Eliezer has just finished telling the tale of how the Lord led him to Rebekah. Now he waits for her family to decide whether they will give her hand in marriage to Isaac.
"Laban and Bethuel answered, 'This is from the Lord; we can say nothing to you one way or the other. Here is Rebekah; take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master's son, as the Lord has directed.'" (Genesis 24:50-51) Her father speaks for the first time in Chapter 24. Up until now her brother Laban has done all the talking, and we aren't sure why. Perhaps he's the best negotiator in the family. Or maybe Bethuel is old or in ill health and Laban is in the process of taking over as head of the family. But after listening to Eliezer's story, both these men are in agreement that it's the Lord's will for Rebekah to become Isaac's wife, so they say something like, "The Lord has decided the matter. We can't object to it. And the Lord certainly doesn't need our help or approval. May it be as He has said."
"When Abraham's servant heard what they said, he bowed down to the ground before the Lord. Then the servant brought out gold and silver jewelry and articles of clothing and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave costly gifts to her brother and to her mother. Then he and the men who were with him ate and drank and spent the night there." (Genesis 24:52-54a) Eliezer presents Rebekah with a beautiful wardrobe in which to make the journey back to Canaan and in which to begin her married life. He also gives expensive gifts to her family to prove the ability of Isaac to provide amply for Rebekah. The sight of these riches comforts her family that she will lack nothing as long as she lives. Also the gold and silver helps to compensate them for the valuable work she will no longer be able to perform in their household. If an extra household servant is needed, they will be able to afford one.
"When they got up the next morning, he said, 'Send me on my way to my master.' But her brother and her mother replied, 'Let the young woman remain with us ten days or so; then you may go.' But he said to them, 'Do not detain me, now that the Lord has granted success to my journey. Send me on my way so I may go to my master.'" (Genesis 24:54b-56) Naturally they are reluctant to let her go. This situation has happened very suddenly from their point of view. God made this plan a long time ago, but to Rebekah's family it's new and unexpected. I picture her mother crying happy tears that Rebekah has made such a good match, but also crying sad tears that her daughter is traveling approximately six hundred miles and she may never see her daughter again. Laban's motivation for delaying the departure may be the same as his mother's, or he may hope that his hesitation will produce more riches from Eliezer to "persuade" him to let Rebekah go.
Rebekah's family expects some reluctance on her part to travel to a land she's never seen and marry a man she's never met, so they suggest leaving the date of departure up to her. "Then they said, 'Let's call the young woman and ask her about it.' So they called Rebekah and asked her, 'Will you go with this man?' 'I will go,' she said." (Genesis 24:57) She's willing to do what the Lord wants and she's willing to do it right now. I believe she has a great deal of trust in the Lord. I can't explain her actions otherwise. I don't get the sense that she's motivated by greed like her brother. Instead there's a calm surrender about her. She believes this is the Lord's plan for her life. Because she believes this, she knows everything will be alright.
"So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way, along with her nurse and Abraham's servant and his men. And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, 'Our sister, may you increase to thousands upon thousands; may your offspring possess the cities of their enemies'. Then Rebekah and her attendants got ready and mounted the camels and went back with the man. So the servant took Rebekah and left." (Genesis 24:59-61) The statement her family makes is prophetic, whether they know it or not. Her offspring will possess the cities of their enemies, just as the Lord promised Abraham in Genesis 22:17.
"Now Isaac had come from Beer Lahai Roi, for he was living in the Negev. He went out to the field one evening to meditate, and as he looked up, he saw camels approaching." (Genesis 24:62-63) Isaac isn't doing yoga out in the field or performing any type of new age meditation. Whenever we see mediation in the Bible, it's focused on the Lord. He's thinking about the Lord, likely in an attitude of thankfulness and submission and supplication. He's pondering all the things the Lord has done for him in the past. He's asking for the Lord's help in the future. He's willing to do whatever the Lord says to do. While he's in this attitude, his bride (for whom he may also have been praying) approaches. If you're single, you need to be praying for your future husband or wife. If any of your children or grandchildren are single, you'll be doing them a great service by praying for their future husbands and wives. The choice of a spouse is one of the most serious decisions a person ever makes in life. A person choosing a spouse needs the Lord's guidance. Marriage isn't easy even when the match is made in heaven. It's much harder when the husband and wife are not well-suited to each other. The Lord knows best about these things and His will should be sought when choosing the person who is to be our partner in life.
At the same moment Isaac sees Rebekah, Rebekah sees him. "Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel and asked the servant, 'Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?'" (Genesis 24:64-65a) I like to imagine her finding Isaac so handsome that she asks her question in an awestruck and hopeful voice. I hear her question in my head like this: "Who is that man?", like, "Wow, who is this hunk?" Isaac, who no doubt knows Eliezer was sent to the suburbs of Ur to find a wife for him, realizes this is his bride, so he starts walking toward her at the same moment she dismounts from the camel. They're gazing into each other's eyes. The Bible has already told us Rebekah is a very beautiful woman, so I tend to think this is a genuine case of love at first sight. It's love at first sight not simply because these two young people find each other attractive, but because they know the Lord's stamp of approval is on their union. Here is the person each of them is meant to be with. What an exciting moment this must have been!
"'He is my master,' the servant answered. So she took her veil and covered herself." (Genesis 24:65b) Though it was customary for godly women of the Bible to wear a veil over their hair as a symbol of being a woman who submits to the Lord's authority, Rebekah is from an area where this may not have been a custom. Her hometown lay on the outskirts of Ur where the attitude was "anything goes", so she may not have traditionally worn a veil there. Or maybe it was too warm on the journey to wear a head covering and she had removed it. But now, like any beautiful bride about to walk down the aisle to meet her husband, she applies her veil. When I was getting dressed for my wedding, the veil was the final accessory I put on. Once I had done that, I was ready to go.
"Then the servant told Isaac all he had done." (Genesis 24:66) Eliezer gets to tell the story again of how the Lord led him to Rebekah.
"Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah, and he married Rebekah. So she became his wife, and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death." (Genesis 24:66-67) In the Bible days a man didn't usually court a woman for a long time before marriage. In some cases, like the one here in Chapter 24, the marriages were arranged and the bride and groom didn't know each other very well, if at all. Courting took place after the marriage, and I can't help wondering if marriages of today would be better if the husband and wife continued to court each other for the rest of their lives. Too often we see the attitude of, "Now I've got her," or, "Now I've got him," and one or both of them stop trying very hard. Isaac married Rebekah first; then he grew to love her. Just because their marriage was arranged doesn't mean they weren't truly in love. When the Lord is involved in a marriage, love grows.
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