GENESIS 24 FAITH IN OLD AGE Isaac was a son born contrary to nature, mocked by his brother and offered up to God. He is like one brought back from the dead and because of him, the cause of controversy and disorder in the home of Abraham was cast out. He is a picture of our Lord Jesus Christ who was miraculously conceived and born of a virgin. He was despised and rejected of men, even His own brothers. He was offered up and died on the cross for our sins as “the Lamb of God which carried away the sin of the world.” He rose from among the dead, is alive forevermore and is now waiting to come for His bride when it is fully ready to come to Him.
The oldest and chief servant of Abraham’s household was perhaps “Eliezer of Damascus.” He reminds us of the Holy Spirit, who along with those God uses in His service, is in the world today to seek the bride for our Lord Jesus Christ. The chief servant had a clear commission which was made impressively urgent when an oath was taken. The work of the Gospel today is very urgent. The bridegroom is waiting for the bride to be complete and ready for Him. Those who preach the Gospel do so under the authority and commission of our Lord. The Holy Spirit gives the power needed to make the message plain to those who are willing to hear. It is God who does the preparing of the hearts to receive the message personally. He directs His servants to the place and the time for those who are willing to hear to be faced with the choice of believing in the Lord Jesus Christ by faith. The Lord God “shall send His angel before thee.”
Provisions were needed for the long journey to suit the needs they would have. There were jewels and precious things to be gathered to present to the prospective bride, but there were also the basic things needed for survival and for the overall purpose of the journey. Time and effort in the work of the Lord is necessary before the message of the Gospel is presented. Preparation of mind, heart and body as well as material needs have to take place before saying anything of significance to those who will be listening. The message of the Gospel is ours to present, and God will save those who respond in repentance and faith in His word preached. The word of God opens the heart to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Our hearts are prepared by making specific prayer requests so we can discern the guidance of the Lord in the endeavors before us.
True service begins with prayer that reveals to us the will of the Lord. Physical efforts are necessary to prepare in a practical way for God to work through us. Prayer prepares us to be ready to act on what God opens up before us. It is our privilege to tell others of our Master and His glory. We must also tell them of the Master’s interest in them. When we have done our part, it is up to the one called by the Gospel, to respond. “I will go” is what we always hope to hear when the Person and work of Christ has been presented to the one whom the Spirit of God has convicted. His great work is to reveal Christ to the seeking soul.
The significance of the well, being the place to which Rebekah came, is quite obvious. Without water there can be no life. The water of the world has to be continually drawn because it does not completely satisfy the need. People have to go the water over and over and over again. Our Lord Jesus and His word, is the well of springing water that gives everlasting life to those who come to Him. Thirsty souls will find our Lord near every person who is hungering and thirsting after righteousness. At the well is where Rebekah first heard about Isaac. Jacob and Moses both found their brides by a well.
Understanding is a well of life to those who have it according to Proverbs 10:11. Grace, and all it brings to us, is like a well of springing water. When a person’s soul is thirsty, it is a well of the water of the word to which we can come daily to draw. Those who come are never sent away empty. By the water of life which we can take of freely, we find the Guide, the Holy Spirit, who leads us to a land that is fairer than day. Such pure water as that which comes from the Spirit of God, satisfies the thirst after righteousness that fills our soul.
The servant of Abraham put precious jewels on Rebekah which would remind us of all that faith provides for us. The meek and quiet spirit, the ministry of service that is acceptable to God, praise, thanksgiving and worship, are all precious things we have been given as the Spirit of God dispenses His gifts to God’s people. All those things identified Rebekah as one God wanted to bless, but she had a personal choice to make.
She first had to be willing to identify herself as having no claim on anything from Isaac. She was an object of love who has a little foretaste of all that was before her, if she was willing to go with the servant. We can get a foretaste of eternal blessings in the everyday course of life which we know we do not deserve or have any claim on. God demonstrated His love for us in giving His own Son to die for us, and in numerous other ways since the time we first trusted in Him. Rebekah did not reject the servant nor take his gifts for granted. She ran to tell others in her family who she had met and who he represented. It is possible to tell others about God’s grace and not be a partaker of it.
After the errand was explained, when Rebekah said, “I will go,” in spite of her family’s desire to have her wait, she stepped forward in faith in the words of the servant, and was immediately a partaker of the blessings that were yet to be revealed to her. She had a beautiful garment and gifts that were hers, because she simply believed his word, and in spite of what is common to most people, she went out in faith. She believed the words of a man she had never met before, and went to a place she had never been before, to marry a man she had never seen before.
This is how it is with those God brings into His family today. We hear his word and decide whether it is true. When we realize it is factual and based on the solid evidence of all the gifts we have already received, we believe on the Person. The word of God gives us the faithful words that we believe, which leads us to put our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, who having not seen we love. His word is enough for us to know both the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. That begins our new life, our eternal life, with God. The life of faith will soon bring us to where we will see Him.
If it is after death’s day, we will see Him through the sight of soul and spirit that have been anointed with heavenly eye-salve. If we are alive when the Lord comes to take his bride to Himself, our physical eyesight and spiritual eyesight will be one, in our changed bodies. To look upon our Lord Jesus by faith or by sight will not change the fact that we were confronted by Him at the well of truth. It was there we had the opportunity to accept Him and His offer of grace. The foretaste of heavenly treasures are already ours and we love Him without seeing Him. We know Him, we value Him, we appreciate Him for who He is – our Savior, our Redeemer. Our Lord!
