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Walk Thru The Word for Today: Genesis 24: 1 – 6 (ESV)
(The Servant Is Commissioned To Find A Wife for Isaac)
Gen. 24: 1-6 1Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years. And the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things. 2And Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he had, “Put your hand under my thigh, 3that 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, 4but will go to my country and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac.” 5The 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?” 6Abraham said to him, “See to it that you do not take my son back there.
Walk Thru The Word for Today: Genesis 24: 7 – 9 (ESV)
(Isaac is installed in The Promised Land and Must Not Leave it!)
Gen. 24: 7-9 7The 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. 8But 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.” 9So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master and swore to him concerning this matter.
Walk Thru The Word for Today: Genesis 23: 12 – 16 (ESV)
(The Servant Prays for Confirmation)
Genesis 24: 10 – 14 10Then 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. 11And 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. 12And he said, “O LORD, God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today and show steadfast love to my master Abraham. 13Behold, I am standing by the spring of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. 14Let 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.”
Walk Thru The Word for Today: Genesis 24: 15 – 20 (ESV)
(The Confirmation Arrives in the form of Rebekah)
Genesis 24: 15 – 20 (ESV) 15Before 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. 16The 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. 17Then the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please give me a little water to drink from your jar.” 18She said, “Drink, my lord.” And she quickly let down her jar upon her hand and gave him a drink. 19When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking.” 20So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran again to the well to draw water, and she drew for all his camels.
Walk Thru The Word for Today: Genesis 24: 21 – 25 (ESV) The Servant is Convinced that Rebekah Is The one)
Genesis 24: 21 – 25 – 21The man gazed at her in silence to learn whether the LORD had prospered his journey or not.
22When 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, 23and said, “Please tell me whose daughter you are. Is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?” 24She said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.” 25She added, “We have plenty of both straw and fodder, and room to spend the night.”
Walk Thru The Word for Today: Genesis 24: 26 – 28 (ESV)
(The Servant Thanks god for Guidance)
Genesis 24: 26 – 28 26The man bowed his head and worshiped the LORD 27and 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.” 28Then the young woman ran and told her mother’s household about these things.
Walk Thru The Word for Today: Genesis 24: 29 – 33 (ESV)
(Laban & Bethuel extend hospitality to The Servant)
Genesis 24: 29 – 3329Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban. Laban ran out toward the man, to the spring. 30As 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. 31He 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.” 32So 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. 33Then 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.”
Walk Thru The Word for Today: Genesis 24: 34 – 49 (ESV)
(The Servant Explains The Events) WHICH WE ARE NOT READING!
Walk Thru The Word for Today: Genesis 24: 50 – 54 (ESV)
(Laban & Bethuel Agree to The Lord’s plan for rebkah)
Genesis 24: 50 – 54 50Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, “The thing has come from the LORD; we cannot speak to you bad or good. 51Behold, Rebekah is before you; take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master’s son, as the LORD has spoken.” 52When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed himself to the earth before the LORD. 53And the servant brought out jewelry of silver and of gold, and garments, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave to her brother and to her mother costly ornaments. 54And 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.”
Walk Thru The Word for Today: Genesis 24: 55 – 59 (ESV)
(The servant is motivated by conviction)
Genesis 24: 55 – 59 55Her brother and her mother said, “Let the young woman remain with us a while, at least ten days; after that she may go.” 56But 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.” 57They said, “Let us call the young woman and ask her.” 58And they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” She said, “I will go.” 59So they sent away Rebekah their sister and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant and his men.
Walk Thru The Word for Today: Genesis 24: 60 – 61 (ESV)
(Rebekah’s Blessing)
Genesis 24: 60 – 61 60And 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!” 61Then Rebekah and her young women arose and rode on the camels and followed the man. Thus the servant took Rebekah and went his way.
