Juliana Claassens
The fresh lectionary chooses to simply tend to be selections of which section, nevertheless preacher will be well served to adopt the complete of story.
Genesis twenty four suits into publication away from Genesis as a whole given main concerns eg if God’s vow regarding progeny, homes and you will cover will be understood. Regarding the matriarchal and patriarchal narratives that make up this new story time periods in the guide from Genesis, it is apparent that throughout for every generation, God’s faithfulness needs to be found anew. Inside Genesis 24, it’s Isaac which discovers you to Goodness wasn’t simply devoted in order to Abraham, but that God’s faithfulness reaches a new age bracket also.
The topic of Genesis twenty four ‘s the concern many teenagers and you can lady inquire once they already been old, that is where would I have a husband or wife? In the example of Genesis 24 which question for you is the way more clicking because Isaac needs a partner making sure that God’s pledge of progeny could be fulfilled. Into the Genesis they claim one Isaac are forty as he hitched Rebekah, in any many years, and especially because time, slightly a later part of the stage becoming good bachelor. It ily existed beyond the home, particularly as the Abraham try insistent when you look at the verse 37 one Isaac should perhaps not ean girlfriend you to provided a shared record and origins from Abrahams’ very early lifestyle (cf.
So it taken-out account to find Isaac a girlfriend ultimately transforms into a romance tale, if narrative keeps a happy ending. From inside the verse 67 they state you to definitely Isaac partnered Rebekah, taking this lady to their mother’s dated tent, and you will and therefore instating the lady just like the new matriarch of the clan. Furthermore, the latest events from Sarah’s passing and you may Isaac’s marriage try and joined together when their marriage so you’re able to Rebekah is claimed to help you comfort Isaac adopting the loss of their mom. And most significantly, Isaac is said to enjoy Rebekah – mostly of the circumstances on Hebrew Bible in which like code can be used to explain the connection between one and you can a female.
So on one to level, brand new membership regarding Isaac wanting a girlfriend provides a rather secular point and benefit, indicating anything of the average cycles out of life and death that means the backdrop of a lot of your reports of your patriarchs and matriarchs. Although not, which ordinary facts of finding a girlfriend to own a pledged bachelor, which will take human experience definitely, is offered a religious flavor because the motif regarding God’s blessing and pointers was introduced as the a main part of the story.
Remarks to the Genesis -38, 42-forty two, 58-67
Thus into the passages thirty five-thirty-six, the latest servant’s slope so you can Laban’s friends pertaining to the fresh s’ loved ones, we take a look at the servant’s translation out of Abraham’s lives, proclaiming that Goodness have richly privileged Abraham with quite a few assets once the better since the a miracle kid when his spouse Sarah has already been old. In addition to into the verses 42ff i read exactly how Rebekah can be really while the said to be a way to prayer, for even before slave finished their prayer, Rebekah came along, providing just liquid to him and also to any or all his camels (a photo you to such as for instance vividly attests to the girl generosity and you can union since camels drink of a lot gallons off drinking water and you will she merely provides a singular drinking water jug!). Into the verse forty-eight, brand new servant discusses such normal situations which have vision of believe as he professes you to Jesus features provided him because of the best answer to to accomplish his employer’s charges in sugar baby sites in canada order to your.
It’s furthermore important to notice the newest role you to Rebekah takes on inside story. It young woman whom originates from a line of impressive matriarchs (Rebekah being the granddaughter from Milkah, partner regarding Nahor in verse 47) are depicted in certain lines once the a courageous, separate woman. When the girl family tries so you can decrease the woman deviation, and slave claims that they hop out ultimately, Rebekah is called for the and expected the girl thoughts that would settle the problem, suggesting an extraordinary illustration of people agencies throughout the patriarchal perspective of your biblical way of living. More over, the girl ily along with her residential property, so you can get married a guy up on who this lady has never ever set sight, parallels the newest fearless steps out of Abraham leaving all of that known to depart on a holiday towards the an as yet not known coming, followed simply from the good-sized promises of God.
On the account out-of Rebekah leaving their home, an interesting site is made to Rebekah’s nursing assistant which is accompanying the woman into the next phase away from this lady lifestyle (verse 59). For the Genesis thirty five:8 we shall again discover which nursing assistant, titled Deborah, whenever we read about the latest dying and you may burial of lady and particularly exactly how Rebekah mourned the newest death of the lady nursing assistant.
That it reference to the nursing assistant, whoever name’s recalled during the then chapters, attests with the value this lady held on the communal thoughts. In particular, which woman had a prominent input living away from Rebekah, offering the link between the lady early in the day life along with her upcoming lives. The newest accompanying exposure away from Rebekah’s nurse also attests to the guarantee while the assumption to the of several people that may are from which relationship anywhere between Isaac and you can Rebekah (cf. plus the true blessing by the Rebekah’s family for the verse sixty one to she will be richly blessed having college students that happen to be sufficiently strong enough to overcome its opposition).
Eventually, the reality that God is recognized as being maybe not over the normal lifestyle events that some body busy by themselves; the issues of finding the ideal wife or perhaps the joy of finding your soul mate now offers an important theological angle out of a jesus that is your own God; a goodness who’s deeply invested in and you will associated with God’s creation.