In a coming day, the bride of Christ composed of all believers in this day of grace, will be presented to Him as a spotless bride who has travelled across the desert of the world to the place where she sees our Lord in the air. Then we shall be forever with the Lord. The comfort of those words is enough to motivate us to be unspotted by this ungodly world.
WINDING DOWN A calm peaceful spirit in a person of old age has a unique beauty. That beauty shines from the expressions in the wrinkled face and the brightness of ancient eyes that have seen a lot on the journey of life. White hair can be a “crown of glory” if the person beneath it has been conscious of the presence of the Lord on the journey. The closing years of the life of Abraham seen much more tranquil than the earlier years. Crowning Experiences In chapter twenty-four we learn of Abraham’s enjoyment of Divine Blessing, v.1. “The Lord blessed Abraham in all things.” His life is summed up in those few words. The Lord made him rich and He still “makes rich and adds no sorrow with it.” In his old age his faith was undiminished and he was faithful to the Divine Will, v.2-4. He knew God was going to perpetuate his seed and he was concerned that Isaac would marry a woman who had the same beliefs and background instead of being involved in the idolatry around him in Canaan. This is an important principle to follow today. “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers.”
Another benefit of old age is that there is insight into Divine Purposes, v.5-6, that is not common to those who are young in the faith. A long journey is in order, if it is done to fulfill the purposes of God. To be aware of God’s will that must be done is possible and is our expected commitment when we know it is according to God’s purposes. A sense of Divine Favor, v. 7-9 that is keen in old age, helps us admit openly we do not deserve the least of God’s mercies and the wonderful favors He has showered upon us. We have learned that when God wants us to forward in faith to do what He has in mind for us, then it is incumbent on us to get right at it.
If it involves high cost, so be it. If it means we are to take a long journey, get ready and go. If it means we will be uncomfortable, bear it so that we can honestly say, “Thy will be done.” If it means we will be misunderstood and criticized, that is the normal course in the service of God. What we are physically unable to do ourselves, the Lord will guide us to other capable people who are willing to do what we cannot do. In chapter twenty-five we will find two more characteristics of old age: Closing Events and Characteristic Elements.
THE MODEL SERVANT When there are things to be done, we will need to be willing to delegate to others things that are more than we can deal with. Some characteristics we need to be able to see in them, assure us that the responsibility is in trustworthy hands. Any servant of God should review our own self and life to see if God can trust us with an important errand for Him. Intelligent Obedience, v.1-9. We look for a person who is ready to work and do what is required, with a sense of obligation as well as looking at service as a privilege. Intelligent service involves careful thought regarding the obstacles that may be faced, the points to focus on and any contingencies that might unexpectedly arise. Inquiries are a sign of good sense, good planning and willingness to know and obey instructions. Commitment to the task needs to be made articulate and obvious. Zealous Interest, v.10-14. To not delay in preparation and taking action, indicates a personal interest and awareness of the importance of a matter. To “delight to do Thy will” were words from Jehovah’s Perfect Servant, Jesus. How much more should it be ours! To pray a specific prayer, to put emphasis on the Master rather than on ourselves as His servants, is evidence of our interest in the right Person. Gracious Tact, v.15-33. The servant was courteous in a very becoming way because his attitude was a reflection on his master. Our manners and manner of conduct are very important in any service we do for the Lord. What could be good and profitable, can be spoiled by lack of courtesy and consideration. Patience is not pushy, but remains quietly watchful while the other person or persons think about what is said and what is at stake. Silence in such times is more important than urging one to make a hasty decision.
The gifts without “strings attached” show sincerity and honesty in what is being presented. When God guides us this far in life, and guides us to do this thing in this place, then let us patiently wait for God to bring about His desired conclusion after we have aptly finished our part in the matter. The cause of the Lord, is more important than how quickly we accomplish the work. Loving Faithfulness, v.34-49. Wisdom, faithfulness and patience characterize one who knows the importance of what he has been called to do. Humility and dignity spoken with quiet integrity as one speaks to others about our Lord, makes listeners conscious of what he is like because of what we are like. The objective of the message is clear. The Lord wants people to come to Him. The proposal offers a definite choice to be made. The decision to accept or reject, the invitation is then left to the hearer. Glad Success, v.50-67. There will be difficulties. There will be some opposition. There will be the natural inclination to wait until later. But when it comes to the responsibility of the servant; our Lord’s business requires action and a definite conclusion. When the servant has delivered his message and concluded his charge – he disappears from view.
A REVIEW The purpose of the father: A bride for the son. “Even as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it.”
The position of the son: The heir, the promised seed, the one who has divine purposes to fulfill. The Son is head over all things to the church. The prospects of the bride: She was thought about before she knew it. Arrangements were made to have the church “chosen in Him” before the foundation of the world. The proclamation of the servant: He announced the father’s purpose. “Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel… make disciples… baptize… teach.” The Spirit of God “will glorify Me… and tell it to you.” The power of the message: Describe the son so one is attracted to him. Christ lifted up, draws all men to Himself. The progress of the soul: A determination to go by faith alone. Rebekah believed and acted upon what the servant said, based on evidence she could see in the gifts. We believe the word of God, rest on the Lord by faith and find the solid foundation on which faith stands. The prospect of home: A new home, a permanent home, and most importantly, a person who loves her because of who she is – meets her before she gets to the destination. When we come to Christ, He rejoices, gives eternal life, places us in the family of God and loves us. There is a rest for the people of God.