10/12/25 “Isaac & Rebekah”

Isaac & Rebekah

Genesis 24:51-67

Romeo & Juliet…Antony & Cleopatra….Lancelot & Guinevere…Johnny & June…Elizabeth & Mr. Darcy….Westley & Buttercup….Lois & Clark (NOT Lewis & Clark)….Rhett & Scarlett….Noah & Allie….Sam & Annie…Edmond & Mercedes…Jack & Rose…Archie & Edith (Well, maybe 😊)…Mickey & Minnie…Bonnie & Clyde.

From the dawn of recorded history, the world – it seems – cannot get enough of love stories…both fictional & Non-fictional.

Many people are naturally drawn into epic tales of romance.

Innumerable songs have been sung about it….

Multitudes of movies have been made about it….

Countless pieces of art have been produced depicting it…

There are even entire television networks devoted to it…

Few things in life are more attractive to us than a story about a man and a woman who are in love…

Many people say they enjoy a good love story because it allows them to relive the feeling they first had when dating their own special someone…years…or decades…ago.

….these stories of romance allow the listener – or the viewer - to vicariously experience a bit of the strong emotional connection that is being developed between the central characters…

Emily Bronte once said: “You know you’re in love when you can’t fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.”…(isn’t that sweet.)

(Lisa – that’s obviously why you’ve had trouble sleeping for the last 28 years…No?....You’ve been sleeping just fine?... 😊)

Well…In all seriousness, our passage of scripture for today is oozing with the kind of passion and excitement that characterizes a new romantic relationship…

…even though the couple doesn’t even meet each other until the day they get married!

Their actual courtship lasts all but a few minutes….

Yet, they each seemed to understand that God – in His providence – was drawing them together

It’s the story of Isaac and Rebekah – and it plays out like a sweeping tale of intrigue, excitement, and love throughout all of Genesis chapter 24.

Let’s back up a minute to see how we arrive at our passage for today.

Verse 1 (Genesis 24:1) tells us that Abraham is getting very old at this point ….Probably around 130 years old.

Sarah had already passed away…

Isaac – the miraculous child of promise was already beyond the typical marrying age – He needed a wife.

 …the only problem was, Abraham and his family were living in an area inhabited by the Canaanites…

And Canaanite women – like Canaanite men - worshipped false gods and deities…

This was undoubtedly why Isaac – who was at least 30 years old by now - had not yet found himself a wife…

So, Abraham commissions his chief servant (Most likely a man named Eliezer) to return to their homeland and find a wife for Isaac.

This would be no easy journey…Abrham’s homeland was roughly 500 miles away.

That’s like traveling from here to Kansas City…on a camel….it would take a while to get there…

Verse 10 (Genesis 24:10) tells us that the servant loads up 10 camels with items of great value – much of this would be used as the dowry for the future bride’s family.

So, In time, Abraham’s servant arrives at his destination…he prays that the Lord will make known to him which of the young ladies will be the right one for Isaac…

After God miraculously makes it known to the servant that he is to choose Rebekah, the servant accompanies Rebekah to her home where he describes his mission to her family…

This brings us to our passage of scripture for this morning.

Verse 51 (Genesis 24:51) describes Rebekah’s father Bethuel – and her brother Laban – telling the servant that they also see this as God’s providential plan…

…and that he may take Rebekah back with him to be Isaac’s wife.

It’s interesting to note that in verse 55 (Genesis 24:55) Rebekah’s family asks the servant if they may have 10 more days with Rebekah before she leaves for a far away land.

….sounds like a fair request, right?

After all, who knows when they’ll ever see Rebekah again….

Yet the servant tells them in the next verse (Genesis 24:56) that he cannot afford any delay…the mission that he has been sent on is an urgent one.

Interestingly enough, Jesus says something similar in Luke chapter 9 when he is responding to people who claim they want to follow him….

…but they also want to procrastinate…they want to do ministry according to their own schedule & timetable…

Jesus meets a man who wants to go back and spend time with his family before following him….and this is what Jesus tells him “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:62)

In other words, when God calls you to do something…don’t put it off!

This holds true in our marriages as well.

maybe the Holy Spirit is prompting you to make a personal sacrifice for the good of your marriage….Don’t ignore it!

…or perhaps God is opening the door for you and your spouse to become more involved in a certain ministry….don’t walk…RUN…through that door!

….or maybe God’s nudging both of you to move out of your comfort zone in a way that advances His kingdom…and deepens your faith…

….don’t spend time hemming & hawing about it…just do it.

Our God is not a God of procrastination.

If He is calling you to put forth effort for Him….He will give you the resources to make it happen

…we all have a limited amount of time on this earth to make a difference for Christ….let’s use our time wisely.

So, Abraham’s servant and Rebekah begin the long trek back to the Beersheba.

