1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:04,440 24 Genesis 24 and Long Passage tonight. 2 00:00:04,440 --> 00:00:06,560 I'm not going to read the entire thing, but I do at least want to 3 00:00:06,560 --> 00:00:08,880 read parts of it. And most of it. 4 00:00:08,880 --> 00:00:13,920 I think it's it's one of those things that I think often we we 5 00:00:13,920 --> 00:00:15,800 lose sight of some of these stories. 6 00:00:15,800 --> 00:00:17,720 This might be a story that you haven't heard before. 7 00:00:17,720 --> 00:00:20,280 This is not necessarily one that's always told in Sunday 8 00:00:20,280 --> 00:00:23,360 school. If you're going through a Old 9 00:00:23,360 --> 00:00:25,480 Testament survey or something like that, then certainly it 10 00:00:25,480 --> 00:00:30,320 would be part of that. But not always will we read this 11 00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:32,439 story when you're going through a Sunday school class or 12 00:00:32,439 --> 00:00:34,440 something like that. So it's a little bit different, 13 00:00:34,440 --> 00:00:36,800 but so many lessons, so many things that we can pull out of 14 00:00:36,800 --> 00:00:38,040 this story. But I want to begin there. 15 00:00:38,040 --> 00:00:45,560 In Genesis chapter 24 and verse #1 Bible says, And Abraham was 16 00:00:45,560 --> 00:00:49,280 old and well stricken in age, and the Lord had blessed Abraham 17 00:00:49,280 --> 00:00:52,360 in all things. And Abraham said unto his eldest 18 00:00:52,360 --> 00:00:55,440 servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had put. 19 00:00:55,440 --> 00:00:59,040 I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh, and I will make thee 20 00:00:59,040 --> 00:01:01,800 swear by the Lord the God of heaven, and the God of earth, 21 00:01:01,960 --> 00:01:05,880 that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of 22 00:01:05,880 --> 00:01:07,480 the Canaanites, among whom I dwell. 23 00:01:08,080 --> 00:01:10,840 But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and 24 00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:14,520 take a wife unto my son Isaac. And the servant said unto him, 25 00:01:14,520 --> 00:01:16,880 For adventure, the woman will not be willing to follow me unto 26 00:01:16,880 --> 00:01:20,440 this land must thy needs bring thy son again unto the land from 27 00:01:20,440 --> 00:01:23,120 whence thou camest. And Abraham said unto him, 28 00:01:23,120 --> 00:01:29,040 Beware thou that thou bring not my son thither again the Lord 29 00:01:29,040 --> 00:01:32,160 God of heaven, which took me from my father's house, and from 30 00:01:32,160 --> 00:01:34,520 the land of my kindred, and which spake unto me, and that 31 00:01:34,520 --> 00:01:37,400 swear unto me, saying, unto thy seed, will I give this land? 32 00:01:37,880 --> 00:01:41,160 He shall send his Angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife 33 00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:44,120 unto my son from thence. And if the woman will not be 34 00:01:44,120 --> 00:01:47,120 willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my 35 00:01:47,120 --> 00:01:50,440 oath only bring not my son thither again. 36 00:01:50,960 --> 00:01:53,360 And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his 37 00:01:53,360 --> 00:01:55,680 master, and swear to him concerning that matter. 38 00:01:56,240 --> 00:01:59,400 And the servant took 10 camels of the camels of his master, and 39 00:01:59,400 --> 00:02:03,000 departed, and for all the goods of his master were in his hand. 40 00:02:04,120 --> 00:02:07,760 And he arose and went to Mesopotamia under the city of 41 00:02:07,760 --> 00:02:11,680 Nahor, and he made his camels to kneel down without the city by a 42 00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:14,560 well of water at the time of the evening, even the time that 43 00:02:14,560 --> 00:02:17,840 woman go out to draw water. And he said, Oh Lord God of my 44 00:02:17,840 --> 00:02:21,000 master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and 45 00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:23,000 show kindness unto my master Abraham. 46 00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:26,200 Behold, I stand here by the well of water, and the daughters of 47 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:28,240 the men of the city come out to draw water. 48 00:02:28,400 --> 00:02:31,200 And let it come to pass that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let 49 00:02:31,200 --> 00:02:33,800 down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink. 50 00:02:34,080 --> 00:02:37,280 And she shall say, drink. And I will give thy camels drink 51 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:39,920 also. Let the same she that thou has 52 00:02:39,920 --> 00:02:42,960 appointed for thy servant Isaac, and thereby shall I know that 53 00:02:42,960 --> 00:02:45,280 thou has showed kindness unto my master. 54 00:02:45,720 --> 00:02:49,520 And it came to pass before he had done speaking, the behold 55 00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:53,520 Rebecca came out, who was born to Bethuel the son of Milka, the 56 00:02:53,520 --> 00:02:56,680 wife of Nahor Abraham's brother, with her pitcher upon her 57 00:02:56,680 --> 00:02:59,000 shoulder. And the damsel was very fair to 58 00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:01,640 look upon a virgin, neither had any man known her. 59 00:03:02,040 --> 00:03:04,560 She went down to the well and filled her pitcher, and came up. 60 00:03:04,560 --> 00:03:07,600 And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, 61 00:03:07,600 --> 00:03:09,280 drink a little water of thy pitcher. 62 00:03:09,760 --> 00:03:12,920 And she said, Drink, my Lord. And she hasted and let down her 63 00:03:12,920 --> 00:03:14,840 pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink. 64 00:03:14,840 --> 00:03:18,320 And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw 65 00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:21,600 water for thy camels also, until they have done drinking. 66 00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:24,800 And she hasted and emptied her pitcher into the through, and 67 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:27,600 ran again unto the well to draw water, and drew for all his 68 00:03:27,600 --> 00:03:32,120 camels, and the man wondering how her held his peace, to wit, 69 00:03:32,120 --> 00:03:34,280 whether the Lord had made his journey prosperous or not. 70 00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:38,120 And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that 71 00:03:38,120 --> 00:03:41,560 the man took a golden earring of half a shekel weight and two 72 00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:44,920 bracelets for her hands of 10 shekels weight of gold, and 73 00:03:44,920 --> 00:03:47,920 said, Whose daughter art thou? Tell me, I pray thee, is there 74 00:03:47,920 --> 00:03:50,040 room in thy father's house for us to lodge in? 75 00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:53,240 And she said unto him, I am the daughter of Bethewell, the son 76 00:03:53,240 --> 00:03:55,440 of Milka, which she bare unto Nahor. 77 00:03:56,240 --> 00:03:58,920 She said, moreover unto him, We have both straw and provender 78 00:03:58,920 --> 00:04:02,160 enough, and room to lodge in. And the man bowed down his head, 79 00:04:02,160 --> 00:04:04,400 and worshipped the Lord. And he said, Blessed be the Lord 80 00:04:04,400 --> 00:04:07,440 God of my Master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my 81 00:04:07,440 --> 00:04:09,640 Master of his mercy and his truth. 82 00:04:09,960 --> 00:04:13,400 I being in the way, the Lord led me to the House of my Master's 83 00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:15,520 brethren. And the damsel ran, and told 84 00:04:15,520 --> 00:04:17,079 them of her mother's house, these things. 85 00:04:17,079 --> 00:04:19,200 And Rebecca had a brother, and his name was Laban. 86 00:04:19,560 --> 00:04:21,680 And Laban ran out unto the man unto the well. 87 00:04:21,680 --> 00:04:24,200 And it came to pass, when he saw the earrings and bracelets upon 88 00:04:24,200 --> 00:04:26,280 his sister's hands. And when he heard the words of 89 00:04:26,280 --> 00:04:29,360 Rebecca, his sister saying, Thus spake the man unto me, that he 90 00:04:29,360 --> 00:04:31,400 came unto the man. And behold, he stood by the 91 00:04:31,400 --> 00:04:34,080 camels at the well. And he said, Come in, thou 92 00:04:34,080 --> 00:04:36,560 blessed of the Lord, wherefore standest thou without? 93 00:04:36,840 --> 00:04:39,400 For I have prepared the house and room for the camels. 94 00:04:40,160 --> 00:04:43,000 The man came into the house and he under girded his camels, and 95 00:04:43,000 --> 00:04:46,160 gave straw and provender for the camels in water to wash his feet 96 00:04:46,320 --> 00:04:47,720 and the men's feet that were with him. 97 00:04:48,280 --> 00:04:51,120 There was set meat before him to eat, but he said, I will not eat 98 00:04:51,120 --> 00:04:54,720 until I have told my errand. And he said, speak on. 99 00:04:55,400 --> 00:04:58,920 And he said, I am Abraham's servant, the Lord hath blessed 100 00:04:58,920 --> 00:05:01,680 my master greatly and he's become great, and he has given 101 00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:04,680 him flocks and herds and silver and gold and men, servants and 102 00:05:04,680 --> 00:05:07,720 maidservants and camels and asks, and Sarah, my master's 103 00:05:07,720 --> 00:05:10,000 wife, bare a son to my master when she was old. 104 00:05:10,400 --> 00:05:12,920 And unto him has he given all that he has. 105 00:05:13,560 --> 00:05:17,080 And then he goes on from verse 37 to about verse 48. 106 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:19,560 He tells, tells him the story of exactly what happened. 107 00:05:19,840 --> 00:05:21,440 And I read it. He didn't lie about anything. 108 00:05:21,440 --> 00:05:22,880 He gave all the details in there. 109 00:05:23,800 --> 00:05:26,520 Verse 48. He said, And I bowed my head, 110 00:05:26,800 --> 00:05:29,040 bowed down my head, and worshipped the Lord, and blessed 111 00:05:29,040 --> 00:05:31,840 the Lord God of my master Abraham, which had led me in the 112 00:05:31,840 --> 00:05:34,600 right way to take my master's brother's daughter into his son. 113 00:05:34,600 --> 00:05:38,400 And now if ye will deal kindly and truly with my Master, tell 114 00:05:38,400 --> 00:05:41,280 me, and if not, tell me, that I may turn to the right hand or to 115 00:05:41,280 --> 00:05:43,800 the left. Then Laban and Bethewell 116 00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:45,800 answered and said, The thing proceedeth from the Lord. 117 00:05:45,800 --> 00:05:47,880 We cannot speak unto thee, bad or good. 118 00:05:48,280 --> 00:05:51,120 Behold, Rebecca is before thee. Take her and go, and let her be 119 00:05:51,120 --> 00:05:54,200 thy master's son's wife, as the Lord hath spoken. 120 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:57,400 And it came to pass that when Abraham's servant heard these 121 00:05:57,400 --> 00:06:00,080 words, he worshipped the Lord, bowing himself to the earth. 122 00:06:00,720 --> 00:06:04,000 The servant brought forth jewels of silver and jewels of gold and 123 00:06:04,000 --> 00:06:05,560 raiment, and gave them to Rebecca. 124 00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:08,800 He gave also to her brother and to her mother precious things. 125 00:06:09,240 --> 00:06:11,680 And they did eat and drink, and he and the men that were with 126 00:06:11,680 --> 00:06:14,240 him and tarried all night, and they rose up in the morning. 