Genesis 26:1-5

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1 There was a famine in the land, besides the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines, in Gerar. 2 Then the Lord appeared to him and said: "Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land of which I shall tell you. 3 Dwell in this land, and I will be with you and bless you; for to you and your descendants I give all these lands, and I will perform the oath which I swore to Abraham your father. 4 And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands; and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed; 5 because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws." ~ Genesis 26:1-5

Today, we transition into Genesis 26 we will see God directing  Isaac to the location that will eventually set up a chain of events that the Bible refers to as the "end times." The book of Genesis was given to us in order to pull back the curtain into how God has and will move throughout redemptive history. Whether times are good or bad, nothing can separate us from the Lord and His goodness. As is promised over and over in the Bible, the sure promises of the Lord will all be realized in those who love God, to those who are called by Him.

Isaac was one of the great patriarchs but he was not a remarkable person. If we were to go simply by the amount of space in the book of Genesis devoted to his life, well, there is not a whole lot said about him. There is a lot said about Abraham, in fact 14 chapters in Genesis informs us. And, there is a lot said about Jacob, 11 chapters. But just about everything that Isaac did is in Genesis 26. Oh there's a little bit in Genesis 25 about Isaac praying for his wife and about the kids that they had, but really it's incidental to the main story of the two kids, Jacob and Esau, which we'll follow in the ensuing chapters. 

In v.1 of today's passage we read, "There was a famine in the land, besides the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines, in Gerar."

At about 100 years before today's passage in the life of Abraham, there was another famine in Canaan. During the famine in Abraham’s life, he mistakenly moved to Egypt for relief. However, this famine moved Isaac from Beer Lahai Roi to Gerar where Abimelech was the king. Like his father, Isaac encountered a famine. Like Isaac we encounter trials and the point is always, to whom we will look for help. Like Isaac, we go through trials because our faith in the God of the Bible only grows through the lessons learned through those times that we must have outside help. And, our faith in God is really worthless unless it is tested. Contrary to what many believe, our faith does not grow on a steady diet of blessing after blessing after blessing. 

In v.2 of today's passage we read, "Then the Lord appeared to him and said: 'Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land of which I shall tell you.'"

As in the day's of his father, Abraham, Isaac was facing hardship in Canaan, but food could be garnered in Egypt. For Isaac, I am sure the temptation to go to Egypt was great. But, if he had gone to Egypt, Isaac would have missed a tremendous blessing from God. So, just as in the days of Abraham, a trip down to Egypt was not a good idea. As a result, God told him to remain in Gerar with Him for God promised to be with Isaac.

In v.3 of today's passage we read, "Dwell in this land, and I will be with you and bless you; for to you and your descendants I give all these lands, and I will perform the oath which I swore to Abraham your father."

The Lord had made several promises to Abraham in Genesis 12 when he was first told to move to Canaan, then again in Genesis 13 after he separated from his nephew Lot, then again in Genesis 15 when God made a covenant with him. He did so again in Genesis 17 at the time of the rite of circumcision, and finally in Genesis 22 when he asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac on Mount Moriah. Out of all of the promises God offered to Abraham, two promises He explicitly refers to here: the promise of His presence and the gift of the land. 

God told Isaac not to go to Egypt but to stay in Canaan during the famine. With this, the Lord offered to Isaac the opportunity to drill down deeper down into his faith in God. Staying in Gerar was a bad decision but God told him to stay because in staying in Canaan Isaac would see God more deeply in his heart through this famine as he chose to depend upon the Lord and the Lord chose to provide. Isaac was about to learn that God gave him more so that he could be a blessing to more. Charles Spurgeon once said, "God’s heart, not mine, is the measure of His giving; not my capacity to receive, but His capacity to give." And, God rarely blesses us with only us in mind.

In v.4-5 of today's passage we read, "And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands; and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed; 5 because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws."

In addition to promising to Isaac His presence, God promised to Isaac and his people the land. To Isaac, God literally said, "I will give your descendants all these lands." The term for "lands" is mostly used to speak in plural form of the surrounding nations or even the nations of the world and not just the nations in Canaan. In fact, Ezekiel used it to speak of all the nations where the people of Israel were scattered in the exile in modern times. This verse speaks of the blessings of the Lord Jesus Christ to all nations of the world and to the millennial kingdom and the Messianic rule of Christ from Jerusalem, when all nations of the earth will be under His authority and the land will finally and totally be given to Israel.

God will be known throughout eternity as the God who keeps His promises because during the Millennium, all of God's promises to the patriarchs of Israel will be fulfilled. God has already fulfilled the personal aspects of the Abrahamic Covenant; Abraham did go to the Promised Land, he did have many descendants, and he is the forefather of many nations. Several hundred years after Abraham, Joshua led the Israelites to claim ownership of the Promised Land. 

But Israel has never possessed the specific boundaries that God promised in Genesis 15:18–20 and Numbers 34:1-12. Not even Solomon ruled over this particular area according to 1 Kings 4. The covenant God made with the patriarchs was that Abraham and his descendants would have the land forever. This will come to pass in the 1000 year reign of Christ on the earth at the end of time. Biblical scholars estimate that the land promised to Israel is approximately 300,000 square miles. They currently occupy around 8,000 square miles. In times past, they have occupied more. But they have never occupied the full 300,000 square miles. That is, until the Millennium.

Genesis 25:29-34

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29 Now Jacob cooked a stew; and Esau came in from the field, and he was weary. 30 And Esau said to Jacob, “Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary.” Therefore his name was called Edom. 31 But Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright as of this day.” 32 And Esau said, “Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright to me? 33 Then Jacob said, “Swear to me as of this day.” So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. 34 And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright. ~ Genesis 25:29-34

Today, we conclude to our study of Genesis 25 where we learn in biblical days the birthright included for the firstborn son a number of things that were bestowed on him by his father at the time of his father’s death. First, he would inherit the leadership position of his father’s house. Second, he would receive a double portion of the inheritance. Third, in the case of the patriarchs, he received the covenant promises that God had made to Abraham, the promise to become a great nation, the promise of the inheritance of the land of Canaan, and the promise that the Messiah would come through his line.

In v.29-31 of today's passage we read, "29 Now Jacob cooked a stew; and Esau came in from the field, and he was weary. 30 And Esau said to Jacob, 'Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary.' Therefore his name was called Edom. 31 But Jacob said, 'Sell me your birthright as of this day.'"

Jacob, who was around 15 years of age, had just finished cooking a red stew just before Esau had come into the house after a long day of work toiling in the field. The intense work that Esau was engaged in that day made him extremely hungry and desirous of his brother's stew. It was at that point that Esau began to be called Edom, which is the identical root for the name Adam. Both, Adam and Esau were known for toiling in the red cursed ground from which Adam came and from which their sustenance came.

Jacob and Esau had been taught about God from their grandfather, Abraham. They had surely been taught how God had called Abraham out of the Ur of the Chaldeans and promised to be his God and to bless him and make from him a great nation. Jacob and Esau most certainly heard how God commanded Abraham to take Isaac up Mount Moriah and offer him there as a sacrifice, and how God had stopped Abraham at the last minute and then provided a ram to be a substitute for Isaac. As a side note, the Old Testament birthright pictures for us the status the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ gains at the moment of his rebirth. 

Jacob jumped at the opportunity when his brother requested a bowl of the red stew that he had made. Jacob's price for the red stew was the birthright of his brother. Jacob was wrong to do what he did but he did it anyway. And, interestingly, God never condemned or commended Jacob for this action. Jacob would have had a much better relationship with his brother if he had patiently waited for God's blessing. His desire for the birthright reveals that he had an interest in spiritual things, but the way that he went about to get it was not right. When we do not value life, death will define us. 

