Eliezer, Abraham's servant, is sent to find a wife for Isaac from Abraham's relatives in Haran. He prays to God for guidance. At a well outside the town, Rebekah offers to water his camels. Seeing this as a sign, Eliezer asks whose daughter she is and is told she is from Abraham's family. Rebekah's family agrees she should marry Isaac, and she departs with Eliezer. Isaac is comforted upon their marriage after his mother Sarah's death.

1. Genesis 24
God Provides A Bride for Isaac
“God promises to provide, but what if……….?”
November 29, 2015
First Baptist Church
Jackson, Mississippi
USA

2. What’s the number one thing?
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HdKEr1hZ7iI/TWY2eWJdLoI/AAAAAAAAAgw/V0dVLTrGG1g/s1600/Glory.jpg
The Glory of God

3. 1 Corinthians 10:31 NKJV
31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to
the glory of God.

4. November Memory Verse
Acts 1:8
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on
you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all
Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

5. Please Pray For: The Pastor Search Committee
Ross Aven Rodney DePriest
Laurel Ditto Susan Lindsay
Chris Maddux Joe Young
Paul Moak, Jr. (Chairman)

6. REFERENCES
• Morgan, Robert J. Mastering Life Before It’s Too Late (New York,
Howard Books, 2015), 237-262.
• The NIV Study Bible, The Zondervan Corporation, 1985.
• The MacArthur NKJV Study Bible. 1997. Nelson Publishers.
• Dr. Chuck Missler, YouTube Video on Genesis: Chapters 21, 22 & 24
Part 1.

7. Genesis 24 Introduction
• Isaac was born to Abraham and Sarah in old age.
• Isaac was the child of promise (miracle) from God.
• Hagar and Ishmael were banished when Isaac was 5.
• Sarah dies at age 127 and is buried at Machpelah in a cave
purchased by Abraham.
• Isaac is 37 when his mother dies, and is not married.
• Isaac was the child who would pass the promise to the next
generation.

8. Genesis 24:1-4
1 Abraham was now very old, and the Lord had blessed him in
every way. 2 He said to the senior servant in his household, the
one in charge of all that he had, "Put your hand under my
thigh. 3 I want you to swear by the Lord, the God of heaven
and the God of earth, that you will not get a wife for my son
from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am
living, 4 but will go to my country and my own relatives and get
a wife for my son Isaac."

9. Who is the senior servant?
Genesis 15:2-3
2 But Abram said, "Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since
I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is
Eliezer of Damascus?" 3 And Abram said, "You have given me
no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir."
• Is there a reason he is not mentioned by name in Genesis
24?
• Name means “God is help” or “comfort”
• A “type” or model of the Holy Spirit; No name but does the will of the Father

11. Taking an oath

12. The hand under thigh oath
• Jacob had the same request for Joseph in Gen. 47:29.
• Both oaths dealt with family matters of a patriarch nearing
death.
• Thigh “loins” considered source of posterity (descendants).
• Abraham had received circumcision as the sign of the covenant.

13. Genesis 24:5-7
5 The servant asked him, "What if the woman is unwilling to
come back with me to this land? Shall I then take your son
back to the country you came from?"
6 "Make sure that you do not take my son back there,"
Abraham said. 7 "The Lord, the God of heaven, who brought
me out of my father's household and my native land and who
spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, 'To your
offspring I will give this land' —He will send his angel before
you so that you can get a wife for my son from there.

14. Genesis 24:8-9
8 If the woman is unwilling to come back with you, then you
will be released from this oath of mine. Only do not take my
son back there." 9 So the servant put his hand under the thigh
of his master Abraham and swore an oath to him concerning
this matter.

15. Genesis 24:10-11
10 Then the servant left, taking with him ten of his master's
camels loaded with all kinds of good things from his master.
He set out for Aram Naharaim and made his way to the town
of Nahor. 11 He had the camels kneel down near the well
outside the town; it was toward evening, the time the women
go out to draw water.

16. Eliezer’s Journey to Haran

17. Genesis 24:12-14
12 Then he prayed, "Lord, God of my master Abraham, make
me successful today, and show kindness to my master
Abraham. 13 See, I am standing beside this spring, and the
daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water.
14 May it be that when I say to a young woman, 'Please let
down your jar that I may have a drink,' and she says, 'Drink,
and I'll water your camels too' —let her be the one you have
chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have
shown kindness to my master."

18. Genesis 24:15-18
15 Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar
on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milkah,
who was the wife of Abraham's brother Nahor. 16 The woman was
very beautiful, a virgin; no man had ever slept with her. She went
down to the spring, filled her jar and came up again.
17 The servant hurried to meet her and said, "Please give me a little
water from your jar."
18 "Drink, my lord," she said, and quickly lowered the jar to her
hands and gave him a drink.

