The LORD Will Send His Angel With You
and Make Your Journey a Success
24: 34-49
The LORD will send His angel with you and make your journey a success DIG: What does the servant communicate about Abraham and Isaac to Rebekah’s family that convinces them that she’ll be well taken care of?
REFLECT: What amazing story do you have in your family? How did you meet your mate? Or how did your parents or grandparents meet? How were they saved?
So the servant told his story and identified himself, saying: I am Avraham’s servant (24:34). Notice that his name is not given. Likewise, Jesus said that when the Holy Spirit came, He would not speak of Himself (John 16:13-15). So here, the servant is not named but is simply called Abraham’s servant because he speaks of his master.
The servant then gives the testimony of Abraham and Isaac. Though it is largely a repetition of what has already been covered in the narrative, it is thrilling to hear, as it were, through the ears of Rebekah, who was learning these great things for the first time. The Church also learns of the Son through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Since he was making a proposal of marriage, it was of course proper to give a clear statement of his master’s financial status, which he did most impressively, giving all the credit for Abraham’s wealth to God rather than to his shrewd business insight. The unnamed servant pointed out that Isaac (Hebrew: Yitz’chak) had been made sole heir of his father’s wealth. He also mentioned the fact of Isaac’s miraculous birth, coming at such a time that he was approximately the same age as Rebekah.391 The family listened intently.
The servant said: ADONAI has blessed my master abundantly. The use of the word master here is the Hebrew word for Adonai, which is translated a number of times as master, or owner. And he has become wealthy. He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, menservants and maidservants, and camels and donkeys (24:35). God owns the cattle on a thousand hills, and not only that, the entire world is His, and all that is in it (Psalm 50:10 and 12).
Then he gave the real intent of his journey. My master’s wife Sarah has borne him a son in her old age, and Abraham has given his son everything he owns (24:36). If you have made a decision to follow the Master, you also have an inheritance. You will inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5, 19:29, 25:34), and you have an eternal inheritance (Hebrews 9:15; Revelation 21:7). When you go to be with the Master, you have an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade that is kept in heaven for you (First Peter 1:4). In fact, the Holy Spirit Himself is the deposit guaranteeing our inheritance (Ephesians 1:14). As the son of promise, Yitz’chak would receive the inheritance.
Then he recounted the entire thrilling story of his mission and how the LORD led him to Rebekah. And my master made me swear an oath, and said: You must not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live. But go to my father’s family and to my own clan, and get a wife for my son (24:37-38).
Then I asked my master, “What if the woman will not come back with me?” He replied: ADONAI, before whom I have walked, will send His angel with you and make your journey a success, so that you can get a wife for my son from my own clan and from my father’s family. From Avraham’s perspective, there was no doubt that this was something the LORD was going to do. But to give his servant peace of mind he said: When you go to my clan, if they refuse to give her to you, you will be released from my oath (24:39-41).
Then the servant recounted his prayer at the spring. When I came to the spring today, I pleaded: ADONAI, God of my master Abraham, if you will, please grant success to the journey on which I have come (24:42).
See, I am standing beside this spring; if a maiden comes out to draw water and I say to her, “Please let me drink a little water from your jar” (This word for maiden is not the same word used earlier. Here the word is almah, which is the actual word for virgin. And as such, it does not require a statement of explanation as did betulah in 24:16). And if she says to me, “Drink, and I’ll draw water for your camels, too,” let her be the one the LORD has chosen for my master’s son (24:43-44).
Before I finished praying in my heart the answer came, Rebekah came out, with her jar on her shoulder. She went down to the spring and drew water, and I asked the test question: Please give me a drink. She quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder and said: Drink and I’ll water your camels, too. So I drank, and she watered the camels, also (24:45-66).
I asked her, “Whose daughter are you?” She said: The daughter of Bethuel son of Nahor, whom Milcah bore to him. Then I put the ring in her nose and the bracelets on her arms (24:47). Then the servant continues his story.
And I bowed down and worshiped the LORD, I praised ADONAI, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me on the right road to get the granddaughter of my master’s brother for his son (24:48). The servant had prayed about every aspect of his important mission. He had also planned wisely how he would meet the right woman, how to present his mission, and when to seal it with appropriate gifts. Sincere prayer, wisdom and timely action go together in accomplishing God’s plan.392
Then he makes a specific request. Now if you will show kindness and faithfulness to my master, tell me; if not, tell me, so I may know which way to turn (24:49). It is interesting that the servant never really asks the actual question as to whether Rebekah would marry Isaac. He told the story so well that the question was clear to all. A decision must be made. Likewise, the servant is like the Holy Spirit, who is in the world seeking a bride for Christ. As the Holy Spirit witnesses to the hearts of individuals concerning Christ, their need for Him and the joy of His presence in their lives, they are confronted with the greatest decision of their lives. They cannot ignore Him; they must either say yes or no.393
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