In v.32-33 of today's passage we read, "32 And Esau said, 'Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright to me? 33 Then Jacob said, 'Swear to me as of this day.' So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob."

Even though from the outside Esau looked like the rugged outdoorsman that we would call a man’s man, he was weak for his only concern was for the present and that made him impetuous. Esau was much like people today who live for the moment. He certainly was not looking to the future when he responded with: "Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright to me?" In other words all he could think about at that moment was his hunger and that red stew. He wasn't really about to die, but at that moment his birthright looked far off and his immediate needs defined him so much more. 

So, for nothing more than a meal, all of Esau’s treasures were sworn away. And for the same soup Jacob inherited much. Esau craved the bowl of stew which he later regretted so much for in the moment his value system failed him. For such an insignificant thing as a simple venison meal, Esau squandered his birthright which included two thirds of the family possessions, the leadership of the nation that would come and for all the covenant blessings that God had promised to Abraham and to their dad, Isaac. 

In v.34 of today's passage we read, "And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright."

The word translated "despised" means "to show contempt" or "to think lightly of something." Leave it up to a teen-ager for such a poor decision. Esau didn't regard his birthright as something bad, but he did regard it to be of little value at the time. And, of course this little bad decision led to another bad decision, and in time, it led to Esau making some really bad big decisions later.

This is the first time bread is mentioned in this entire chapter. Esau gave up his birthright for bread and a red stew that would keep him alive for a mere hours. When the Lord Jesus Christ came, He offered to all willing enough to believe in Him His birthright only if we would take of His bread and His blood that gives eternal life. The transfer that took place that day between Jacob and Esau was a picture of our transfer from Adam to Christ. As sons of Adam, we had forfeited our birthrights to the enemy of our souls. In Adam we had the title to the Garden of Eden and we gave it up for one single bite of the forbidden. Esau did the same thing for a bowl of soup. Both meals were temporary and devastating.

In Hebrews 12:14-17 we read, "14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: 15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; 16 lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. 17 For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears."

As in the case of Esau, when we ignore God, a hardness of heart sets in and when we are being defined by the enemy, it will increasingly be more and more difficult to turn back to God. Repentance means a change of mind. When Esau came back to his father later and requested his birthright, his father said it was too late. Esau had sold it to his brother. Esau wept bitterly and tried to change his father's mind, but his father could not change his mind because it was already promised to Jacob.

In spite of the fact that Esau and Jacob eventually made peace with one another, Esau’s descendants, the Edomites, never got along with Jacob’s descendants, the Israelites. Edom regularly opposed and fought against Israel. A big part of the problem was that the Edomites were not being defined by God and the Israelites were. Esau valued the definitions of this fallen world rather than those of God. He chose the temporal and physical cravings of this world rather than God’s definitions of all things. 

As believers in the Lord Jesus, we must walk as sons intent on the pleasure of God’s blessing, not as rebels intent on the pleasures of sin’s false promises. As we have seen, Esau was a fool who later became a sexually immoral man, who lusted after and married pagan Hittite women. We must be careful to not be deceived like Esau. It is interesting that he did not become sexually immoral over night. His problems began when he chose not to be defined by God in a little thing which eventually led him to being enslaved in a big, big way. 

Genesis 25:24-28

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24 So when her days were fulfilled for her to give birth, indeed there were twins in her womb. 25 And the first came out red. He was like a hairy garment all over; so they called his name Esau. 26 Afterward his brother came out, and his hand took hold of Esau’s heel; so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them. 27 So the boys grew. And Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field; but Jacob was a mild man, dwelling in tents. 28 And Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob. ~ Genesis 25:24-28

Today, we return to our study of Genesis 25 where we find the once barren Rebekah pregnant with twins. As mentioned before, Isaac was born in the year 2109 BC and was married at the age of 40. Then, 20 years later Isaac's sons were born. All of those years Isaac prayed for his wife and the Lord answered with twins who will illustrate for us the difference between those justified before the Lord and those who are not. I am sure Abraham prayed, too, because he was still alive at that time, and he knew what it was to wait for the promised seed. Rebekah was the second barren woman in the line through whom the seed was to be perpetuated. 

Previously, Rebekah had been told that "two nations were in her womb." At that time Rebekah could not see that the first nation, Israel, would come from Jacob. Neither did she know that the other nation, the Edomites, would come from Esau, Jacob's twin brother. Throughout their history, the Edomites would prove to be the enemies of Israel. This is why the prophecy that was given to Rebekah goes on to say, "And two peoples shall be separated from your body," which meant they would end up being at odds. Israel and Edom have never been able to live together. To this day, the Edomites hate the Israelites and they continue to war against them. 

In v.24-25 of today's passage we read, "24 So when her days were fulfilled for her to give birth, indeed there were twins in her womb. 25 And the first came out red. He was like a hairy garment all over; so they called his name Esau." 

Rebekah gave birth to twins. The Hebrew word for "twins" is the word from which we get the name "Thomas" who is noted in John 11:16 also as "Didymus" which also means "twin." Esau was the firstborn of Rebekah's two sons. When he came out, he was red. It isn’t stated whether the red is from the blood of birth adhering to his hair or if his hair was naturally red, but most believe that he was named red because he was a red hairy baby. Some Jewish scholars have noted that his red color was a precursor of the fact that he would be a shedder of blood, fierce, and cruel. This has been born out by his descendants since. 

In v.26 of today's passage we read, "Afterward his brother came out, and his hand took hold of Esau’s heel; so his name was called Jacob."

Jacob, the second born was prophesied to be served by Esau the firstborn. This was given as an indication of their future due to the fact that Jacob came out of his mother's womb holding Esau’s heel. Due to this event, he was given the name of Jacob which means deceiver. The idea behind the grabbing of his brother's heel was that Jacob would one day trip up Esau. This was fulfilled when Jacob deceived everyone in order to gain the blessings of the firstborn.  

In v.27 of today's passage we read, "So the boys grew. And Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field; but Jacob was a mild man, dwelling in tents."

In this one verse, many years had come and gone. The boys are now grown to where they are old enough to live and work alone. Here, in this first verse about their adulthood, God shows us two types or pictures in the two men. The first picture is of Esau whose name means "made" just as Adam was made from the dust of the earth. Esau is pictured as a complete man, one who obtained his living from the ground that had been cursed by God. As a hunter, Esau was like Nimrod and Ishmael who came before him. All three of these men picture for us the fallen and unregenerate man.

Jacob, on the other hand is noted as one dwelling in tents. Here, we see Christ, first dwelling in the tabernacle among the children of Israel who later He dwelt in the Temple in Jerusalem, and finally He put on a tabernacle of flesh and dwelt among us as John records in John 1:14 which reads, "And the Word became flesh, and did tabernacle among us, and we beheld his glory, glory as of an only begotten of a father, full of grace and truth."

In v.28 of today's passage we read, "And Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob."

The Hebrew literally says that Isaac loved Esau because of the venison in his mouth. On the other hand, Rebekah loved Jacob, but no reason is given. Rebekah's love for Jacob could have stemmed back to the prophecy that she was given before they were born. We don’t know, but please note it doesn’t say either parent didn’t love the other child. They merely favored one over the other which is never a good thing when training up children in the way they should go.

The difference between Esau and Jacob will be ultimately born out in our study. The difference between the two was determined by what they each valued to be most important in their lives. In their culture the birthright was normally given to the firstborn, but as we will see, Esau gave his birthright to his brother. Jacob was not a model of ethics or integrity, but he genuinely valued the things of God. The birthright was precious to him, in fact, he procured it by devious means. 

In Hebrews 12:16-17 we read, "That there be no immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal. For you know that even afterwards, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears."