Imagine being Rebekah.

She must have had so many questions….right?

What does my future husband look like? What are his interests? What are his favorite foods? Is he a hard worker? Does he snore? Does he sing? Does he sing while snoring?

I’m sure Abraham’s servant fielded many questions from young Rebekah regarding Isaac on the long journey….

Verse 63 (Genesis 24:63) tells us that Isaac had gone out into the field to meditate…this was another way of saying that Isaac was petitioning the Lord in prayer.

This alone reveals a lot about Isaac’s disposition.

It reveals humility in that he understood that God was in complete control of the situation concerning a future wife….

It’s a good lesson for all of you here this morning who are single - and who are looking to get married at some point in the future….

How often do you take these relational concerns before the Lord in prayer…

…how often do you ask your heavenly Father to bring someone onto your life who will be your Isaac?....or be your Rebekah?

Oftentimes, we make it more difficult than it really is.

We think to ourselves, well….God has one person in mind for me….but what if they live halfway across the world?...How will I ever cross paths with them?

If they’re an Eskimo in Northern Siberia…or a rice farmer in China….I’m not going there anytime soon.

May I calm those fears for you this morning.

If God has one particular person in mind for you to marry…He will make sure that your paths cross…

…I mean…He spoke the universe into existence…I think He has the ability to bring 2 people to the same party at the same time…or to the same grocery store…or to the same Pizza Ranch.

It’s true….A lot of people meet at the Pizza Ranch….

Guys - Think of all the pickup lines you could use surrounded by so much food.

There’s the obvious one: “You’ve stolen a pizza my heart”….or “You had me at Cactus Bread”

Then there’s my favorite: “If you were a vegetable, you’d be a cute-cumber”

All joking aside…in anything relational – marital or otherwise - take it to the Lord in prayer.

…make prayer be your first instinct…not your last resort.

Verse 63 (Genesis 24:63) also tells us that Isaac looked up from his prayer…and he saw the camels coming.

What must have been going through his mind at this point…

He had to have been thinking “Did my father’s servant find a bride for me?.... what does she look like?...will she like me?...What kind of personality does she have?....will she be able to have children?

…He had no way of knowing any of these things (remember, phones wouldn’t be around for another 3,900 years!)

Talk about a stressful moment in life….

Put yourself in Isaac’s shoes for a moment.

He has not had any input whatsoever as to who his new wife would be.

How would you do in this situation?

For those of you who are married - Would you have trusted someone else to choose your marital partner for you?

Most of you are like….No Way….I Never would have done that!

We certainly do value our freedom to make important decisions for ourselves here in our western culture…

But just food for thought: The divorce rate here in America hovers around 50%, right?

Any idea what the current divorce rate is in societies that still practice arranged marriages?

The world average is 4%...In India, its 1%

Now…I’m not saying that all of you single people should have someone else choose your future spouse for you….

…But maybe it might be worth your time consulting with your family and close friends when it comes to choosing someone to date….or to marry.

My daughter watches the show “Farmer wants a wife”….where they throw a handful of single ladies on a farm and see if the farmer develops a romantic connection with any of them….

Well, anyway, toward the end of the season, 2 of the ladies go back home to meet the farmer’s parents….

These are always the most interesting episodes as Mom & Dad always tend to know which lady will be the best fit for their son….

…Not that the son will always take their advice, however.

As many of you know…sometimes those strong emotions at the beginning of a romance can cloud our better judgement….

….it takes a truly humble individual to seek wisdom from someone else when it comes to a new and exciting relationship.

Isaac demonstrated much humility is submitting himself to the decisions of others in this scenario…

…much like when he submitted to his father’s instructions on the mountain of sacrifice back in Genesis chapter 22.

Although not much is written about Isaac in scripture, we are at least able to discern that he was a man of character…a man of humility…a man of trust…

…and he submitted himself to earthly – as well as heavenly - authority.

Verse 64. (Genesis 24:64)

Here’s the movie scene moment.

Rebekah looks up at the same time and sees Isaac on the horizon.

Somewhere there’s music playing softly in the distance…an orchestra playing a John Williams composition or something 😊

Rebekah jumps off her Camel and begins running toward Isaac…Isaac begins running toward her….

When I was a kid, I read from my King James Bible that was given to me by my Sunday School teacher….

and in the King James, verse 64 reads like this: “And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel.”

Well….as a kid in the early 80’s, Camel cigarettes were still advertised quite heavily on TV…and for the longest time, I wondered why Rebekah would see the need to light a Camel cigarette….

…especially at such an important moment in her life …..did she want to look cool for Isaac?

Well…in 1611…to light off something was – basically - to get off of something…

God Bless you if you love your King James translation…but sometimes the old English can lead to a misunderstanding of the text – especially for younger readers.

