Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev19991226.htm

GENESIS: THE SOURCES OF GOOD AND CALAMITY IN OUR ORIGINS
Part III - God's Ongoing Program Of Countering Man's Apostasy At Babel
O. Round Fourteen - Trusting God's Word And Leading To Know WHERE To Look For A Spouse
(Genesis 24:1-27)
  1. Introduction
    1. Each generation of believers is left making the choice of how and where to find a suitable spouse.
    2. The choice may not be easy, for sin advances with each generation as prophecy tells us the world will head toward an ever growing apostasy as we near the end of the Church era, cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:2-3.
    3. Abraham faced the challenge of finding a wife for son, Isaac though placed by God into a very unholy land. Yet, Abraham knew where to seek such a wife, and his example teaches us much today as follows:
  2. Trusting God's Word And Leading To Know WHERE To Look For A Spouse, Genesis 24:1-27.
    1. As Abraham was advanced in age, and was culturally responsible to select a spouse for his son, Isaac, he took steps to arrange for Isaac to have a good wife, Genesis 24:1-4; Leupold, Genesis, v. II, p. 656.
    2. Of interest to us is just where Abraham was SURE God would want him to look for such a spouse:
      1. In the first place, Abraham made his servant sent on the seeking expedition avoid seeking for a wife of the Canaanites among whom he dwelt, Genesis 24:3.
      2. Second, Abraham made his servant seek a wife from his kindred back in Paddam Aram, Gen. 24:4.
      3. Third, when asked what the servant was to do were a prospective bride to be unwilling to return with him, Abraham seemed UNFAZED by this possible failure, Gen. 24:7a,b: he instead stoutly declared that God's angel would go before this servant and enable him to bring a wife back for Isaac, 24:7c.
    3. Well, we see God's Word and leading in Abraham's life let him know where to look for a wife for Isaac:
      1. When asked about the possible failure of the servant's ever finding a willing bride for Isaac, Abraham immediately relayed to his questioning servant God's words and leading to this point in his life, 24:7:
        1. Abraham claimed that the God of heaven had led him from his father's house and native land, bringing him to his current location in Canaan, Genesis 24:7a.
        2. Also, God had verbally promised to given his SEED the land of Canaan upon which he dwelt, 7b.
      2. Looking at the broader range of God's leading and words to Abraham to this point in his life, we note a clear pattern emerge as to WHERE Abraham was to know he should go to seek a wife for his son:
        1. Abraham had found by God's words and leading that he and Isaac were to stay in Canaan: (a) God's words in Genesis 12:1, 12:7 and 13:14-15 directed Abraham to live in Canaan. (b) Also, when Abraham had left that land, he knew trouble until he was back in the land, Gen. 12:10-13:1.
        2. Abraham had learned from God's words that God planned for him to have many descendants, Genesis 13:16. That meant Isaac had to marry and have children!
        3. Abraham had also found out that God did not want Isaac to marry into the Canaanites: (a) God's words to Abraham in Genesis 15:16b showed God planned to destroy these Canaanite, making intermarriage with them a foolish venture. (b) Abraham had already seen the wretched effects close exposure to the Sodomites had upon the daughters of his nephew, Lot, Gen. 19. Experience had thus taught him intermarriage with these pagans was not an edifying route to go in marriage.
        4. Abraham also recalled that he had married a suitable wife in Sarah who was of his kindred, for she was his half sister, Gen. 20:12. It would be sensible for Isaac also to wed one of his own kindred.
        5. Well, the only way for Abraham and Isaac to remain in Canaan while not intermarrying with the Canaanites, and yet obtain a good wife for Isaac to produce children was for Abraham to seek a wife from the best source he knew: he would send his servant back to his relatives, Genesis 24:4.
    4. Sure enough, God led Abraham's servant just as Abraham thought God would do to find an eligible wife in Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel, Abraham's nephew, Gen. 24:9-27 with Genesis 22:20.
Lesson: Though living in the minority amidst apostates in Canaan, God's precedents and God's Word directed Abraham to know WHERE to begin SEEKING a suitable wife for Isaac!

Application: No matter how bleak the landscape appears, obeying Scripture and following God's obvious precedents as in Abraham's era are key to knowing where to look for a suitable spouse today!