Although Esau was exposed to much truth, he with determined willfulness turned his back on God and the things of God. As a result, he had no ethics or faith in the God of the Bible. He was defined by this world. When Esau finally realized what he had forsaken, he made a half-hearted attempt to retrieve it. Just because he sought for it with tears did not indicate sincerity or true remorse. Sadly, he found no place for repentance. He bitterly regretted, but he did not repent. He selfishly wanted God’s blessings, but he did not want to be defined by God.

Genesis 25:19-23

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19 This is the genealogy of Isaac, Abraham’s son. Abraham begot Isaac. 20 Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah as wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan Aram, the sister of Laban the Syrian. 21 Now Isaac pleaded with the Lord for his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived. 22 But the children struggled together within her; and she said, “If all is well, why am I like this?” So she went to inquire of the Lord. 23 And the Lord said to her: “Two nations are in your womb, two peoples shall be separated from your body; one people shall be stronger than the other, and the older shall serve the younger.” ~ Genesis 25:19-23

Today, we return to our study of Genesis 25. Having considered the genealogy of Ishmael in the previous verses, today, we will consider the genealogy of Isaac. Today’s passage was used by the Apostle Paul to explain the Bible doctrine of Election. It was the Lord Jesus Christ who paid the penalty for all sin, but His payment for sin only applies to those willing enough to receive from Him eternal life. 

In v.19-20 of today's passage we read, "19 This is the genealogy of Isaac, Abraham’s son. Abraham begot Isaac. 20 Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah as wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan Aram, the sister of Laban the Syrian."

This is the eighth "genealogy" listed in the Bible. In order for us to see the sovereignty of God Moses gave us a recap of how and when Isaac wed his wife, Rebekah. The words "Abraham begot Isaac" were given here in order to confirm Isaac as the legitimate and chosen son of the promise. Abraham is known as the man of faith who followed God into the Promised Land. As he grew in his relationship with the God of the Bible, Abraham learned to live in anticipation of God's character and His promises. When Isaac came, Abraham asked his servant to find a wife for Isaac from Abraham's hometown. In so many ways, Abraham typified God the Father.

When Isaac was of adult age he consented to go up the mountain with his father to worship. After he carried the wood for the sacrifice, Isaac was placed on the altar. In that moment, yet again, Isaac became a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ. Isaac was the son of obedience and it was his father, Abraham who initiated the plan to go up the mountain to sacrifice unto the Lord, and, it was Isaac who carried out his father's plan. It was the father, Abraham who led Isaac, and, it was the son, Isaac, who followed. It was Abraham who commenced, and, it was Isaac who continued. Both Abraham and Isaac pictured for all to recognize God the Father and God the Son relating accordingly.

In v.21 of today's passage we read, "Now Isaac pleaded with the Lord for his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived."

Isaac married Rebekah in the year 2149 BC. Shortly thereafter he prayed for her because she, like her mother-in-law, was barren and she could not have children. Barrenness is a frequent subject in the Bible. And those who cannot have children struggle with their value because often a woman's value is most dependent upon her ability to have children. But what each barren woman doesn't know is that God has not forgotten them. Every barren woman is precious to the Lord. And, as always, God has purpose in the barrenness that some endure.

Spiritual barrenness is much more tragic than physical barrenness. This is why the Lord Jesus said in Matthew 5:3, "Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." The phrase "poor in spirit" means complete bankruptcy in the spiritual sense. This means those poor in spirit or barren have no assets spiritually at all. The Lord Jesus was saying, "Blessed are those who realize their utter hopelessness and they turn to God through their troubles because this precedes a personal relationship with God."

The beauty of this scenario is that God always hears the cries of the hurting. It does not mean that we will always receive from the Lord what we want, but it does mean that we will always get from the Lord what He wants for us and that is the absolute best thing for us. In today's narrative the next phrase is: "And the Lord granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived." 

Here was a husband praying for his wife. We live in the age of fertilization and very often we miss the most important thing we can do regarding such a matter and that is to pray. We pray because a relationship with God is forged as a result. More important than being able to have children was that Rebekah entered into and grew in a personal relationship with God. Rebekah discovered the only thing in this world that could fill the vacated dreams of her soul was the presence of God. Once Rebekah became aware that the main reason that she was on this earth was to know God, prayer became more important to her. It was then that she discovered that most of her problems fell into place because of her fellowship with God.

In v.22-23 of today's passage we read, "22 But the children struggled together within her; and she said, 'If all is well, why am I like this?' So she went to inquire of the Lord. 23 And the Lord said to her: 'Two nations are in your womb, two peoples shall be separated from your body; One people shall be stronger than the other, and the older shall serve the younger.'"

The natural order of the delivery of the family blessing was once again reversed as had already happened several times before in Genesis. The younger will be put ahead of the older. And thus we again see the doctrine of Divine Election introduced into redemptive history. This doctrine will find its ultimate fulfillment in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary. Before they were even born, God elected the older to serve the younger. However this serving and subordination wasn’t limited to the children. Rather the verse reads "two nations are in your womb." This verse dealt with both the immediate and the future. In this then is also a picture of the true people of God, the elect.

In Romans 8:28-30 we read, "28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified."

Before time even began God foreknew certain things about the people of the world and based on that He predestined some to be conformed to the image of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Just as God foreknew the destinies of the two children in Rebekah’s womb, God knows in advance the destinies of everyone who has ever walked the face of this earth. 

The death and the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ was an offering to God for sin and it has always been intended to save all. But, it only applies forgiveness and salvation to those who believe. Yes, it is true that we were spiritually dead in our sins, but God made us with the ability to reason, to choose, and to decline. And, God holds us accountable regarding what we do with the Lord Jesus' sacrifice, whether we believe in Him or not.

God’s order to provide salvation came before His order to elect all who have or ever will believe in the gospel of the Lord Jesus. According to Revelation 13 before the foundation of the world, God provided unlimited atonement for everyone who would believe on the redemption provided through the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. God has made this offer to all and the elect respond. He desires that all repent and come to Him for His acceptance that was earned by the Lord Jesus on our behalf. 

God doesn’t predestine some to eternal happiness and some to eternal torture without regard to free will. According to His own wisdom, without regard to our merits, He bestowed upon all humble enough to believe in His Son eternal life. Some were created for noble purposes and some for ignoble purposes according to that placement. All who have the opportunity to hear the message are given the ability by God to respond to it.

Genesis 25:12-18

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12 Now this is the genealogy of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s maidservant, bore to Abraham. 13 And these were the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations: The firstborn of Ishmael, Nebajoth; then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 14 Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 15 Hadar, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. 16 These were the sons of Ishmael and these were their names, by their towns and their settlements, twelve princes according to their nations. 17 These were the years of the life of Ishmael: one hundred and thirty-seven years; and he breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people. 18 (They dwelt from Havilah as far as Shur, which is east of Egypt as you go toward Assyria.) He died in the presence of all his brethren. ~ Genesis 25:12-18

Today, we continue our study of Genesis 25 where the focus has been clearly placed on Abraham's son of promise, Isaac. But, today's passage diverges away from Isaac to Ishmael's genealogy. The genealogies in the Bible provide important records of historical succession, continuity, and legitimacy, but these lineages also provide unique insights for our faith in the God of the Bible.

Some biblical genealogies, God skirts by while others are highlighted, built upon, amplified, and picked up later. This is due to the fact that in certain genealogies eternity was being impacted in a positive way. In genealogies like Ishmael's not much regarding eternity was taking place. The genealogies that point us to the Redeemer were and are of utmost importance.

In v.12-15 of today's passage we read, "12 Now this is the genealogy of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s maidservant, bore to Abraham. 13 And these were the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations: The firstborn of Ishmael, Nebajoth; then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 14 Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 15 Hadar, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah." 