127 00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:16,320 And he said, Send me away unto my master. 128 00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:18,120 And her brother. And her mother said, Let the 129 00:06:18,120 --> 00:06:21,840 damsel abide with us a few days at at the least 10 After that 130 00:06:21,840 --> 00:06:24,320 she shall go. And he said unto them, Hinder 131 00:06:24,320 --> 00:06:26,920 me, not, seeing the Lord hath prospered my way, Send me away, 132 00:06:26,920 --> 00:06:29,600 that I may go to my master. They said, We will call the 133 00:06:29,600 --> 00:06:31,000 damsel, and inquire at her mouth. 134 00:06:31,000 --> 00:06:34,280 And they called Rebecca, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with 135 00:06:34,280 --> 00:06:37,160 this man? And she said, I will go. 136 00:06:37,680 --> 00:06:41,160 And they sent away Rebecca their sister, and her nurse, and 137 00:06:41,160 --> 00:06:44,040 Abraham's servant, and his men. And they blessed Rebecca and 138 00:06:44,040 --> 00:06:46,840 said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of 139 00:06:46,840 --> 00:06:50,560 thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of 140 00:06:50,560 --> 00:06:54,040 those which hate them. And Rebecca rose and her 141 00:06:54,040 --> 00:06:56,600 damsels, and they rode upon the camels and followed the man. 142 00:06:56,960 --> 00:06:59,960 And the servant took Rebecca and went his way. 143 00:07:00,280 --> 00:07:04,560 Now this story is so full of of types or pictures and lessons 144 00:07:04,560 --> 00:07:07,280 that we we could probably spend 3 or 4 weeks on this pulling 145 00:07:07,480 --> 00:07:09,200 things out of this passage honestly. 146 00:07:09,200 --> 00:07:11,880 And I'm going to give you the synopsis, kind of the shortened 147 00:07:11,880 --> 00:07:14,520 version of this, but this might be a good one to take some notes 148 00:07:14,520 --> 00:07:18,080 on and, and just write some verses down, write some things 149 00:07:18,080 --> 00:07:20,760 down and go back and study these things out for yourself. 150 00:07:20,760 --> 00:07:22,120 I'm going to try to get through this tonight. 151 00:07:22,120 --> 00:07:25,160 I think we will. But Genesis chapter 24, verse #1 152 00:07:25,160 --> 00:07:27,720 there it tells us that Abraham was old, tells us that the Lord 153 00:07:27,720 --> 00:07:31,120 had blessed him in every way. Now, Sarah, and, and if you read 154 00:07:31,120 --> 00:07:34,000 back in chapter 23, the entire chapter pretty much talks about 155 00:07:34,000 --> 00:07:35,720 this. Sarah had died, Abraham's wife, 156 00:07:36,400 --> 00:07:39,880 Isaac's mother had died. And so he sends this chief 157 00:07:39,880 --> 00:07:42,840 servant. Abraham had buried Sarah in 158 00:07:42,840 --> 00:07:44,520 Hebron, which is where he lived in. 159 00:07:45,040 --> 00:07:47,800 He sent his chief servant in the household to the home of his 160 00:07:47,800 --> 00:07:50,280 relatives. Now remember that Abraham had 161 00:07:50,280 --> 00:07:53,240 left that area or of the Chaldees, and he had traveled to 162 00:07:53,280 --> 00:07:55,560 this land that God had promised that he was going to go. 163 00:07:56,000 --> 00:07:59,080 And so he sends his servant back there, and he makes him promise 164 00:07:59,080 --> 00:08:01,160 that he will not take Isaac back there with him. 165 00:08:01,360 --> 00:08:02,840 God brought us out of this place. 166 00:08:02,840 --> 00:08:05,840 I don't want Isaac going back. We got relatives there. 167 00:08:05,840 --> 00:08:07,560 We got things that are familiar to him there. 168 00:08:07,560 --> 00:08:09,280 And if you take him back, he may want to stay. 169 00:08:09,280 --> 00:08:10,880 God brought us out of that place. 170 00:08:11,000 --> 00:08:13,600 We don't want I don't want you taking Isaac back there at all. 171 00:08:13,600 --> 00:08:15,840 Promise me that you will not take Isaac back. 172 00:08:16,360 --> 00:08:19,360 And so Abraham instructed not to get Isaac a bride from the 173 00:08:19,360 --> 00:08:20,960 Canaanites. That's where they lived, was in 174 00:08:20,960 --> 00:08:23,920 the land of Canaan. And he wasn't to take Isaac back 175 00:08:23,920 --> 00:08:26,760 to his homeland. But if the woman choose chose to 176 00:08:26,760 --> 00:08:31,080 refuse to come with the servant, then he would be free of of all 177 00:08:31,080 --> 00:08:34,480 of his duties and and released from that duty to find a wife 178 00:08:34,480 --> 00:08:37,600 for his master's son. So Abraham sends his eldest 179 00:08:37,600 --> 00:08:40,360 servant who ruled over his house, and we're not told what 180 00:08:40,360 --> 00:08:42,400 his name is at all in this entire passage. 181 00:08:42,400 --> 00:08:47,320 Now, if you go back to Genesis chapter 15 and verse #2 the 182 00:08:47,320 --> 00:08:50,680 Bible says, and Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, 183 00:08:50,680 --> 00:08:54,120 seeing I go childless? And the steward of my house is 184 00:08:54,120 --> 00:08:57,840 this Eliezer of Damascus. So we assume, and, and that's 185 00:08:57,840 --> 00:09:00,920 all we can do is assume that this servant was Eliezer of 186 00:09:00,920 --> 00:09:03,320 Damascus. But he's unnamed, and he remains 187 00:09:03,320 --> 00:09:06,400 unnamed in this entire passage of Genesis 24. 188 00:09:06,400 --> 00:09:10,640 But this servant packs 10 camels, and he has gifts and all 189 00:09:10,640 --> 00:09:12,360 of these other different things that he brings with him. 190 00:09:12,360 --> 00:09:16,160 And he sets out for the town where Abraham's brother lives in 191 00:09:16,160 --> 00:09:17,840 Nahor. And that was the journey from 192 00:09:17,840 --> 00:09:23,200 Hebron to Nahor was about 500 to 550 miles. 193 00:09:23,600 --> 00:09:26,640 That's a long way as as they travel. 194 00:09:26,640 --> 00:09:28,640 And of course they've got camels, they've got other 195 00:09:28,640 --> 00:09:31,840 servants with this servant. And we can, we read that kind of 196 00:09:31,840 --> 00:09:33,840 near the end of the, of the passage there. 197 00:09:33,840 --> 00:09:37,080 But it would have taken them probably at least a month to get 198 00:09:37,080 --> 00:09:40,400 from where Abraham lived to where his family was at and 199 00:09:40,400 --> 00:09:43,000 where he was supposed to look for a wife for Isaac. 200 00:09:43,000 --> 00:09:45,760 And when he arrived at the well outside of the town, he asked 201 00:09:45,760 --> 00:09:49,200 the Lord to reveal to him the bride that he had chosen for 202 00:09:49,200 --> 00:09:51,440 Isaac. And as people come together, 203 00:09:52,960 --> 00:09:56,640 though, you know, to water their, their, their, their 204 00:09:56,640 --> 00:09:58,280 people and their animals and everything else. 205 00:09:58,280 --> 00:09:59,960 And I think it's very interesting that it's the women 206 00:09:59,960 --> 00:10:01,920 that did all the hard labor. They were the ones that went 207 00:10:01,920 --> 00:10:04,040 down into the well and came back out with the water. 208 00:10:04,040 --> 00:10:06,560 And when you, when the Bible says that they went down into 209 00:10:06,560 --> 00:10:09,920 the well, most of the time these wells were very, you know, we 210 00:10:09,920 --> 00:10:12,560 think of a well and it's just just big enough to, you know, 211 00:10:12,680 --> 00:10:15,360 wind a bucket down and hits the water and you wind the bucket 212 00:10:15,360 --> 00:10:17,280 back up. Wells back in those days were 213 00:10:17,280 --> 00:10:20,200 the lifeblood of a, of a civilization really. 214 00:10:20,200 --> 00:10:22,440 And so these wells were very, very big. 215 00:10:22,640 --> 00:10:25,200 Sometimes, I don't know if I could say as big as this entire 216 00:10:25,200 --> 00:10:27,480 auditorium, but at least half the size of this auditorium. 217 00:10:27,480 --> 00:10:30,560 And there would have been steps that wound down into the bottom 218 00:10:30,560 --> 00:10:32,400 where the well was at. And there would have kind of 219 00:10:32,400 --> 00:10:34,120 been a little flat landing at the bottom. 220 00:10:34,120 --> 00:10:36,240 And they would have the bucket and they would have come back up 221 00:10:36,240 --> 00:10:38,720 maybe 2 buckets, but they would have dipped those buckets and 222 00:10:38,720 --> 00:10:40,480 they would have come back up and then they would have taken them 223 00:10:40,480 --> 00:10:43,880 to where they needed to be. And in this case, the the 224 00:10:43,880 --> 00:10:47,600 servant, if she gave him a drink and offered to feed to water her 225 00:10:47,680 --> 00:10:51,240 his camels as well, then she would be the one that the Lord 226 00:10:51,240 --> 00:10:53,640 had selected for Isaac. And I think it's so interesting 227 00:10:53,640 --> 00:10:56,280 that the Bible says before he had even finished telling the 228 00:10:56,280 --> 00:10:59,880 Lord what his parameters were. Here comes Rebecca. 229 00:11:00,080 --> 00:11:04,720 She comes walking up to the to the well and and she goes down 230 00:11:04,720 --> 00:11:06,240 into the well and she comes back up. 231 00:11:06,240 --> 00:11:08,720 And I can imagine that this servant is probably thinking, 232 00:11:09,160 --> 00:11:11,960 which one am I going to ask, right? 233 00:11:11,960 --> 00:11:15,760 Because if I ask and she offers to feed my camels, to water my 234 00:11:15,760 --> 00:11:19,200 camels and it's the wrong one, then how do I know that I got 235 00:11:19,200 --> 00:11:21,880 the right one? And so he watches Rebecca come 236 00:11:21,880 --> 00:11:25,480 and watches her go down into the well and sees her come back out 237 00:11:25,480 --> 00:11:28,480 with a bucket of water. And he says, you got some water 238 00:11:28,480 --> 00:11:29,880 in the pitcher there. Would you mind giving me a 239 00:11:29,880 --> 00:11:32,400 little bit of that water? And she said, not at all. 240 00:11:32,400 --> 00:11:35,160 Here, take some of this water. In fact, let me give some water 241 00:11:35,160 --> 00:11:40,040 to your camels as well. You can imagine what that must 242 00:11:40,040 --> 00:11:43,800 have felt like for this servant. This is exactly what I said. 243 00:11:44,000 --> 00:11:46,720 If she offered to water my camels at the same time, then, 244 00:11:46,840 --> 00:11:49,280 then this is the one. Is she the one? 245 00:11:50,480 --> 00:11:52,280 He still didn't know at that point. 246 00:11:52,280 --> 00:11:54,040 He still had to go back and talk to the family. 247 00:11:54,040 --> 00:11:59,880 But the Bible says in Genesis chapter 24 verse #16 and the 248 00:11:59,880 --> 00:12:03,240 damsel was very fair to look upon a virgin. 249 00:12:03,240 --> 00:12:05,560 Neither had any man known her. And she went down to the well 250 00:12:05,560 --> 00:12:06,840 and filled her picture and came up. 251 00:12:06,840 --> 00:12:10,200 I, I got, I asked AI go to the next picture for me, if you 252 00:12:10,200 --> 00:12:12,000 will. I asked AI to find a picture 253 00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:16,000 next one of what what she might have looked like and she's the 254 00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:19,640 one on the left. But this is this is what 255 00:12:19,880 --> 00:12:22,400 somebody in the Middle East at that time, a very beautiful 256 00:12:22,400 --> 00:12:23,960 woman probably would have looked like. 257 00:12:24,360 --> 00:12:27,880 And the Bible makes it very plain that that not only was 258 00:12:27,880 --> 00:12:30,360 Rebecca very beautiful, but Sarah was very beautiful. 