19. Genesis 24:19-21
19 After she had given him a drink, she said, "I'll draw water for
your camels too, until they have had enough to drink." 20 So
she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, ran back to the
well to draw more water, and drew enough for all his camels.
21 Without saying a word, the man watched her closely to
learn whether or not the Lord had made his journey
successful.

20. Genesis 24:22-25
22 When the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a
gold nose ring weighing a beka and two gold bracelets
weighing ten shekels. 23 Then he asked, "Whose daughter are
you? Please tell me, is there room in your father's house for us
to spend the night?"
24 She answered him, "I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son
that Milkah bore to Nahor." 25 And she added, "We have
plenty of straw and fodder, as well as room for you to spend
the night."

21. How valuable was this initial gift?
• Beka = 0.4 ounces
• Value of gold in ounces
• Gold is $1,073.2 an ounce
• One beka = $429.28
• 10 shekels = 4 ounces
• 4 ounces of gold = $4,292.80

22. “Whose daughter are you?”

23. Genesis 24:26-27
26 Then the man bowed down and worshiped the Lord,
27 saying, "Praise be to the Lord, the God of my master
Abraham, who has not abandoned his kindness and
faithfulness to my master. As for me, the Lord has led me on
the journey to the house of my master's relatives."

24. Genesis 24:28-31
28 The young woman ran and told her mother's household
about these things. 29 Now Rebekah had a brother named
Laban, and he hurried out to the man at the spring. 30 As soon
as he had seen the nose ring, and the bracelets on his sister's
arms, and had heard Rebekah tell what the man said to her,
he went out to the man and found him standing by the camels
near the spring. 31 "Come, you who are blessed by the Lord,"
he said. "Why are you standing out here? I have prepared the
house and a place for the camels."

25. Genesis 24:32-33
32 So the man went to the house, and the camels were
unloaded. Straw and fodder were brought for the camels, and
water for him and his men to wash their feet. 33 Then food was
set before him, but he said, "I will not eat until I have told you
what I have to say."
"Then tell us," Laban said.

26. Genesis 24:34-48 (Summary)
Eliezer tells the story of the events of Genesis 24:1-33 in great
detail to Rebekah’s family.

27. Genesis 24:49-51
49 Now if you will show kindness and faithfulness to my
master, tell me; and if not, tell me, so I may know which way
to turn."
50 Laban and Bethuel answered, "This is from the Lord; we can
say nothing to you one way or the other. 51 Here is Rebekah;
take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master's
son, as the Lord has directed."

28. Genesis 24:52-54
52 When Abraham's servant heard what they said, he bowed
down to the ground before the Lord. 53 Then the servant
brought out gold and silver jewelry and articles of clothing and
gave them to Rebekah; he also gave costly gifts to her brother
and to her mother. 54 Then he and the men who were with
him ate and drank and spent the night there.
When they got up the next morning, he said, "Send me on my
way to my master."

29. Genesis 24:55-58
55 But her brother and her mother replied, "Let the young woman
remain with us ten days or so; then you may go.“
56 But he said to them, "Do not detain me, now that the Lord has
granted success to my journey. Send me on my way so I may go to
my master.“
57 Then they said, "Let's call the young woman and ask her about
it." 58 So they called Rebekah and asked her, "Will you go with this
man?"
I will go," she said.

30. Genesis 24:59-60
59 So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way, along with her
nurse and Abraham's servant and his men. 60 And they blessed
Rebekah and said to her,
"Our sister, may you increase
to thousands upon thousands;
may your offspring possess
the cities of their enemies."

31. Genesis 24:61-63
61 Then Rebekah and her attendants got ready and mounted the
camels and went back with the man. So the servant took Rebekah
and left.
62 Now Isaac had come from Beer Lahai Roi, for he was living in the
Negev. 63 He went out to the field one evening to meditate, and as
he looked up, he saw camels approaching.
• Isaac had settled in the southern area of Negev and Abraham
was in the area of Beersheba.

32. Where has Isaac been since Abraham’s test of
offering him as a sacrifice?
Genesis 22:19
19 Then Abraham returned to his servants, and they set off
together for Beersheba. And Abraham stayed in Beersheba.
• Isaac’s life in scripture is not recorded since his father offered him
as a sacrifice (Genesis. 22:18 – 24:62).
• Emerges in scripture as his bride is being brought to him.
• Possibly in mourning because of the death of his mother.
• We do not know if Isaac was aware that Abraham had sent the
servant on a search for a bride.