This is now the seventh "genealogy" listed in the Bible. The Hebrew word toledot is most often translated "generations" or "genealogies." In this word, there can be one or two letters called a "vav," which is the sixth letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Six is the number of man in the Bible, it is the number for incompleteness. Before the fall, the word toledot was spelled with 2 vavs while after the fall of man, all the way up to the time of King David, the toledot is never spelled with two vavs. The missing vav serves as a reminder of the fallen state of man. King David was the final piece of the Messianic puzzle in the Old Testament and so the second vav was reintroduced in his genealogy. Interestingly, there are only three times out of the 30 between the genealogy of the fall of man and the genealogy of King David that there was no vav included at all in the word translated genealogy. In the genealogy of Ishmael we discover the first. There is not even one vav in the genealogy of Ishmael which speaks to the dire situation that he left to his prodigy. The vav was omitted to point us to the fact that there was no one in Ishmael’s line who was recorded in the line of the Messiah. 

In the book of Galatians, the Apostle Paul shows us that Ishmael was a type or a picture of the law which destroys sinful man. The fact is the law could never make anyone right in the eyes of God. This meant there was no hope for the line of Ishmael because they were all held under the bondage of the law. To this day Ishmael's prodigy believe that we are made right before God through their good works. A person must move from Ishmael to Isaac, from the law to grace, from Adam to Christ in order to be forgiven and therefore made right in the eyes of God.

There was only one other line of people where there was no vav in their genealogy from Genesis to Ruth and it was in the line of Levi, one of the 12 sons of Israel. All of the others had a vav in their genealogy. Levi was listed twice in the Old Testament and both times there was missing a vav. This was so because Levi's line was the Levites who were priests and also pictures of the Lord Jesus Himself.

In v.16-18 of today's passage we read, "16 These were the sons of Ishmael and these were their names, by their towns and their settlements, twelve princes according to their nations. 17 These were the years of the life of Ishmael: one hundred and thirty-seven years; and he breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people. 18 (They dwelt from Havilah as far as Shur, which is east of Egypt as you go toward Assyria.) He died in the presence of all his brethren."

Ishmael, Levi, along with Levi’s son Amram, the father of Moses the Lawgiver, all died at the same age of 137. These were the only three mentioned in the Bible to die at this age. Ishmael, who pictured the law, and Levi and his son Amram, through whom came Moses and Aaron, all died at the same age. The point is that the law cannot save us and here God gave us a slight hint to that fact. 

This final verse in today's passage about Ishmael was given to remind us of when God spoke to Hagar in Genesis 16 about Ishmael. In Genesis 16:12 we read, "He shall be a wild man; His hand shall be against every man, And every man’s hand against him. And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren."

Although these details seem to be boring repetitions, they are actually exciting features of God’s transcendence and His sovereign work over the people of Israel over time. The words, "he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren," apply beautifully to the sons of Ishmael. Fittingly, Ishmael's descendants to this day live west of Israel, exactly as God told us they would. Here, we are some 4000 years later in time and the Bible is still being validated through the line of Ishmael.

As you know, Muslims regard Ishmael as a very important person because they trace their spiritual heritage back to Ishmael. Twelve times in the Koran Ishmael's name is mentioned. In fact, in the Koran Ishmael is identified as an apostle and a prophet. In Genesis 16 the Angel of the Lord said to Hagar, Ishmael's mom, "Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hand." The word Muslim means one who submits. According to Islamic tradition, Abraham and Ishmael traveled to Mecca and there they built a shrine called the Ka'abah. The Ka'abah is the holy shrine in Mecca where people go every year and make their pilgrimage. They believe that Abraham and Ishmael are buried in Mecca, even though the Bible says Abraham is buried in Hebron in the cave of Machpelah with his wife Sarah. 

The Ka'abah was once a shrine that housed 360 different idols representing various gods that were worshiped by the Arab tribes in the region. Allah was one of those gods. Allah was the moon god. Mohammed took a special liking to Allah. And claimed that he was the one true god. And he wanted to unify all of the tribes; so, he squelched all of the other gods, killed those who did not submit, and Islam was established.

The lesson we learn from the life of Ishmael is that we can only find salvation in the God of the Bible, through faith in His goodness. Sinful man's attempts to adhere to the law to gain God's acceptance only separate us further from God. This is the big difference between Christianity and religions such as Islam. Religion calls us to earn God's favor whereas Christianity offers to man the gift of salvation. The law makes us aware of our sinful state, but if it does not usher us into a personal relationship with God through the Lord Jesus Christ, then we are destined for a painful eternity. The Lord Jesus alone fulfilled the law and now He offers to the willing of heart His free gift of forgiveness which precedes the application of His righteousness to those who really deserve Hell. 

Genesis 25:7-11

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7 This is the sum of the years of Abraham’s life which he lived: one hundred and seventy-five years. 8 Then Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people. 9 And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, 10 the field which Abraham purchased from the sons of Heth. There Abraham was buried, and Sarah his wife. 11 And it came to pass, after the death of Abraham, that God blessed his son Isaac. And Isaac dwelt at Beer Lahai Roi. ~ Genesis 25:7-11

Today, we continue our study of Genesis 25 which records the death of the man referred to as the man of faith. Abraham was first noted in Genesis 11 and he was the main focus of the biblical narrative until the end of Genesis 23 where God put the spotlight on the life of Isaac. Abraham's life is the biblical model of human faith in the God of the Bible. His story is raw and real. Nothing is hidden, not even his craving for worldly desires.

In v.7-8 of today's passage we read, "7 This is the sum of the years of Abraham’s life which he lived: one hundred and seventy-five years. 8 Then Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people."

Abraham lived in the land of Canaan about 100 years. Today's narrative took place in the year 2184 BC. All those years, Abraham at the end of the day, chose God and his was a life of fullness. Yes, Abraham failed at times while attempting to walk with God, but that is normal for any fallen human whose heart is being captured by the God of the Bible.

Abraham was gathered to his people which means he went to heaven to be with those before him who had exercised their faith in the God of the Bible, people like Enoch and Noah. Oh, none of them were perfect, but God doesn't take a random snapshot of our faith and then make determinations regarding our destiny. No, as always and will always be, God measures our worthiness by the object of our faith. And, that object is a person pictured throughout the Old Testament as a Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, the Lord Jesus Christ.

In v.9-10 of today's passage we read, "9 And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, 10 the field which Abraham purchased from the sons of Heth. There Abraham was buried, and Sarah his wife."

At the time of Abraham’s death Isaac was 75 years old. Isaac is noted first in this verse because he was the son of promise and the one who had authority over the household of Abraham. Ishmael was an invited family member to the burial of their father, Abraham who was buried in the cave where Sarah was buried. The purchase of this cave pictured the price Christ paid to redeem fallen man and it is therefore a place which is now one of comfort for believers as we await the resurrection. 

In v.11 of today's passage we read, "And it came to pass, after the death of Abraham, that God blessed his son Isaac. And Isaac dwelt at Beer Lahai Roi."

Our final verse for today was given to show us that the blessings of God on Abraham were passed onto Isaac. The name Elohim was strategically used by Moses here to denote the type of blessing he was describing. These blessings refer to the possessions of this world such as crops, herds, money, and servants. These blessings were passed onto Isaac, just as they did to Abraham. 

Isaac dwelt by the well which received its named when Hagar had fled from Sarah in Genesis 16. The well seemingly was just a well in the middle of the desert, but it was so much more than just a well. It was there that Hagar conceived and she bore her son Ishmael. You'll remember that Beer Lahai Roi means the well of the One who lives and sees. Today's passage informs us that Isaac move to Beer Lahai Roi and there was water there.