259 00:12:30,360 --> 00:12:32,440 And you always wonder, I always wonder what is what does that 260 00:12:32,440 --> 00:12:34,320 look like? What is what is very beautiful 261 00:12:34,320 --> 00:12:37,680 mean, you know, and at least this is what AI said it looks 262 00:12:37,680 --> 00:12:38,800 like. I don't know if she did look 263 00:12:38,800 --> 00:12:40,600 like that or not, but at least gives you a little bit of a 264 00:12:40,600 --> 00:12:43,040 picture there. And the servant confirmed that 265 00:12:43,280 --> 00:12:45,120 she was from the family of Nahor. 266 00:12:45,320 --> 00:12:47,600 She was actually Nahor's granddaughter. 267 00:12:47,600 --> 00:12:53,720 So it would have been a great, great niece of Abraham, but he 268 00:12:53,720 --> 00:12:55,440 gave her gifts. He asked her to spend the night 269 00:12:55,440 --> 00:12:57,320 with the family. And of course, when they arrive 270 00:12:57,320 --> 00:13:00,520 at the family home, the servants told the story and formally 271 00:13:00,520 --> 00:13:07,080 asked Rebecca for or ask Rebecca, ask for Rebecca on 272 00:13:07,080 --> 00:13:08,880 behalf of Isaac. Now, I think this is an 273 00:13:08,880 --> 00:13:11,800 interesting thing. Rebecca would have known this. 274 00:13:12,400 --> 00:13:16,120 But here is Abraham's servant walking up to this well with 10 275 00:13:16,320 --> 00:13:19,200 camels. If you know anything about 276 00:13:19,800 --> 00:13:22,080 camels, they can drink a lot of water. 277 00:13:22,920 --> 00:13:25,640 I looked it up and believe it or not, a camel can drink up to 50 278 00:13:25,640 --> 00:13:31,000 gallons of water in 3 minutes times 10 camels. 279 00:13:31,840 --> 00:13:33,960 They have been traveling and they finally made it to this 280 00:13:33,960 --> 00:13:36,160 well. I think those camels were 281 00:13:36,160 --> 00:13:38,920 probably pretty thirsty. I can't imagine how many times 282 00:13:38,920 --> 00:13:41,320 she went down in the well and came back up and went down in 283 00:13:41,320 --> 00:13:43,920 the well and came back up and down and back up and down and 284 00:13:43,920 --> 00:13:45,680 back up. And she just kept filling this 285 00:13:45,720 --> 00:13:47,000 through. And the camels just kept 286 00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:49,800 drinking and drinking and drinking until finally they were 287 00:13:49,920 --> 00:13:53,000 they were watered. And you can imagine what must 288 00:13:53,000 --> 00:13:54,680 have been going through this servant's mind. 289 00:13:55,240 --> 00:13:57,880 That's dedication. This is God really answering 290 00:13:57,880 --> 00:14:00,400 this request. This is God really coming 291 00:14:00,400 --> 00:14:02,160 through for me. But I'll tell you what, this 292 00:14:02,160 --> 00:14:05,520 story is just full. It's a full portrait of Christ 293 00:14:05,520 --> 00:14:07,360 and his church. I'm going to show you some 294 00:14:07,360 --> 00:14:11,080 pictures, some types here. All the initiative we find was 295 00:14:11,080 --> 00:14:14,000 with Abraham. Abraham is a picture of God the 296 00:14:14,000 --> 00:14:18,360 father in this story. His great desire was a bride for 297 00:14:18,360 --> 00:14:21,080 his son. I don't have time honestly to, 298 00:14:21,280 --> 00:14:26,880 to pull out every single picture in this story, but I hope you'll 299 00:14:26,880 --> 00:14:29,160 catch some of these things as we go through it. 300 00:14:29,160 --> 00:14:30,920 Turn over to Ephesians. Keep your finger there in 301 00:14:30,920 --> 00:14:34,280 Genesis 24, we're coming back. But Ephesians chapter 5, 302 00:14:36,080 --> 00:14:41,000 Ephesians chapter 5, see the God the Father, his great desire was 303 00:14:41,000 --> 00:14:44,320 a bride for his son. Abraham as the father has had a 304 00:14:44,320 --> 00:14:46,160 great desire for a bride for his son. 305 00:14:46,160 --> 00:14:51,120 And Ephesians chapter 5 and verse 25, the Bible says, this 306 00:14:51,120 --> 00:14:54,680 Husbands love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, 307 00:14:54,680 --> 00:14:58,200 and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it 308 00:14:58,200 --> 00:15:01,240 with the washing of water by the Word, that he might present it 309 00:15:01,240 --> 00:15:04,440 to himself. A glorious church, not having 310 00:15:04,440 --> 00:15:08,120 spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be 311 00:15:08,120 --> 00:15:12,240 holy and without blemish. Hebrews chapter 10 and verse 7. 312 00:15:12,400 --> 00:15:15,600 The Bible says, Then said, I lo, I come in the volume of this 313 00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:20,400 book, it is written of me to do thy will, O God. 314 00:15:20,400 --> 00:15:23,160 It was the Father's will to find a bride. 315 00:15:23,480 --> 00:15:26,200 So Abraham is a picture of God the Father. 316 00:15:26,200 --> 00:15:28,520 But then we find the servant unnamed. 317 00:15:28,520 --> 00:15:32,560 As we already mentioned, he was sent forth into the world to 318 00:15:32,560 --> 00:15:36,280 seek the bride that was needed for Abraham's son. 319 00:15:36,640 --> 00:15:39,800 He represents the Holy Spirit, and frequently in the Bible an 320 00:15:39,800 --> 00:15:43,040 unnamed man represents and is used as a type of the Holy 321 00:15:43,040 --> 00:15:44,920 Spirit. But it's his delight to draw 322 00:15:45,080 --> 00:15:48,040 attention to the Son rather than to himself. 323 00:15:49,000 --> 00:15:52,520 Certainly the type fits here. In God's purposes, the execution 324 00:15:52,520 --> 00:15:55,840 of the divine will in the world is entrusted to the Holy Spirit. 325 00:15:55,840 --> 00:15:58,840 It was the Holy Spirit that came at Pentecost to begin the great 326 00:15:58,840 --> 00:16:05,000 work of seeking out a bride for Christ, for his seeking out for 327 00:16:05,000 --> 00:16:08,440 Christ his, his blood bought bride, which is the church. 328 00:16:08,440 --> 00:16:11,480 And in Genesis 24, the servant. And you read throughout this 329 00:16:11,480 --> 00:16:14,160 entire passage, when we read a lot of it, the servant always 330 00:16:14,160 --> 00:16:17,640 acted in accordance with the will of Abraham and with Isaac's 331 00:16:17,640 --> 00:16:20,640 interests in mind. The servant didn't leave to go 332 00:16:20,640 --> 00:16:22,560 talk about himself. In fact, he only mentioned 333 00:16:22,560 --> 00:16:26,120 himself a couple times. His job was to magnify the 334 00:16:26,120 --> 00:16:29,720 Father and the Son. We see the coming of the of the 335 00:16:29,720 --> 00:16:32,560 Spirit of God into the world with a great mission to win and 336 00:16:32,560 --> 00:16:35,800 to woo the heart here and a heart there into heaven's 337 00:16:35,800 --> 00:16:38,440 beloved. His job is to point people to 338 00:16:38,480 --> 00:16:41,520 Jesus Christ. His great work is to make much 339 00:16:41,720 --> 00:16:45,400 of the Son and to tell of the Father in His wondrous ways. 340 00:16:45,400 --> 00:16:49,040 His great task is to seek out those who will become the bride 341 00:16:49,040 --> 00:16:51,840 of Jesus Christ. There was no aimless wandering 342 00:16:51,840 --> 00:16:54,040 by this servant. He went straight to Nahor. 343 00:16:54,120 --> 00:16:57,120 He went straight to that. Well, this is a well planned 344 00:16:57,120 --> 00:16:59,440 expedition. This servant knew exactly what 345 00:16:59,440 --> 00:17:02,160 he was all about. And what may seem like a chance 346 00:17:02,160 --> 00:17:05,520 meeting was God perfectly orchestrating the events so that 347 00:17:05,520 --> 00:17:09,000 the servant could meet the bride to be and introduce her to 348 00:17:09,000 --> 00:17:11,040 Isaac. And that's exactly what the Holy 349 00:17:11,040 --> 00:17:14,520 Spirit does in the world today. Oh, Jesus Christ had to leave 350 00:17:14,520 --> 00:17:15,920 this world. He had to go away. 351 00:17:15,920 --> 00:17:18,160 He's not here in this world anymore. 352 00:17:18,160 --> 00:17:21,319 But he sent the Holy Spirit on behalf of God the Father and God 353 00:17:21,319 --> 00:17:23,760 the Son to point people to the Son. 354 00:17:24,280 --> 00:17:27,480 He takes advantage of life's ordinary circumstances, and he 355 00:17:27,480 --> 00:17:30,360 uses those things to draw them to Christ. 356 00:17:30,360 --> 00:17:33,000 He never forces somebody to accept Christ. 357 00:17:33,000 --> 00:17:35,240 He never violates a person's will. 358 00:17:35,240 --> 00:17:38,440 He never overwhelms. Then ordinary things happen. 359 00:17:38,720 --> 00:17:41,200 A visit here, a chance meeting there, an unexpected 360 00:17:41,200 --> 00:17:44,600 conversation, a book passed on by a friend, whatever it happens 361 00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:46,560 to be. But all the time the Holy Spirit 362 00:17:46,560 --> 00:17:49,920 of God is at work and finally the gospel is presented and an 363 00:17:49,920 --> 00:17:54,080 hour of decision comes. It's exactly what we find in the 364 00:17:54,080 --> 00:17:57,320 story here. Rebecca had to make a decision. 365 00:17:57,960 --> 00:18:00,680 Oh, the servant presented her with all the facts, told her 366 00:18:00,800 --> 00:18:02,840 everything that he could tell her about the Son. 367 00:18:02,840 --> 00:18:06,120 He tried to do everything he can to make the Son look attractive 368 00:18:06,120 --> 00:18:09,240 to Rebecca. But Rebecca had a decision. 369 00:18:09,920 --> 00:18:15,680 Wilt thou go with this man? No coercion, just facts and then 370 00:18:15,680 --> 00:18:18,720 extended invitation. It was the servants way with 371 00:18:18,880 --> 00:18:21,920 Rebecca and it's the Holy Spirit's way with the soul. 372 00:18:23,320 --> 00:18:28,400 But then we come to Isaac. He's one of the characters in 373 00:18:28,400 --> 00:18:31,640 this story, although he's mostly in the shadows. 374 00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:34,960 But Isaac in the story is a representation of Jesus Christ, 375 00:18:34,960 --> 00:18:38,400 God the Son. Remember from the command to 376 00:18:38,400 --> 00:18:41,280 offer his only son as a sacrifice. 377 00:18:41,280 --> 00:18:44,280 Isaac was as good as dead to Abraham. 378 00:18:44,920 --> 00:18:47,320 But then three days later, in fact, if let's go back and look 379 00:18:47,320 --> 00:18:51,440 at this, in Genesis chapter 22, Abraham received Isaac back from 380 00:18:51,440 --> 00:18:54,240 the dead when the Lord provided a substitute sacrifice. 381 00:18:54,240 --> 00:19:00,320 Genesis chapter 22 and verse #4 Then on the third day, Abraham 382 00:19:00,320 --> 00:19:03,520 lifted up his eyes and saw the place afar off. 383 00:19:03,520 --> 00:19:07,400 And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass, 384 00:19:07,400 --> 00:19:09,800 and I, and the lad will go Yonder and worship, and come 385 00:19:09,800 --> 00:19:12,120 again to you. And Abraham took the wood of the 386 00:19:12,120 --> 00:19:14,680 burnt offering and laid it upon Isaac his son. 387 00:19:14,680 --> 00:19:17,240 He took the fire in his hand and a knife, and they both went. 388 00:19:17,720 --> 00:19:20,200 They went, both of them together, and you know the 389 00:19:20,200 --> 00:19:22,200 story. He laid Isaac out in that altar, 390 00:19:22,200 --> 00:19:25,640 and he raised his hand to sacrifice his son, And the Angel 391 00:19:25,640 --> 00:19:29,160 of the Lord stopped him. And Isaac, the Bible says in 392 00:19:29,160 --> 00:19:32,440 verse #13 Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, 393 00:19:32,600 --> 00:19:35,640 behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns. 394 00:19:35,960 --> 00:19:38,680 And Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a 395 00:19:38,680 --> 00:19:41,960 burnt offering in the stead of his son. 396 00:19:41,960 --> 00:19:43,960 Now turn over to Hebrews Chapter 11. 