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Part 1: Opening Prayer
Holy God, sometimes we have to wait for promises you have given us and we don’t want to. Sometimes we have to trust the promises of others for the world and life you have for us to come to fruition. Help us to wait on you. Open our hearts to hear and learn about your love through the story of Isaac and Rebekah. Amen
Part 2: Story
Here is an interesting song that gives an overview of the story of Isaac and Rebekah:
And here is a telling of the story:
Part 3: Message
Read the story of Isaac and Rebekah here.
Remember that Abraham and Sarah are very old and have just had their son Isaac. He was the promised offspring from God to make the descendants of Abraham outnumber the sand or the stars in the sky. And now that Abraham is old he wants to make sure that Isaac marries a good woman from the home country. But they can’t go back to the home country because they are living in the land that God took them to from their home. And Abraham can’t let Isaac marry a woman from where they are living because they do not follow after God.
So Abraham calls a servant, unnamed in the text, but named in the story above as Eliezer. He is a known servant of Abraham and it is believed in Jewish tradition that he is the one to go and find Rebekah. This servant took camels and choice gifts. And when he found Rebekah he gave her a ring for her nose and bracelets. Then asked to stay in her father’s house for the evening. When they arrived at the house, the servant told Rebekah’s father who he was and why he had come. So Laban and Bethuel said that she could go and marry Isaac. So Abraham’s servant and Rebekah left in the morning.
Here is an interesting link to a Jewish understanding of marital customs from the story of Isaac and Rebekah.
Part 4: Learn and Engage
Answer these questions in the comment section below:
- Why did Abraham send his servant to his homeland for a wife for Isaac?
- What did the servant do before he chose a wife for Isaac?
- Would you be willing to leave your family behind for an arranged marriage?
- What can we learn from the story of Isaac and Rebekah?
- Do you trust God as much as Rebekah did here?
Part 5: Closing Prayer
Gracious and most holy God, help us to come to you before we make important decisions in our lives as Abraham’s servant did, and then trust your leading and your word. Make us to be your servants, and to love life and follow where you lead us. Amen.