What do you think of your family? Today we read of the blessings and struggles in Abraham’s line. These events still affect us today of course.
Genesis 24: Isaac and Rebekah
1 Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years. And the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.
2 And Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he had, "Put your hand under my thigh,
3 that I may make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell,
4 but will go to my country and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac."
5 The servant said to him, "Perhaps the woman may not be willing to follow me to this land. Must I then take your son back to the land from which you came?"
6 Abraham said to him, "See to it that you do not take my son back there.
7 The LORD, the God of heaven, who took me from my father's house and from the land of my kindred, and who spoke to me and swore to me, 'To your offspring I will give this land,' he will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there.
8 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."
9 So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master and swore to him concerning this matter.
10 Then the servant took ten of his master's camels and departed, taking all sorts of choice gifts from his master; and he arose and went to Mesopotamia to the city of Nahor.
11 And he made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time when women go out to draw water.
12 And he said, "O LORD, God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today and show steadfast love to my master Abraham.
13 Behold, I am standing by the spring of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water.
14 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'---let her be the one whom you have appointed for your servant Isaac. By this I shall know that you have shown steadfast love to my master."
15 Before he had finished speaking, behold, Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, came out with her water jar on her shoulder.
16 The young woman was very attractive in appearance, a maiden whom no man had known. She went down to the spring and filled her jar and came up.
17 Then the servant ran to meet her and said, "Please give me a little water to drink from your jar."
18 She said, "Drink, my lord." And she quickly let down her jar upon her hand and gave him a drink.
19 When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, "I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking."
20 So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran again to the well to draw water, and she drew for all his camels.
21 The man gazed at her in silence to learn whether the LORD had prospered his journey or not.
22 When the camels had finished drinking, the man took a gold ring weighing a half shekel, and two bracelets for her arms weighing ten gold shekels,
23 and said, "Please tell me whose daughter you are. Is there room in your father's house for us to spend the night?"
24 She said to him, "I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor."
25 She added, "We have plenty of both straw and fodder, and room to spend the night."
26 The man bowed his head and worshiped the LORD
27 and said, "Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his steadfast love and his faithfulness toward my master. As for me, the LORD has led me in the way to the house of my master's kinsmen."
28 Then the young woman ran and told her mother's household about these things.
29 Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban. Laban ran out toward the man, to the spring.
30 As soon as he saw the ring and the bracelets on his sister's arms, and heard the words of Rebekah his sister, "Thus the man spoke to me," he went to the man. And behold, he was standing by the camels at the spring.
31 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 So the man came to the house and unharnessed the camels, and gave straw and fodder to the camels, and there was water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.
33 Then food was set before him to eat. But he said, "I will not eat until I have said what I have to say." He said, "Speak on."
34 So he said, "I am Abraham's servant.
35 The LORD has greatly blessed my master, and he has become great. He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male servants and female servants, 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 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 clan and take a wife for my son.'
39 I said to my master, 'Perhaps the woman will not follow me.'
40 But he said to me, 'The LORD, before whom I have walked, will send his angel with you and prosper your way. You shall take a wife for my son from my clan and from my father's house.
41 Then you will be free from my oath, when you come to my clan. And if they will not give her to you, you will be free from my oath.'
42 "I came today to the spring and said, 'O LORD, the God of my master Abraham, if now you are prospering the way that I go,
43 behold, I am standing by the spring of water. Let the virgin who comes out to draw water, to whom I shall say, "Please give me a little water from your jar to drink,"
44 and who will say 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 "Before I had finished speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came out with her water jar on her shoulder, and she went down to the spring and drew water. I said to her, 'Please let me drink.'
46 She quickly let down her jar from her shoulder and said, 'Drink, and I will give your camels drink also.' So I drank, and she gave the camels drink also.
47 Then I asked her, 'Whose daughter are you?' She said, 'The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bore to him.' So I put the ring on her nose and the bracelets on her arms.
48 Then I bowed my head and worshiped the LORD and blessed the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me by the right way to take the daughter of my master's kinsman for his son.
49 Now then, if you are going to show steadfast love and faithfulness to 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 has come from the LORD; we cannot speak to you bad or good.
51 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."