397 00:19:44,440 --> 00:19:46,960 This is the chapter on faith. And of course it would not be 398 00:19:46,960 --> 00:19:49,920 complete without Abraham in there because of all the faith 399 00:19:49,920 --> 00:19:54,400 that he exercised and the faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and, 400 00:19:54,600 --> 00:19:56,960 and in God's plan for his life. But I think it's very 401 00:19:56,960 --> 00:20:02,880 interesting here that Abraham travels and three days later he 402 00:20:02,880 --> 00:20:05,680 comes and finds this mountain and he leaves his servants there 403 00:20:05,680 --> 00:20:09,080 and he goes up and obviously then he was willing to sacrifice 404 00:20:09,080 --> 00:20:11,640 his son. Could you imagine the difficulty 405 00:20:11,640 --> 00:20:15,520 that Abraham faced knowing that his son was not going to come 406 00:20:15,520 --> 00:20:19,240 back down the mountain with him? Then God obviously sent a ram 407 00:20:19,240 --> 00:20:21,840 that was caught in a thicket and that ram died in his place. 408 00:20:21,840 --> 00:20:24,760 But Hebrews Chapter 11 and verse 17, the Bible says by faith 409 00:20:25,040 --> 00:20:29,160 Abraham when he was tried offered up Isaac and he that had 410 00:20:29,160 --> 00:20:33,560 received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom 411 00:20:33,560 --> 00:20:37,000 it was said that in Isaac shall thy seed be called accounting, 412 00:20:37,160 --> 00:20:41,400 that God was able to raise him up even from the dead, from 413 00:20:41,400 --> 00:20:43,760 whence also he received him in a figure. 414 00:20:43,760 --> 00:20:47,280 And it's interesting that that at this point Isaac disappears 415 00:20:47,280 --> 00:20:49,480 from the story. No more do we hear about Isaac 416 00:20:49,480 --> 00:20:51,600 for a little while after Genesis 22. 417 00:20:51,760 --> 00:20:54,920 Genesis 23 moves on and it's all about Sarah. 418 00:20:55,240 --> 00:20:58,800 Abraham returns home with the servants in he buries his 419 00:20:58,880 --> 00:21:01,760 beloved wife, and that's when he sent his servant to the land of 420 00:21:01,760 --> 00:21:03,640 his family to find a bride for Isaac. 421 00:21:03,920 --> 00:21:07,120 Isaac is not in this story, other than the fact that he's 422 00:21:07,120 --> 00:21:09,760 mentioned that I need you to find a bride for my son. 423 00:21:10,040 --> 00:21:13,200 Isaac is not here when this story is taking place, and 424 00:21:13,200 --> 00:21:15,560 that's where we find this part of the story that we've already 425 00:21:15,560 --> 00:21:18,440 talked about. This bride is supernaturally 426 00:21:18,440 --> 00:21:21,640 identified to the servant. She has given gifts by him, and 427 00:21:21,640 --> 00:21:25,160 she has to decide if she's going to leave her familiar life. 428 00:21:26,040 --> 00:21:28,760 She makes the decision to leave and to go with the servant to 429 00:21:28,760 --> 00:21:30,640 marry a husband that she's never met. 430 00:21:31,800 --> 00:21:34,040 Could you imagine what that must have been like? 431 00:21:35,240 --> 00:21:37,320 Sure, I'll go with you. You got a picture of him? 432 00:21:39,040 --> 00:21:40,320 No. No pictures. 433 00:21:41,120 --> 00:21:43,840 Just everything that I can tell you about my master and 434 00:21:43,840 --> 00:21:45,960 everything that I can tell you about my master's son. 435 00:21:46,160 --> 00:21:49,360 You're going to love him. Oh, you're going to really like 436 00:21:49,360 --> 00:21:51,400 Isaac. Just come with me. 437 00:21:51,840 --> 00:21:53,240 I promise you, you're going to like him. 438 00:21:54,280 --> 00:22:00,600 And on faith, she believed that servant, she followed, she met 439 00:22:00,600 --> 00:22:04,240 Isaac, she makes that decision to leave and go with the 440 00:22:04,240 --> 00:22:06,360 servant. And that's when Isaac is 441 00:22:06,360 --> 00:22:10,800 reintroduced into the story on a day and at an hour it was 442 00:22:10,800 --> 00:22:15,240 previously unknown to the bride, they finally meet face to face 443 00:22:15,240 --> 00:22:17,600 near Beer Lahey Roy. And they're married. 444 00:22:18,320 --> 00:22:20,920 Now we go to the end of Chapter 24. 445 00:22:22,560 --> 00:22:24,840 The Bible says this in verse #61. 446 00:22:24,840 --> 00:22:28,520 And Rebecca rose in her damsels, and they rode upon the camels 447 00:22:28,520 --> 00:22:31,480 and followed the man. And the servant took Rebecca and 448 00:22:31,480 --> 00:22:34,360 went his way. And Isaac came from the way of 449 00:22:34,360 --> 00:22:38,320 the well, Lahey Roy, for he dwelt in the South country. 450 00:22:38,680 --> 00:22:41,200 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field that even tied. 451 00:22:41,200 --> 00:22:43,600 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and behold the camels were 452 00:22:43,600 --> 00:22:45,840 coming. And Rebecca lifted up her eyes, 453 00:22:45,840 --> 00:22:48,280 and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel. 454 00:22:48,960 --> 00:22:51,520 For she had said unto the servant, What man is this that 455 00:22:51,520 --> 00:22:54,960 walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, It is 456 00:22:54,960 --> 00:22:57,720 my master. Therefore she took a veil and 457 00:22:57,720 --> 00:22:59,840 covered herself. And the servant told Isaac all 458 00:22:59,840 --> 00:23:03,120 things that he had done. And Isaac brought her into his 459 00:23:03,120 --> 00:23:05,080 mother Sarah's tent and took Rebecca. 460 00:23:05,600 --> 00:23:07,360 She became his wife, and he loved her. 461 00:23:07,960 --> 00:23:10,240 And Isaac was comforted after his mother's death. 462 00:23:10,840 --> 00:23:15,520 Beer Laheyroy means well of the living One who sees me. 463 00:23:16,640 --> 00:23:20,000 After God the Father had received his Son back from the 464 00:23:20,000 --> 00:23:23,080 dead, Jesus ascended into heaven and disappeared from the earth. 465 00:23:23,600 --> 00:23:26,440 He sent an unnamed servant, who we've already identified as the 466 00:23:26,440 --> 00:23:29,440 Holy Spirit, into the earth in search of a bride for his Son. 467 00:23:30,560 --> 00:23:32,920 And that brings us then to the bride, Rebecca. 468 00:23:33,680 --> 00:23:36,160 Rebecca is a type and a picture of the Church. 469 00:23:36,840 --> 00:23:39,760 The Father is looking for those who will be part of that bride. 470 00:23:39,880 --> 00:23:42,320 We might, we, we, we have to make a decision. 471 00:23:42,320 --> 00:23:45,920 We must make a decision to leave our familiar life, to embark on 472 00:23:45,920 --> 00:23:49,280 a spiritual journey that we have no idea how long it's going to 473 00:23:49,280 --> 00:23:51,880 last with the Holy Spirit as our guide. 474 00:23:51,880 --> 00:23:54,920 To go marry a husband that we've never seen but that we 475 00:23:54,920 --> 00:23:59,640 absolutely believe exists. And at a day and an hour when we 476 00:23:59,640 --> 00:24:03,400 don't know yet, our groom, our King, our Redeemer is going to 477 00:24:03,400 --> 00:24:06,080 come to meet us. First Thessalonians chapter 4 478 00:24:06,080 --> 00:24:09,480 and verse #16 Therefore the Lord Himself shall descend from 479 00:24:09,480 --> 00:24:12,400 heaven with a shout, and with the voice of the Archangel, and 480 00:24:12,400 --> 00:24:14,720 with the trump of God. And the dead in Christ shall 481 00:24:14,720 --> 00:24:16,760 rise first. Then we which are alive and 482 00:24:16,760 --> 00:24:19,480 remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds 483 00:24:19,480 --> 00:24:22,520 to meet the Lord in the air, And so shall we ever be with the 484 00:24:22,520 --> 00:24:24,760 Lord. Wherefore comfort one another 485 00:24:24,880 --> 00:24:27,080 with these words. The Holy Spirit who has sealed 486 00:24:27,080 --> 00:24:30,800 us will usher us into the presence of the true well of 487 00:24:30,800 --> 00:24:32,560 living water. And one of these days we're 488 00:24:32,560 --> 00:24:36,080 going to meet him face to face. I've never seen Jesus before. 489 00:24:36,640 --> 00:24:39,000 I don't know exactly what he's like other than everything that 490 00:24:39,000 --> 00:24:40,440 I can read about him in the Bible. 491 00:24:40,440 --> 00:24:43,360 And the Holy Spirit is there to be my teacher and my guide to 492 00:24:43,360 --> 00:24:46,120 tell me what I need to know about Jesus Christ the Son. 493 00:24:46,520 --> 00:24:49,520 And one of these days that a day and an hour that no man knows, 494 00:24:49,520 --> 00:24:51,240 I'm going to see him face to face. 495 00:24:51,960 --> 00:24:54,720 What a picture, What a picture. We'll all be part of that 496 00:24:54,720 --> 00:24:57,640 marriage supper of the Lamb. And what a day that's going to 497 00:24:57,640 --> 00:25:00,080 be. Turn over to John chapter 15. 498 00:25:01,760 --> 00:25:05,080 What wonderful pictures we find here in this passage of God the 499 00:25:05,080 --> 00:25:09,240 Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit and the Church, the 500 00:25:09,240 --> 00:25:13,240 Bride to be, all of them shadows of things that were to come in 501 00:25:13,240 --> 00:25:15,520 the New Testament. All of these things were 502 00:25:15,520 --> 00:25:18,320 fulfilled in Jesus Christ and by the Holy Spirit. 503 00:25:18,520 --> 00:25:21,760 John chapter 15 and verse 26. The Bible says this, But when 504 00:25:21,760 --> 00:25:25,200 the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the 505 00:25:25,200 --> 00:25:27,920 Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the 506 00:25:27,920 --> 00:25:34,640 Father, he shall testify of me. John chapter 16, verse #7 507 00:25:34,880 --> 00:25:38,240 Nevertheless I tell you the truth, it is expedient for you 508 00:25:38,240 --> 00:25:40,760 that I go away. Jesus is talking to His 509 00:25:40,760 --> 00:25:42,560 disciples. For if I go not away, the 510 00:25:42,560 --> 00:25:44,200 Comforter will not come unto you. 511 00:25:45,200 --> 00:25:47,200 But if I depart, I will send Him unto you. 512 00:25:47,200 --> 00:25:50,440 And when He has come, He will reprove the world of sin and of 513 00:25:50,440 --> 00:25:53,160 righteousness, and of judgement of sin, because they believe not 514 00:25:53,160 --> 00:25:56,160 in Me, of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and you see 515 00:25:56,160 --> 00:25:59,080 me no more of judgement, because the Prince of this world is 516 00:25:59,080 --> 00:26:01,120 judge. I have yet many things to say 517 00:26:01,120 --> 00:26:03,080 unto you, but you cannot bear them. 518 00:26:03,080 --> 00:26:06,160 Now how be it? When He the Spirit of truth is 519 00:26:06,160 --> 00:26:08,520 come, He will guide you into all truth. 520 00:26:08,720 --> 00:26:12,040 For He shall not speak of Himself, but whatsoever He shall 521 00:26:12,040 --> 00:26:16,160 hear, that shall He speak, and He will show you things to come. 522 00:26:16,920 --> 00:26:20,400 Boy, what a picture, what a picture we find here in this 523 00:26:20,400 --> 00:26:22,280 passage. But I believe there's some other 524 00:26:22,280 --> 00:26:24,920 lessons that we can learn from this story, and I want to take a 525 00:26:24,920 --> 00:26:27,800 few minutes to share those things with you this evening. 526 00:26:27,800 --> 00:26:30,360 First of all, I want to share with you some lessons from the 527 00:26:30,360 --> 00:26:35,200 servant as as a type, as a picture of the Holy Spirit. 528 00:26:35,360 --> 00:26:37,680 I think we can easily say that, but I also think that this 529 00:26:37,680 --> 00:26:43,160 servant can represent us as well in verse 27 of our story here in 530 00:26:43,160 --> 00:26:46,680 Genesis chapter 24. In fact, go back over there, we 531 00:26:46,680 --> 00:26:49,480 have a few other passages to look at, but we are going to 532 00:26:49,480 --> 00:26:52,000 keep coming back to Genesis 24 because there's so much here. 533 00:26:53,240 --> 00:26:57,040 Genesis chapter 24 and verse #27 and he said, blessed be the Lord 534 00:26:57,040 --> 00:27:00,400 God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute, my 535 00:27:00,400 --> 00:27:01,880 master of his mercy and his truth. 