Water is symbolic throughout the Bible of the Holy Spirit of God. It is mentioned 722 times in the Bible, more often than faith, hope, prayer, and worship. Thirst must be the experience of the one who values the life the Lord Jesus gave us. It is through our thirsts that we come to know the life of living water that the Lord Jesus died to offer us. Our problem is that this thirst is only satisfied on the heels of being defined by it first. Isaac's thirst in today's passage was created by the loss of his dad. Learning to embrace the Lord or better yet learning to be embraced by the Lord happens on the heels of our thirst. 

Thirst is a natural expression of the basic human desire and need. One of the clear indicators that something is wrong physically is when we lose our thirst. It is the same way spiritually. To thirst for God is at the very root of our being. It’s the way God made us. When there is no thirst for the presence of God, it is an indicator that something is wrong spiritually. Because thirst is so basic to human nature, it often finds fulfillment in other areas rather than in seeking and knowing God. Spiritually speaking, there is a thirst for God that is often not recognized for what it is. It may be an empty feeling, a sense of longing, even loneliness in the midst of people. We start looking for ways to make the feeling go away or to fill up the emptiness to no avail. 

This side of heaven, we thirst only to be partially satisfied. And, once we have experienced the quenching by the Lord of our thirst do we thirst for more. In a sense, our thirsting will never be fully quenched while we are on this earth. Communion with Christ is incomparably satisfying, yet it makes us long for more of Him. This is what God has called us to, and the more we experience the Lord Jesus, the more we will recognize and know the unparalleled and satisfying sweetness of this One who laid down His life for us.

Genesis 25:1-6

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1 Abraham again took a wife, and her name was Keturah. 2 And she bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. 3 Jokshan begot Sheba and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim. 4 And the sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abidah, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah. 5 And Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac. 6 But Abraham gave gifts to the sons of the concubines which Abraham had; and while he was still living he sent them eastward, away from Isaac his son, to the country of the east. ~ Genesis 25:1-6

Today, we transition into Genesis 25 which brings us to the end of the life of the great man of faith, Abraham. His life shows the unfolding process of any believer who has a heart humble enough to recognize his need for his Creator. Abraham is known as the father of the faith because he, like any believer in the God of the Bible, heard God's call and responded out of faith and trust in Him alone for salvation. Abraham illustrated the increase of intimacy with God through the increase of his faith and his trust in Him.

In v.1 of today's passage we read, "Abraham again took a wife, and her name was Keturah."

From the time that Abraham's first wife, Sarah, died until the time that Abraham died was a period of about 50 years. So, when Sarah died, Abraham who was about 125 years old. And after that Abraham took another wife and, remarkably, had six more sons. During that time, Abraham acquired concubines with whom he had lots of children as these years went by. One of the most important lessons we garner from today’s passage is the scant amount of information that we receive about these 50 years. God only includes details that are necessary for us to know what He is doing in this world and what He has done through history as we have seen so many times already. These years were not Abraham's glory years.

Abraham’s second wife was named Keturah which means "incense." Even though Abraham garnered concubines and children through them, only Keturah is mentioned by name. In all there will be six sons, seven grandsons, and three great-grandsons of Abraham mentioned, making sixteen in all. 

In v.2-3 of today's passage we read, "2 And she bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. 3 Jokshan begot Sheba and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim."

Keturah had six sons by Abraham and in turn the sons of one of her sons are listed and then one of those sons has his sons listed. The name Keturah pictures for us incense that flows out and eventually disappears. This is what happened to most of these children, grandchildren and great grandsons of Abraham. Two of Keturah's sons, Medan and Midian, will later play a role in the purchase and transfer of Joseph when his brothers sold him to the Midianite traders later on in the narrative. Interestingly, it will be to the people of Midian to whom Moses will escape when he will later flee from Egypt in Exodus 18. After the time of Joseph, the line of Medan will not be mentioned again, but the line and name of Midian will be noted many, many more times throughout the Old Testament and even once in the New Testament book of Acts. Almost always, these people, the Midianites, will be in strife with the people of Israel, but there is one notable exception in Exodus 18.

In v.4 of today's passage we read, "And the sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abidah, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah."

Of all of these names of the sons of Midian, only one, Ephah, is mentioned again outside of the book of Chronicles. He along with his father Midian is mentioned in Isaiah 60:6 in a prophecy about the future blessings of the Land of Zion. Even though most have forgotten who these people were and where they had settled in the world, the Lord did not. Someday all of these lines will be known and we will be able to look back on these verses from Genesis and see how God wove it all together in His grand plan. All of this just underscores His sovereignty and the fact that we can trust Him.

Interestingly, not a single person who is included in the line of the Lord Jesus is found in this passage other than Abraham and Isaac. This was similar to what we saw about Ishmael. Through the years it has become very clear that the line of Keturah has been a rather troubling line of people who have been at war with Israel throughout the ages.

In v.5 of today's passage we read, "And Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac."

As we have throughout our study of Isaac in Genesis 24, pointed out that Isaac is a picture of the Lord Jesus, God the Son. Similar to the Lord Jesus who is the Inheritor of God the Father, Isaac, the son of promise was the inheritor of all that Abraham owned. I could only imagine how Ishmael and these other sons of Abraham felt about this. This very well may be a part of the reason for their hatred of Israel even to this today. Down through the years the Jews have been far more privileged than the others. They have been more educated and prosperous in both mental and spiritual understanding. Of course, with these blessings comes even more material wealth and of course, more animosity and more jealousy. 

In v.6 of today's passage we read, "But Abraham gave gifts to the sons of the concubines which Abraham had; and while he was still living he sent them eastward, away from Isaac his son, to the country of the east."

The same groups who were excused from the inheritance were also excused from Abraham's home, but he did give them gifts while they lived at home. This means that Abraham probably had them leave before they got married or had children. So all of the grandsons, and great-grandsons mentioned before were born after the sons of Abraham had already been sent away.

Abraham never forgot that Isaac was the son of the promise and the divinely chosen heir. Abraham was constantly alert to protect the inheritance of God. He anticipated danger and made some provision for his other sons so that they would not destroy what God was doing in the life of Isaac. Isaac is throughout a picture of Christ. Isaac received the inheritance of his father and his descendants through Jacob would continue toward the coming of the Messiah. 

The rest were sent east, which in the context of the Bible is a place of false worship, exile, and which almost exclusively lacks the true God. When Abraham first came into the land, he pitched his tent between Ai and Bethel, with Ai on the east and Bethel on the west. Ai means "ruin" while Bethel means "the house of God." Isaac was given the inheritance in the west, in the place of God, while the other boys were sent out into the east countries to the place of ruin. This is a picture for us of real life and the most important choice we will ever make. Isaac is a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ, the inheritor of all of things from God the Father. The amazing thing for each of us is that again and again the New Testament reminds us that when we receive the Lord Jesus as our Savior, we join in His inheritance. In fact, in Revelation 21:7, the Lord Jesus Himself will say that those who overcome will inherit all things.

Genesis 24:59-67

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59 So they sent away Rebekah their sister and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant and his men. 60 And they blessed Rebekah and said to her: "Our sister, may you become the mother of thousands of ten thousands; and may your descendants possess the gates of those who hate them." 61 Then Rebekah and her maids arose, and they rode on the camels and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and departed. 62 Now Isaac came from the way of Beer Lahai Roi, for he dwelt in the South. 63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field in the evening; and he lifted his eyes and looked, and there, the camels were coming. 64 Then Rebekah lifted her eyes, and when she saw Isaac she dismounted from her camel; 65 for she had said to the servant, "Who is this man walking in the field to meet us?" The servant said, "It is my master." So she took a veil and covered herself. 66 And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. 67 Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent; and he took Rebekah and she became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death. ~ Genesis 24:59-67

Today, we conclude our study of Genesis 24 where we see the Trinity illustrated. In this chapter we see pictured God the Father in Abraham, God the Son in Isaac and God the Holy Spirit in Abraham's servant. In the narrative Abraham sent his main servant to Mesopotamia to find a wife for his son from among Abraham's relatives. And now, we will watch as they travel some 600 miles back to the father and the son.

