Swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and earth, that you will not let my son marry one of these local Canaanite women. Go instead to my homeland, to my relatives, and find a wife there for my son Isaac.” (Genesis 24:3-4 NLT)
Who were the Canaanites?
The Canaanites were notorious idolaters of the basest kind. Their gods and goddesses promoted worship that included human sacrifices and fertility rites with perverse sex.
Who are today’s Canaanites?
Okay, so maybe the person you are interested in or have been dating doesn’t go to a church that promotes human sacrifices or sexual rituals.
Let me ask you a pointed question? Does the person who you are interested in know Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour? Is that person living for the Lord? Modern-day Canaanites are not so obviously pagan. They can appear to be religious and have an outward form with no transforming power on the inside of them. “Have a form of godliness but denying the power” (2 Timothy 3:5)
Look what the bible says in 2 Corinthians 6:14-15 “Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can goodness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? What harmony can there be between Christ and the Devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever? When Apostle Paul wrote these words, he was not specifically referring to marriage but the principle certainly applies.
A wife is bound by law as long as her husband lives; but if her husband dies, she is at liberty to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord. (1 Corinthians 7:39)
These scriptures indicate that in case a widow wishes to remarry, she should only marry a person who is “in the Lord.” A person who lives according to the principles found in the Word of God is a person who is “in the Lord.” This principle not only applies to widows but to anyone who is considering marriage.
Barely had the service come to a close, when a young lady rushed to me with a photograph in her hand. It was a photograph of a handsome young man. Quite obviously she was dating him and was now considering marriage. I asked her the basic question, “Is he in the Lord?” She fired back, “O yes, he attends a wonderful ministry.”
Many parents seeking prayer for their children’s marriage have replied to me in a similar manner. “The person attends a prayer meeting etc” This is where many people are deceived. Attending a prayer meeting, a ministry or church is good, but is the person whom you are seeking to get married “in the Lord” - committed to the Lord Jesus Christ. For all you know, he/she may be attending the prayer meeting or church for all the wrong reasons. One of the reasons may be to just meet you.
Mesopotamia is modern day Iraq
And he made his camels kneel down outside the city by a well of water at evening time, the time when women go out to draw water. (Genesis 24:11)
Evening time is the time women go out to draw water - not during the (Genesis 24:11) afternoon time like the Samaritan woman who met Jesus at the well. Clearly, the Samaritan woman was hiding from people.
Prayer:
O God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, please give me success this day and show kindness to my family and I. (Genesis 24:12)
Prayer: O Lord God of Abraham, please give me success this day, and show Your kindness to me in Jesus’ name. (Based on Genesis 24:12)
Prayer played a key role in Isaac getting a bride
The father of the bridegroom (Abraham( prayed before searching for a bride for his son ( Genesis 24:7)
Eliezer (the matchmaker prayed) before he embarked on a search (Genesis 24:12)
Isaac was a man of prayer (the Bridegroom too prayed) (Genesis 24:63)
No wonder that their marriage was a success
Now the young woman was very beautiful to behold, a virgin; no man had known her. And she went down to the well, filled her pitcher, and came up. (Genesis 24:16)
Rebekah was very beautiful at the same time she was industrious. Take a look at the following verses:
So she said, “Drink, my lord.” Then she quickly let her pitcher down to her hand, and gave him a drink. And when she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking.” Then she quickly emptied her pitcher into the trough, ran back to the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels. (Genesis 24:18-20)
Now Camels don’t drink a glass of water but lots of water. This was not an easy task since 10 camels drink a lot of water. Is it any wonder that they are called the ships of the desert. This shows Rebekah had a heart of a servant. Your actions also reveal the condition of your heart. Some are just delicate dolls.
Then the man bowed down his head and worshiped the Lord. And he said, “Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His mercy and His truth toward my master. As for me, being on the way, the Lord led me to the house of my master’s brethren.” (Genesis 24:26-27)
Eliezer was a man focused on his mission
Another interesting point was Eliezer was a man of integrity. He did not stumble looking at the beauty of Rebekah. He was not a eunuch and must have certainly admired the beauty of a woman such as Rebekah. However, he never lost focus of the mission that he was sent on. The enemy has often diverted the mission of a man of God or a woman of God by things such as girls, gold and glory.
Food was set before him to eat but he said, “I will not eat until I have told about my errand” (Genesis 24:33)
Mission was more important to him than food and drink. Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. (John 4:34)
Food and drink is not bad but it should not be a distraction from the purpose and plans of God.
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.”
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.” (Genesis 24:55-56)
Eliezer did not waste his time in enjoyment but was focussed on his mission. Now that his mission was accomplished, he came back
So they said, “We will call the young woman and ask her personally.” Then they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” And she said, “I will go.” (Genesis 24:57-58)
Rebekah too was a woman of faith. She did not meet Isaac. She moved out by faith. It was divine leading
Chapters
- Chapter 1
- Chapter 2
- Chapter 3
- Chapter 4
- Chapter 5
- Chapter 6
- Chapter 7
- Chapter 8
- Chapter 9
- Chapter 10
- Chapter 11
- Chapter 12
- Chapter 13
- Chapter 14
- Chapter 15
- Chapter 16
- Chapter 17
- Chapter 18
- Chapter 19
- Chapter 20
- Chapter 21
- Chapter 22
- Chapter 23
- Chapter 24
- Chapter 25
- Chapter 26
- Chapter 27
- Chapter 28
- Chapter 29
- Chapter 30
- Chapter 31
- Chapter 32
- Chapter 33
- Chapter 34
- Chapter 35
- Chapter 36
- Chapter 37
- Chapter 38
- Chapter 39
- Chapter 40
- Chapter 41
- Chapter 42
- Chapter 43
- Chapter 44
- Chapter 45
- Chapter 46
- Chapter 47
- Chapter 48
- Chapter 49
- Chapter 50