536 00:27:02,360 --> 00:27:04,080 And here's the here's the key here. 537 00:27:04,520 --> 00:27:10,480 I being in the way, the Lord led me to the House of my master's 538 00:27:10,480 --> 00:27:13,080 brethren. See, the servant's job was to go 539 00:27:13,080 --> 00:27:16,520 where he had never been, to find a woman that he had never met, 540 00:27:16,520 --> 00:27:19,760 to be a bride for a man whom she had never seen. 541 00:27:19,760 --> 00:27:23,760 God knew exactly where Isaac was and where Rebecca would be. 542 00:27:24,000 --> 00:27:27,440 And God LED Abraham's servant at the right time, to the right 543 00:27:27,440 --> 00:27:30,640 place, to the right person for Abraham's son Isaac. 544 00:27:30,760 --> 00:27:32,800 The servant didn't know where he was going to go, but he knew the 545 00:27:32,800 --> 00:27:37,360 one who knew the directions. Every step to the city of Nahor, 546 00:27:37,560 --> 00:27:40,440 I think, was with the with the reliance and the confidence that 547 00:27:40,440 --> 00:27:42,440 God was going to show him the way. 548 00:27:42,640 --> 00:27:45,760 God has a perfect plan and God has a perfect will for every 549 00:27:45,760 --> 00:27:49,080 single person's life. And when we, as we talked about 550 00:27:49,080 --> 00:27:51,680 this morning, are willing to put our will under God's will, and 551 00:27:51,680 --> 00:27:55,280 when we're willing to surrender our life to him and willing to 552 00:27:55,280 --> 00:27:59,320 do whatever it is that he wants us to do, he will lead us to 553 00:27:59,320 --> 00:28:02,280 exactly what he wants us to do and exactly who he wants us to 554 00:28:02,280 --> 00:28:04,680 be. And I'll tell you this when 555 00:28:04,680 --> 00:28:07,400 you're off doing your own thing, God can't lead you in the in 556 00:28:07,400 --> 00:28:10,720 that right way. I being in the way the Lord led 557 00:28:10,720 --> 00:28:14,360 me. The Bible says in the same way 558 00:28:14,360 --> 00:28:16,480 that God LED Abraham's servant, he wants to lead us. 559 00:28:16,480 --> 00:28:20,520 How did God and why did God leave this servant to Rebecca? 560 00:28:20,720 --> 00:28:23,400 Well, I'll tell you, there's a few characteristics of this 561 00:28:23,400 --> 00:28:25,640 servant that we can find here that will help us as well. 562 00:28:25,640 --> 00:28:27,480 And the first thing is this number 1. 563 00:28:27,480 --> 00:28:30,840 He prayed. He prayed Genesis chapter 24 and 564 00:28:30,840 --> 00:28:35,240 verse #12 And he said, O Lord God of my master Abraham, I pray 565 00:28:35,240 --> 00:28:39,880 thee, send me good speed this day and show kindness unto my 566 00:28:39,880 --> 00:28:43,000 master Abraham. The first thing he did when he 567 00:28:43,000 --> 00:28:47,560 arrived in Nahor was to pray. I'm sure he probably prayed 568 00:28:47,560 --> 00:28:49,880 along the way. God, I don't know what I'm 569 00:28:49,880 --> 00:28:51,480 doing. I don't know how I'm going to 570 00:28:51,480 --> 00:28:53,640 find this woman. The only way that I can find 571 00:28:53,640 --> 00:28:56,320 this woman for my master's son, the only way that I can find a 572 00:28:56,320 --> 00:29:00,840 bride for the son is if you show me who she is. 573 00:29:01,280 --> 00:29:04,400 I'll talk to her. I'll tell her everything that I, 574 00:29:04,520 --> 00:29:06,160 that there is to know about the son. 575 00:29:06,160 --> 00:29:08,920 I'll, I'll, I'll give her everything that that she needs 576 00:29:08,920 --> 00:29:11,040 to know, but you've got to lead me to her. 577 00:29:12,800 --> 00:29:15,640 Boy, isn't that the way that we should be approaching our 578 00:29:15,640 --> 00:29:18,480 witnessing opportunities? God, I'll, I'll be a bold 579 00:29:18,480 --> 00:29:20,680 witness for you. Just lead me to somebody. 580 00:29:20,760 --> 00:29:24,920 Lead me to some soul today. Teach me, Lord, just what to 581 00:29:24,920 --> 00:29:27,360 say. I'll, I'll share the message of 582 00:29:27,360 --> 00:29:30,360 the gospel. I'm in the way and I being in 583 00:29:30,360 --> 00:29:34,160 the way the Lord led me. If God knows that you have no 584 00:29:34,160 --> 00:29:36,640 intention of ever sharing the message of the gospel because 585 00:29:36,640 --> 00:29:39,560 you have all the excuses about how you're too shy or how you 586 00:29:39,560 --> 00:29:42,280 don't have time or how you just don't know the answers that 587 00:29:42,280 --> 00:29:45,360 people might ask you questions about, or whatever it happens to 588 00:29:45,360 --> 00:29:47,120 be. God's not going to lead you to 589 00:29:47,120 --> 00:29:50,680 somebody because you're not being in the way that God wants 590 00:29:50,680 --> 00:29:54,480 you to be in. But the first thing he did is he 591 00:29:54,480 --> 00:29:56,280 got down on his knees and he prayed. 592 00:29:56,280 --> 00:29:58,720 He asked God, God, you have to do this work. 593 00:29:58,880 --> 00:30:01,000 You have to lead me to that right person. 594 00:30:01,560 --> 00:30:06,280 Turn over to James chapter 4. See, that's exactly what God's 595 00:30:06,280 --> 00:30:09,080 waiting for us to do. When God gives you something to 596 00:30:09,080 --> 00:30:12,520 do, when God makes it clear what he what, what, what direction He 597 00:30:12,520 --> 00:30:17,240 wants you to go, the first thing that He expects you to do is to 598 00:30:17,240 --> 00:30:20,800 pray. James chapter 4 and verse #2 He 599 00:30:20,800 --> 00:30:23,200 says this. You lust and have not. 600 00:30:23,200 --> 00:30:25,720 You kill and desire to have and cannot obtain. 601 00:30:25,720 --> 00:30:30,640 You fight and war, yet you have not because you ask not. 602 00:30:31,600 --> 00:30:35,560 You wonder why God doesn't help you when you need help with 603 00:30:35,560 --> 00:30:37,840 sharing the message of the gospel, Have you asked Him? 604 00:30:38,720 --> 00:30:40,760 You wonder why God hasn't given you wisdom. 605 00:30:41,720 --> 00:30:44,600 Have you asked Him boy, many times? 606 00:30:44,600 --> 00:30:47,320 That's all it takes. You have not because you ask not 607 00:30:47,440 --> 00:30:49,840 God's standing there with it, right? 608 00:30:49,920 --> 00:30:52,200 It's like with your kids, you have a, you have a piece of 609 00:30:52,200 --> 00:30:54,360 candy in your hand and you're just waiting for your kids to 610 00:30:54,360 --> 00:30:57,240 ask, but they never ask, so you don't ever give it to them, 611 00:30:58,000 --> 00:31:00,240 right? That's exactly what God is 612 00:31:00,240 --> 00:31:02,720 saying. It's here, I've got it, it's 613 00:31:02,720 --> 00:31:05,120 already at my disposal. Just come ask me for it. 614 00:31:05,120 --> 00:31:07,480 It's yours. I'll give it to you, right? 615 00:31:07,480 --> 00:31:10,040 You have not because you ask not Matthew chapter 6. 616 00:31:10,040 --> 00:31:11,840 In fact, turn over to Matthew chapter 6. 617 00:31:14,520 --> 00:31:16,960 You have not because you ask not, James tells us. 618 00:31:17,280 --> 00:31:20,960 Matthew chapter 6 gives us a little bit more about how we go 619 00:31:20,960 --> 00:31:23,160 about that process. Matthew chapter 6 and verse 620 00:31:23,160 --> 00:31:25,600 number six. Of course, this is the Sermon on 621 00:31:25,600 --> 00:31:28,520 the Mount. Jesus speaking, he says, But 622 00:31:28,520 --> 00:31:32,640 thou when thou prayest enter into thy closet, when thou has 623 00:31:32,640 --> 00:31:36,040 shut thy door, pray to thy Father, which is in secret, and 624 00:31:36,040 --> 00:31:40,360 thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. 625 00:31:40,600 --> 00:31:42,680 It's exactly what we see happening with this servant. 626 00:31:43,520 --> 00:31:47,960 He prayed, he prayed. God knows what's best for us. 627 00:31:48,760 --> 00:31:51,720 Proverbs chapter 16 and verse 9. A man's heart deviseth his way, 628 00:31:51,720 --> 00:31:55,120 but the Lord directeth his steps. 629 00:31:55,760 --> 00:31:58,840 God directs us when we pray. Proverbs chapter 3 and verse #5 630 00:31:58,840 --> 00:32:01,760 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not into thy own 631 00:32:01,760 --> 00:32:04,480 understanding. Verse number six, In all thy 632 00:32:04,480 --> 00:32:08,320 ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 633 00:32:08,560 --> 00:32:12,200 Lord sees tomorrow like we see yesterday. 634 00:32:13,000 --> 00:32:15,360 You can go back in your mind's eye and see everything that 635 00:32:15,360 --> 00:32:17,640 happened yesterday, and God can do the same thing with tomorrow. 636 00:32:18,840 --> 00:32:21,520 Why wouldn't you go talk to him and ask Him about what's there? 637 00:32:22,240 --> 00:32:23,880 God, you know what's coming my way. 638 00:32:23,880 --> 00:32:26,200 What do I need? Direct me, lead me, guide me, 639 00:32:26,200 --> 00:32:28,640 help me. That's what this servant did. 640 00:32:28,640 --> 00:32:32,600 He prayed, and I'll say this number two, He waited back in 641 00:32:32,600 --> 00:32:37,080 Genesis chapter 24, not only did he pray, but he waited. 642 00:32:37,080 --> 00:32:39,520 He made his camels. The Bible says in verse #11 to 643 00:32:39,520 --> 00:32:43,520 kneel down without the city outside the city by a well of 644 00:32:43,520 --> 00:32:47,320 water at the time of the evening when the time that women go out 645 00:32:47,320 --> 00:32:50,040 to draw water. Verse 13, Behold, I stand here 646 00:32:50,040 --> 00:32:53,400 by the well of water, and the daughters of the men of the city 647 00:32:53,400 --> 00:32:56,560 come out to draw water. This servant waited on God. 648 00:32:56,640 --> 00:33:00,240 He didn't go canvas the area. He didn't put up a most wanted 649 00:33:00,240 --> 00:33:02,000 sign. He didn't check the City Hall 650 00:33:02,000 --> 00:33:03,520 for a list of all the single women. 651 00:33:04,160 --> 00:33:05,720 He was just standing outside the well. 652 00:33:05,960 --> 00:33:08,000 He was waiting on God. He had prayed, he had asked for 653 00:33:08,000 --> 00:33:10,440 God's help and then he waited on God. 654 00:33:10,440 --> 00:33:14,200 He, God wants us to wait on him. In fact, turn over to Psalm 25 655 00:33:14,200 --> 00:33:16,800 boy, so many verses. Same thing with the with the 656 00:33:16,800 --> 00:33:19,000 with the first point. We could have read so many 657 00:33:19,000 --> 00:33:23,080 verses on prayer, but there's so many verses about waiting on the 658 00:33:23,080 --> 00:33:26,080 Lord and many of them we find here in Psalms. 659 00:33:26,360 --> 00:33:30,720 But in Psalm 25 and verse #5 the Bible says, Lead me in thy truth 660 00:33:30,920 --> 00:33:35,680 and teach me, for thou art the God of my salvation on Thee do I 661 00:33:35,680 --> 00:33:39,880 wait all the day. Chapter 27, Psalm 27 and verse 662 00:33:39,880 --> 00:33:42,440 14. Wait on the Lord, be of good 663 00:33:42,440 --> 00:33:44,760 courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart. 664 00:33:44,960 --> 00:33:51,400 Wait, I say on the Lord. Psalm 37 verse #7 The first part 665 00:33:51,400 --> 00:33:56,240 of that verse, Psalm 37, seven says, rest in the Lord and wait 666 00:33:56,360 --> 00:34:00,320 patiently for Him. Psalm 40 verse one, I waited 667 00:34:00,320 --> 00:34:03,440 patiently for the Lord, and He inclined unto me, and heard my 668 00:34:03,440 --> 00:34:07,120 cry. Psalm 62 and verse #5 My soul 669 00:34:07,400 --> 00:34:12,840 wait Thou only upon God, for my expectation is from Him. 670 00:34:13,360 --> 00:34:17,320 Sometimes God delays, but God always has a purpose in those 671 00:34:17,320 --> 00:34:21,440 delays. Wait on Him, Wait on him. 672 00:34:21,639 --> 00:34:25,040 Not only did Abraham's servant pray, not only did he wait, but 673 00:34:25,040 --> 00:34:28,040 he also worked. Just because he had prayed and 674 00:34:28,040 --> 00:34:30,679 was waiting on God doesn't mean he did nothing. 