Lessons Learned: Rebekah

The following is Rebekah’s story.  It is taken from Genesis chapters 24 to 27.  All scripture in the story is in italics and is taken from the New Living Translation.  The background to the story starts with Abraham. 

Abraham and Sarah had a son, Issac, when they were nearly 100 years old.  People lived a lot longer those days.  Abraham had moved from the region of Mesopotamia to Canaan, about 500 miles away before his son Issac was born.  Abraham still had family in Mesopotamia, mainly the city of Nahor in the country Haran.  When Issac was about 40 years old Abraham’s wife Sarah died.  Abraham sent his trusted servant Eliezer to Mesopotamia to find Issac a wife from his relatives living there.  Abraham made Eliezer swear he would bring back a wife for Issac from his own people.  Eliezer took an oath he would, but the oath would be null if the girl refused to go back with Eliezer.  Eliezer took ten camels and a few men with him.  Rebekah’s story starts at a well in Nahor.

Rebekah’s Story

Well it is time to go to the well to draw water for the evening.  I had better hurry so I can get my water before the other women get there.  They are such gossips.  They know I am already twenty years old and am not married.  I have not met Mr. Right yet.  My brother Laban does not like any would be suitors who have come to call.  I have not been impressed with any of them either.  Maybe someone from out of town will find their way to Nahor and find their way into my heart.  I just need to trust God to find me a husband.  Better quit daydreaming and get to the well.

Who are these men with the loaded down camels?  The leader seems to be praying.  They look lost.  I should see what they want as they do not look like they mean to harm me.  Ah, the leader is approaching.  He said to me “my name is Eliezer could you please give me a drink of water; I have come a long way today.  Certainly” I said and handed him my jug to drink from and his men.  Then I said, “I’ll draw water for your camels, too, until they have had enough to drink.”  It took several trips to fill the trough, but I did it.  All the camels and men had enough water. 

When the camels were finished drinking Eliezer then gave me a gold ring for my nose and two gold bracelets.  “Whose daughter are you?” he asked. “And please tell me, would your father have any room to put us up for the night?”

24“I am the daughter of Bethuel,” I replied. “My grandparents are Nahor and Milcah. 25Yes, we have plenty of straw and feed for the camels, and we have room for guests.”

The man bowed low and worshiped the Lord. 27“Praise the Lord, the God of my master, Abraham,” he said. “The Lord has shown unfailing love and faithfulness to my master, for he has led me straight to my master’s relatives.”

I ran home to tell everyone.  My brother Laban heard the news and saw my gold ring and bracelets.  He ran to the well to see the men and make sure they knew they were invited.  I hurried up to help the servants get a meal on the table for the men and my family.  The whole time I wondered why Eliezer and his men were here. 

I saw Laban make sure the camels were fed and put in our barn.  He also showed the men their room where they could sleep and made sure they had water to wash their feet.  They came into the dining room and they looked hungry.  Fortunately, dinner was ready.  We place the food on the table for the men.  Eliezer then spoke.

“I don’t want to eat until I have told you why I have come.”

“All right,” Laban said, “tell us.”

34“I am Abraham’s servant,” he explained. 35“And the Lord has greatly blessed my master; he has become a wealthy man. The Lord has given him flocks of sheep and goats, herds of cattle, a fortune in silver and gold, and many male and female servants and camels and donkeys.

36“When Sarah, my master’s wife, was very old, she gave birth to my master’s son, and my master has given him everything he owns. 37And my master made me take an oath. He said, ‘Do not allow my son to marry one of these local Canaanite women. 38Go instead to my father’s house, to my relatives, and find a wife there for my son.’

42“So today when I came to the spring, I prayed this prayer: ‘O Lord, God of my master, Abraham, please give me success on this mission. 43See, I am standing here beside this spring. This is my request. When a young woman comes to draw water, I will say to her, “Please give me a little drink of water from your jug.” 44If she says, “Yes, have a drink, and I will draw water for your camels, too,” let her be the one you have selected to be the wife of my master’s son.’

45“Before I had finished praying in my heart, I saw Rebekah coming out with her water jug on her shoulder. She went down to the spring and drew water. So, I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’ 46She quickly lowered her jug from her shoulder and said, ‘Yes, have a drink, and I will water your camels, too!’ So I drank, and then she watered the camels.

Wow!  He came here to find a wife.  What if God wants me to be the wife of the son of Eliezer’s master?  I left the room.  I was too emotional, I needed to pray, “Lord, lead me in the way You want me to go.”  I always find peace when I pray.  I believe this is what God wants for me.

Then next day Eliezer and his men were ready to return.  Laban wanted me to stay another ten days, but Eliezer was insistent they leave right away.  Laban said they will ask me, so they called me into the room.  “Are you willing to go with this man?” they asked her.

And I replied, “Yes, I will go.”  There!  The decision has been made!  I hurried to pack and to warn my nurse she was going with me.  It will be a long journey.  Before I left Laban prayed a blessing over me.

“Our sister, may you become the mother of many millions! May your descendants be strong

and conquer the cities of their enemies.”

The journey took three weeks to get to Negev.  I asked many questions about Issac, my future husband.  It turns out he is a kind man who loves the Lord as much as I do.  He is wealthy and lives a nomadic lifestyle.  This will get some getting used to as I lived in a house all my life.  Eliezer assured me all my comforts would be met in the tent just like a house.  I am really looking forward to meeting Issac.  God has put love in my heart for him already.  God is so good!