In v.59-61 of today's passage we read, "59 So they sent away Rebekah their sister and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant and his men. 60 And they blessed Rebekah and said to her: 'Our sister, may you become the mother of thousands of ten thousands; and may your descendants possess the gates of those who hate them.' 61 Then Rebekah and her maids arose, and they rode on the camels and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and departed." 

Unbeknown to Rebekah just a couple days before, she was about to embark on the most exciting adventure of her life. In just a matter of two weeks and the distance of about 600 miles, she was about to travel west to meet the husband she had never seen. Along with Rebekah traveled some maids and a nurse, a lady named, Deborah whose name comes from the Hebrew word meaning "word." In Psalm 19 we read about the word of God which is "sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb." Deborah had raised Rebekah and she decided to go along with her in her new life picturing for us the role of the Word of God in our lives. You see, this is the way it works: The more we expose ourselves to God's Word, the sweeter our faith in Him will become. And, it is most important that the believer in the God of the Bible feeds upon His word because the worth and excellence of a soul is measured by the object of its love.

The first blessing in the Bible discovered is found here when the family of Rebekah pronounced upon her their desire that she "become the mother of thousands of ten thousands." These words of Rebekah's family were a prophecy fulfilled in the pages of the Bible both in the world of physical reality and in the spiritual one as well.

As Rebekah was a virgin, the Bible likens believers in Christ as such. Believers in Christ are not literal virgins. Having been guilty of spiritual adultery, we, through the blood of Christ have been made virgins in a spiritual sense. It is the perfection of Christ applied to the believer that has made us sinless. In fact, believers in Christ are so sinless that Isaiah said we are whiter than snow. This miracle has been rendered in the believers life due to the fact that we are shaped and fashioned by that which we love.

In v.62-66 of today's passage we read, "62 Now Isaac came from the way of Beer Lahai Roi, for he dwelt in the South. 63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field in the evening; and he lifted his eyes and looked, and there, the camels were coming. 64 Then Rebekah lifted her eyes, and when she saw Isaac she dismounted from her camel; 65 for she had said to the servant, 'Who is this man walking in the field to meet us?' The servant said, 'It is my master.' So she took a veil and covered herself. 66 And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done."

At the end of the two week trip, Abraham's servant's caravan arrived in Canaan. When they arrived a man was spotted by Rebekah. The man was Isaac who is for us a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ. Before Isaac and Rebekah met, Isaac traveled from the area of Beer Lahai Roi which means "Well of the One who lives and sees me." Beer Lahai Roi was first mentioned in Genesis 16 when God had first promised Abram children. Many years had passed before Isaac was born. Isaac pictured her for us the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior, the One who died and yet rose from the grave. The Lord Jesus Christ is the One who lives and sees His bride.

Just before this, Isaac had gone out into a field to pray in the evening. Through the object lesson of Beer Lahai Roi, we are made aware that the Living God sees our plight. When we were enslaved by sin and under the sentence of death, He saw us and He had pity on us. It was the God Who Sees us who has done everything necessary to save us, coming to us in a manger, and then going to that awful cross. But, the story didn't end there for He glorious arose from the dead, and in so doing, He conquered for us sin and death.

It was then that Isaac noticed the caravan of his dad's servant. The exhilaration that must have surged through Isaac's veins in that moment had to have been incredibly great. In like manner, the Lord Jesus is waiting for a bride as well and although He already knows the future, we don’t. The Bible tells us that He right now awaits the words of His Father to go and get His bride. And, with the Lord Jesus we wait for the trumpet sound since we have trusted only in His finished work on the cross for the forgiveness of our sin.

This is the seventh time the term "lift eyes" was employed in the Bible. These two words are an idiom which means to look up or to look out intently. It doesn’t just mean to look physically, it also includes seeing with our spiritual eyes as well. In the previous verse, Isaac lifted his eyes in anticipation of the arrival of his bride. Now Rebekah lifts her eyes in the anticipation of seeing her bridegroom for the first time. 

As soon as Rebekah learned that it is Isaac, she covered herself with a veil. This is the first of only 3 times this word is used in the Bible, all in Genesis. When Rebekah saw Isaac, she dismounted from her camel. The word means to fall. She jumped off the camel in great anticipation. And, after the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done, we read in v.67, Isaac brought her into his mother’s tent; and he took Rebekah and she became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death."

First came the commitment then the love. Every successful marriage begins with being fueled by commitment. It is when we build the marriage on attraction and the feelings that come with that attraction that we find ourselves in the greatest danger. It is out of commitments made that our marriages are preserved and established. This is when we enjoy the feelings that follow. Isaac and Rebekah made a decision that day to declare an act of their wills and they loved each other til death did them part.

The first time the word "love" appears in the Bible is in Genesis 22 where we saw the father loving his son. In this passage today we see the second usage of the word "love" and it is used to describe the son's love for his bride. This is the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ tucked away in the book of beginnings. We do well to begin our every day right here in the love of the Father for His Son and the love of the Son for His Bride.

Genesis 24:49-58

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49 "Now if you will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me. And if not, tell me, that I may turn to the right hand or to the left." 50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, "The thing comes from the Lord; we cannot speak to you either bad or good. 51 Here is Rebekah before you; take her and go, and let her be your master’s son’s wife, as the Lord has spoken." 52 And it came to pass, when Abraham’s servant heard their words, that he worshiped the Lord, bowing himself to the earth. 53 Then the servant brought out jewelry of silver, jewelry of gold, and clothing, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious things to her brother and to her mother. 54 And he and the men who were with him ate and drank and stayed all night. Then they arose in the morning, and he said, "Send me away to my master." 55 But her brother and her mother said, "Let the young woman stay with us a few days, at least ten; after that she may go." 56 And he said to them, "Do not hinder me, since the Lord has prospered my way; send me away so that I may go to my master." 57 So they said, "We will call the young woman and ask her personally." 58 Then they called Rebekah and said to her, "Will you go with this man?" And she said, "I will go." ~ Genesis 24:49-58

Today, we return to our study of Genesis 24 where Abraham's faith is still on full display. Abraham sent his main servant to his old hometown to find a wife for his son Isaac, and after the servant arrived, he discovered that the Lord had led him specifically to the young woman who would be Isaac's wife. Today, we return to the tail end of the conversation that had been going on between Abraham's servant and Rebekah's family.

In v.49-51 of today's passage we read, "49 Now if you will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me. And if not, tell me, that I may turn to the right hand or to the left." 50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, "The thing comes from the Lord; we cannot speak to you either bad or good. 51 Here is Rebekah before you; take her and go, and let her be your master’s son’s wife, as the Lord has spoken."

Abraham's servant had told Rebekah's family the story of how his master, Abraham, sent him to their town to find a wife from among their people. Having given them all the details of how God had led him thus, Abraham's servant asked if he could return to his master Abraham with Rebekah. The phrase "I may turn to the right hand or to the left," is an idiom which means that he had other options which he planned to pursue if they were not in agreement in allowing Rebekah to return with him. To this request, Rebekah's dad and brother granted to Abraham's servant Rebekah to be the wife of Isaac. God led Abraham's servant to travel the long distance from Canaan to Mesopotamia to find the wife of his Master's son, Isaac. 

