Abraham part 18 Abraham's servant meets Rebekah's family by Victor Torres

Transcription

1 Abraham part 18 Abraham's servant meets Rebekah's family by Victor Torres Last time, we saw how the servant of Abraham prayed to God, in the name of his master. This shows us that we should ask the Father for things that we want according to His will. If we do that, then He will always hear us. We may not see our prayers answered immediately, but eventually, He will give us our heart's desire. We also saw how the servant was very watchful of Rebekah because he wanted to be sure that she is the one the Lord had chosen: Gen 24:21 (CEV) Abraham's servant did not say a word, but he watched everything Rebekah did, because he wanted to know for certain if this was the woman the LORD had chosen. The verse above shows us how we would tell if someone is really following God. The Lord tells us that faith should always be accompanied by works. We cannot simply say we believe in God and do nothing. This kind of faith is dead. Let's see what happened next: Gen 24:23 (CEV) Then he said, "Please tell me who your father is. Does he have room in his house for me and my men to spend the night?" Gen 24:24 She answered, "My father is Bethuel, the son of Nahor and Milcah. Nahor is the brother of Abraham. So the servant now knows that Rebekah could be the wife for Isaac, because his master told him to get a wife from his family, and not from the world. This is done in spirit today by the true people of God. They are suppose to get a wife or husband from the spiritual family of God, and not from people of the world. Gen 24:25 (CEV) We have a place where you and your men can stay, and we also have enough straw and feed for your camels." Gen 24:26 Then the servant bowed his head and prayed, Gen 24:27 "I thank you, LORD God of my master Abraham! You have led me to his relatives and kept your promise to him." We should always remember to thank God for all the blessings that He has given us. This is not an easy thing to remember. We always forget His kindness to us. Often we take things for granted like our health, the house we live in, or the food that we have on the table.

2 We take these things for granted until we become sick, we lose our house because our parents lost their job or we don't have enough money to buy food. Let's continue the story: Gen 24:28 (ERV) Then Rebekah ran and told her family about all these things. Gen 24:29 She had a brother named Laban. She told him what the man had said to her. Laban was listening to her. And when he saw the ring and the bracelets on his sister's arms, he ran out to the well. There the man was, standing by the camels at the well. Gen 24:31 Laban said, "Sir, you are welcome to come in! You don't have to stand outside here. I have prepared a room for you to sleep in and a place for your camels." Rebekah's brother is being very materialistic here. He was only welcoming to Abraham's servant because he saw the golden earrings and bracelets the servant gave to Rebekah. Later in Genesis, we will know more about Laban and his love for material things. Laban will be the father-in-law of Jacob, who will be Isaac and Rebekah's son. We are all like Laban at first, we all love material things and we measure our success by the things we possess in this world. But our Lord warns us to guard ourselves against all kinds of greed: Luk 12:13 (ERV) One of the men in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, our father just died and left some things for us. Tell my brother to share them with me." Luk 12:14 But Jesus said to him, "Who said I should be your judge or decide how to divide your father's things between you two?" Luk 12:15 Then Jesus said to them, "Be careful and guard against all kinds of greed. People do not get life from the many things they own." The true servants of God stores up treasures in heaven by studying God's words and doing good to others specially to the people of God. Mat 6:19 (CEV) Don't store up treasures on earth! Moths and rust can destroy them, and thieves can break in and steal them. Mat 6:20 Instead, store up your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy them, and thieves cannot break in and steal them. Mat 6:21 Your heart will always be where your treasure is. Don't store up treasures on earth doesn't mean we should not save for rainy

3 days. Your heart will always be where your treasure is. That is the point the Lord is making. Our heart should be in the right place. He is telling us not to spend our time here on earth trying to get rich. Let's continue the story: Gen 24:32 (ERV) So Abraham's servant went into the house. Laban unloaded his camels and gave them straw and feed. Then he gave Abraham's servant water so that he and the men with him could wash their feet. Gen 24:33 Laban then gave him food to eat, but the servant refused to eat. He said, "I will not eat until I have told you why I came." So Laban said, "Then tell us." Gen 24:34 The servant said, "I am Abraham's servant. Gen 24:35 The LORD has greatly blessed my master in everything. My master has become a great man. The Lord has given him many flocks of sheep and herds of cattle. He has much silver and gold and many servants. He has many camels and donkeys. We should remember that Abraham left this family years ago to obey the Lord and go to a place he had never seen. Heb 11:8 (CEV) Abraham had faith and obeyed God. He was told to go to the land that God had said would be his, and he left for a country he had never seen. It is also not a coincidence that this family that Abraham left lived in Ur, a part of Babylon. Like Abraham, we will also be called to leave our spiritual family in Babylon. Babylon, if you remember are the churches who are rebelling against God. Mat 19:27 (ESV) Then Peter said in reply, "See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?" Mat 19:28 Jesus said to them, "Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Mat 19:29 (MKJV) And everyone who left houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for My name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. Of course the Lord knows how hard it is for us to leave those who we knew as our spiritual brothers and sisters, our spiritual fathers and mothers. But the reward is great if we are given the faith to do so. A hundredfold is not just multiplying by 100, it is multiplying something to itself one hundred times! I found a website that gave the answer to 2 to the 100 th power:

