Learn to Read the Bible Effectively

Genesis Seminar Week 5 # 17 Seeking a Wife for Isaac # 18 Death and Family Conflict # 19 Seeking the Blessing # 20 Seeking Another Wife

Why would one sixty-seven verse chapter be devoted to finding a wife for one man?

A WIFE FOR ISAAC  Thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell. Genesis 24:3

The Canaanites  Child sacrifice was common  The Hebrew religion focused on a God who is holy and raised the level of human thinking above the basic level of the flesh!

Starbucks?  Astarte or Astoreth  Goddess of Canaan  To Whom Humans  Were Sacrificed.  Is she still around  Today?

A WIFE FOR ISAAC  Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness… wherefore come out from among them and be separate, saith the Lord… 2 Corinthians 6:14-18

The Object of Marriage  "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh." Genesis 2:24

The Object of Marriage  Within marriage God is seeking:  “a godly offspring”Malachi 2:15  A “mixed” marriage would not produce a “godly offspring”

Human Marriage  Is a type or model of......Christ and his Bride

SPIRITUAL APPLICATION  The Bride of Christ  For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 1 Corinthians 11:2

SPIRITUAL APPLICATION  The Bride of Christ  Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; Ephesians 5:25

SPIRITUAL APPLICATION  The Bride of Christ  Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. Revelation 19:7

Abraham’s Plan  And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh: And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell Genesis 24:2-3

ABRAHAM’S FAITH  The LORD God of heaven, which took me from my father's house, and from the land of my kindred, and which spake unto me, and that sware unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land; he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence. Genesis 24:7

THE FAITHFUL MESSENGER Eliezer of Damascus  Find a wife for Isaac  not take a wife of Canaan  Find a wife from among the family of Abraham in Haran  Expect God’s blessing and guidance

THE FAITHFUL MESSENGER  Eliezer of Damascus And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his master were in his hand: and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor. Genesis 24:10

A Wife for Isaac… Haran/ Nahor

THE FAITHFUL MESSENGER  Eliezer of Damascus And he said, "O LORD, God of my master Abraham, grant me success today, I pray thee, and show steadfast love to my master Abraham. Genesis 24:12

The Servant’s Faith  Eliezer’s prayer is answered.

Another Prayer...  "And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I being in the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master’s brethren.“ Genesis 24:27

In the Way...  First use “the way of the tree of life” – used in the context of both blocking and preserving  The “way of the Lord” denotes the way that is right in the sight of God  Similar phrases: Living way Way of life  All figures of a life that will result in the gift of eternal life

Rebekah’s Faith  The Bride of Christ  And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go. Genesis 24:58

A Family of Faith  "Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceedeth from the LORD: we cannot speak unto thee bad or good. Behold, Rebekah is before thee, take her, and go, and let her be thy master’s son’s wife, as the LORD hath spoken." Genesis 24:50-51

The Journey home The blessing on Rebekah  "And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them." Genesis 24:60

Isaac meets Rebekah  Isaac is in the fields at dusk, meditating / praying  He sees the returning camel train  Rebekah sees Isaac and veils herself for the meeting

The Bride and Groom  Isaac takes Rebekah to his mother’s tent  He “loved her and was comforted after his mother’s death.”

SOME LESSONS FOR US  Abraham’s descendants must make wise marriages  Wife from among his own people  God will bless a union entered into with care and prayer  Isaac and Rebekah’s marriage is a pattern or “type” of the church’s union with Christ

Learn to Read the Bible Effectively Genesis Seminar Week 5 # 17 Seeking a Wife for Isaac # 18 Death and Family Conflict # 19 Seeking the Blessing # 20Seeking Another Wife

JACOB AND ESAU  And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger. Genesis 25:23

JACOB AND ESAU  And the boys grew:  Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field  Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents. Genesis 25:27  Jacob: a “plain man” Complete Pious or upright Gentle

JACOB AND ESAU  And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright. Genesis 25:33,34

JACOB AND ESAU  Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. Hebrews 12:16,17

JACOB AND ESAU  Disguised as his brother Esau, Jacob enters Isaac’s tent and by subtlety obtains the blessing

Jacob Receives the Blessing  May God grant...  The dew of heaven  May other nations bow down to you  Cursed is every one who curses you

Jacob Receives the Blessing  What did the blessings include?  Natural blessings  The only reference to the covenant that God made to Abraham was in the reference to cursing  The descendant, the land, etc are not mentioned!

Esau’s Blessing  He would: Live away from fertile places Live away from the dew of heaven Live by the sword Serve his brother Break his brother’s yoke from his neck

The Result...  So Esau bore a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him; and Esau said to himself, “The days of mourning for my father are near; then I will kill my brother Jacob.” Genesis 27:41

The Outcome...  Rebekah hears of Esau’s hatred and plan  She arranges for Jacob to go to her brother, Laban who lives in Haran  Rebekah presents her plan to Isaac and he agrees

LESSONS FOR US  Jacob “seed of the woman”  Esau “seed of the serpent”  Christ will be made God’s “firstborn”  Esau lost his future because the only thing that mattered to him was the present

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