Abraham said to him, “See to it that you do not take my son back there. The Lord, the God of heaven… will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there. But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be free from this oath of mine; only you must not take my son back there.” So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master and swore to him concerning this matter.
Genesis 24:6-9
On his deathbed, Abraham’s desperate plea to his servant was one of keeping the family line within the family. While we find it hard to relate to Abraham’s urgency of his son marrying a relative, it is helpful to remember that he saw the importance of his offspring continuing to follow the LORD. After making a promise to obey Abraham’s instructions, Abraham’s servant prayed for a specific circumstance so that he could ensure the LORD’s choice for Isaac’s wife (Genesis 24: 9-14). When the situation played out as he expected, he gave Rebekah a gold ring for her nose and two gold bracelets and asked if she had room to let him stay overnight. Customs of hospitality, the shared connection through Abraham, and the family’s role in arranging marriages made this quite the offer for Rebekah. It is likely that she was excited about the possibility of what this man had to offer.
Can you relate to this feeling? I can imagine Rebekah in her home, eagerly listening to the conversations regarding her future, much like a young lady today might be giddy with anticipation as she talked about a pending romantic proposal. When the servant and Rebekah’s family argued over when she would leave to travel to Isaac, she had a sure response in mind.
They said, “Let us call the young woman and ask her.” And they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” She said, “I will go.” So they sent away Rebekah…
Genesis 24:57-59a
“I will go.” With those words, Rebekah agreed, without delay, to start a new life in a completely new place, leaving everything and everyone she knew. Would we be so willing and go so quickly? Sometimes I find it difficult to commit to a specific meal for dinner unless I spend ample time thinking it over! How could she make such a weighty decision so easily? Was her excitement enough to garner a quick and decisive commitment to leave all she had known? Or was there more to this affirmative instinct?
Rebekah knew the request was from the LORD. Sure, it came from the mouth of the servant—with all the camels—who kept throwing gold nose rings at people. But in a bigger sense, she knew the LORD was behind it.
How did she know? In Rebekah’s time, before the fullness of Scripture, communication with the LORD was different. The people had messages that God had shared with them through their ancestors. They had prayer. But they also knew the LORD worked through circumstance. This is the reason that Abraham and the servant relied on this situational setup for a decision as important as who Isaac would marry. They knew that the LORD would direct those circumstances.
As we have the fullness of Scripture, we can know God’s will through means other than just circumstances today. The Bible will tell us what kind of man to marry, as well as how to behave as a wife, or a mother, or a daughter, or a friend. God still guides through circumstances, provided they align with His Word.
Rebekah knew who the LORD was, and she recognized His providence. She knew what His actions looked like because she worshipped Him.
Rebekah was just living her everyday life. She was being kind as she offered water for a stranger and his camels. And then she recognized the unmistakable providence of the LORD. She gave up everything for a situation that was completely unknown, except for the understanding that God was in it.
When we see something that is clearly from God, I hope we can follow Rebekah’s lead. Yes, I will give my time to help. Yes, I will pray for that person. Yes, I will share my money with that good cause. Or sometimes we may need to say no. No, I won’t watch that show. No, I won’t spread that gossip. No, I won’t go to that place.
When we hear God’s voice through Scripture, we know Him. When we know His character and His priorities and recognize a call that aligns with His will, it is my prayer that we respond as Rebekah did: “I will go.”