This is how God works daily in the lives of those who desire to be defined by Him. He divinely orchestrates our lives with all of the twists and turns which seem to be random in the moment. At the end of the day, we see the tapestry that only He can bring to fruition. As a result, Rebekah not only became the daughter-in-law of Abraham and Sarah, and not only did she become the wife of Isaac, she also became a descendent of the Lord Jesus Christ. Rebekah pictures for us all of those down through the years who have trusted in the Lord Jesus for forgiveness of sin and salvation. Such are known in the Scriptures as the Bride of Christ who have been adorned by Him to be his wife. 

In v.52-54 of today's passage we read, "52 And it came to pass, when Abraham’s servant heard their words, that he worshiped the Lord, bowing himself to the earth. 53 Then the servant brought out jewelry of silver, jewelry of gold, and clothing, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious things to her brother and to her mother. 54 And he and the men who were with him ate and drank and stayed all night. Then they arose in the morning, and he said, "Send me away to my master."

In response to Laban and Bethuel's affirmative response, Abraham's servant prostrated himself to the earth in humble adoration and in great gratitude for the gracious hand of the Lord upon his journey. In the same way, the Spirit of God rejoices over each person that He woos to the point where they call on the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior. Along with the Holy Spirit, the Bible informs us that the angels in heaven also rejoice over each believer who trusts in the Lord Jesus. 

After worshipping the Lord, Abraham's servant gave to Rebekah jewelry of silver and gold and clothing. He also gave to her family a dowry. He then asked that nothing hinder him in his travels back to Canaan, especially since God so graciously orchestrated the events of the passing days.

This passage brings up the subject of arranged marriages which really takes us back to the very first man and woman on earth, Adam and Eve. It has always been that these types of marriages have been known to last because the love of the couple came through their commitment to one another. Today, we place priority on emotional love first and this model has shown to fail, time and time again. 

The Bible’s model of marriage has always been founded in unconditional love, not on a selfish love that causes us to look for what is in it for the self. As we have continued to move away from the biblical model, we have increasingly suffered the results of our choices in failed marriages and broken families. This is not God's design because God designed that our marriages be based upon our commitment to one another. There is a place for emotion in a marriage, but the feelings must follow the commitment and not the other way around.

In v.55 of today's passage we read, "But her brother and her mother said, 'Let the young woman stay with us a few days, at least ten; after that she may go.'"

In our walk with the Lord we will always, this side of heaven, be presented with possible road blocks. This is to be expected and we should not be surprised by the road blocks. In fact, I have often discovered that the Lord uses even these things to accomplish His will in the matter. There is a fine line between our faith in the Lord and our trust in the Lord. While our faith is the guiding rudder in our walk with the Lord, our trust is acting on that faith. Faith is believing that God is who He says He is and that what He will do, He will according to His will. But trust takes things a step further. Trust makes the willful choice to believe that God will do what He promises. One involves the head and the other the heart. Faith without trust is not faith. Many believe certain facts about the Lord Jesus Christ, but knowing those facts to be true is not biblical faith. The biblical definition of faith requires trust in a commitment to the promises God has made to us.

In v.56-58 of today's passage we read, "56 And he said to them, 'Do not hinder me, since the Lord has prospered my way; send me away so that I may go to my master.' 57 So they said, 'We will call the young woman and ask her personally.' 58 Then they called Rebekah and said to her, 'Will you go with this man?' And she said, 'I will go.'"

Rebekah's decision to go to Canaan with Abraham's servant was one of tremendous faith both in the providence of God and in the promises of a marriage to a man she had only heard about and she had never seen. Her response to Isaac pictures for us the call of the redeemed and our answer. Even though we have not seen the Lord Jesus and we only know about Him by what the Holy Spirit has provided, we have answered in the affirmative. We have been called by the Spirit to an offer that we could not render ourselves. This call was given by the Holy Spirit and we have responded in the same manner as Rebekah with the words, "I will go."

Genesis 24:34-48

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34 So he said, "I am Abraham’s servant. 35 The Lord has blessed my master greatly, and he has become great; and He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys. 36 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. 37 Now 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; 38 but you shall go to my father’s house and to my family, and take a wife for my son.' 39 And I said to my master, 'Perhaps the woman will not follow me.'" 40 But he said to me, "The Lord, before whom I walk, will send His angel with you and prosper your way; and you shall take a wife for my son from my family and from my father’s house. 41 You will be clear from this oath when you arrive among my family; for if they will not give her to you, then you will be released from my oath." 42 And this day I came to the well and said, "O Lord God of my master Abraham, if You will now prosper the way in which I go, 43 behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall come to pass that when the virgin comes out to draw water, and I say to her, 'Please give me a little water from your pitcher to drink,'" 44 and she says to me, "Drink, and I will draw for your camels also,—let her be the woman whom the Lord has appointed for my master’s son. 45 But before I had finished speaking in my heart, there was Rebekah, coming out with her pitcher on her shoulder; and she went down to the well and drew water. And I said to her, ‘Please let me drink." 46 And she made haste and let her pitcher down from her shoulder, and said, "Drink, and I will give your camels a drink also." So I drank, and she gave the camels a drink also. 47 Then I asked her, and said, "Whose daughter are you?" And she said, "The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bore to him." So I put the nose ring on her nose and the bracelets on her wrists. 48 And I bowed my head and worshiped the Lord, and blessed the Lord God of my master Abraham, who had led me in the way of truth to take the daughter of my master’s brother for his son. ~ Genesis 24:34-48

Today, we return to our study of Genesis 24 where we are witnessing how to go about finding a life mate.

In v.34-35 of today's passage we read, "34 So he said, 'I am Abraham’s servant. 35 The Lord has blessed my master greatly, and he has become great; and He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys.'"

The servant of Abraham was very careful to make it known to Bethuel's family who sent him to Mesopotamia. In addition, the servant of Abraham was quick to give credit to YHWH for the success of Abraham. And, as mentioned before, the servant of Abraham provides for us a picture of the Holy Spirit who according to John 15:26-27, He faithfully tells all willing enough to listen about the Lord Jesus. And, He also brings to the believer in Christ spiritual gifts. In the same way, the servant of Abraham had been sent on the behalf of the son carrying all the gifts needed to accomplish the mission.

In v.36-38 of today's passage we read, "36 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. 37 Now 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; 38 but you shall go to my father’s house and to my family, and take a wife for my son.'"

Sarah was the cousin of Milcah, Bethuel’s mother and Laban’s grandmother. Laban's family was Abraham and Sarah's family. And, they surely marveled at the miraculous nature of Isaac’s birth since they knew Sarah's age. And, due to the fact that the Lord had blessed Abraham so much, Abraham's servant was quick to let them know that all that belonged to Abraham belonged to his son. Isaac was the heir and his bride would therefore enjoy all that was the son's. 

What a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son, and us His bride. In 2 Peter 1:3 we read, "By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence."

In v.37-48 we read, "37 Now 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; 38 but you shall go to my father’s house and to my family, and take a wife for my son.' 39 And I said to my master, 'Perhaps the woman will not follow me.' 40 But he said to me, 'The Lord, before whom I walk, will send His angel with you and prosper your way; and you shall take a wife for my son from my family and from my father’s house. 41 You will be clear from this oath when you arrive among my family; for if they will not give her to you, then you will be released from my oath.' 42 "And this day I came to the well and said, 'O Lord God of my master Abraham, if You will now prosper the way in which I go, 43 behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall come to pass that when the virgin comes out to draw water, and I say to her, 'Please give me a little water from your pitcher to drink,' 44 and she says to me, 'Drink, and I will draw for your camels also,'—let her be the woman whom the Lord has appointed for my master’s son.' 45 "But before I had finished speaking in my heart, there was Rebekah, coming out with her pitcher on her shoulder; and she went down to the well and drew water. And I said to her, 'Please let me drink.' 46 And she made haste and let her pitcher down from her shoulder, and said, 'Drink, and I will give your camels a drink also.' So I drank, and she gave the camels a drink also. 47 Then I asked her, and said, 'Whose daughter are you?' And she said, 'The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bore to him.' So I put the nose ring on her nose and the bracelets on her wrists. 48 And I bowed my head and worshiped the Lord, and blessed the Lord God of my master Abraham, who had led me in the way of truth to take the daughter of my master’s brother for his son."

