The numbers that mark the chapters and verses of the Bible are not divinely inspired the way the text of the Bible itself is. Indeed, the verse markings we use didn’t come into being until about 1500 years after the Bible was written. (If you pause and think about it; how strange would it be to put numbers in the midst of what you were writing to mark off chapters and verses? It had to have come later as a tool to find particular statements and thoughts.) That being said, perhaps you were a little surprised at the length of this chapter, like I was.
Don’t get me wrong! It’s interesting stuff. Abraham gave very explicit instructions to his servant; making him swear an oath. The servant began the task with prayer, and repeated both the oath and the prayer to Bethuel and Laban, and also gave thanks in prayer. The drama of arranged marriage was very real as Rebekah left her family and saw Isaac for the first time, as Isaac saw her, and as they got married and fell in love. (Which is opposite of the way we usually do things – we think it better to fall in love and then get married.) But why did Moses (who wrote Genesis) spend so much time detailing how Isaac and Rebekah got married?
It is because they are the parents of Israel. It is extremely important to see that God gave Isaac by His promise miraculously to Abraham and Sarah in their old age. He was working out His plan of salvation through Isaac’s birth. The promise of a savior would pass through Isaac to his son, on down the line. The marriage of Isaac and Rebekah was arranged by God’s providence as well. Rebekah may not have been miraculously born, but she was specifically selected by God to be the mother of Esau and Jacob (whose name would become Israel). God continued His work to bring salvation into this world through the normal lives of people – people like this servant, Rebekah, and Isaac.
Just a quick note here: This chapter introduces us to Laban. Laban is a schemer and a plotter. He is not to be trusted. It may be that the request for Rebekah to stay ten days came from him in an attempt to get more money and gifts from the servant. We will get to know him better later.
As surely as Rebekah was a gift to Isaac, and Isaac was a gift to Rebekah, it is important for us to recognize that even though we no longer arrange marriages, husbands and wives are still God’s gifts to one another. Hebrews 13:4 says, “Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, . . . .” In many ways we have cheapened that bond and seen it as more of an arrangement of convenience. Marriage is a lifelong commitment that unifies the lives of two people into one flesh, and it gives us a picture of Jesus’ love for us!
This may be moving from “preachin’ to meddlin’” but: If you’re married, when was the last time you thanked God for your spouse? When was the last time you expressed that sense of gratitude to your bride or groom? If you’re not married, are you praying about and for that individual that you might marry some day? What if you’re widowed, divorced, estranged, struggling . . .? Are your praying?
God’s grace is for marriage, and we do well to bring marriage to the Lord in prayer. He cares.
Father, marriage is a gift from you. Help us all to hold it in honor as we live in your grace. Amen.
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