Bibledoorajar speaks of joy and sorrow

     "Something beautiful, something good;

All my confusion He understood..."

 Gloria Gaither

The Bible reports that Isaac loved Rebecca and it was in his marriage arranged by his father that he was comforted in the loss of his mother Sarah. Thank God that Isaac was a man who knew how to receive the good provided by his father. Isaac was lonely and needed comfort, but he did not strike out on his own to meet his needs. He patiently waited for what the father would bring to him. He received this wife from his father as he had received all the rest of his inheritance. And in the receiving, he was comforted. Now, in his tent there was someone to talk to. There was someone to share his sorrows and his joys in an intimate fashion. There was someone who cared enough to present him with a meal and to meet other needs of everyday life that he might have. He did not have to force a future on himself, it had been provided for him and there she was with him. He was forty years old when he took Rebecca to be his. The forty years of waiting for his future were over. The father's grace that had brought him into the fullness of this time was completed and he would now begin a period of revival and renewal. Isaac had a new future that would include increase and so now Abraham busied himself with a new wife (Keturah)  and family of his own.

"In the family lie the seeds of everything

that later sprouts and grows into a

greater family which is called the

nation."

Philaret, Bishop of Moscow Russia

Soon, Isaac and Rebecca were expecting their increase. But something strange was going on within Rebecca's womb. Maybe a midwife would have the answer, but Rebecca took her questions straight to the God of Isaac. After all she was a part of Isaac now and her appeal would be made to the God who had now become her God. God had given her this husband; God would give her her answer.

.."It is His doing that you are united with Jesus. He has become

wisdom for us from God, and righteousness and holiness and redemption as

well!"

1 Corinthians 1:30

"And to as many as did receive Him, to those who put their

trust in His person and power, He gave the right to become

children of God."

John 1: 12-13

Praise God that because of this wonderful relationship that He has given us with His Son, we can approach the Father with all our questions because we are now His children also. "Ain't" good family grand? Amen!!!!

"

Bibledoorajar Sees Isaac's Response

      The servant had served both his master and Rebecca well. He had brought her near to the son. He had not veered from the path that would get her there. She stood on that road and looked ahead and saw the son standing, waiting patiently for her. We have spoken of what she knew as she looked. She saw a man with a great inheritance given to him by his father. She saw a man who had asked her to give up her past and join her life to his sharing this inheritance. She no longer needed to seek him. There he was, she could see him with her own eyes.  Soon she would be joined to him. Perhaps her family's blessing was ringing in her ears: "our sister, may you be the mother of millions, and may your descendants possess the cities of those who hate them" (Genesis 24: 60). Isaac had been about his father's business, living in the Negev at Beer-Lahai-roi. The literal meaning of the name of this town is "the well of the Living One who sees me." It is where, years earlier, Hagar, the mother of Ishmael had met the angel of the Lord. Isaac had been with the Living One. What a man! Now Isaac had returned and looked up and saw the camels coming. Rebecca waits, apparently the servant's report would take precedence over her meeting Isaac. What would the servant have reported? You can think of some of the things that would have said in the full report, but I think the most important thing would have been Rebecca's famous "I wills". When the servant's report was completed, Isaac "brought her to his mother Sarah's tent and took Rebecca, and she became his wife, and he loved her" (Genesis 24:67).
     Clearly Rebecca's journey was an act of faith, but she had also seen and understood some things. She understood that she would be sharing in her husband's inheritance and that her future and that of her children would be tied to him. This had been the blessing as she had left her family. In that tent that day, I bet it was ringing in her ears more loudly than ever.

Bibledoorajar knows how Rebecca Feels

                                                                   Rebecca, a sculpture by Benzoni

And there he was on the horizon. The man whose father had given him everything he had. This man she was going to marry was born in Canaan and had not had to worry about anything. It had all been given to him by his father. Everything in Isaac's life had been given to him for his enjoyment and pleasure. Now, would he enjoy her, this courageous girl, who had traveled so far to be with him? She took her veil and veiled herself. Was this an act of modesty or something else? Over the years this bridal veil tradition has been linked to modesty and purity and I expect that is what was going on in our story too. Some say the veil was put in place so the marriage could be consummated before the guy saw who he was really getting. But, we will try not to be that cynical(although there is another Bible story...). We have every reason to believe that this man who had received everything from his father would be thrilled with the bride the servant was bringing to him. To date, this had been his secret to a good life--just receiving!  Rebecca, along with Isaac, were about to obtain a life together and they had to do nothing but receive it!