Message map: Genesis 24
Message map: 10-22-17 Genesis 17 “Sarah Symbolizes The Barren Bride of Christ”
- The Servant Is Commissioned
- He commissioning ceremony or custom …? HAND UNDER THIGH
- The Servant seeks Confirmation
- He prays and asks for God’s Guidance
- Puts out an If-then proposition
- The Servant Is motivated by conviction
- Conviction is …
- inner conviction focuses on God confirming His in birthing of faith (“the internal persuasion from Him,”
- Rebekah’s blessing reflects The Church’s on going battle & current conflict
- Rebekah’s blessing reflects The Church’s current conflict
- In Communion We reflect upon our commission and how god confirms it by strengthening our convictions Eph 1:11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,
Genesis 24: 1 – 6 & 9 (ESV)
(The Servant Is Commissioned To Find A Wife for Isaac)
Abraham’s servant, is the oldest & most trusted of his household, who had charge of all that he had.
The servant is commissioned (given an official duty) to find a wife for Isaac by swearing an oath. Swearing is another word for testifying.
“Put your hand under my thigh (loins), 3that 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,
Get 47:49 29 And when the time drew near that Israel must die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “If now I have found favor in your sight, put your hand under my thigh and promise to deal kindly and truly with me. Do not bury me in Egypt,
The following is from Got Questions:
https://www.gotquestions.org/hand-under-thigh.html
“Why did oaths involve putting a hand under someone’s thigh (Genesis 24:9)?[bctt tweet=”In the New Testament, believers are taught not to make oaths, but rather to let their “yes” mean “yes” and “no” mean “no” (James 5:12).” username=”LibertyCF3″]
The thigh was considered the source of posterity in the ancient world. Or, more properly, the “loins” or the testicles. The phrase “under the thigh” could be a euphemism for “on the loins.” (private and most sensitive parts) There are two reasons why someone would take an oath in this manner: 1) Abraham had been promised a “seed” by God, and this covenantal blessing was passed on to his son and grandson. Abraham made his trusted servant swear “on the seed of Abraham” that he would find a wife for Isaac. 2) Abraham had received circumcision as the sign of the covenant (Genesis 17:10). Our custom is to swear on a Bible; the Hebrew custom was to swear on circumcision, the mark of God’s covenant. The idea of swearing on one’s loins is found in other cultures, as well. The English word testify is directly related to the word testicles.”
In the New Testament, believers are taught not to make oaths, but rather to let their “yes” mean “yes” and “no” mean “no” (James 5:12).
Genesis 24: 5 & 8 (ESV) God’s Commissions Are Not Unreasonable & Are By Free Will
5The 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?” 6Abraham said to him, “See to it that you do not take my son back there.
8But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be free from this oath of mine
Gen 24: 7 – 9
Isaac is installed in The Promised Land and Must Not Leave His Inheritance!
Abraham is a prophet (Gen 20:7) who is confident 7The LORD, the God of heaven, will overcome this challenge by sending an angel before the servant to obtain a wife for Isaac, because God …
- a) took him from my father’s house and from the land of his kindred,
- b) spoke to him and swore/pledged to him, ‘To your offspring I will give this land,’
Abraham, therefore, places this challenge into the Lord’s hand and frees the servant from this oath if the woman is not willing to come.
Genesis 24: 10 – 14 (ESV) The Servant Prays for Confirmation
Genesis 24: 10 – 14 10Then the servant took 10 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. … in vss. 12-14 he offers God an if-then proposition in vs. 14 saying – if the girls gives me and my camels water, then 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.”
Seeking confirmation of the Lord’s will is appropriate because we need to inquire of the Lord to confirm if we are in His Will.
It is appropriate to seek Confirmation of the Lord’s will. It is appropriate to inquire of the Lord to confirm that if what you are doing is God’s Will for you.
An If-Then proposition says, “God may what come my way be what You are sending.”
Genesis 24: 15 – 28 (ESV) The Confirmation Arrives in the form of Rebekah
Profile Rebekah: She is …
- very attractive in appearance,
- abstinent before marriage – chaste (a maiden whom no man had known)
- an ambitious go getter not afraid of hard work, who watered 10 camels, and also the servant and perhaps the others with him.
- adventurous because she goes to Isaac, sight unseen. Gen 24: 8And they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” She said, “I will go.” 59So they sent away Rebekah their sister and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant and his men.
