Dr. Jack L. Arnold Equipping
Pastors International Genesis
Lesson 39
Isaac Marries Rebekah
Genesis 24:1-67
I. INTRODUCTION
A. The story of Isaac and Rebekah is a beautiful love story,
but behind the scene is the record of how God would fulfill the Abrahamic
Covenant through the godly line. Isaac had to have a wife and a son if the
promise was to find continuance.
B. There is a typological message in this historic event, for
it pictures ChristŐs love for the Church. Abraham represents God, the Father;
Isaac represents Christ; the servant represents the Holy Spirit; and Rebekah
represents the Church.
II. ABRAHAM SENDS HIS SERVANT TO GET A BRIDE FOR ISAAC 24:1-9
A. Abraham was near death and wanted to see the continuance of
the covenant through his son Isaac. Isaac had to have a wife to bear him a son.
The final blessing for Abraham would be the finding of a bride for Isaac.
B. Abraham sent his servant to Mesopotamia to find a bride for
his Son among his own kindred. Abraham knew the dangers of marrying Isaac to a
Canaanite, for they were an exceedingly evil people. IsaacŐs wife had to be a
believer in Jehovah God and the Canaanites were unbelievers. Isaac, who was
about 40 years old, was not to leave the Promised Land. Abraham forbade Isaac
to go in person to get a bride, for he knew by personal experience that there
was danger in leaving the land.
C. Abraham promised that God would fulfill His covenant and
that He would lead him to the bride. In fact, an angel would guide him.
NOTE. Abraham had great confidence
in God, for he had walked with God for many years and knew He was faithful to
His promises.
III. THE SERVANT GOES TO SEEK A BRIDE FOR ISAAC 24:10-14
A. The servant went on his mission with great riches from
Abraham to woo the bride for Isaac. NOTE.
Here was a trusted servant who was absolutely honest.
B. When the servant gets to Mesopotamia, he stops to rest the
camels and begins to pray for the LordŐs guidance. The servant was a man of
faith because he followed the example of his master Abraham, who was the man of
faith. The servant more or less tells God that he needs a sign and sets these
signs before God. The woman who offers the servant a drink and offers to water
the camels would be the woman. NOTE. It is not wrong to seek a sign to confirm GodŐs leading but
it certainly is not necessary. To seek signs is an exception rather than the
rule.
IV. THE SERVANT MEETS REBEKAH AT THE WELL 24:15-27
A. Before the servant had finished his prayer, God answered it
(Isa. 65:24). A beautiful virgin came to the well. The servant was stunned
and he ran to meet her. NOTE.
The servant was excited
because God had so quickly answered his prayer and he was anticipating the LordŐs
blessing in working out his problem. NOTE. Rebekah had absolutely no knowledge of the servantŐs plan.
Yet God set all the circumstances so she would be at the well at that very
time.
B. Rebekah performed the signs but the servant kept looking on
her in deep meditation, for he wanted to be absolutely sure of the LordŐs
will. NOTE. Signs in themselves are not sufficient
to determine GodŐs leading. There must be peace in the heart (Col. 3:15).
C. The servant asks the maidenŐs name and gave her bracelets,
gold and a ring for her nose. The woman offered him lodging in her fatherŐs
house.
D. The servant knows he has the LordŐs will and bows again in
thanksgiving and gives an unselfish prayer for Abraham and praises God for His
leading. He praises God for His loving-kindness and His providential guidance.
V. THE SERVANT INVITED INTO THE HOME OF BETHUEL, REBEKAHŐS
FATHER 24:28-32
A. Rebekah ran to tell her mother and brother of the
happenings. She was excited about the blessing of the Lord and with the
possibility that she was to be a bride.
B. Laban, her brother, recognized Jehovah as the God of Abraham
and of his servant. NOTE. There is some evidence that this home
believed in the one true God. How they received their knowledge we do not know.
Perhaps Abraham had some indirect testimony to them.
VI. THE SERVANT STATES HIS MISSION 24:33-49
A. The host offered the servant food but he would not eat until
he had told the whole story to the household. He was excited to tell about
JehovahŐs dealings with Abraham, Isaac and now Rebekah.
B. The servant gets the parentsŐ consent to the wedding
(24:49). NOTE. God had to prepare
the hearts of the parents too.
VII. PERMISSION GRANTED TO REBEKAH TO BECOME
ISAACŐS BRIDE 24:50-60
A. The parents give their consent and the servant worships
Jehovah for His faithfulness. The servant then gives presents to the mother and
the brother. Undoubtedly a gift was paid to Bethuel as
was the custom of the day.
B. RebekahŐs parents did not want to give her up so quickly but
the servant wanted to return immediately. The will of God was to get Rebekah
back to Isaac as soon as possible. Rebekah had to make a break from home (Gen.
2:24).
C. They left the final decision of when to go up to Rebekah and
she said she would go immediately. NOTE.
She had total obedience to God and to the man she was going to marry.
D. Then the family blessed Rebekah (24:60). NOTE. When Rebekah gave her decision, the
parents changed their attitude and were all for her. When believers are committed,
they can expect God to change peopleŐs thinking.
VIII. REBEKAH MEETS ISAAC AND BECOMES HIS
BRIDE 24:61-67
A. The trip to the Promised Land began. When they were close to
home, Isaac was having his quiet time in the field and he saw the camels
coming. He knew it was AbrahamŐs servant with his bride to be, Isaac got
excited about the LordŐs choice for him and the anticipation of meeting his
future bride.
B. Rebekah saw Isaac coming and she was excited, thinking that
this was her future husband. She asked who was coming and the servant identified
him as Isaac. Rebekah prettied herself up and covered her head with a veil.
NOTE. This is love suspense at its
best.
C. Isaac took Rebekah for his wife and he loved her. Rebekah
not only became IsaacŐs wife but she filled the void that had been left when
his mother died.
D. POINT: This whole chapter is about GodŐs leading. God will
lend those who want to be led. He leads through faith, prayer, obedience and
faithfulness on the part of the believer.
IX. TYPICAL SIGNIFICANCE
A. The Father.
The Heavenly Father loved His Son, Jesus Christ, so much that He sought
only to make Him happy (Eph. 1:20-22). The Father set out to seek a bride for
Christ. The Bride was thought of before she herself knew it (Eph. 1:4).
B. Holy Spirit.
The servant represents the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit declares a
message through the servants of the Father. It is the Spirit who woos and
convicts of sin and makes Christ attractive to the bride to be (John 16:8; John
6:44).
C. The
Son. The Son anticipates the
gift of His bride from His Father (John 6:37; 10:
27-28;
17:6-24).
D. The
Bride. The Bride is the
Church. Each person in the true Church must say ŇyesÓ to Christ before he is
saved. A decision must be made to
be the bride (Eph. 2:8-9; John 1:12; Matt. 11:28). The Bride, by an act of her
will, must submit to her master, Jesus Christ.