Perhaps a better title would be 'The Importance of Being Ernest', but that one is already taken. Following are some thoughts stirred during today's sermon about Isaac and the acquisition of his wife, Rebekah. Abraham delegated his most beloved and faithful servant to carry out this decision making process.
This was more than finding a wife for his son; this commitment was preparing for the next generation of God's Covenant. The Seed of Abraham, over the course of generations, was to become God's own Son...
ANTICIPATING COMMITMENT:
This was more than finding a wife for his son; this commitment was preparing for the next generation of God's Covenant. The Seed of Abraham, over the course of generations, was to become God's own Son...
ANTICIPATING COMMITMENT:
Calculate Abilities & Limitations
“Now Abraham was old, advanced in age; and the Lord had blessed Abraham in every way.”
“Now Abraham was old, advanced in age; and the Lord had blessed Abraham in every way.”
Seek Highest Qualifications
“Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he owned…”
Firm Initiation
“Please place your hand under my thigh, and I will make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I live.”
Direct Delegation
“…but you will go to my country and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son Isaac.”
Anticipation of Expectations
“The servant said to him, ‘Suppose the woman is not willing to follow me to this land; should I take your son back to the land from where you came?’”
Clarification with Warning
“Then Abraham said to him, ‘Beware that you do not take my son back there!’”
Establish Authority
“The Lord, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my birth, and who spoke to me and who swore to me, saying, ‘To your descendants I will give this land,’ He will send His angel before you, and you will take a wife for my son from there.”
Definition of Completion
“But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be free from this my oath; only do not take my son back there.”
Documented Agreement
“So the servant placed his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter.”
ACTION TOWARD COMMITMENT:
Thorough Preparation
“Then the servant took ten camels from the camels of his master, and set out with a variety of good things of his masters in his hand; and he arose and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor.”
Time/Placement Strategy
"He made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at evening time, the time when the women go out to draw water.”
Specific Submission
“He said, ‘O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today, and show lovingkindness to my master Abraham.’”
Assessment Analysis
“Behold, I am standing by the spring, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water;”
Core Objective and Action Steps
“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 You have appointed for Your servant Isaac; and by this I will know that You have shown lovingkindness to my master.”
FACING COMMITMENT:
Provision within Specifications
“Before he had finished speaking, 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.”
Appeal and Quality Control
“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.”
Work the Plan
“Then the servant ran to meet her, and said, ‘Please let me drink a little water from your jar.”
Observe Efficiency
“She said, ‘Drink, my lord’; and she quickly lowered her jar to her hand, and gave him a drink.”
Sight Initiative
“Now when she had finished giving him a drink, she said, ‘I will draw also for your camels until they have finished drinking.’”
Note Follow-through
"So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, and ran back to the well to draw, and she drew for all his animals.”
Big Picture Evaluation
“Meanwhile, the man was gazing at her in silence, to know whether the Lord had made his journey successful or not.”
ACTION LEADING TOWARD COMMITMENT:
Establish Value and Compensate
“When the camels had finished drinking, the man took a gold ring weighing a half-shekel and two bracelets for her wrists weighing ten shekels in gold, and said, ‘Whose daughter are you?’”
Arrange Accommodations
“Please tell me, is there room for us to lodge in your father’s house?”
Identification Confirmation
“She said to him, ‘I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.’”
Review Requirements
“Again she said to him, ‘We have plenty of both straw and feed, and room to lodge in.’”
COMMITMENT:
Humility in Worship
“Then the man bowed low and worshiped the Lord.”
Declaration of Praise
“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.”
~ae
Genesis 24:1-27
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