One way that we arrive upon the veracity of a story is its consistency when retold. This is the case here with the retelling of Abraham's story by his servant. It is this type of consistency that authenticates the Bible as the Word of God. The best-selling book in history remains revered by Christians as God's Holy Word. The Bible spans centuries of history, contains a variety of literary styles and culminates in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ as the God who redeemed sinful man. The Bible is not a book that arrived in complete form at one point in history. Instead, the Bible was written over a period of some 1,500 years by 39 different writers. 

We have copies of thousands of manuscripts of the Bible and throughout history these copies show that the Bible has been transmitted accurately. Despite common skeptical claims that the Bible has often been changed through the centuries, the physical evidence tells another story. There are minor differences in manuscripts, called variants, but none of these variants impact or change key Christian beliefs or claims. Other physical evidence includes archeological finds. No archaeological find has ever proven the Bible to be less than the Word of God.

Although the Bible is viewed as one book, it’s actually a collection of many books. God worked through everyday people, inspired by Him, to record what we have now in this wonderful book. Every good engineer knows that having their project design completed is not enough. The final product’s design is important and necessary because it shows where the project is headed. But it doesn’t explain how to get there. A good engineer knows how to draft a design and how to create the steps to making it a reality. In other words, a good builder or engineer or architect knows how to create the end and the means to that end.

God’s end goal for Abraham was that his family would be a nation living in the land of Canaan, blessed so that they would be a blessing to all the families of the earth. That was God’s design. God ordained this plan, and He also ordained the means of its fulfillment. Like a good builder, God designed the end and the means. The final product and all the steps to complete the final product prove that this was God’s idea. He was the one working all the details and decisions in this story together toward the glorious end of fulfilling His promises to Abraham. And, the fulfillment of all of that yielded the greatest story of all time: God solved sinful man's awful dilemma by becoming a part of His creation in order to redeem His creation.

Genesis 24:29-33

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29 Now Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban, and Laban ran out to the man by the well. 30 So it came to pass, when he saw the nose ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s wrists, and when he heard the words of his sister Rebekah, saying, "Thus the man spoke to me," that he went to the man. And there he stood by the camels at the well. 31 And he said, "Come in, O blessed of the Lord! Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house, and a place for the camels." 32 Then the man came to the house. And he unloaded the camels, and provided straw and feed for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him. 33 Food was set before him to eat, but he said, "I will not eat until I have told about my errand." And he said, "Speak on." ~ Genesis 24:29-33

Today, we return to our study of Genesis 24 where Abraham had sent his main servant to his old stomping grounds to find a wife for his son, Isaac. After arriving, the servant discovered that the Lord specifically answered the prayers that he had prayed regarding this situation. In this narrative, God the Father is pictured for us through Abraham and God the Son is pictured for us through the son, Isaac, and the Holy Spirit is pictured for us through Abraham's unnamed servant, and the believer in Christ is pictured for us through Isaac's eventual bride, Rebekah. 

When we examine this chapter as a whole we discover the words, "take," "walk," and "run" which dominate this chapter. The verb "take" is employed 14 times, while the verb "walk" is used 17, and the word "run" is used 4 times.

By way of a reminder, the name "Rebekah" denotes the tying up of cattle for their own protection, the establishment of their home, and to keep them from wandering off. Within Rebekah's name lies the idea that God brings people together with a greater purpose than the obvious. God is always working in and through our lives in ways that we might influence the course of eternity for all involved. In this narrative, God orchestrated the selection of Rebekah for Isaac, the son of the promise. The events in this passage were far more than mere chance.

In v.29-31 of today's passage we read, "29 Now Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban, and Laban ran out to the man by the well. 30 So it came to pass, when he saw the nose ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s wrists, and when he heard the words of his sister Rebekah, saying, 'Thus the man spoke to me,' that he went to the man. And there he stood by the camels at the well. 31 And he said, 'Come in, O blessed of the Lord! Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house, and a place for the camels.'"

After Rebekah had offered Abraham's servant water and then she watered his camels, she returned to her home but the servant didn’t follow her. Instead he stayed at the well. It was at that point that Rebekah's brother Laban did as Rebekah had done, he came running out to Abraham's servant at the well. 
This encounter between Abraham's servant and Rebekah's brother Laban marked a crucial point in this narrative, revealing Laban's role in the unfolding story and shedding light on his character. When Laban saw the ring and bracelets on his sister speaks volumes about their significance to him. These weren't just material possessions; they were tokens of honor and appreciation from the Abraham's servant. Laban's recognition of these gifts, as well as his sister's testimony, piqued his curiosity and prompted him to approach the servant.

Laban's name means "white" and it also means "brick." Perhaps a description of what happens to a brick when is comes in contact with fire, it turns whiter. Man was made from the dust of the ground, and in the New Testament believers are equated with jars of clay, vessels waiting to be filled with God’s Spirit. At the building of the Tower of Babel, the term for "make brick" shares the same root word as the name Laban. Laban is a brick and unless he softens back to clay he will never know the Lord personally, and he will never know eternal life.

And so, Laban ran out to Abraham's servant who was at the well. Laban saw the gifts given to Rebekah by the servant at the well. He rushed to where the gifts were, on the camels. The motivation of Laban was his personal benefit rather than a desire for God. This part of the story reveals the natural hardness of the human heart that leads us to live apart from God and for the things of this world. The remainder of the narrative with bear this out.

As Laban arrived at the scene and found the servant standing by the camels at the well, a significant moment of connection occurred. Even though Laban was motivated by the possibility of gifts given to him by Abraham's servant, this encounter was orchestrated by God, weaving the threads of their lives together in a tapestry of divine purpose.

In v.32-33 of today's passage we read, "32 Then the man came to the house. And he unloaded the camels, and provided straw and feed for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him. 33 Food was set before him to eat, but he said, 'I will not eat until I have told about my errand.' And he said, 'Speak on.'"

When they got to the house, the first thing Laban did was to unload the camels and feed them. Only then does it note that he cared for the travelers. This was the case due to the fact that where the camels were was where the gifts were. 
Abraham's servant was on a mission having entered into a binding oath with Abraham. Before he ate a bite of food, he had to nail down the fact that his mission was a success.

In a beautiful parallel from John 4:31-34, we see this account in the life of the Lord Jesus as He sat by the well in Samaria. There, we read, "31 In the meantime His disciples urged Him, saying, 'Rabbi, eat.' 32 But He said to them, 'I have food to eat of which you do not know.' 33 Therefore the disciples said to one another, 'Has anyone brought Him anything to eat?' Jesus said to them, 'My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.'"

Like Abraham’s servant, the Lord Jesus was far more interested in accomplishing His task than He was about eating a meal. He knew that there was nothing in this world more important than the fulfillment of the will of God both in and through His yielded life. Once the servant of Abraham knew that his prayer had been answered, the first thing he did, even before he explained who he was to Rebekah, was to bow down and worship God and to thank Him for answering his prayer. This gives us a good model for how we should respond when God answers our prayers. It also gives us direction in this life. On a given day, every day, God has appointments for us all. And these appointments are the most important moments in our lives because it is in these moments that we get to share the gospel with the lost. And hopefully through these encounters they will trust in the Lord Jesus and they will enter into a personal relationship with God.