A PROSPEROUS WAY – Genesis 24:29-67

Suspense & anticipation continue to build in this exemplary faith and love story. Securing a covenant bride for Isaac, the Spirit of God has accompanied Abraham's servant and answered his earnest prayer. By ordering these events in a moving display of divine providence, Abraham's ambassador recognizes Yahweh has “prospered his way”. Indeed the servant's own faith in this journey has been welcomed by fruitful blessings. Now a second journey will commence, that of Rebekah herself returning with him to meet her would-be husband. For something like 3 weeks, this caravan retraces its steps back to Canaan bearing precious cargo. Indeed, the future lineage of Abraham and birth of the Messiah depend on success in this endeavor. At any moment in this chapter, how easy it would seem for something to go wrong, rendering the bride quest a pitiful failure. Nevertheless, God demonstrates once again that He orders the affairs of men to bring glory to His name and to advance His redemptive purposes. Matthew Henry writes of this account: “the making up of the marriage between Isaac and Rebekah is told very particularly. We are to notice God's providence in the common events of human life, and in them to exercise prudence and other graces”. Perhaps we can add to Henry's commentary the following: “In the sequence of events unfolding, we behold striking parallels to the calling of redemption through the Gospel of Jesus Christ unto His bride, a message which goes forth yet today...!”