There is a mistake that so many of us in the church make. We see the marriage of the Lamb in our future, but we think we must earn it to attain it. We fail to realize that the inheritance from the God of Abraham and Isaac is a gift. God so loved us that He gave. But it is hard to "just receive" a gift isn't it? When someone gives us a nice gift we immediately want to make sure that we have done enough for that person, or have been good enough to that person, to justify the gift. Sometimes we have a very difficult time enjoying the gift because we cannot allow ourselves to believe the gift was simply given out of love. 

Rebecca stood in that field with the servant and decided in her heart that Isaac really wanted her and that the father had really gifted him with her. Similarly we must stand in the field of our hearts and realized that the Servant has brought us to the Son because the Father really wanted to gift us to Him and to Himself. If we have to spend time justifying this event we should think of it this way: I have peace to proceed with this relationship because the Father has justified me through the spilled blood of the Son in whom I have placed my trust. It is a gift to be received. Here's the way the Bible says it:
"So, since we have come to be considered righteous by God because of our trust, let us continue to have peace with God through our Lord, Jesus. Also, through Him and on the ground of our trust, we have gained access to this grace in which we stand...." (Jewish Translation of Rom. 5: 1ff). Like Rebecca we have gained access to a wonderful life. It would be a shame not to enjoy it.

Bibledoorajar Joins in the travel to Isaac

     The servant objected to Rebecca staying another ten days or so with her kindred in her country. Finally the family says well, okay, ask Rebecca. Again comes forth her famous "I will go." It was a brave thing indeed to decide to leave everything she had known before to pursue someone she was just beginning to know a little about. But then, the little she was finding out about this man and his family and his country was very intriguing. A man, Abraham, called to leave his country and kindred just as she was being called. A son born to Abraham and his wife long past regular childbearing years. Had she ever heard of anyone having a baby like that before? The baby had come because of a promise by God and not anything Abraham and Sarah did with their aging bodies.  A promise by God to this initiator, Abraham, that through him would come a great nation.  But then there came a request that Abraham sacrifice this very son from whom would come that great nation. Amazing.  And even more amazing was the report of how the son went willingly with his father without a word of protest. And then, God intervened in the process and Isaac lived. Rebecca did not have to be a "rocket scientist" to ascertain that something very powerful was going on. And the draw to go was "other worldly" too. Must have been a lot of astonishment on the part of Rebecca as she listened and traveled to that far land.

     The caravan drew near and Rebecca noticed a man out in the field. She asked the servant who the man was and he declared that he was Isaac the son of his master. Two things Rebecca already knew about this man she was fixing her gaze on and they were very important. This man, one, knew God, and, two, his life experiences had all been with his father doing only what his father did. He was everything to his father and he was helping his father establish a nation. Accepting this was critical to the process.

"The Son is the radiance of the Father, the very expression of God's essence, upholding all that exists by His powerful word; and after He had, through himself, made purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God. So He has become much better than angels, and the name God has given Him is superior to theirs. For to which of the angels did God ever say, 'You are my Son; today I have become your Father'?" Hebrews 1:3ff.

"Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in that wonderful face...." Helen Limmel

Bibledoorajar Examines the Pull of the Past

The father, Abraham, had made his promise---come and enjoy life with my son, Isaac. The servant had made his appeal on behalf of the two. Rebecca had listened and had accepted the nose-ring and the bracelets. Now the servant faced her family. They listened anew to the servant's story: Rebecca has accepted my master's offer and we must be off as soon as possible!