52 When Abraham's servant heard their words, he bowed himself to the earth before the LORD.
53 And the servant brought out jewellery of silver and of gold, and garments, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave to her brother and to her mother costly ornaments.
54 And he and the men who were with him ate and drank, and they spent the night there. When they arose in the morning, he said, "Send me away to my master."
55 Her brother and her mother said, "Let the young woman remain with us a while, at least ten days; after that she may go."
56 But he said to them, "Do not delay me, since the LORD has prospered my way. Send me away that I may go to my master."
57 They said, "Let us call the young woman and ask her."
58 And they called Rebekah and said to her, "Will you go with this man?" She said, "I will go."
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 thousands of ten thousands, and may your offspring possess the gate of those who hate him!"
61 Then Rebekah and her young women arose and rode on the camels and followed the man. Thus the servant took Rebekah and went his way.
62 Now Isaac had returned from Beer-lahai-roi and was dwelling in the Negeb.
63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field toward evening. And he lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, there were camels coming.
64 And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she dismounted from the camel
65 and said to the servant, "Who is that man, walking in the field to meet us?" The servant said, "It is my master." So she took her veil and covered herself.
66 And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done.
67 Then Isaac brought her into the tent of Sarah his mother and took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.
Genesis 25: Abraham's Death and His Descendants
1 Abraham took another wife, whose name was Keturah.
2 She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.
3 Jokshan fathered Sheba and Dedan. The sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim.
4 The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah.
5 Abraham gave all he had to Isaac.
6 But to the sons of his concubines Abraham gave gifts, and while he was still living he sent them away from his son Isaac, eastward to the east country.
7 These are the days of the years of Abraham's life, 175 years.
8 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 Isaac and Ishmael his sons buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, east of Mamre,
10 the field that Abraham purchased from the Hittites. There Abraham was buried, with Sarah his wife.
11 After the death of Abraham, God blessed Isaac his son. And Isaac settled at Beer-lahai-roi.
12 These are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham's son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's servant, bore to Abraham.
13 These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, named in the order of their birth: Nebaioth, the firstborn of Ishmael; and Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam,
14 Mishma, Dumah, Massa,
15 Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah.
16 These are the sons of Ishmael and these are their names, by their villages and by their encampments, twelve princes according to their tribes.
17 (These are the years of the life of Ishmael: 137 years. He breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people.)
18 They settled from Havilah to Shur, which is opposite Egypt in the direction of Assyria. He settled over against all his kinsmen.
The Birth of Esau and Jacob
19 These are the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son: Abraham fathered Isaac,
20 and Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, the sister of Laban the Aramean, to be his wife.
21 And Isaac prayed to the LORD for his wife, because she was barren. And the LORD granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
22 The children struggled together within her, and she said, "If it is thus, why is this happening to me?" So she went to inquire of the LORD.
23 And the LORD said to her, "Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger."
24 When her days to give birth were completed, behold, there were twins in her womb.
25 The first came out red, all his body like a hairy cloak, so they called his name Esau.
26 Afterward his brother came out with his hand holding Esau's heel, so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.
27 When the boys grew up, Esau was a skilful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, dwelling in tents.
28 Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
Esau Sells His Birthright
29 Once when Jacob was cooking stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was exhausted.
30 And Esau said to Jacob, "Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am exhausted!" (Therefore his name was called Edom.)
31 Jacob said, "Sell me your birthright now."
32 Esau said, "I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?"
33 Jacob said, "Swear to me now." So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob.
34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.
Things to think about…
1. In Gen 24:1-8, Abraham asks his servant to swear to him to get Isaac a wife from his father’s household. Yet he commands his servant not to take Isaac to that land, vss 6-8. It seems Abraham had learned the importance of staying in the land (the place) of promise and inheritance. May we remain in the place of our callings and never be distracted by earthly options that we are never called to be part of.
2. Abraham’s servant meets Rebekah, Gen 24:15. She is the sister of Laban. We know that Jacob, Isaac and Rebekah’s son would be entrapped by this man for many years. Laban and his mother try to delay Abraham’s servant vs 55, but he does not want to linger, vs 56 and Rebekah agrees to go, vs 58. It is as though the warning of Abraham is a precursor to the story of Jacob being taken away from the Lord’s land. Abraham had already learned the lesson to stay where the Lord had called him. Jacob would have to learn the same lesson over many years with Laban.
