| Subject: Genesis 24 vss 42-53 Post #125 |
Author:
Hillbilly
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Date Posted: 18:44:19 01/25/10 Mon
Genesis 24:42-53 And I came this day unto the well, and said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, if now thou do prosper my way which I go: 43 Behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall come to pass, that when the virgin cometh forth to draw water, and I say to her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water of thy pitcher to drink; 44 And she say to me, Both drink thou, and I will also draw for thy camels: let the same be the woman whom the LORD hath appointed out for my master's son. 45 And before I had done speaking in mine heart, behold, Rebekah came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder; and she went down unto the well, and drew water: and I said unto her, Let me drink, I pray thee. 46 And she made haste, and let down her pitcher from her shoulder, and said, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: so I drank, and she made the camels drink also. 47 And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? And she said, The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bare unto him: and I put the earring upon her face, and the bracelets upon her hands. 48 And I bowed down my head, and worshipped the LORD, and blessed the LORD God of my master Abraham, which had led me in the right way to take my master's brother's daughter unto his son. 49 And now if ye will deal kindly and truly with 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 proceedeth from the LORD: we cannot speak unto thee bad or good. 51 Behold, Rebekah is before thee, take her, and go, and let her be thy master's son's wife, as the LORD hath spoken. 52 And it came to pass, that, when Abraham's servant heard their words, he worshipped the LORD, bowing himself to the earth. 53 And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave them to Rebekah: he gave also to her brother and to her mother precious things.
Eliezer continues with his bringing Laban up to date on what his mission is and why it has brought him to Laban's door. It is important to notice how Eliezer talks only of God, Abraham and Rebekah. Abraham's servant has no desire to honor himself in the least. He does not talk about himself, any hardships he might have encountered nor does his congratulate himself on picking the right girl. It is all about what his has been entrusted with and how God has brought everything together. The proof that it was all of God is found in verse 45: " And before I had done speaking in mine heart". Eliezer was silently praying and laying out what he wanted to see in the prospective bride for Isaac. God was answering even as he was praying. Prayers don't have to be said out loud. Prayers can be nothing more than a silent conversation with God in much the same manner as you would speak audibly to a friend or companion.
As has been mentioned in earlier lessons Eliezer is a type of the Holy Spirit of God. Keeping in character as laid out in John 16:12-14 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
Eliezer brings glory and honor to his God and his master Abraham. The Holy Spirit brings glory and honor to God the Father and Jesus the Son. He never elevates Himself even though He is co-equal with the Father and the Son.
After Eliezer finishes his story of how he came to be there and how that Rebekah had done precisely as Eliezer had requested to God for a sign he asks for Laban and Bethuel's blessing in Rebekah going to Isaac. This part in itself seems strange to me as it is to me a mystery that Laban should have had anything to do in the matter. Rebekah was Bethuel's daughter and still under his authority. Under normal circumstances Laban also would be under the authority of Bethuel. Here, however it seems that the assent from both was needed. The answer from Bethuel and Laban was; "The thing proceedeth from the LORD: we cannot speak unto thee bad or good".
Coming to the end of this passage we run into another strange happening. Upon hearing that Bethuel and Laban are friendly to Rebekah marrying Isaac Eliezer bows himself to the ground as he worships God for prospering his way and then showers precious gifts on Rebekah, Laban and Rebekah's mother! It does not say that he gave Bethuel anything.
The only thing I can think of is that Bethuel was infirm and incapable of taking the responsibilities as the head of the house. I am guessing he had passed the responsibility to his son Laban and thus while out of respect for Bethuel, Laban included him in the business at hand it was actually Laban that made the decision. Whatever the case we can see that the family of Rebekah were believers in the one true God and they knew in their heart that God had chosen Rebekah and not Eliezer. To send a daughter and sister off with a stranger only on his word would seem careless indeed but God had been working on their hearts through the narrative of Eliezer. The intenseness and sincerity of what Eliezer told them was proof enough of the good intent of this stranger in their midst. Little could they know what God had in store for this mother of "thousands of millions" that would also be in the direct line of the coming Saviour of the world.
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