________________________________________________________________.

C. The servant’s steadfastness If the servant was Eliezer how long had he worked for Abraham and what did he have to lose when Isaac was born? 15:2,3 • From chapter 15 to chapter 25 would have been over 50 years. He would have lost the inheritance.

How did this servant who was Abraham’s chief steward prepare for the journey? • ________________________________________________________________________________.

What is the first thing the steward did when he reached the city of Nahor in Mesopotamia? 10-12 • ________________________________________________________________________________.

What was the steward’s immediate concern in locating the right woman? 14 • His goal was to find the precise candidate that God had appointed to be a wife for Isaac.

How did the steward pray that he might recognize God’s choice for Isaac? 14 • ________________________________________________________________________________.

How long did it take God to answer the steward’s prayer? 15 • ________________________________________________________________________________.

What did the steward do as soon as he learned who she was? 26,27 • ________________________________________________________________________________.

When the steward told Rebekah’s family what had happened, what did they realize? • The events that had occurred had obviously come from the Lord.

D. Rebekah’s fearlessness How did Rebekah respond to the steward’s inviting himself and his caravan to her house? 25,28 • ________________________________________________________________________________.

After the steward repeated his entire story for the family, what did her father and brother say? 50,51 • The Lord has clearly brought you here. What can we say? Take her and go to be the wife of Isaac.

What did Rebekah’s mother and brother suggest to Abraham’s steward the next morning? 55 • ________________________________________________________________________________.

Why do you think the steward declined the offer and asked to leave immediately? II Cor. 6:2, Heb. 4:7 • There should be no delay in following God’s will. Postponement might bring doubt and further delay.

What was the end result of Rebekah courageous decision to leave home for a foreign land and a new husband she had never laid eyes on before? 67 • ________________________________________________________________________________.

August 4, 2013A Wife for Isaac

A. Introduction

B. Abraham’s faithfulness

C. His servant’s steadfastnessD. Rebekah fearlessness

A. Introduction

I Peter 3:6 - as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her

children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening.

B. Abraham’s faithfulness

John 14:26 - But the Helper, which is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my

name, He shall teach you all things . . .

The Marriage Success Factors – A similarity of family

background.

Principle #1. Marry only a growing Christian.

Assuming you are a growing Christian

II Corinthians 6:14-15 - Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has

righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what

accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?

Galatians 3:8 - And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the

gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, "All the nations shall be blessed in you."

C. His servant’s steadfastness

Genesis 24:4 - but you shall go to my country and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son Isaac.

Principle #2. Pray for God’s guidance in identifying the girl.

Genesis 24:12-15 - And he (Eliezer) said, "O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, please grant me success

today, and show lovingkindness to my master Abraham. Behold, I am standing by the spring, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw

water; now may it be that the girl to whom I say,' Please let down your jar so that I may drink,' and who answers,' Drink, and I will water your camels also'; — may she be the one whom Thou hast appointed for Thy servant Isaac; and by this I shall know that

Thou hast shown lovingkindness to my master."

Principle #3. Establish some Biblical standards.

Isaiah 65:24 - It will also come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they

are still speaking, I will hear.

D. Rebekah’s fearlessness

Genesis 24:15 - And it came about before he had finished speaking, that behold, Rebekah

who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Abraham's brother Nahor, came out

with her jar on her shoulder.

Genesis 24:16 - And the girl was very beautiful, a virgin, and no man had had

relations with her; and she went down to the spring and filled her jar, and came up.

Principle #4. Be alert to God’s provision.

Genesis 24:17-18 - Then the servant ran to meet her, and said, "Please let me drink a little water from your jar." And she said, "Drink, my

lord"; and she quickly lowered her jar to her hand, and gave him a drink.

Genesis 24:19 - Now when she had finished giving him a drink, she said, "I will draw also

for your camels until they have finished

drinking."

Genesis 24:20 - So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, and ran back to the well to draw,

and she drew for all his camels

21 Meanwhile, the man was gazing at her in silence, to know whether the Lord had made his

journey successful or not.

Genesis 24:24-25 - And she said to him, "I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, whom she

bore to Nahor."

25 Again she said to him, "We have plenty of both straw and feed, and room to lodge in."

Genesis 24:26-27 - Then the man bowed low and worshiped the Lord. And he said, "Blessed be the

Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His lovingkindness and His truth toward

my master; as for me, the Lord has guided me in the way to the house of my master's brothers."

Genesis 24:28 - Then the girl ran and told her mother's household about these things.

Genesis 24:29 - Now Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban; and Laban ran

outside to the man at the spring.

Genesis 24:32 - Then Laban unloaded the camels, and he gave straw and feed to the

camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.

Principle #5. Get ready financially for the responsibility of a wife and children.

Genesis 24:34-36 - . . . I am Abraham's servant. And the Lord has greatly blessed my master, so that

he has become rich; and He has given him flocks and herds, and silver and gold, and servants and maids, and camels and donkeys. Now Sarah my master's wife bore a son to my master in her old age; and he has given him all that he has.

Genesis 24:50-51 - Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, "The matter comes from

the Lord; so we cannot speak to you bad or good. Behold, Rebekah is before you, take her

and go, and let her be the wife of your master's son, as the Lord has spoken."

Principle #6. Follow the advice of parents and receive their blessing.

II Corinthians 6:1-2 - And working together with Him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of

God in vain for He says, "At the acceptable time I listened to you, And on the day of salvation I

helped you"; behold, now is "the acceptable time," behold, now is "the day of salvation"

Principle #7. Be willing to accept God’s timing (to wait or to move forward).

Principle #8. Acknowledge God as the source of blessing. Thank Him for His

guidance and provision.

"Blessed be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His

lovingkindness and His truth toward my master; as for me, the Lord has guided me in the way to

the house of my master's brothers."

Psalm 37:23 - The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and He delights in his way.

John 3:16 - For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes

in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.