To summarise the passage we read yesterday, this chapter is about Abraham’s servant travelling to his homeland to find a wife for Isaac. The servant finds a suitable woman, Rebekah, and returns with her to become Isaac’s wife.
This passage is about God's sovereign providence in providing a wife for Isaac, and we can break it down into three sections.
Abraham's Faithful Concern for Isaac's Future
The chapter opens with Abraham making his oldest servant take a solemn oath. "Put your hand under my thigh and I will make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell, but will go to my country and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac."
Abraham understands something crucial here. The covenant promises God made to him will continue through Isaac, but Isaac needs a godly wife who will support that calling rather than lead him away from it. Abraham has seen what happens when God's people intermarry with unbelievers. He knows that a wife who doesn't share Isaac's faith could derail everything God intends to accomplish through his family line.
But notice Abraham's confidence in God's guidance. When the servant worries about what will happen if the woman refuses to come, Abraham responds with remarkable faith: "The Lord, before whom I have walked, will send his angel with you and prosper your way." Abraham believes God will orchestrate the circumstances to accomplish his purposes.
This teaches us that we need to be intentional about the relationships that will shape our spiritual future. Just as Abraham cared deeply about who Isaac would marry, we should carefully consider who we allow to influence our walk with God. The people closest to us either draw us toward Christ or pull us away from him. There's rarely a neutral middle ground. When we're making decisions about marriage, close friendships, or business partnerships, we need to ask ourselves whether these relationships will help us grow in godliness or hinder our spiritual progress.
The Servant's Prayerful Dependence on God's Leading
When the servant arrives in Mesopotamia, he doesn't immediately start interviewing potential wives for Isaac. Instead, he prays. "O Lord, God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today and show steadfast love to my master Abraham. Behold, I am standing by the spring of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. Let the young woman to whom I shall say, 'Please let down your jar that I may drink,' and who shall say, 'Drink, and I will water your camels also' be the one whom you have appointed for your servant Isaac."
The servant asks for a specific sign, but notice what kind of sign he chooses. He's not looking for something mystical or supernatural. He's asking God to reveal character through everyday actions. Offering water to a stranger shows kindness. Volunteering to water his camels shows a servant's heart and industriousness. Watering ten thirsty camels would require drawing dozens of jars of water from the well. This would reveal someone with a generous, hardworking spirit.
Before the servant even finishes praying, Rebekah appears and does exactly what he asked for. The text tells us she was beautiful and a virgin, but more importantly, she demonstrates the character qualities that would make her a suitable wife for Isaac. She offers water to the servant and then says, "I will draw for your camels also, until they have finished drinking."
This shows us how to seek God's guidance in important decisions. The servant combines prayer with wisdom. He asks God to direct his steps, but he also uses discernment to evaluate character. We sometimes think spiritual guidance means ignoring practical considerations, but the servant shows us that God often leads us through ordinary circumstances and wise evaluation of the situation in front of us.
God's Sovereign Orchestration of Circumstances
The final section shows us how God works through multiple people and circumstances to accomplish his purposes. Rebekah's family welcomes the servant, listens to his story, and recognizes God's hand in these events. Laban and Bethuel respond, "The thing has come from the Lord. We cannot speak to you bad or good. Behold, Rebekah is before you; take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master's son, as the Lord has spoken."
Even pagan relatives can recognize when God is clearly at work. When Rebekah's family tries to delay her departure, she makes the decisive choice herself. When asked if she will go with the servant, she simply says, "I will go." Her willingness to leave everything familiar and travel to marry a man she has never met shows remarkable faith and courage.
When Isaac meets Rebekah, the text tells us he loved her and was comforted after his mother's death. God provides not just a wife who will further his covenant purposes, but a woman Isaac will genuinely love.
This shows us how God's sovereignty works in our lives. He doesn't override human choice, but he works through the willing decisions of his people to accomplish his purposes. Abraham chooses to send the servant. The servant chooses to pray and trust God's leading. Rebekah chooses to show kindness and then chooses to leave her family. Her relatives choose to recognize God's hand and let her go. Isaac chooses to love the wife God provides. Each person makes real choices, but God coordinates all these choices to bring about his perfect plan.
When we look back on our lives, we can often see how God was working through circumstances we didn't understand at the time. A conversation that led to a job opportunity. A delayed flight that led to meeting your spouse. A difficult situation that developed character we needed later. God is always orchestrating events for our good and his glory, even when we can't see the bigger picture.
Father, we thank you that you are sovereign over every detail of our lives. Help us to seek your guidance with the same faithfulness that Abraham's servant showed. Give us wisdom to make decisions that honor you and further your purposes. When we can't see how you're working, help us to trust that you are coordinating all things for our good and your glory. We pray this in Jesus' name, Amen.