I Will

DEVOTION

GENESIS

I WILL

Gen 24:28-60

28 The girl ran and told her mother's household about these things. 29 Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban, and he hurried out to the man at the spring. 30 As soon as he had seen the nose ring, and the bracelets on his sister's arms, and had heard Rebekah tell what the man said to her, he went out to the man and found him standing by the camels near the spring. 31 "Come, you who are blessed by the LORD," he said. "Why are you standing out here? I have prepared the house and a place for the camels." 32 So the man went to the house, and the camels were unloaded. Straw and fodder were brought for the camels, and water for him and his men to wash their feet. 33 Then food was set before him, but he said, "I will not eat until I have told you what I have to say." "Then tell us," [Laban] said. 34 So he said, "I am Abraham's servant. 35 The LORD has blessed my master abundantly, and he has become wealthy. He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, menservants and maidservants, and camels and donkeys. 36 My master's wife Sarah has borne him a son in her old age, and he has given him everything he owns. 37 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, 38 but go to my father's family and to my own clan, and get a wife for my son.' 39 "Then I asked my master, 'What if the woman will not come back with me?' 40 "He replied, 'The LORD, 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. 41 Then, when you go to my clan, you will be released from my oath even if they refuse to give her to you — you will be released from my oath.' 42 "When I came to the spring today, I said, 'O LORD, God of my master Abraham, if you will, please grant success to the journey on which I have come. 43 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," 44 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.' 45 "Before I finished praying in my heart, Rebekah came out, with her jar on her shoulder. She went down to the spring and drew water, and I said to her, 'Please give me a drink.' 46 "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. 47 "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, 48 and I bowed down and worshiped the LORD. I praised the LORD, 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. 49 Now if you will show kindness and faithfulness to my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, so I may know which way to turn." 50 Laban and Bethuel answered, "This is from the LORD; we can say nothing to you one way or the other. 51 Here is Rebekah; take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master's son, as the LORD has directed." 52 When Abraham's servant heard what they said, he bowed down to the ground before the LORD. 53 Then the servant brought out gold and silver jewelry and articles of clothing and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave costly gifts to her brother and to her mother. 54 Then he and the men who were with him ate and drank and spent the night there. When they got up the next morning, he said, "Send me on my way to my master." 55 But her brother and her mother replied, "Let the girl remain with us ten days or so; then you may go." 56 But he said to them, "Do not detain me, now that the LORD has granted success to my journey. Send me on my way so I may go to my master." 57 Then they said, "Let's call the girl and ask her about it." 58 So they called Rebekah and asked her, "Will you go with this man?"

"I will go," she said. 59 So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way, along with her nurse and Abraham's servant and his men. 60 And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, "Our sister, may you increase to thousands upon thousands;may your offspring possess the gates of their enemies."

NIV

There is nothing we can do, but take all this massive amount in one setting. The truth of it is in all of it and not in small slices. We could focus on the hospitality of Laban and the family. We note it was Rebekah’s mother’s house rather than her father’s and that it was here brother who took charge of the negotiations. Where was Bethuel, the son of Nahor, the brother of Abraham?Why did not Betheul offer the hospitiality,  that his son Laban would be the head of the house to both offer hospitality and make the negotiations for the marriage of his sister? Several truths we see here. First we understand the responsibility the man has as the head of the household. Although it appears Bethuel has not taken the lead, his son steps up to be the head of the household. In those days it was understood this was the way it was. Men were the patriarchs and woman only had identity as related to a man, either being a daughter or wife or the mother of sons. This is not the intent of God, however. When we started all this beginning we were with Adam in the Garden of Eden after the Lord God finished all his creation. It is God who determined it was not right for man to be alone and that he would make a suitable helpmate for him and he did so from the body of Adam. Women was never intended to be considered as property of a man, but as a helpmate, to assist man in life, to walk through life together as a pair, mates, but with different roles. The head of the household was the one whom God would hold accountable for the entire household. But over time man appears to have taken another turn and becoming more as a master of his family then a husband. Yet here as the negotiations were underway for the hand of Rebekah for Isaac, it appears God is once again demonstrating the importance of woman. It was not the custom of those days for a woman to be asked in marriage by the man and respond herself. Marriages were arranged by the parents and it was a done deal. But here although Laban and Rebekah’s mother make an attempt to exercise some authority in this arrangement, we see the question was put directly to Rebekah and she was the one who made the decision to leave her mother’s household and become the wife of Isaac. Today we may have perverted God’s intent for both the man and the woman and their respective responsibilities. But what we see here is that God is demonstrating women are not to be the property of men, but to have a choice in their life partners. It does seem we still have that somewhat right, at least in our country. But once again it appears we may have perverted the whole system beyond what God has intended. Many men no longer assume their responsibility, being accountable to God for their families. Many women have rejected men as having any authority because of their accountability to God. Our society has been turned upside down by the ungodly mindset of humanity. Those of us who are in the household of faith need to retain the intent of God in our relationships in our marriage. Isaac needed a wife in order to fulfill the intent and the blessings of God, Rebekah was the intended woman, as he led the servant directly to her. She made the choice to go, to accept this man. Together they would become one flesh, united in holy matrimony in the eyes of God. This is a great way to start and finish.