The family was not mean, but they ask for a delay of about ten days or so. This effort would allow Rebecca to take her eyes off her present and future and concentrate on the glories of her past. The servant recognized the danger of this. Doubts could enter in. She could alter her response. She had said that she would go to Isaac, but her family wished to delay Isaac's taking of her. This, my friends, is an ever present danger for those of us to have accepted the call of a faraway place. The servant could not allow this then and He will not allow it in our lives now. We MUST go with the Servant and allow our "Isaac" to dwell with us and impact our lives. It is more than a call to a great by and by. It is a living relationship. Our being with Christ has to do with living with the attributes of His life and His work, not those worldly, no matter how industrious, works of our past. Jesus put it this way:
       "Abide in Me and I in you....He who abides in Me and I in them will produce much fruit." (John 14:4-5). Being the bride of Christ and sharing in His life, places us squarely in the middle of the most glorious work ever. It was time for Rebecca to leave the past and move into her future. The servant implores that they must be off. The father and the son are expecting them. The same is true for us.

            "This world is not my home, I'm just a passing thru. My treasures are laid up some where
              beyond the blue; The angels beckon me from heaven's open door, And I can't feel at home
              in this world any more.

              They're all expecting me, and that's one thing I know, My Savior pardoned me and now I
              onward go; I know He'll take me thru tho I am weak and poor, And I can't feel at home in
              this world anymore.

              Oh, Lord You know I have no friend like You. If heaven's not my home then Lord what
              will I do; The angels beckon me from heaven's open door, And I can't feel at home in
              this world anymore."

                                                                      Traditional

Bibledoorajar examines power from another world at work

     "Don't you wanna go to that Land? Don't you wanna go to that Land? Don't you wanna go to that Land where I'm bound, where I'm bound?

Nothing but love in that Land. Nothing but love in that Land.  Nothing but love in that Land where I'm bound, where I'm bound.

I've got a Savior in that Land. I've got a Savior in that Land. I've got a Savior in that Land where I'm bound, where I'm bound."

Traditional

"I'm gonna view that Holy City, Oh, I'm gonna view that Holy City one of these days. I'm gonna view that Holy City. I'm gonna view that Holy City, one of these days, one of these days. I'm gonna meet my loving Jesus. Oh, I'm gonna meet my loving Jesus one of these days. I'm gonna meet my loving Jesus, I'm gonna meet my loving Jesus one of these days, one of these days."

Traditional

Rebecca has gone home to tell her family that she has been made an offer which she has found irresistible. Somehow her will had been overcome to the point that she was willing to leave her home and go to one unseen, and, though, unseen, she already had a measure of love for him. Her ears had been opened and she had come alive to the thought of living with Isaac in the land of his father. She has gone to tell her family and Laban is the first to encounter the power that has come over his sister. He immediately knows he is in the presence of a major happening.

Jesus said that all that the Father gave Him would come to Him, and whoever came to Him, He would never cast out (John 6:37). Thank you Holy Spirit for opening our ears and counting us in. We will go.

Bibledoorajar Looks at Matters of the Heart

The girl accepted a nose ring and two arm bracelets made of gold!!! Now this, especially the nose ring part, may be a little hard for a 21st century person to understand. It's a little hard for me to understand as I have a tendency to evaluate it in the light of God having forbidden His people to pierce their bodies. However, this event appears to have had great meaning to both Rebecca and her family so it must have been as an accepted sign as our exchanging of rings today. I heard a preacher say one time that one should think of a farmer bringing home his prize cow via a nose ring, and to think of the bracelets as slave manacles when you read this story. I was offended then,  but now I can accept this imagery because you find illusions in the Song of the bride of Solomon being like "royal horses under control". And there is that O.T. example where the slave takes an ear piercing to show his lifelong devotion to his master (Exodus 21: 5,6). It is imagery and it obviously is meant to carry a great deal of meaning in regard to relationships. I guess the real question for me becomes, am I willing to outwardly show in my behavior that I am totally submitted to my bridegroom, the Lord Jesus Christ? And to that, I want my answer to be a resounding "yes"!

Isaac's bride was special. She was kind, generous and industrious. These are the traits that the Holy Spirit is seeking in a bride for Christ.  The servant spoke only of his master and his son and Rebecca loved them though unseen. Just as the servant was ecstatic with his find, so the Holy Spirit is with those He finds for the Christ, knowing this will please the Father. Rebecca is famous for her two "I wills". Will she go with this man? She will. Will you allow the Holy Spirit to illuminate Jesus in your life to the point that you can only think of going to Him?  Will your answer be "I will"?