34. Genesis 24:64-66
64 Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She got down from her
camel 65 and asked the servant, "Who is that man in the field
coming to meet us?"
"He is my master," the servant answered. So she took her veil and
covered herself.
66 Then the servant told Isaac all he had done.
• The custom of betrothed bride was to veil her face until the
wedding day

35. Genesis 24:67
67 Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah, and he
married Rebekah. So she became his wife, and he loved her;
and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.

36. Sarah’s Tent

37. Closing Thoughts: The what if’s in life.....?
Genesis 24:5
5 The servant asked him, "What if the woman is unwilling to
come back with me to this land?
• The servant (Eliezer) had been with Abraham many years and
had seen the promises of God fulfilled many times.
• It was a reasonable question so he would know Plan B.
• Abraham gives a great answer….

38. Abraham’s Answer of Faith to “What if….?”
Genesis 24:7
7 "The Lord, the God of heaven, who brought me out of my
father's household and my native land and who spoke to me
and promised me on oath, saying, 'To your offspring I will give
this land' —He will send his angel before you…"
• Abraham believed God’s promise to him.
• Abraham believed God would provide the right wife for
Isaac.

39. Why do we ask God the “What if questions?
• Doubt God’s calling to a particular mission?
• Doubt God’s power and ability to accomplish His will?
• Doubt our ability to accomplish His mission?
• Are we desiring to “walk by sight instead of faith?”
• Is sin blocking our view and grieving the Holy Spirit to provide the
light for our path?

40. What do the scriptures say?
Genesis 24:7
7 "…He will send His angel before you…"
Deuteronomy 31:8
8 "The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will
never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be
discouraged."
John 16:13
13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all
the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he
hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.

41. More scriptures…
Ephesians 2:10
10 For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good
works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Romans 1:17
17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed —a
righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written:
"The righteous will live by faith.
2 Corinthians 5:7
7 For we live by faith, not by sight.

42. Mastering Life by Robert J. Morgan
• Biblical Strategies For A Lifetime of Purpose.
• 10th Strategy: Remember There Are Two of You.
• Galatians 2:20
20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but
Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith
in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
• We truly master life when we recognize Jesus Christ as the
Unseen Senior Partner in all of our pursuits.

43. Mastering Life by Robert J. Morgan:
Remember There Are Two of You.
• Jesus Christ lives within His followers through the Holy Spirit.
• Whatever our assignment in life, it’s not a matter of what
we’re doing for Christ but what He is doing through us.
• It’s not our work for the Lord but our walk with the Lord
that’s most important.

44. Mastering Life by Robert J. Morgan:
Remember There Are Two of You.
• How do we do it?
1. We must freely acknowledge the lordship of Christ over
every area of life.
2. We should meet the Lord each morning and as we do so
we can ask His Holy Spirit to fill us
3. We must envision this process in the most realistic terms
possible and claim the experience by faith.

45. So, the next time you are tempted to ask God,
“What if………?”
REMEMBER
1. God has gone before you to prepare the way!
2. There are two of you!

46. Next Sunday………December 6, 2015
Matthew 3 – The Way Prepared
December 13 – The King Arrives (Matthew 1)
December 20 – The King Worshiped (Matthew 2)
December 27 – No Sunday School

47. The Plan of Hope & Salvation
• John 3:16 NKJV
16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son,
that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting
life.”
• John 14:6 NKJV
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one
comes to the Father except through Me.”

48. The Plan of Hope & Salvation
• Romans 3:23 NKJV
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
• Romans 6:23a NKJV
23a For the wages of sin is death,
• Death in this life (the first death) is 100%.
• Even Jesus, the only one who doesn’t deserve death, died in this life to pay the
penalty for our sins.
• The death referred to in Romans 6:23a is the second death explained in Revelation
21:8.

49. The Plan of Hope & Salvation
• Revelation 21:8 NKJV
8 “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually
immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the
lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second
death.”
• Romans 5:8 NKJV
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we
were still sinners, Christ died for us.

50. The Plan of Hope & Salvation
• Romans 6:23b NKJV
23b but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
• Revelation 21:7 NKJV
7 “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God
and he shall be My son.”
• Romans 10:9-10 explains to us how to Be an overcommer.

51. The Plan of Hope & Salvation
• Romans 10:9-10 NKJV
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in
your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be
saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and
with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
• Romans 10:13 NKJV
13 For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”

52. The Plan of Hope & Salvation
If you have questions or would like to know more, Please, contact First
Baptist Church Jackson at 601-949-1900 or
http://firstbaptistjackson.org/contact/