The Obedient Servant

Sarah had died when Isaac was thirty seven, and Abraham was a hundred when Isaac was born, and A couple of years after Sarah’s death, Abraham became concerned about Isaac’s future,   Isaac had never been around people of his own race and religious beliefs to meet a woman with similar customs and standards.  It is difficult to make a marriage work when people have similar customs and standards, but it becomes much more difficult when the customs, standards, or beliefs create conflict.  

Since there was no way either Abraham or Isaac could take months away from their cattle business to go out and try to find a wife of similar background, Abraham decided to send his most trusted servant back to Haran where his relatives could help find a woman with similar beliefs and standards.  Genesis 24:1-8 describes his instructions to the servant.  “And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.  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: But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac.

And the servant said unto him, Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land: must I needs bring thy son again unto the land from whence thou camest?

And Abraham said unto him, Beware thou that thou bring not my son thither again.  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.  And if the woman will not be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my oath: only bring not my son thither again.”

Abraham was very rich and he was concerned that If Isaac went back, he might well fall for some girl who was only interested in his money or get caught up in living the city lifestyle and not want to return to the livestock business, much as Lot had done, forgetting about the Lord.   If the servant could not find a girl who was willing to take the chance, he was not to take Isaac back to Haran. 

The servant agreed to do his best to fulfill the commission, in Genesis 24:9-11.  “And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and sware to him concerning that matter.  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.  And he made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, even the time that women go out to draw water.” 

Since they had to physically carry the water, the women tended to wait until it started cooling off in the evening to go for it.  It also gave them a chance to visit with the other women when most of their work was done.  The well was a perfect place for the servant to observe and meet the young women and girls from Haran.  He prayed for God to direct him to the right girl, in Genesis 24:12-14.  “And he said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and show kindness unto my master Abraham.  Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water: And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast showed kindness unto my master.” 

The servant asked that God show him a girl who was polite and friendly, and a willing worker.  A camel can drink up to fifteen gallons at one time, and he had ten of them.  It would be a major job to carry that much water.  While many of them might give him a drink, few would offer to water the camels.  A woman who would do so would definitely not be lazy, or greedy for money, and thus would be worth consideration. 

The very first girl he asked for a drink was a girl named Rebekah, as Genesis 24:15-27 tells us.   “And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder.  And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her: and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up.  And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher.

And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink.  And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw water for thy camels also, until they have done drinking.  And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels.  And the man wondering at her held his peace, to wit whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not.

And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold; And said, Whose daughter art thou? tell me, I pray thee: is there room in thy father's house for us to lodge in?

And she said unto him, I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, which she bare unto Nahor.  She said moreover unto him, We have both straw and provender enough, and room to lodge in.

And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the LORD.  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.”

The servant worshipped God, bowing down and recognizing his power to bring him so quickly to the right girl.  Not only had she done the things he had asked as a sign, she was beautiful, and was related to Abraham’s family. Their customs and practices would be very similar, and visiting in their home would give him a chance to get to know the family and observe how she got along with other people.  The servant had simply gone where he was directed, and God had blessed his obedience.   
Sometimes he surprises us with how quickly it happens, while other times we may have to wait for years for the results, but he always blesses when we obey.