3. I love the story of Rebekah and the events surrounding her leaving the house of her father to be joined to Isaac. Those of you who are married – you would remember the incidents surrounding the meeting of your spouse. I certainly do and receive great comfort knowing my wife was given to me as a gift from the Lord. The servant was not the only one praying and seeking guidance from the Lord. See Gen 24:63 where it says, “And Isaac went out to meditate”. God orchestrated the blessing of all in this endeavour. A willingness to go by Rebekah and the heart prayers of Abraham, as well as his servant and Isaac. Let’s continue to thank God for those who have been given to us as a blessing in this life through their obedience and faithful prayers.
4. After Sarah’s death Abraham marries again. The historian Josephus says that Keturah, mentioned here in Gen 25:1 and her sons were the ones who populated many of the African peoples. Ishmael and his 12 sons populated the Arab tribes known as modern day Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Iran, Gen 25:13-18. Isaac remained in the land of Canaan. Abraham dies and is buried by Isaac and Ishmael. It seems funerals have always brought family members together even when there is pain and disagreement Gen 25:9, 10. Funerals are always a good opportunity to speak on the truths of eternity – pray the Lord opens your mouth with wisdom and grace when you are given such opportunities – even where there is pain and loss, hope and grace should be given with the message of Jesus.
5. Rebekah like Sarah also struggled to conceive. But she does not have to wait as long as Sarah and after the Lord heard Isaac’s prayers, she is pregnant with twins, Gen 25:21, 22. We know the story of Jacob and Esau well, Gen 25:3-34. But look at how the fractures began – Isaac loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob. Perhaps Rebekah was right, because it says God also loved Jacob and hated Esau (Malachi 1:3 and Romans 9:13) – but I don’t think so, Rebekah was thinking of what she preferred carnally rather than what the Lord preferred spiritually. A warning to parents - Do not favour your children to their detriment. Honour them all in the sight of our Saviour and leave it up to the Lord as to how He works on their hearts.
6. In Gen 25:29-34 we see the contempt Esau had for his birthright, but also the value that Jacob had for his. There are many similarities here between Cain and Abel. Esau would continue as a man of the flesh and Jacob though a man of the flesh would be drawn by the Spirit. Even though both were clearly sinners, one would seek after a heavenly inheritance. Some despise the faith of their parents and reject the truth of Jesus. Who is to blame? Surely it rests on the individual and not upon God or the parents. Although as we shall see the parents were involved in deceit which would be used to fulfil the Lord’s will in the lives of Jacob and Esau. The stew that Esau desired was red, vs 30, but he was also red when he was born, vs 25 and hence he is also referred to as Edom – meaning red. The fact that Esau ate and drank and went his way meant that he did not think about his birthright anymore. Sadly, he only thought about it once it was too late. Fleshly choices have eternal consequences.
Vision statement for CBC
CBC’s Vision :- To be a growing biblical church community, significantly influencing our city and beyond, through intentional outreach, fulfilling our mission.
Cell groups are encouraged to do alpha at church on Wednesday night 6:30pm at church. Be encouraged and join us.
Prayer Points
1. Pray for those on holidays and about your involvement in hospitality – help keeping the church running.
2. That those who are new to the church are encouraged and settle in well into the church.
3. That we be bold in our witnessing for Christ. Pray for a heart to see those around you saved.
4. Pray for Rosie and Kids@church, pray for continued growth of this ministry.
5. Growth, conversions, joy in the Word and Spirit to remain and increase.
Praise Points
1. Praise God for Ric’s Sunday’s ministry and message. Thankyou to the worship team.
2. Good ministry after the service. Continue to pray for this blessing to increase.
3. Some encouraging signs of those wanting to consider who Jesus was. People asking about baptism.
4. Joy, peace and grace we see at CBC. Thankyou Lord
Announcements
1. Church community Day after church Sunday 8th Oct.
2. Church bank details bsb:- 704 913 and Acc number:- 4000 4388 1
3. Tune in again this week on our YouTube page. Subscribe to the CBC channel Chuwar Baptist YouTube channel.
Catechism questions for September...
Q. 12. Does God know all things? A. Yes - nothing can be hidden from God.
