God appointed marriage
by Ivan Ho 16 Sept 2021
The Bible is full of principles and patterns especially the book of Genesis. If we follow these principles and patterns we will be successful.
Let’s look at the story of Abraham’s servant looking for a wife for his master’s son Issac (Genesis 24).
1. Abraham commanded his servant not to look amongst women in the land of Canaan, that he should look for the woman who carried the same DNA of God’s people.
So Abraham said to the oldest servant of his house, who ruled over all that he had, “Please, put your hand under my thigh, and I will make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell; but you shall go to my country and to my family, and take a wife for my son Isaac.”
Genesis 24:2-4 NKJV
2. Abraham told his servant to look for the woman who was willing to leave her household to join with her husband, the woman who was willing to follow God’s plan for her husband rather than her own dreams. Issac must not leave his place to pursue the woman who was unwilling to follow.
And the servant said to him, “Perhaps the woman will not be willing to follow me to this land. Must I take your son back to the land from which you came?” But Abraham said to him, “Beware that you do not take my son back there. The Lord God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my family, and who spoke to me and swore to me, saying, ‘To your descendants I give this land,’ He will send His angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there. And if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be released from this oath; only do not take my son back there.”
Genesis 24:5-8 NKJV
3. The servant prayed to God for guidance before he set out on his assignment. He prayed that God would grant him success and show him the woman who was appointed by God to be Issac’s wife, not just anyone who looked cute. He was looking for the woman whom God has chosen for Issac to compliment His covenant with Abraham.
Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed, for all his master’s goods were in his hand. And he arose and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor. And he made his camels kneel down outside the city by a well of water at evening time, the time when women go out to draw water. Then he said, “O Lord God of my master Abraham, please give me success this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham. Behold, here I stand by the well of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. Now let it be that the young woman to whom I say, ‘Please let down your pitcher that I may drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink’—let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. And by this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master.”
Genesis 24:10-14 NKJV
4. Rebekah was responsive when the servant asked her to fetch him some water. She went the extra mile to fetch water for the camels as well. Little did she know, her responsiveness was the passcode for her destiny.
And it happened, before he had finished speaking, that behold, Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, came out with her pitcher on her shoulder. Now the young woman was very beautiful to behold, a virgin; no man had known her. And she went down to the well, filled her pitcher, and came up. And the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please let me drink a little water from your pitcher.” So she said, “Drink, my Lord.” Then she quickly let her pitcher down to her hand, and gave him a drink. And when she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking.” Then she quickly emptied her pitcher into the trough, ran back to the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels.
Genesis 24:15-20 NKJV
5. The servant immediately identified the woman of God’s choice and did not waste time to look for other possible candidates.
So it was, when the camels had finished drinking, that the man took a golden nose ring weighing half a shekel, and two bracelets for her wrists weighing ten shekels of gold, and said, “Whose daughter are you? Tell me, please, is there room in your father’s house for us to lodge?” So she said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, Milcah’s son, whom she bore to Nahor.” Moreover she said to him, “We have both straw and feed enough, and room to lodge.” Then the man bowed down his head and worshiped the Lord. And he said, “Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His mercy and His truth toward my master. As for me, being on the way, the Lord led me to the house of my master’s brethren.”
Genesis 24:22-27 NKJV
6. The servant followed the protocols to seek permission from Rebekah’s immediate family before taking her back to be Issac’s wife.
So the young woman ran and told her mother’s household these things. Now Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban, and Laban ran out to the man by the well.
Genesis 24:28-29 NKJV
And I bowed my head and worshiped the Lord, and blessed the Lord God of my master Abraham, who had led me in the way of truth to take the daughter of my master’s brother for his son. Now if you will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me. And if not, tell me, that I may turn to the right hand or to the left.”
Genesis 24:48-49 NKJV
7. The people related to Rebekah could see God’s will in the matter and gave their blessings for Rebekah to go back with the servant to be Issac’s wife, “as the Lord has spoken“.
Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, “The thing comes from the Lord; we cannot speak to you either bad or good. Here is Rebekah before you; take her and go, and let her be your master’s son’s wife, as the Lord has spoken.”
Genesis 24:50-51 NKJV
8. The woman was willing to follow God’s destiny for her life and went on the journey even though she has never met Issac before. Not only was she responsive, she was a woman of faith. Not only was she willing, she immediately arose and took the step of faith to follow her God given destiny.
So they said, “We will call the young woman and ask her personally.” Then they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” And she said, “I will go.” So they sent away Rebekah their sister and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant and his men. And they blessed Rebekah and said to her: “Our sister, may you become The mother of thousands of ten thousands; And may your descendants possess The gates of those who hate them.” Then Rebekah and her maids arose, and they rode on the camels and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and departed.
Genesis 24:57-61 NKJV
9. Just as God brought Eve to Adam, He brought Rebekah to Issac. Godly marriages are appointed by God.
And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent; and he took Rebekah and she became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.
Genesis 24:66-67 NKJV