A Bride for Isaac
Genesis 24:1-67:: New King James Version (NKJV)
10-24-21
Recap
Lot left Abraham
Lot’s Captivity and Rescue
God makes a promise to Abraham
Hagar and Ishmael
Abraham Bargains with God
Sodom and Gomorrah the city and destruction
Isaac Is Born
Abraham Offers Isaac for a Burnt Offering
TODAY
A Bride for Isaac
Genesis 24:1-67:: New King James Version (NKJV)
10-24-21
ATTENTION GRABBER!
Seek and Find
Use blow pops, Hide these around the classroom prior to the arrival of your class. Instruct them to find hidden lollipops in the classroom.
Discuss how God supplies for our specific needs for food, clothing, and shelter.
He even supplies your spouses, like your husband or wife.
LESSON TIME!
Abraham was getting old and his son Isaac was not yet married. Abraham wanted to make sure that Isaac had a godly wife.
As we read today’s lesson we will see a beautiful picture of how God provides.
We can trust Him for everything.
God promises in the Bible that He will take care of His children—
All those who have put their trust in Him, including you and me.
Genesis 24
A Bride for Isaac
1 Now Abraham was old, well advanced in age; and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things. 2 So Abraham said to the oldest servant of his house, who ruled over all that he had, “Please, put your hand under my thigh, 3 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; 4 but you shall go to my country and to my family, and take a wife for my son Isaac.”
Abraham sent his most trusted servant back to Abraham's own country to find a bride for Isaac.
Isaac was now forty years old.
Abraham made his servant swear that he would not find a bride from among the Canaanites, but rather from his own relatives.
Abraham was concerned about having a bride from his own people? He was concerned that the Canaanites worshipped pagan gods.
Throughout the Bible, we see a separation between God’s people and the world,
Those who serve God and those who serve idols.
It is a reminder that we are to be a Holy people.
We live in this world, but it should never mark who we are.
We need to be different people who reflect the light and life of Jesus Christ.
5 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?”
6 But Abraham said to him, “Beware that you do not take my son back there. 7 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. 8 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.”
Abraham insisted that Isaac stay in Canaan.
He assured his servant that God would prosper his mission and that God's angel would go before him.
If the servant could not get the woman to go with him, he was released from his duty.
It was important to Abraham that Isaac not go back to his father’s homeland because he knew the call that God had on his life.
He was to become a great nation.
The land of Canaan was the Promised Land that the descendants of Abraham would be given.
If Isaac were to travel back to where his relatives lived, he might be tempted to settle there and God’s plan and purpose would not be fulfilled.
We need to be careful to make sure we understand what God’s plan is for us and then move forward in that plan.
We need to trust that God will meet all of our needs along the way just as Abraham had faith in God.
What are some ways we can know God’s will?
Discuss the difference between needs and wants. Explain that it is okay to pray for both but important to know the difference.
9 So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master and swore to him concerning this matter.
10 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. 11 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. 12 Then he said, “O LORD God of my master Abraham, please give me success this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham. 13 Behold, here I stand by the well of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. 14 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.”
Abraham’s servant traveled to Mesopotamia and then prayed to God for success in his mission.
He trusted in God to bring the right woman;
He prayed specifically so that he could know it was God answering his prayer.
We, too, can trust God to answer our prayers.
Remember when Isaac was born Abraham was 99 years old and now Isaac was 40 years old so Abraham would be 139 years old.
15 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. 16 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. 17 And the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please let me drink a little water from your pitcher.”
18 So she said, “Drink, my lord.” Then she quickly let her pitcher down to her hand and gave him a drink. 19 And when she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw water for your camels also until they have finished drinking.”
Rebekah came out to fetch water for the household.
Rebekah was Abraham's nephew's daughter.
No sooner did Abraham's servant pray than his prayer was answered.
Rebekah did all that Abraham's servant had asked God that the chosen woman would do.
Was God faithful?
20 Then she quickly emptied her pitcher into the trough, ran back to the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels. 21 And the man, wondering at her, remained silent so as to know whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not.
22 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, 23 and said, “Whose daughter are you? Tell me, please, is there room in your father’s house for us to lodge?” 24 So she said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, Milcah’s son, whom she bore to Nahor.” 25 Moreover she said to him, “We have both straw and feed enough, and room to lodge.”
26 Then the man bowed down his head and worshiped the LORD.
Abraham’s servant gave Rebekah gifts to show his good intentions and then asked who she was.
When Abraham's servant realized she was part of Abraham’s family, he knew his prayers had been answered and he worshipped God.
May we remember to give thanks for God’s faithfulness in answering our prayers!
He wants us to have a heart of Thanksgiving and praise.
Not in just the times we think are good but in everything.
The bible says it is the will of God.