As we neared Negev I saw a man who looked like he was deep in thought, praying.  He looked up and instantly I knew in my heart it was Issac, but I asked Eliezer to be sure.  Sure, enough it was Issac.  I lowered my camel and dismounted.  I covered myself with my veil as a sign of respect to Issac.  Eliezer was excited and told Issac all about the journey to find me.  All we could do was to stare at each other like lovesick teenagers. 

We went to the tents.  Everyone was so excited.  The servants were running around trying to prepare a marriage feast.  My nurse took me to a tent and her and her servants bathe me and helped me put on a beautiful gown.  They put flowers in my hair.  My nurse proclaimed me a beautiful bride.  I was so happy.  God has answered my prayer,

The feast was wonderful.  Issac was so attentive to me needs.  We talked a long time before Issac led me to his mother’s tent.  We found comfort in each other’s arms.  We were blissfully happy for years to come.

But something was missing.  Years sped by and I still did not become pregnant.  I started to wonder if I would ever bare children.  Issac was so understanding.  I could tell he had been praying about it too.  Even though his father took a concubine because his wife Sarah was not getting pregnant, Issac said he never would.  Issac knew God had promised Abraham He would make a great nation of Abrahams descendants.  Issac said to just trust God.  Issac pleaded with God for me to get pregnant.

I was almost forty years old when it finally happened.  I learned I was pregnant.  We were thrilled!   God had answered our prayers.  Oh, what joy to know I was going to be the mother of a great nation.  God keeps His promises!

Toward the end of my pregnancy it began to feel like there was a war going on inside of me.  I did not understand what was going on.  It felt like I was having twins and they were fighting each other.  I prayed to the Lord and He answered me.

23And the Lord told her, “The sons in your womb will become two nations. From the very beginning, the two nations will be rivals. One nation will be stronger than the other; and your older son will serve your younger son.”

Soon after that I did give birth to twin boys.  The first one came out all red and hairy.  We named him Esau.  The second one came on grasping on to his brother’s heel.  We named him Jacob.  My joy was complete!  The boys grew up to be fine men.  Yet they never really got along with each other.  Esau was a mighty hunter.  He would bring home wild game.   Issac loved Esau and the meat he would bring home.  Jacob loved to care for our flocks of sheep and other animals.  I loved Jacob.  I loved Esau too but there was something about Jacob.  He had a special place in my heart.

One day Jacob was cooking some red stew.  He told Jacob to give him some of the red stew.  Jacob said only if Esau would sell him his birthright.  (The first born gets all the property of his father.)  Esau said, “I am about to die if I don’t eat so what good is a birthright?”  After Esau ate the red stew, he was angry, but Jacob just laughed.  He was going to keep what is not his.  I thought about what God had told me years ago.  “One nation will be stronger than the other; and your older son will serve your younger son.”    The two fought much more after that day.

Living in a tent means moving around.  We were always in search of good pasture and plenty of water for our ever-increasing herds.  One year we moved to Al Gerar.  The king of Al Gerar was Abimelech the king of the Philistines.  I guess I was still beautiful at sixty-five years old and Issac was afraid the men of Al Gerar would kill him and take me as their wife.  Therefore, he told everyone I was his sister.  One day king Abimelech saw Issac caressing me.  King Abimelech was angry.  10“How could you do this to us?” Abimelech exclaimed. “One of my people might easily have taken your wife and slept with her, and you would have made us guilty of great sin.”  11Then Abimelech issued a public proclamation: “Anyone who touches this men or his wife will be put to death!”

We stayed there another year, but our crops and herds grew so much King Abimelech asked us to leave the area.  We moved several times before we found a place we could settle.  It was called Beersheba.  Here the Lord appeared to Issac and renewed His vow to make Issac a great nation.

When Issac was nearing the end of his life he asked Esau to go out and kill some game and prepare it so Issac could give Esau his blessing.  I overheard this and thought Jacob should have the blessing not Esau.  After all it was God who said the older will serve the younger and Esau did sell Jacob his birthright for a bowl of red stew.  I hurried and told Jacob everything I heard.  I had a plan.  Issac was almost blind.  If Jacob prepares some lamb and brings it to Issac, Issac will never know.  We must hurry.  I will take the sheep skin and cover Jacob’s arms and neck.  Esau is a hairy man so we must fool Issac.  At first Jacob protested but he finally gave in.  A meal was hastily prepared, and Jacob put some of Esau’s clothes on so he would smell like Esau.  Jacob went into his fathers’ tent and received Issac’s blessing.

28“From the dew of heaven and the richness of the earth, may God always give you abundant harvests of grain and bountiful new wine. 29May many nations become your servants,

and may they bow down to you. May you be the master over your brothers, and may your mother’s sons bow down to you. All who curse you will be cursed, and all who bless you will be blessed.”

Later, Esau returned to Issac’s test to get the blessing, but it was too late!  Esau was so angry I feared for Jacob’s life.  I sent Jacob to my brother Laban’s house.  I told Issac it was to find a wife.  Jacob did not return.  I waited every day for him to come back but I became too old.  I guess God know where he is and what he is doing.  I am going to leave Jacob in God’s hands.  I have always known I can trust God.

Lessons Learned from Rebekah

Trust is the one word which comes to mind throughout Rebekah’s story.  Rebekah knew she could trust God with all her needs and desires.  She trusted God for a husband and for children.  She trusted God when He said the older will serve the younger.  She may have fooled Issac but maybe that was how God intended the blessing of Jacob to happen.  Jacob went on to marry, not one, but two of Laban’s daughters.  God changed Jacob’s name to Israel.   One of Jacob’s sons was named Judah.  From Judah comes King David and our Lord Jesus, God’s Son.  God had a plan for Rebekah to be the mother of a great nation, Israel, and ultimately Jesus.  Rebekah trusted God.  Do you trust Him with your life?

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