675 00:34:30,960 --> 00:34:35,120 He did what he knew to do. He went to Nahor, He asked for a 676 00:34:35,120 --> 00:34:37,600 drink for the camels. He was waiting on God. 677 00:34:37,600 --> 00:34:40,159 But he was not just sitting there hoping that someone would 678 00:34:40,159 --> 00:34:43,480 come along and say, Hey, does your master happen to have a son 679 00:34:43,480 --> 00:34:46,000 that needs a wife? Right. 680 00:34:46,000 --> 00:34:48,520 He didn't just, he didn't just sit there and do absolutely 681 00:34:48,520 --> 00:34:50,440 nothing. He did what he could with what 682 00:34:50,440 --> 00:34:54,679 he had. When you don't know exactly what 683 00:34:54,679 --> 00:34:57,440 God wants you to do, do what you do know God wants you to do. 684 00:34:57,920 --> 00:35:00,880 Somebody said it this way. When I can't, God can. 685 00:35:01,560 --> 00:35:04,600 But when I can and don't, God won't. 686 00:35:06,480 --> 00:35:10,600 When I can't, God can, But when I can and don't, God won't. 687 00:35:11,440 --> 00:35:12,960 There's some things that we don't know. 688 00:35:13,440 --> 00:35:18,440 There are a lot of things that we do know go so winning, love 689 00:35:18,440 --> 00:35:22,240 the brethren give, read the Bible, go to church, a whole 690 00:35:22,240 --> 00:35:23,760 host of other things that we can do. 691 00:35:23,760 --> 00:35:26,720 The servant would have missed God's leading if he would have 692 00:35:26,720 --> 00:35:28,640 prayed and waited but didn't make any effort. 693 00:35:30,040 --> 00:35:34,120 Rebecca would have come, gone down into the well, came back 694 00:35:34,120 --> 00:35:36,480 out with her water and continued right back to where she came 695 00:35:36,480 --> 00:35:40,440 from if he had just said, God, you didn't, You didn't do 696 00:35:40,480 --> 00:35:43,840 anything. I prayed and I waited on you and 697 00:35:43,920 --> 00:35:46,080 you didn't bring this woman right to my feet. 698 00:35:47,240 --> 00:35:49,720 Oh, he had to do some work. He had to get out there and do 699 00:35:49,720 --> 00:35:52,560 what he knew how to do. And we say, you know, God, I 700 00:35:52,560 --> 00:35:54,400 need money, but we're not willing to get out there and 701 00:35:54,400 --> 00:35:56,920 work. We say, God, I want to serve you 702 00:35:57,040 --> 00:36:00,120 full time with my life, but you're not even serving God now. 703 00:36:01,080 --> 00:36:03,280 How do you think you're going to serve God full time if you can't 704 00:36:03,280 --> 00:36:05,560 even serve him now? It's not like a switch is going 705 00:36:05,560 --> 00:36:07,000 to happen. All the sudden one day you're 706 00:36:07,000 --> 00:36:09,680 just going to go out and serve the Lord God. 707 00:36:09,680 --> 00:36:13,080 I, I want your power, but you don't fast or even pray. 708 00:36:13,560 --> 00:36:15,400 How do you expect to have these things? 709 00:36:15,520 --> 00:36:19,160 Yes, we pray, Yes, we wait on God, but you've got to get out 710 00:36:19,160 --> 00:36:23,920 there and do some work for it. Work and pray, pray and work. 711 00:36:23,920 --> 00:36:25,600 That's what my pastor used to say. 712 00:36:26,360 --> 00:36:28,440 I heard an old, an old black preacher. 713 00:36:28,440 --> 00:36:30,920 It was a little, it was a tape that was so grainy you couldn't 714 00:36:30,920 --> 00:36:32,680 hardly even hear it. Work and pray. 715 00:36:32,680 --> 00:36:34,280 Pray and work where prayer won't get it. 716 00:36:34,280 --> 00:36:36,320 Work well. If work won't get it, prayer 717 00:36:36,320 --> 00:36:37,960 well. And if neither prayer nor work 718 00:36:37,960 --> 00:36:40,160 get it, you can forget it because you don't need it 719 00:36:40,160 --> 00:36:43,160 anyway. That's what he said, and I think 720 00:36:43,160 --> 00:36:46,400 it's a great way to put it. When the servant got in the way 721 00:36:46,400 --> 00:36:50,520 the Bible says the Lord let him get in the way of soul winning 722 00:36:50,520 --> 00:36:54,080 and let God lead you to a soul. You wonder why you don't lead 723 00:36:54,080 --> 00:36:56,760 anybody to Christ. You're not telling enough 724 00:36:56,760 --> 00:36:59,160 people. You tell enough people 725 00:36:59,160 --> 00:37:00,800 somebody's going to come to know Christ. 726 00:37:01,400 --> 00:37:03,520 Get in the way, the Lord will lead you. 727 00:37:03,520 --> 00:37:06,200 Get in the way of serving and let God lead you to a place of 728 00:37:06,200 --> 00:37:08,080 service. Get in the way of reading and 729 00:37:08,080 --> 00:37:10,760 let God lead you to a scripture. Get in the way of praying and 730 00:37:10,760 --> 00:37:14,640 let God lead you to an answer. You get busy doing what you know 731 00:37:14,640 --> 00:37:20,400 God wants you to do, and God will lead you in the things that 732 00:37:20,400 --> 00:37:25,920 maybe right now you don't. Not only did this servant pray, 733 00:37:26,400 --> 00:37:30,560 not only did he wait, he worked. And also I want you to go back 734 00:37:30,560 --> 00:37:33,360 to Genesis 24 and see this. Excuse me? 735 00:37:33,360 --> 00:37:38,480 He worshipped the servant, praise God, even before he 736 00:37:38,480 --> 00:37:42,600 received a commitment from Rebecca, verse 26. 737 00:37:43,960 --> 00:37:49,080 And the man bowed down his head and worshipped the Lord, And he 738 00:37:49,080 --> 00:37:52,120 said, Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, who hath not 739 00:37:52,120 --> 00:37:54,800 left destitute my Master of his mercy and his truth. 740 00:37:55,480 --> 00:37:58,240 I being in the way, the Lord led me to the House of my master's 741 00:37:58,240 --> 00:38:01,800 brethren. We should praise God even when 742 00:38:01,800 --> 00:38:06,600 we have to wait for an answer. When, when we don't praise God, 743 00:38:06,600 --> 00:38:08,600 it can hinder God from doing a greater work. 744 00:38:09,080 --> 00:38:11,960 We should, we should praise God even if we don't like or 745 00:38:11,960 --> 00:38:16,120 understand the answer because God always knows what's best for 746 00:38:16,120 --> 00:38:19,640 us. And sometimes God's answer to us 747 00:38:19,640 --> 00:38:22,400 is no. And that's hard to hear. 748 00:38:22,400 --> 00:38:24,600 And we say, well, God didn't answer my prayer. 749 00:38:24,600 --> 00:38:27,160 No, God answered your prayer. He just didn't say yes. 750 00:38:27,480 --> 00:38:31,280 No is an answer. And sometimes no is what we need 751 00:38:31,280 --> 00:38:33,560 to hear. We do it with our kids. 752 00:38:33,560 --> 00:38:35,720 We don't give our kids everything they asked for 753 00:38:35,720 --> 00:38:37,080 because it wouldn't be good for them. 754 00:38:37,840 --> 00:38:40,200 They're always asking for a piece of candy and asking for 755 00:38:40,200 --> 00:38:43,120 this snack and asking for that snack, and it's not always good 756 00:38:43,120 --> 00:38:45,320 for them. Asking for money for this and 757 00:38:45,320 --> 00:38:47,680 money for that. And sometimes we say no because 758 00:38:47,680 --> 00:38:51,480 it's not good for them. I want to give good things to my 759 00:38:51,480 --> 00:38:55,560 kids, but everything they asked for is not always going to be a 760 00:38:55,560 --> 00:38:57,760 yes because it's not always good for them. 761 00:38:57,760 --> 00:38:59,640 And sometimes God does that with us. 762 00:39:01,000 --> 00:39:04,920 If God said yes to everything we asked Him for, we'd end up in a 763 00:39:04,920 --> 00:39:08,760 whole lot of trouble in our lives because we ask for things 764 00:39:08,760 --> 00:39:10,320 that are not good for us. Sometimes. 765 00:39:10,960 --> 00:39:14,760 Sometimes God answers no. And it's hard to hear. 766 00:39:14,920 --> 00:39:17,760 And we get, we get upset about it and we say, well, God didn't 767 00:39:17,760 --> 00:39:19,400 answer my request. No, He did. 768 00:39:19,400 --> 00:39:24,760 He answered it in the best way for you may not have been the 769 00:39:24,760 --> 00:39:28,520 answer you wanted, may not have been the answer you liked, but 770 00:39:28,520 --> 00:39:31,000 it's the answer that we need. And we should praise God even if 771 00:39:31,000 --> 00:39:32,320 we don't like it or understand it. 772 00:39:32,800 --> 00:39:35,640 We have to understand, much like this servant did, that it was 773 00:39:35,640 --> 00:39:38,520 not about him. It was not about the servant. 774 00:39:39,320 --> 00:39:43,000 It was about his master. And his master son took humility 775 00:39:43,000 --> 00:39:46,760 on that part of the servant, but he knew that he was representing 776 00:39:46,760 --> 00:39:48,840 Abraham and his son. He wasn't there representing 777 00:39:48,840 --> 00:39:53,040 himself. And so we find the lessons from 778 00:39:54,200 --> 00:39:58,040 the servant, but I also want to switch here and move over to 779 00:39:58,040 --> 00:40:01,400 some lessons from the bride to be Rebecca. 780 00:40:02,640 --> 00:40:06,040 Oh, the servant had to do his part if the servant had to. 781 00:40:06,480 --> 00:40:08,800 Hadn't done his part. There would be no second-half of 782 00:40:08,800 --> 00:40:11,040 the story. There would be no Rebecca. 783 00:40:11,280 --> 00:40:13,080 There would be no bride for Isaac. 784 00:40:13,080 --> 00:40:16,040 There would be no happy day when they finally meet. 785 00:40:16,480 --> 00:40:20,000 There would be no continuation of the line of Abraham through 786 00:40:20,000 --> 00:40:22,800 Isaac. Rebecca was just living her life 787 00:40:22,800 --> 00:40:25,840 for herself. And I can't say that she never 788 00:40:25,840 --> 00:40:28,040 thought about meeting someone who would eventually become her 789 00:40:28,040 --> 00:40:31,800 husband because it seems that all girls have that thought at 790 00:40:31,800 --> 00:40:33,040 some point throughout their lives. 791 00:40:33,040 --> 00:40:34,760 I wonder who my husband's going to be. 792 00:40:34,760 --> 00:40:36,000 I wonder what he's going to look like. 793 00:40:36,000 --> 00:40:37,560 I wonder when he's going to come. 794 00:40:38,760 --> 00:40:40,640 By the way, there's some great lessons to be learned about 795 00:40:40,640 --> 00:40:44,080 courtship in this passage, too, And we don't have time to 796 00:40:44,080 --> 00:40:45,520 discuss those. But it certainly would be a 797 00:40:45,520 --> 00:40:48,040 great passage to study out, especially if you're kind of in 798 00:40:48,040 --> 00:40:51,840 that, that stage in your life when you're going to be looking 799 00:40:51,840 --> 00:40:55,280 for your life's mate. But she wasn't seeking a 800 00:40:55,280 --> 00:40:56,840 husband. She was just living her life. 801 00:40:57,520 --> 00:41:00,600 And the servant came looking for her on behalf of the Son. 802 00:41:00,600 --> 00:41:04,000 The servant came, the Bible says in verse #22 of Genesis 24 803 00:41:04,240 --> 00:41:07,520 bearing gifts came to pass as the camels had done drinking, 804 00:41:07,520 --> 00:41:10,120 that the man took a golden earring of half a shekel weight 805 00:41:10,560 --> 00:41:14,120 2 bracelets for her, hands of 10 shekels, weight of gold. 806 00:41:14,320 --> 00:41:17,080 And you know whose eyes bugged out and got big when he saw him? 807 00:41:18,080 --> 00:41:24,520 Her brother Laban. Whoa, what is that in your ears? 808 00:41:24,520 --> 00:41:27,800 And what is that on your wrist? Where did you get those from? 809 00:41:28,320 --> 00:41:31,880 Hey, come on in. All right, But that's not what 810 00:41:31,880 --> 00:41:35,320 Rebecca's mindset was. Rebecca never mentions anything 811 00:41:35,320 --> 00:41:39,240 about these gifts. Her thoughts were not on the 812 00:41:39,240 --> 00:41:42,240 gifts. They were precious treasures, 813 00:41:42,240 --> 00:41:45,560 but they were just things that didn't mean all that much to 814 00:41:45,560 --> 00:41:48,760 her. She was thinking about the sun. 815 00:41:50,040 --> 00:41:53,160 These were very precious, but they were just a small sample of 816 00:41:53,160 --> 00:41:55,320 the vast riches that Abraham had. 817 00:41:55,320 --> 00:41:58,280 In fact, turn over to Romans Chapter 11. 