Never is that more apparent than in our study this week. Without a doubt, our scriptural sister, Rebekah, was - IN and OF herself - a bundle of contradictions. We will view four separate "portraits" of Rebekah's multi-faceted persona:
- Rebekah's Proposal
- Rebekah's Parenting
- Rebekah's Prejudice
- Rebekah's Pain
As women, most of us like a love story that begins well. Rebekah's love story began AT A WELL!
Let's get the "setting" in our minds - Abraham's beloved Sarah had died and his son of promise, Isaac, was nearing the Big 4-0. Abraham knew the time had come for the next generation to be established and he desired that Isaac have a wife from his own God-fearing family line - not from the pagan nations he lived among. These were the days before "match.com" so Abraham called his most highly trusted servant to him and gave him the task of securing a bride for his son. The task came with very specific instructions and with the assurance of divine guidance. "The Lord, the God of heaven ... he will send his angel before you so that you can get a wife for my son from there." Gen. 24:7
"The servant took ten of his master's camels and left." Gen. 24:10 They were traveling in style. Now, it probably doesn't sound all that stylin' to us ... we'd probably prefer a limo with air conditioning and a fridge in the backseat ... but in Abraham's day, a caravan of 10 camels dispatched to cart supplies across the harsh desert terrain and then bring back a bride and her servants, would have been an extravagant display of wealth. [It reminds me of how Roy and I know there will probably be a "big name" celebrity playing at the coliseum every time we see a large private jet at the local airport a mile or so from our house. This weekend it was Rascal Flatts.]
The journey from Canaan to Abraham's old stomping grounds in Haran would have been about 500 miles. And not an easy trek by any stretch of the imagination. When the servant and the men traveling with him reached Haran he had the camels kneel down near the well outside of town. They arrived toward evening, the time the women would go out to the well to draw water. (Gen. 24:11)
The servant prayed a very specific prayer. I like that. Don't you? He'd been assured by Abraham that the God of heaven would guide him to the right person for Isaac. And I think this servant knew his master's God well enough to know that he could petition Him with specifics and expect specific results. "May it be that when I say to a girl, 'Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,' and she says, 'Drink, and I'll water your camels too' - let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac." Genesis 24:14
A young woman pouring a drink for a weary traveler would have been fairly commonplace, given the importance of hospitality in the ancient world. But a young woman who would offer to water ten thirsty camels? Well. That would not only require a very gracious and generous young woman but also a miracle of God. Why a miracle?
Well, you may be like me, and have always just pictured this well like a "wishing well" with pulleys and buckets. But from what I learned from several commentators, that probably was not the case. In all likelihood it would have been a spring-fed well that could be reached only by descending a flight of broad stone steps circling deep below ground. Some of these wells were as deep as 140 feet! After descending these steps, the women would fill their clay jars with about three gallons of water, and climb back up those steps, being careful not to spill a single precious drop. Water was too hard to come by in the desert.
Let's do some math . . . Each thirsty camel could probably drink about 25 gallons of water. 25 gallons times 10 camels = 250 gallons of water. Rebekah could draw about 3 gallons of water per trip; so how many trips down the steps of the well and back up to the surface would Rebekah have to make to water the camels? 250 divided by 3 = approximately 84 trips!! See why it would take a "miracle of God" for a young woman to offer such a thing. Yet, scripture tells us that is exactly what she did! "She quickly emptied her jar into the trough, ran back to the well to draw more water, and drew enough for all his camels." Gen. 24:20
The servant thanked her with some impressive jewelry. Enough that she would have known she'd correctly judged this caravan to belong to a wealthy man. In fact, the bracelets that he placed on her wrists were probably worth a whole year's wages! Rebekah answered the servant's questions about her family and extended their hospitality. After all those trips up and down the steps of the well, she still had enough energy left to run - "The girl ran and told her mother's household about these things." Genesis 24:28 Liz Curtis Higgs says: "Rebekah still had enough energy to dash home, jingling her bling for all to see."
The servant unfolded for Rebekah's family
- why he had come [to find a bride for his master's son]
- who had sent him [their very own uncle - Abraham]
- how God directed him to Rebekah [the miraculous answered prayer]
- what he wanted [Rebekah to return with him to marry Isaac]
- when [the very next morning]
And he gifted them with costly gifts from his master's coffers. But Rebekah's family left the final decision up to her. In an era when women were traded like livestock, it's remarkable that they considered her wishes. But they did. "So they called Rebekah and asked her, 'Will you go with this man?' 'I will go,' she said." Genesis 24:58
Scripture has already told us our sister, Rebekah, was beautiful and chaste. We have seen her generous and hospitable nature displayed; to say nothing of her physical fitness and strength. Now we see another glimpse of our famous sister. She is bold and decisive.
Just like her future father-in-law had been many years before, Rebekah was willing to make a journey of faith. Her strong body had carried her up and down the steps of the well and her strength of character had impressed Abraham's servant. Her strong courage made it possible for her to say "I will go," leave her family and not look back. Our sister, Rebekah was a strong woman, no doubt about it.
She was a real "Steel Magnolia" if there ever was one. God has gifted many of us with strength of character... with strong faith ... with strong courage ... and even with a strong will. If we use our strength to barrel through life and ignore the needs of others; then, our strength is not a good thing. But if we use our strength for the benefit of those around us and for the glory of the Lord, that's what God intended.
As the years passed, Rebekah's strengths were allowed to grow unchecked. Eventually her strengths became her weaknesses. Oh girls! The same can happen SO easily to you and me! Having a mind of our own is good; but seeking the mind of Christ is essential. When we pursue goals outside those God lays before us; it is to our own detriment. When we step on or over others to get what we want, we will never be the woman God created us to be.
Thank God today for the strength He has given you. Determine to use your strength(s) to glorify HIM and Him alone!
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