27 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.” 28 So the young woman ran and told her mother’s household these things. 29 Now Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban, and Laban ran out to the man by the well. 30 So it came to pass when he saw the nose ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s wrists, and when he heard the words of his sister Rebekah, saying, “Thus the man spoke to me,” that he went to the man. And there he stood by the camels at the well. 31 And he said, “Come in, O blessed of the LORD! Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house and a place for the camels.” 32 Then the man came to the house. And he unloaded the camels and provided straw and feed for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him. 33 Food was set before him to eat, but he said, “I will not eat until I have told about my errand.” And he said, “Speak on.”
Abraham’s servant went to Rebekah's home where he was treated very well.
He told Rebekah's family how he was sent to find Isaac a bride and how the Lord revealed Rebekah was to be that bride.
34 So he said, “I am Abraham’s servant. 35 The LORD has blessed my master greatly, and he has become great; and He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys. 36 And Sarah my master’s wife bore a son to my master when she was old, and to him, he has given all that he has. 37 Now my master made me swear, saying, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell; 38 but you shall go to my father’s house and to my family, and take a wife for my son.’ 39 And I said to my master, ‘Perhaps the woman will not follow me.’ 40 But he said to me, ‘The LORD, before whom I walk, will send His angel with you and prosper your way; and you shall take a wife for my son from my family and from my father’s house. 41 You will be clear from this oath when you arrive among my family; for if they will not give her to you, then you will be released from my oath.’ 42 “And this day I came to the well and said, ‘O LORD God of my master Abraham, if You will now prosper the way in which I go, 43 behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall come to pass that when the virgin comes out to draw water, and I say to her, “Please give me a little water from your pitcher to drink,” 44 and she says to me, “Drink, and I will draw for your camels also,”—let her be the woman whom the LORD has appointed for my master’s son.’
45 “But before I had finished speaking in my heart, there was Rebekah, coming out with her pitcher on her shoulder; and she went down to the well and drew water. And I said to her, ‘Please let me drink.’ 46 And she made haste and let her pitcher down from her shoulder, and said, ‘Drink, and I will give your camels a drink also.’ So I drank, and she gave the camels a drink also. 47 Then I asked her, and said, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ And she said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bore to him.’ So I put the nose ring on her nose and the bracelets on her wrists. 48 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. 49 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.” 50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, “The thing comes from the LORD; we cannot speak to you either bad or good. 51 Here is Rebekah before you; take her and go, and let her be your master’s son’s wife, as the LORD has spoken.” 52 And it came to pass, when Abraham’s servant heard their words, that he worshiped the LORD, bowing himself to the earth. 53 Then the servant brought out jewelry of silver, jewelry of gold, and clothing, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious things to her brother and to her mother. 54 And he and the men who were with him ate and drank and stayed all night. Then they arose in the morning, and he said, “Send me away to my master.” 55 But her brother and her mother said, “Let the young woman stay with us a few days, at least ten; after that, she may go.” 56 And he said to them, “Do not hinder me, since the LORD has prospered my way; send me away so that I may go to my master.” 57 So they said, “We will call the young woman and ask her personally.” 58 Then they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” And she said, “I will go.” 59 So they sent away Rebekah their sister and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant and his men.
Rebekah’s family did not want her to go right away, but she was given the final decision.
She decided to go.
She was about to go to another country to live with people she had never even met before.
She would have to trust in the Lord completely.
She must have realized that the God who clearly called her to be Isaac’s bride would certainly take care of her.
We need to trust the Lord in everything.
We may be uncertain of what lays ahead just as Rebekah, but we do know that God will protect us and provide in our life.
May we like Rebekah be willing to set off on new adventures of faith?
Remember God told Abraham to leave his country too.
60 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.”
61 Then Rebekah and her maids arose, and they rode on the camels and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and departed. 62 Now Isaac came from the way of Beer Lahai Roi, for he dwelt in the South. 63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field in the evening; and he lifted his eyes and looked, and there, the camels were coming. 64 Then Rebekah lifted her eyes, and when she saw Isaac she dismounted from her camel; 65 for she had said to the servant, “Who is this man walking in the field to meet us?” The servant said, “It is my master.” So she took a veil and covered herself. 66 And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. 67 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.
Isaac was in the field praying when Abraham's servant came.
He was not anxious; he was seeking the Lord and His will.
Then Rebekah became his wife, and he loved her.
We learn from this story that God is faithful to those who trust Him and commit their ways to Him.
We also learn to ask God specifically for our needs and to thank Him when He answers.
We can also see a picture of Jesus in this story. God the Father sent the Holy Spirit to bring His Son a bride—the church! Just like Rebekah, the church is to be pure, have a servant's heart, and be prepared for Jesus.
Just as Isaac was praying, Jesus is praying for us until we are with Him.
Jesus is like Isaac, but even more so, in His love for us (His bride) and desire that we live with Him eternally.
In His great love, He laid down His life to purchase salvation for us all.
MEMORY VERSE
ISAIAH 62:5b "...as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.”
PRAYER
Lead the children in prayer for specific needs.
Ask the children to share prayer requests and pray for them right then and there.
If there are any children who have not yet responded to the Gospel, give them the opportunity to do so.
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