Isaac Finds a Wife: Genesis 24

You remember the story of Hagar and Ishmael, don’t you? Do you remember how Ishmael was dying of thirst, and God led Hagar to a well full of cool water for him? Today’s story begins by a well, too. Many, many years ago girls would have to go to a well to get water. W e have faucets today that w e can just turn on, but in those days people had to walk quite a ways to get to a well to fill up a jug or pitcher. They had to use water from the jug to drink, to wash up with, and so on. When it was gone, they had to go back to get more.

In our story today, Abraham’s old and God-fearing servant was sitting by the well, waiting. Waiting for what? He was waiting for God to show him the girl for Isaac to marry.

That was a strange place for him to wait, wasn’t it? But, listen….

Isaac was now old enough to get married. But Abraham did not want him to marry any of the girls in that country. They were all wicked girls who did not love God . Abraham knew that Isaac must marry a girl who feared God. But where could he find one? Then… suddenly he remembered. In the country that God had led him from, he had several relatives. Since people in those days could marry their cousins, there might be some God-fearing girls there in his own relation!

So Abraham called his old servant. He asked him to go to this country and find a wife for Isaac. He made him promise to find a girl who loved God .

So the servant took his camels and travelled to the country that Abraham had come from. Soon he came to the well where the girls would come to get water. But he didn’t know what to do now. How would he know which girl was the one for Isaac? So as he waited, he prayed. We too should pray when w e have problems. God is the only one who can help us.

“Oh God,” prayed the servant, “please show kindness to Abraham today and help me find a wife for Isaac.”

Then the servant asked God for a sign to show him who was the girl for Isaac. He would ask one of the girls for a drink of water. Some might say no. Some might hurry and give him the water and then leave. But, if one girl would give him a drink of water—and then give his camels some as well!—that would be the sign that she was the one for Isaac.

And do you know what? God had begun answering the servant’s prayer before he had even finished praying! God knows what we want before we ask Him for it, but it pleases Him when we ask anyway.

The servant was still praying when a young girl walked up to the well. She carefully began to lift up water with her jug. Just then the servant hurried over to her.

“Please,” he asked, “let me drink a little bit of your water.”

The girl was very happy to give him some. After she gave him a drink of water, she said, “I will get water for your camels, too, until they are done drinking.”

Did you hear what she just said? She had offered to bring his camels some water as well! This was what the old servant had prayed for! I think he was very happy, don’t you? God had shown him very plainly the answer to his prayer. Now he knew that this girl was the girl for Isaac if she would go back home with him.

The servant talked a little bit with the girl. He learned that her name was Rebekah and she was a cousin of Isaac. She invited him to spend the evening at her family’s house and to sleep there overnight.

The servant was very thankful to God for the answer to his prayer. What do you think he did next? Did he hurry with Rebekah to her house? Did he follow her home, eager for a bite to eat? No. The servant remembered to thank God. God had helped him and now he must thank Him. Many times God protects us from dangers, answers our prayers, or helps us with problems. Do we remember to thank Him?

Rebekah hurried home. She told her family about this stranger who would be staying overnight. Her brother Laban went back to the well with her, and they took the servant home with them.

While the servant was eating his supper, he explained to Rebekah and her family why he had come to the well. He told them how God had answered his prayer by sending Rebekah and how he wanted to take her back to Isaac with him to be his wife. But… would Rebekah go with him? She didn’t know him at all. Nor did she know Isaac. She would have to leave her parents, her sisters, brothers, and friends to go with a stranger to a strange land! And even if Rebekah agreed to go with him, would her parents let her go?

The servant waited. What would the answer be? Then Rebekah’s brother Laban and her father answered, “This is from God. We can’t tell you not to do it. Here is Rebekah. Go take her home to Isaac, as the Lord wants.”

And again the servant gave thanks to God for His wonderful answer to prayer. Rebekah’s family wanted him to stay a few more days, but he told them he had to hurry back to his master Isaac.

Rebekah also said she would go—yes, even right away. I think it was hard for her to leave her family, don’t you? But she believed in God , as her father did. She knew that His way was the right way to go. God’s people must always remember to have faith in God for He will send His blessing only when His people follow His way.

I wonder what Rebekah was thinking as she travelled back with the servant. She probably wondered what Isaac would look like. What did God have planned for her in this new country?

Suddenly, she saw a man out in the fields, coming to meet them.

“Who is that man?” Rebekah asked the servant.

“That is my master Isaac,” the servant answered.

Quickly Rebekah covered her face with a veil. In those days women did that to show they would obey their husbands. She got down from the camel and went to meet this man who was to be her husband.

God had led Isaac to Rebekah, just as He leads every man to the wife who is meant for him. When God has brought a man and woman together in a biblical way, He will usually bless their marriage and create a strong love for each other. That is why Isaac could love a strange cousin whom he had never met He married her and she made him very happy. His mother, Sarah, had died but Rebekah was able to comfort him. Soon God blessed them with twins! But…God told her that they would be born as enemies. In our next story we will find out what happens when we disobey God’s rules for us.
—sw

Praise to God for
Learning to Read

The praises of my tongue
I offer to the Lord:
That I was taught and learned
so young
To read His Holy Word.

That I was brought to know
The danger I was in;
By nature and by practice too,
A wretched slave to sin.

That I am led to see
I can do nothing well;
And whither shall a sinner flee
To save himself from hell?

Dear Lord, this Book of Thine
Informs me where to go
For grace to pardon all my sin,
And make me holy too.

Here I can read and learn
How Christ, the Son of God,
Did undertake our great concern;
Our ransom cost His blood.

And now He reigns above,
He sends His Spirit down,
To show the wonders of His love,
And make His Gospel known.

Oh, may that Spirit teach,
And make my heart receive
Those truths which all Thy
servants preach,
And all Thy saints believe.

Then shall I praise the Lord
In a more cheerful strain,
That I was taught to read His Word,
And have not learned in vain.

—Isaac Watts

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