818 00:41:58,720 --> 00:42:00,720 Boy, what a picture we find here. 819 00:42:02,160 --> 00:42:07,280 Abraham, as we said already, is a picture of God the Father, and 820 00:42:07,280 --> 00:42:10,800 He sends these gifts here and there, but boy, he's got so much 821 00:42:10,800 --> 00:42:14,360 at His disposal. Romans Chapter 11 and verse #33 822 00:42:14,360 --> 00:42:18,720 the Bible says, oh, the depth of the rich is both of the wisdom 823 00:42:18,720 --> 00:42:21,640 and knowledge of God. How unsearchable are His 824 00:42:21,640 --> 00:42:26,440 judgments and His ways past finding out Ephesians chapter 1 825 00:42:26,440 --> 00:42:29,760 and verse #7 in whom we have redemption through His blood, 826 00:42:29,760 --> 00:42:34,480 the forgiveness of sin according to the riches of His grace. 827 00:42:34,920 --> 00:42:38,440 Rebecca received these gifts, but she lost interest in those 828 00:42:38,440 --> 00:42:40,240 gifts pretty soon. Her thoughts were not on the 829 00:42:40,240 --> 00:42:42,280 gifts. Her thoughts were on the groom. 830 00:42:43,120 --> 00:42:45,240 What a lesson. We don't come to God for what we 831 00:42:45,240 --> 00:42:48,920 can get out of Him. We come to God for who He is to 832 00:42:48,920 --> 00:42:51,480 us. That's why we come to Him. 833 00:42:51,600 --> 00:42:54,880 It's those who come to God for what they can get out of Him are 834 00:42:54,880 --> 00:42:57,720 going to find pretty soon that it all falls apart. 835 00:42:58,280 --> 00:42:59,840 You're not there to get something from God. 836 00:42:59,840 --> 00:43:02,840 And certainly as a child of the King, He's going to take care of 837 00:43:02,840 --> 00:43:04,480 us. I've been young and now I am 838 00:43:04,480 --> 00:43:07,840 old, yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed 839 00:43:07,840 --> 00:43:10,520 begging bread? God is going to take care of His 840 00:43:10,520 --> 00:43:12,920 own, but we don't love Him because of what He does for us. 841 00:43:12,920 --> 00:43:15,200 We love Him because of who He is to us. 842 00:43:16,120 --> 00:43:19,360 You know, you shouldn't be trying to get close to Him for 843 00:43:19,360 --> 00:43:22,000 what you can get out of him. You should try to get close to 844 00:43:22,000 --> 00:43:25,360 Him so you can learn more of who He is and have that better 845 00:43:25,360 --> 00:43:28,160 relationship with Him. But what we find here is that 846 00:43:28,160 --> 00:43:31,320 Rebecca had to make a choice. The servant's job was to 847 00:43:31,320 --> 00:43:34,760 convince the bride to be of the attractiveness of his master's 848 00:43:34,760 --> 00:43:36,520 son. That was the servant's job. 849 00:43:37,600 --> 00:43:40,600 She was presented with all the facts and a very important 850 00:43:40,600 --> 00:43:46,600 question was posed to Rebecca. We find that at the end of verse 851 00:43:46,600 --> 00:43:56,480 #58 this beautiful young lady with so much potential to carry 852 00:43:56,480 --> 00:44:00,240 on the family of promise had a choice to make. 853 00:44:01,360 --> 00:44:08,160 And in verse #58 they said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? 854 00:44:09,960 --> 00:44:13,160 Wilt thou go with this man? And here is a picture of 855 00:44:13,160 --> 00:44:17,880 salvation. Rebecca makes her choice and she 856 00:44:17,880 --> 00:44:22,160 said, I will go. What a wonderful picture of 857 00:44:22,160 --> 00:44:25,240 salvation. All that belong to her past life 858 00:44:25,960 --> 00:44:30,400 becomes a fading memory. Her thoughts are now only on her 859 00:44:30,400 --> 00:44:34,120 future because she knew that when the traveling days were 860 00:44:34,120 --> 00:44:38,560 done, there was someone that would be waiting for her arrival 861 00:44:38,560 --> 00:44:43,440 at his home where he was. There she would be also. 862 00:44:44,400 --> 00:44:47,440 John chapter 14 and verse #2 In my father's house are many 863 00:44:47,440 --> 00:44:50,040 mansions. If it were not so, I would have 864 00:44:50,040 --> 00:44:53,040 told you, I go to prepare a place for you. 865 00:44:53,360 --> 00:44:56,320 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and 866 00:44:56,320 --> 00:45:00,160 receive you unto myself, that where I am, there he may be 867 00:45:00,160 --> 00:45:02,480 also. You know a lot of the other 868 00:45:02,480 --> 00:45:05,040 versions of the Bible that say in my father's house are many 869 00:45:05,040 --> 00:45:08,160 rooms. I don't want a room, I want a 870 00:45:08,160 --> 00:45:11,600 mansion. She had never seen him, but she 871 00:45:11,600 --> 00:45:13,960 believed on him. In fact, John chapter 20, you 872 00:45:13,960 --> 00:45:15,520 can turn over to John chapter 20. 873 00:45:18,480 --> 00:45:22,480 See, Isaac had been preparing for his bride for a long time. 874 00:45:23,600 --> 00:45:25,840 Isaac didn't know exactly who it was going to be either. 875 00:45:26,440 --> 00:45:29,760 Obviously, God knows, Jesus knows who's going to accept him 876 00:45:29,760 --> 00:45:33,400 and who's going to reject him. But Isaac had been preparing a 877 00:45:33,400 --> 00:45:41,200 place for this bride, and all the way up until she came in, he 878 00:45:41,200 --> 00:45:42,760 was preparing that place for her. 879 00:45:43,320 --> 00:45:47,200 John chapter 20, verse #28 And Thomas answered, and said unto 880 00:45:47,200 --> 00:45:53,400 him, My Lord and my God Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because 881 00:45:53,400 --> 00:45:55,280 thou hast seen me, thou hast believed. 882 00:45:55,280 --> 00:45:59,400 Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet believed. 883 00:45:59,440 --> 00:46:01,000 First Peter chapter 1 and verse 8. 884 00:46:01,000 --> 00:46:05,720 Whom having not seen ye love, in whom though now ye see him not 885 00:46:05,720 --> 00:46:10,240 yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of 886 00:46:10,240 --> 00:46:12,600 glory. We see Rebecca leaving. 887 00:46:12,600 --> 00:46:16,120 This unnamed servant had done his work well. 888 00:46:16,120 --> 00:46:19,400 He drew her to the groom. She had the gifts from the 889 00:46:19,400 --> 00:46:22,880 servant as well, to remind her of the one who was waiting for 890 00:46:22,880 --> 00:46:24,000 her. But what a picture of 891 00:46:24,000 --> 00:46:26,920 repentance. She had to leave her life as she 892 00:46:26,920 --> 00:46:29,560 knew it. She had to turn her back on 893 00:46:29,560 --> 00:46:31,880 everything that she thought was comfortable for her. 894 00:46:32,000 --> 00:46:35,280 Everything that was familiar to her, everything that was that, 895 00:46:35,280 --> 00:46:38,640 that, that, that, that brought out a sense of her own being. 896 00:46:39,080 --> 00:46:42,400 And in order to accept that new life that was being offered by 897 00:46:42,400 --> 00:46:45,720 someone that she had never seen and never met, but who promised 898 00:46:45,720 --> 00:46:48,840 her a wonderful life, she had to turn her back on all of those 899 00:46:48,840 --> 00:46:54,960 things and go in a completely different direction to receive 900 00:46:57,400 --> 00:47:00,800 Isaac as her husband. What a wonderful picture of 901 00:47:00,800 --> 00:47:03,760 repentance. And there we see Rebecca 902 00:47:03,760 --> 00:47:06,400 leaving, but also we see Rebecca learning. 903 00:47:06,920 --> 00:47:11,680 Turn over to John chapter 14. See this unknown servant, as we 904 00:47:11,680 --> 00:47:13,600 already mentioned, is a type of the Holy Spirit. 905 00:47:13,600 --> 00:47:15,960 He was now her comforter and her guide. 906 00:47:15,960 --> 00:47:20,840 It was not left up to her to find her way back to Isaac into 907 00:47:20,960 --> 00:47:23,960 his master's house. It was the responsibility of the 908 00:47:23,960 --> 00:47:25,840 servant to bring her safely home. 909 00:47:26,040 --> 00:47:28,360 John chapter 14 and verse 26 says this. 910 00:47:28,360 --> 00:47:31,680 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will 911 00:47:31,680 --> 00:47:35,720 send in my name, He shall teach you all things and bring all 912 00:47:35,720 --> 00:47:40,160 things to your remember whatsoever I have said unto you. 913 00:47:40,400 --> 00:47:42,160 She must have had 1000 questions. 914 00:47:42,360 --> 00:47:45,400 Could you imagine how that servant's ear must have been 915 00:47:45,400 --> 00:47:48,440 talked off the whole way home? What's his? 916 00:47:48,520 --> 00:47:50,120 What's he like? What does he look like? 917 00:47:50,200 --> 00:47:52,320 What does he like to do? What are the things that he 918 00:47:52,320 --> 00:47:54,360 enjoys? How much, how much land does he 919 00:47:54,360 --> 00:47:55,600 have? Where does he like to spend his 920 00:47:55,600 --> 00:47:56,680 time? What does he do for this? 921 00:47:56,680 --> 00:47:57,840 Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Every. 922 00:47:57,840 --> 00:48:00,000 Tell me everything I can know about the sun. 923 00:48:00,640 --> 00:48:03,120 I can't wait to see him. I can't wait to meet this man. 924 00:48:03,120 --> 00:48:05,440 But tell me everything that I need to know about him. 925 00:48:07,120 --> 00:48:09,680 You were delighted telling her more and more about the one that 926 00:48:09,680 --> 00:48:12,840 she had set out to me. Can you imagine how exciting the 927 00:48:12,840 --> 00:48:15,880 servant must have been to share all of those things with 928 00:48:15,880 --> 00:48:17,600 Rebecca? And he had. 929 00:48:17,680 --> 00:48:21,960 He had accomplished his mission. He had gone to find a bride for 930 00:48:21,960 --> 00:48:25,600 his master son, and he was coming back with a bride for his 931 00:48:25,600 --> 00:48:28,120 master son. I don't think it was anything at 932 00:48:28,120 --> 00:48:30,440 all for him to answer every single one of those questions 933 00:48:30,440 --> 00:48:33,720 that Rebecca had for him. He was, He was excited to teach 934 00:48:33,720 --> 00:48:35,280 her everything that she needed to know. 935 00:48:35,920 --> 00:48:38,640 He was on his way back to the Father with a bride for his Son. 936 00:48:38,640 --> 00:48:41,760 Imagine how he must have wanted to tell her everything and teach 937 00:48:41,760 --> 00:48:43,040 her everything there was to know. 938 00:48:43,160 --> 00:48:47,000 Her job was only to sit and listen and ask all the questions 939 00:48:47,000 --> 00:48:49,520 she wanted to ask about the Son. And I'm sure he would tell her 940 00:48:49,520 --> 00:48:54,120 of Isaac's miraculous birth and how he was the Father's well 941 00:48:54,120 --> 00:48:56,000 beloved and the only begotten Son. 942 00:48:56,000 --> 00:48:59,360 He would no doubt tell her how Isaac had become obedient unto 943 00:48:59,360 --> 00:49:02,000 death and how he had come back, as it were, from the dead. 944 00:49:02,760 --> 00:49:06,360 And now He was taking her back to the sun. 945 00:49:07,760 --> 00:49:10,280 So we see Rebecca's leaving. Rebecca's learning. 946 00:49:10,280 --> 00:49:14,120 But I want you to see this number 3, Rebecca's longing turn 947 00:49:14,120 --> 00:49:15,760 over to Galatians. Chapter 4. 