4 Two to the 100th power is 1,267,650,600,228,229,401,496,703,205,376. In the US number naming system, it is one nonillion, 267 octillion, 650 septillion, 600 sextillion, 228 quintillion, 229 quadrillion, 401 trillion, 496 billion, 703 million, 205 thousand, 376. Of course a hundredfold is a figure of speech, but the point is: Rom 8:18 (MKJV) For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the coming glory to be revealed in us. So all these sufferings that the servants of God are now experiencing for leaving their former church, all the persecutions they are getting for not following the teachings and traditions of their former church are not worthy to be compared to the reward they will get and are already getting in this life. Let's continue the story: Gen 24:36 (ESV) And Sarah my master's wife bore a son to my master when she was old, and to him he has given all that he has. Gen 24:37 My master made me swear, saying, 'You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell, Gen 24:38 (MKJV) But you shall go to my father's house, and to my kindred, and take a wife to my son. Gen 24:39 (ERV) I said to my master, 'Maybe the woman will not come back to this place with me.' Gen 24:40 But my master said to me, 'I serve the LORD, and he will send his angel with you and help you. You will find a wife for my son among my people there. Gen 24:41 But if you go to my father's country, and they refuse to give you a wife for my son, you will be free from this promise.' Gen 24:42 "Today I came to this well and said, 'LORD, God of my master Abraham, please make my trip successful. Gen 24:43 I will stand by this well and wait for a young woman to come to get water. Then I will say, "Please give me water from your jar to drink." Gen 24:44 The right woman will answer in a special way. She will say, "Drink this

5 water, and I will also get water for your camels." That way I will know that she is the one the LORD has chosen for my master's son.' Gen 24:45 "Before I finished praying, Rebekah came out to the well to get water. She had her water jar on her shoulder as she went to get water from the well. I asked her to give me some water. Gen 24:46 She quickly lowered the jar from her shoulder and poured me some water. Then she said, 'Drink this, and I'll get some water for your camels.' So I drank the water, and she gave water to my camels. Gen 24:47 Then I asked her, 'Who is your father?' She answered, 'My father is Bethuel the son of Milcah and Nahor.' Then I gave her the ring and bracelets for her arms. Gen 24:48 I bowed my head and worshiped the LORD. I praised the LORD, the God of my master Abraham. I thanked him for leading me straight to the granddaughter of my master's brother. This faithful servant is telling Rebekah's family how the LORD Himself is the one who has led Rebekah to him, because she has done the things that he prayed for. He is also telling them that Rebekah needs to leave them to be with her bridegroom, Isaac. Gen 24:49 (ERV) Now, tell me, will you be kind and loyal to my master and give him your daughter? Or will you refuse to give her to him? Tell me so that I will know what I should do." Gen 24:50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered, "We see that this is from the LORD, so there is nothing we can say to change it. Those who are in the false churches of Babylon can also see that some things are from God and there is nothing they can do to change them. But the true servants of God can see that all things are from God, both good and evil, and that they cannot change anything God has written in their books. Gen 24:51 (ERV) Here is Rebekah. Take her and go. Let her marry your master's son. This is what the LORD wants." Gen 24:52 When Abraham's servant heard this, he bowed to the ground before the LORD. Gen 24:53 Then he gave Rebekah the gifts he brought. He gave her beautiful clothes and gold and silver jewelry. He also gave expensive gifts to her mother and brother. Gen 24:54 Then he and his men had something to eat and drink, and they spent the night

6 there. Early the next morning they got up and the servant said, "Now we must go back to my master." Gen 24:55 Rebekah's mother and her brother said, "Let Rebekah stay with us for a short time. Let her stay with us ten days. After that she can go." There are many things in this world that are hard to give up, including the traditions that we grew up with. Gen 24:56 (ERV) But the servant said to them, "Don't make me wait. The LORD has made my trip successful. Now let me go back to my master." Gen 24:57 Rebekah's brother and mother said, "We will call Rebekah and ask her what she wants to do." Gen 24:58 They called her and asked her, "Do you want to go with this man now?" Rebekah said, "Yes, I will go." But Rebekah was given the faith to leave her family to go to her bridegroom the Lord has chosen for her. She is a symbol of the elect given the faith to leave everything behind and come to their spiritual bridegroom, Jesus Christ. Next time, Lord willing, we will continue the story of Abraham and learn more spiritual lessons.