Genesis 24: 55 – 59 (ESV) The Servant Is motivated by conviction
Genesis 24: 55 – 59 55Her Rebekah’s brother and her mother are reluctant to let her go and ask for ten days to say goodbye, and perhaps throw a few parties and give the neighborhood a chance to say goodbye, But the servant does not want to delay me (make me linger or get behind God’s schedule), since the LORD has prospered my way.
Since Rebekah agrees to leave right away she and her nurse, depart with Abraham’s servant and his men.
Genesis 24: 55 – 59 (ESV) The Servant Is motivated by conviction
Conviction is … Noah Webster’s 1828 says, “2. …; the act of convincing of sin or sinfulness; the state of being convinced or made aware in our conscience; … being sensible of guilt; as, “By conviction a sinner is brought to repentance”. Men often sin against the conviction of their own consciences.”
Conviction results from focusing on God who confirms His in birthing of faith in us with an internal persuasion.
A conviction is a convincing in the conscience. Some may say that all we need is the Bible and the conscience is thereby made superfluous. Yet, it is the Bible that tells us that God uses the conscience, and also the conscience can be seared — have its nerve endings cauterized, so it becomes unfeeling, unaware of the pain actions cause. 1Tim 4:2
These come from http://www.learnthebible.org/convictions.html
Where the Bible is specific in its direction and commands, convictions should fall in line with them.
We are to use our spiritual discernment to judge all things (1Corinthians 2:14-15 [14] But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. [15] But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
As to certain practices, Paul said, “Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind” (Romans 14:5One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
John speaks of doing those things in which our heart condemns us not (1John 3:20-21 [20] For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. [21] Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. The other side of this is there also are decisions in which our heart does condemn us.
We are to prove all things and hold fast to that which is good (1Thessalonians 5:21Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
We are to use wisdom and judgment to approve things that are excellent (Philippians 1:9-10 [9]
See also Romans 14:22-23 and Hebrews 5:14 good and evil.
The Bible clearly teaches that the conscience is not a perfect indicator of right and wrong. It can be weak per 1Corinthians 8:12. And it can be defiled, per Titus 1:15.
The Patriarchs provide role models
Our patriarchal examples
- died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.
- welcomed God’s promises from a distance (as we must)
- confessed they were strangers and exiles on the earth. (2 Cor. 9:13)
- clearly were seeking a country citizenship of their own, per God’s calling.
- And refused to return to their former country estate.
Genesis 24: 60 – 61 (ESV)
Rebekah’s blessing reflects The Church’s on going battle & current conflict
Genesis 24: 60 – 61 60And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, “Our sister, may you become
1) thousands of ten thousands, = evangelize and multiply
2) may your offspring possess the gate of those who hate him!”
61The only way this is possible is because Rebekah and her young women arose and rode on the camels and followed the man. Thus the servant took Rebekah and went his way.
Though there is potential – even inevitable conflict, the church is called to go forward and infiltrate, possess and occupy until Christ comes. Matt: 16:18 & Luke 19:13
In Communion we can draw near because Titus 3:5 (ESV) he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,
In Communion We Invite the Holy Spirit to examine us as we… Consider Christ
Heb 12: 2-3 2looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Do Not Grow Weary 3Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted
Commissions Us To Service
Ephesians 4:8 This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people …
2 Corinthians 2:14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere.
In Communion We are reminded to reconnect and Confirm Our Calling & Election
2Pet 1:10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. In Communion We reflect upon our commission and how god confirms it by strengthening our convictions
Eph 1:11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,
Receive Conviction to move forward and take the next steps of faith
1 Thes. 1:5 because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.[bctt tweet=”Hebrews 3:14 For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence/ conviction (NIV) firm to the end.” username=”LibertyCF3″]
Hebrews 3:14 For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence/ conviction (NIV) firm to the end.
2 Tim 3:16 Beran Literal Bible Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
All Scripture is God-Breathed and Man scribed / recorded / written. It is reliable, therefore, for convicting the erring of their error.
Romans 14: 12-23
12So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God. [bctt tweet=”13Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.” username=”LibertyCF3″]
13Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. 14I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean. 15If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died. 16Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil. 17For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.
19Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. 20Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. 21It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.
22So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. 23But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.
LET’S PRAY! [email-download-link namefield=”YES” id=”187″]
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