Read Genesis 24:18-28
Questions from the Scripture text: What does Rebekah say in Genesis 24:18? What does she do? What does she propose to do in Genesis 24:19? How many camels would this be? Until they have drunk how much? In what manner does she empty the pitcher in Genesis 24:20? At what pace does she return to the well? For how many camels does she draw? Who gazes at her (Genesis 24:21)? How does he remain? What is he learning? How much have the camels drunk in Genesis 24:22? What does he take out in this verse? What does he ask about her in Genesis 24:23? What does he ask about his caravan? What does she answer about herself in Genesis 24:24? What does she answer about his caravan in Genesis 24:25? To whom does the man respond in Genesis 24:26? How does he respond? What does he call Yahweh in Genesis 24:27? What does he say that Yahweh has not done? What does he say that Yahweh has done? What does the young woman run and do (Genesis 24:28)?The servant asked for a sign, and the sign was fulfilled. Why isn’t he just carrying Rebekah off to Canaan already? Genesis 24:21 tells us that the servant, wondering (lit. gazing) at her remained silent so as to know whether Yahweh had prospered his journey or not.
We’re interested to watch, while he watches, to see what it is that the servant sees that leads to exuberant praise for the prospering of the journey. And we do see that Rebekah is from the right family, that she is respectful and kind, that the is diligent, that she is generous and strong and persevering, and that she is trustworthy.
But, it is perhaps good for us to spend a little time thinking about the liberty of making choices based upon God’s revealed instruction, while trusting His providential decree. People use the phrase “God’s will” to talk about both of those things, and end up confusing them into a superstition in which they are on a puzzle-search for “the one.” We do well to listen to Deuteronomy 29:29: “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.”
So, believers are to trust Scriptures like Romans 8:28 and Romans 8:32 and Ephesians 1:11. This will help spare us from being hyper-romanticized about the search, or giving into anxiety over ending up alone. We can then, instead, proceed with joy, doing according to what God says is good for us to do, since we are sure that God will do whatever is good for us.
At the end of the day, a believer cannot miss out on the most important marriage of all—when Christ, by His Spirit, will have prepared us to be His own bride. In the end, no preparation to be a godly wife (or the kind of man who would suit well for a godly wife) is wasted—for even that marriage which we looked forward to, and may or may not ever have in this life, is ultimately most valuable as a preparation for the marriage of the Lamb!
What are some of the roles that God has you in right now? What does He say to do in them?Suggested Songs: ARP45B “Daughter, Incline Your Ear” or TPH128B “Blest the Man That Fears Jehovah”
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