So – anyway – Isaac and Rebekah are coming toward each other and finally they meet.

What a moment this must have been… knowing that God had brought them together.

We sometimes here that term “Love at first sight”, right?

….typically, marriages don’t begin that way.

However…This meeting of two souls really did seem to fit that definition.

This scene reminds me of the movie “Sleepless in Seattle” where the characters actually meet each other for the very first time during the final 5 minutes of the movie….

….sometimes I wonder if the storyline of that film was inspired by the story of Isaac & Rebekah

Verse 67 (Genesis 24:67) tells us that “Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah, and he married Rebekah…..”

You think you got married quickly…this courtship lasted all of about 10 minutes…

But because God had brought them together….they knew that it was going to work.
These two young people saw the world from the same vantage point…and they both served the Lord with dedication and fervor.

Single people – when it comes to your faith - don’t ever fall for the lie that “Opposites Attract”

That might be true in certain areas of our lives…but definitely not when it comes to our spiritual worldview.

If you are looking to marry someone…please - PLEASE - make sure that they are followers of Jesus – just like you.

When we marry someone who doesn’t share our core beliefs about life – there will obviously be many moments of disagreement and argumentation.

The Bible refers to this scenario as being ‘Unequally Yoked’

2 Corinthians chapter 6 puts it this way “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Beliel? (Satan) What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?” (2 Corinthians 6:14-15)

The second most important decision of your life will be whom you will marry….

(Who can tell me what the most important decision of one’s life will be?)

…and the biggest part of this marital decision will involve making sure to unite with someone who loves Jesus.

In fact, we used to tell our girls, someday when you are looking for a spouse, make sure the man loves Jesus more than he loves you.

Jesus says that our relationship with Him needs to come before any and all earthly relationships…

And when two people earnestly seek the savior above everyone else…oh, the harmony that will permeate that marriage.

It won’t be a perfect marriage – none are.

But there will be peace. There will be joy. There will be a contentment of the soul that will never be found in marriages that are unequally yoked.

Finally, in verse 67 (Genesis 24:67) it says that Isaac “Loved Her”….and that he was comforted after his mother’s death.

Scripture speaks of 3 different forms of love.

Eros, Philo, and Agape.

I believe that Isaac and Rebekah experienced all three of these.

Eros love is rooted in physical attraction.

Philo is a love steeped in close friendship.

…and Agape love is that selfless, sacrificial, love of action - having the well-being of another person as one’s highest priority…

….It’s the kind of love we saw while going through the book of 1 John.

If your marriage consists of all three of these forms of love – you are blessed!

Sadly, many marriages do not.…But it can be attained.

If both partners intentionally make it their top priority to include God in every detail of their marriage….then it will happen.

Before we wrap up this morning, I’d like you to consider something about this story that I did not notice until doing research for today’s sermon…

I want you to consider Abraham’s servant.

We believe his name was Eliezer.

Sometimes, certain people in the Old Testament fit into what we call a typology…..they are symbols – or prefiguration’s – of something (or someone) that will be revealed in the future.

Abraham’s servant is a ‘Type’…a prefiguration…of - the Holy Spirit.

Think about it:

The servant is sent on a mission by the “Father”

This mission is to call upon the heart of one who will freely comply with his request…

The servant never spoke in His own authority – but only by the authority of the Father (Abraham)

The servant’s mission was always only about the son – and his need for a bride.

The servant reveals his mission to Rebekah…

The servant comforts Rebekah as she is guided into a new relationship with Isaac.

Think about what the Holy Spirit does.

He was sent on a mission that began at Pentecost.

He calls upon our hearts…He always points to the Father and the Son…He is actively assembling a bride (The church) for the bridegroom (Jesus)…He reveals to us – and convicts us of - the truth of the gospel message…and He comforts us - and guides us – into a new relationship with Christ.

Folks, this story has a theological truth to it that goes far beyond a love story between two human beings…

The story of Isaac and Rebekah is also the story of the church and Jesus Christ….and it was written 2,000 years before Jesus walked the earth.

Brothers & Sisters…Isn’t the Bible amazing!?!

That’s why this book is unlike any other.

Those of you who are struggling in your marriage…

…allow the story of Isaac and Rebekah to inspire you in your marital union….allow it to cause you to desire Jesus above everything else….and to trust in His plan for you and your spouse.

…and by so doing…watch how God will mend the tattered corners of your marriage…

…those areas where communication has been replaced by contempt….where passion has been eclipsed by pride….where trust has been supplanted by trepidation…where respect has been replaced by repulsiveness….where love has been replaced by loneliness…where God has been replaced by greed

God can – and will - heal these issues in your marriage if both of you selflessly submit to His purpose, Will, and Plan for your marriage.

Let’s Pray