948 00:49:17,200 --> 00:49:21,600 I can only imagine that all the talk of her future groom made 949 00:49:21,600 --> 00:49:24,480 her more and more excited the more she dwelt on just who this 950 00:49:24,480 --> 00:49:26,960 man was. The closer they got to where 951 00:49:26,960 --> 00:49:30,240 they were going to finally meet the Sun, the more she must have 952 00:49:30,240 --> 00:49:31,760 been looking forward to meeting him. 953 00:49:33,120 --> 00:49:36,600 Time was passing and Rebecca's thoughts dwelt less and less on 954 00:49:36,600 --> 00:49:38,840 her old life. More and more, she found herself 955 00:49:38,840 --> 00:49:42,080 focusing on the new life that she had chosen and on the joy 956 00:49:42,080 --> 00:49:45,920 that was set before her boy. There's so much picture in that. 957 00:49:46,520 --> 00:49:49,280 Oh, there's so much. There's so much of a 958 00:49:49,280 --> 00:49:51,600 representation of the Christian life for us. 959 00:49:51,840 --> 00:49:54,360 We're getting closer and closer to meeting the Son. 960 00:49:54,360 --> 00:49:57,720 We're getting closer and closer to becoming the bride of Christ. 961 00:49:58,440 --> 00:50:00,480 And we're going to be at the marriage supper of the Lamb and 962 00:50:00,480 --> 00:50:02,920 we're going to sit there and everything that we know about 963 00:50:02,920 --> 00:50:05,720 Jesus Christ and everything that we've read and everything that 964 00:50:05,720 --> 00:50:09,360 the Holy Spirit has guided us into, we're going to see him. 965 00:50:10,520 --> 00:50:13,720 We're going to be with him. And the closer we get to the 966 00:50:13,720 --> 00:50:16,640 coming of Jesus Christ, how do you not get excited about it? 967 00:50:17,560 --> 00:50:20,040 How do you now let the old life get in the rear view mirror? 968 00:50:20,040 --> 00:50:23,240 How do you not get less and less interested in who you used to 969 00:50:23,240 --> 00:50:25,160 be? How do you not get more and more 970 00:50:25,160 --> 00:50:27,440 excited about seeing Jesus Christ? 971 00:50:27,440 --> 00:50:30,120 Because one day we're going to Galatians chapter 4 and verse 9. 972 00:50:30,120 --> 00:50:33,200 But now after that you have known God, or rather are known 973 00:50:33,200 --> 00:50:35,960 of God, How turn you again to the weak and beggarly elements 974 00:50:35,960 --> 00:50:40,480 where until you desire again to be in bondage, you've been set 975 00:50:40,480 --> 00:50:43,800 free from that old life. Why do you want to go back 976 00:50:43,800 --> 00:50:45,880 there? There's no excitement there. 977 00:50:46,440 --> 00:50:47,520 I don't want to go back to the world. 978 00:50:47,520 --> 00:50:49,120 There's nothing in the world for me. 979 00:50:49,640 --> 00:50:51,880 I'm looking straight ahead, not looking behind. 980 00:50:51,880 --> 00:50:54,840 I don't want to go back to who I used to be. 981 00:50:55,920 --> 00:50:59,000 I'm looking forward to meeting the Son. 982 00:50:59,840 --> 00:51:02,840 Isaac was the center of her thoughts. 983 00:51:03,200 --> 00:51:06,080 Second Corinthians chapter 10 and verse #5 says casting down 984 00:51:06,080 --> 00:51:09,720 imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself 985 00:51:09,720 --> 00:51:11,960 against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity 986 00:51:11,960 --> 00:51:14,920 every thought to the obedience of Christ. 987 00:51:15,680 --> 00:51:18,760 And He is everything to us when He is everything that we think 988 00:51:18,760 --> 00:51:21,520 about. Sure is hard to put other things 989 00:51:21,520 --> 00:51:24,960 in that place. The more the servant told her of 990 00:51:24,960 --> 00:51:29,040 the Father's well beloved, the more increasingly real he became 991 00:51:29,040 --> 00:51:31,680 to her. Oh, when they were sitting there 992 00:51:31,680 --> 00:51:35,120 at the well that day and the servant was just kind of talking 993 00:51:35,120 --> 00:51:39,840 to her about this man that was somewhere in a distant land that 994 00:51:39,840 --> 00:51:43,120 he wanted her to meet and that he wanted her to marry. 995 00:51:44,280 --> 00:51:46,080 I'm sure it was just an idea at that point. 996 00:51:47,160 --> 00:51:49,400 But the more they travelled and the more they talked and the 997 00:51:49,400 --> 00:51:52,560 more this servant gave her a description of just exactly who 998 00:51:52,560 --> 00:51:55,800 this son was and the closer they got to where they were finally 999 00:51:55,800 --> 00:51:58,680 going to meet, I can just imagine that she was getting 1000 00:51:58,680 --> 00:52:00,280 more and more excited about that. 1001 00:52:00,280 --> 00:52:02,400 And he became more and more real to her. 1002 00:52:02,400 --> 00:52:05,520 This is actually happening. This is this is actually going 1003 00:52:05,520 --> 00:52:07,480 to take place. There is going to be a marriage 1004 00:52:07,480 --> 00:52:11,320 and I'm going to be the bride. The more she learned of him, the 1005 00:52:11,320 --> 00:52:15,440 more she longed for him, and although she had never seen him, 1006 00:52:16,080 --> 00:52:18,520 love for him took root in her heart. 1007 00:52:18,520 --> 00:52:22,640 And so then we find lastly Rebecca looking. 1008 00:52:22,640 --> 00:52:27,720 It was a long journey as I mentioned, some 500 miles, days 1009 00:52:27,880 --> 00:52:31,800 and days of traveling, some of the route weary, no doubt waking 1010 00:52:31,800 --> 00:52:34,560 up, getting on the camel, traveling, going to sleep, 1011 00:52:34,560 --> 00:52:37,200 waking up, getting on the camel, traveling and just doing that 1012 00:52:37,200 --> 00:52:39,760 day after day after day after day. 1013 00:52:39,760 --> 00:52:42,480 And I'm sure sometimes it got weary and sometimes she thought, 1014 00:52:42,680 --> 00:52:45,760 are we ever going to get there? Am I ever going to see him? 1015 00:52:46,680 --> 00:52:49,560 Is there ever going to be a day when I finally meet this, this 1016 00:52:49,560 --> 00:52:51,560 groom that they keep telling me about? 1017 00:52:53,440 --> 00:52:55,680 As the journey reached his close, the servant began 1018 00:52:55,680 --> 00:52:59,680 preparing her for this long for meeting that would soon come. 1019 00:52:59,680 --> 00:53:01,800 And I can imagine that he would say he'll be coming for you 1020 00:53:01,800 --> 00:53:04,160 soon. Could be any day now. 1021 00:53:04,400 --> 00:53:07,360 I don't know exactly where Isaac is at this moment, but I can 1022 00:53:07,360 --> 00:53:10,240 promise you this, it won't be long before we get to meet him. 1023 00:53:11,200 --> 00:53:14,960 The time of watching and waiting will be over soon, and I'm sure 1024 00:53:14,960 --> 00:53:18,040 that Rebecca was looking forward to presenting herself in the 1025 00:53:18,040 --> 00:53:21,800 best way possible for the day that she would meet Isaac. 1026 00:53:23,360 --> 00:53:26,160 She'd pay more attention to herself so that she'd be ready 1027 00:53:26,160 --> 00:53:29,560 when Isaac came and not be ashamed at his coming. 1028 00:53:31,760 --> 00:53:38,280 And then one day Isaac came. In Genesis chapter 24, Isaac 1029 00:53:38,280 --> 00:53:41,760 went out, verse 63 to meditate in the field at the even tie. 1030 00:53:41,760 --> 00:53:45,920 And he lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold the camels were 1031 00:53:45,920 --> 00:53:48,800 coming. And Rebecca lifted up her eyes, 1032 00:53:48,800 --> 00:53:52,200 and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel, for she 1033 00:53:52,200 --> 00:53:55,720 had said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in the 1034 00:53:55,720 --> 00:53:59,480 field to meet us? I don't know exactly how Rebecca 1035 00:53:59,480 --> 00:54:02,760 said that, but the way that she said it makes it sound like who 1036 00:54:02,760 --> 00:54:06,960 in the world is that? Who is that guy? 1037 00:54:08,000 --> 00:54:10,760 And he said, It's my master's son. 1038 00:54:11,640 --> 00:54:13,560 That's the one that's going to be your husband. 1039 00:54:14,560 --> 00:54:17,760 She got off of that camo and she got herself prepared to meet 1040 00:54:17,760 --> 00:54:20,080 him. Oh, could you imagine what that 1041 00:54:20,080 --> 00:54:25,080 day is going to be like? All that he had prepared for her 1042 00:54:25,080 --> 00:54:28,640 was finally hers. Everything that Isaac had been 1043 00:54:28,640 --> 00:54:34,240 preparing for his entire life up to this moment finally came. 1044 00:54:35,920 --> 00:54:38,880 Isaac and Rebecca met and they were married. 1045 00:54:38,880 --> 00:54:42,320 And the Bible says at the end of that passage in verse 67 that he 1046 00:54:42,320 --> 00:54:45,520 loved her, she became his wife, and he loved her. 1047 00:54:46,480 --> 00:54:48,480 And Isaac was comforted after his mother's death. 1048 00:54:48,480 --> 00:54:51,160 He took her, they made her his wife, and he loved her. 1049 00:54:51,400 --> 00:54:54,120 And a new chapter in the story of redemption had begun. 1050 00:54:55,400 --> 00:54:58,280 And do you realize that God orchestrating all of these 1051 00:54:58,280 --> 00:55:00,080 things, put all these things together? 1052 00:55:01,280 --> 00:55:04,480 And it was through Isaac and Rebecca that God made a great 1053 00:55:04,480 --> 00:55:07,840 nation out of Abraham. Jacob came along and became 1054 00:55:07,840 --> 00:55:10,840 Israel. And then the rest of the story 1055 00:55:10,840 --> 00:55:15,280 in the Bible be fine because Isaac and Rebecca came together 1056 00:55:15,480 --> 00:55:19,080 in God's plan. But oh, what a picture. 1057 00:55:19,800 --> 00:55:23,400 What a picture. Such powerful truths from God's 1058 00:55:23,400 --> 00:55:24,800 Word. There's so many more lessons 1059 00:55:24,800 --> 00:55:26,240 that we could pull from this passage. 1060 00:55:26,440 --> 00:55:29,720 Boy, it'd be great for you to just just go back maybe tomorrow 1061 00:55:29,720 --> 00:55:32,160 in your devotions and read through that chapter again and 1062 00:55:32,440 --> 00:55:34,640 pull out all of those things that'll come out of that 1063 00:55:34,640 --> 00:55:37,440 passage. But we have to choose a place to 1064 00:55:37,440 --> 00:55:38,560 stop. And this is it. 1065 00:55:39,560 --> 00:55:42,840 We touched on a lot of things this evening and I hope it's 1066 00:55:42,840 --> 00:55:45,040 been a help to you tonight. Let's pray. 1067 00:55:45,040 --> 00:55:47,280 Father, again, we thank you so much for your goodness to us and 1068 00:55:47,280 --> 00:55:49,400 thank you for an opportunity that we've had to look into this 1069 00:55:49,400 --> 00:55:52,320 passage. What a what a rich, rich passage 1070 00:55:52,320 --> 00:55:54,960 of Scripture, one that great story. 1071 00:55:55,320 --> 00:55:57,400 But if we're just reading through and skimming over the 1072 00:55:57,400 --> 00:55:59,560 passages, we might miss so many of these things. 1073 00:55:59,560 --> 00:56:02,760 God, I pray that you help us be students of the Word, but you'd 1074 00:56:02,760 --> 00:56:06,960 help us to be looking forward to the coming of our groom. 1075 00:56:08,000 --> 00:56:10,040 Ray should help us to be looking forward to the coming of Jesus 1076 00:56:10,040 --> 00:56:11,920 Christ. And as the bride of Christ, may 1077 00:56:11,960 --> 00:56:14,920 you help us to be pure the way that Rebecca was pure. 1078 00:56:14,920 --> 00:56:17,400 May you help us to be spotless. May you help us to be ready for 1079 00:56:17,400 --> 00:56:20,960 the day that he comes. God, may you help us to serve 1080 00:56:20,960 --> 00:56:22,720 you and to live for you with all of our hearts. 1081 00:56:23,320 --> 00:56:26,680 Thank you again for all you do for us in Jesus name, Amen. 1082 00:56:26,680 --> 00:56:28,440 If you'd stand at your seats with your heads bowed and your 1083 00:56:28,440 --> 00:56:31,920 eyes closed, a lot of things that we talked about tonight and 1084 00:56:31,920 --> 00:56:34,680 maybe something God spoke to your heart about. 1085 00:56:34,680 --> 00:56:35,680 I want to give you an opportunity.