Why Waste Time When You Know What God Wants

Abraham’s servant and Rebekah’s family celebrated her engagement to Isaac.  Having accomplished his purpose in going, the servant was ready to leave, as Genesis 24:54-56 explains.  “And they did eat and drink, he and the men that were with him, and tarried all night; and they rose up in the morning, and he said, Send me away unto my master.  And her brother and her mother said, Let the damsel abide with us a few days, at the least ten; after that she shall go  And he said unto them, Hinder me not, seeing the LORD hath prospered my way; send me away that I may go to my master..” While they were excited for her, it suddenly dawned on her family that they might not see her again.  They wanted to prolong the celebration.   

In an effort to prevent conflict they suggested they ask Rebekah what she wanted in Genesis 24:57-58.  “And they said, We will call the damsel, and inquire at her mouth.  And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.”  Rebekah was excited about going and didn’t see any point in waiting another ten days.  Like the servant, she believed God had directed and wanted to finish what God was leading her to do.    The family yielded to her wishes, sending her on her way in Genesis 24:59-61.  “And they sent away Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham's servant, and his men.  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.  And Rebekah arose, and her damsels, and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man: and the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.”  They blessed her, asking that God give her a strong and plentiful family, without wasting more time. 

Isaac was not living with his father, but had established his own place.  With no one to talk to, he had gone out to walk and think about things the day that Rebekah and the servant arrived. According to Genesis 24:62-66.  “And Isaac came from the way of the well Lahairoi; for he dwelt in the south country.   And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels were coming.  And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel.  For she had said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, It is my master: therefore she took a veil, and covered herself.  And the servant told Isaac all things that he had done.” 

Though she had agreed to marry Isaac, Rebekah had never met him, and she was a shy at first around him.  After the servant explained what God had done the shyness went away, and they accepted each other as husband and wife without further ado, in Genesis 24:67.  “And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.”  There was no formal wedding celebration mentioned, just a clear intention by both to be husband and wife, recognized by both families.   I Corinthians 6:13-17 tells us, “…Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.  And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power.  Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.  What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.  But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.”  By coming together sexually we form that marriage bond, even when it is for the purpose of prostitution.  Though there was not a formal wedding, Isaac and Rebekah were married.  For three years, Isaac had missed his mother, but when Rebekah came into his life, his focus changed and he stopped mourning his mother.