Thursday 22 November 2012

Background

Abraham is now an old man and he has one last major duty toperform - to find a wife for his son Isaac, the heir of thepromise. It is an important task because the wife of Isaac will bethe one through whom the divine blessing given to Abraham will bepassed on to future generations. It is therefore very importantthat the right wife will be found for Isaac. The subject of findinga wife for Isaac forms the longest chapter in Genesis. It is abeautiful story, marked by simplicity and clarity of style, andgives one of the most vivid pictures of ancient oriental life to befound in the Old Testament.

Abraham calls his oldest and most trustworthy servant and makeshim swear; first that he will not take a wife from the Canaanitesfor Isaac (verse 3); secondly, that he will go to Haran, the cityof Nahor, to get a wife for Isaac (verse 4); and thirdly, that hewill never take Isaac back to his relatives in Syria (verse 6). If,however, the young woman is unwilling to come to Canaan and marryIsaac, then the servant will be free of the oath which he has sworn(verse 8).

By ordering his servant to carry out these strict orders underoath, Abraham is safeguarding the divine promises which are made tohim when he entered Canaan. Marriage with the Canaanites isforbidden, not only to preserve the purity of the stock, but alsoto avoid contamination with the immoral practices of the Canaanitereligion.

The detailed account of the servants' journey, his meeting withthe young woman at the well outside the city of Nahor, indicatesthat nothing is unimportant on a divinely appointed mission likethis. God's overruling providence is seen in every detail.

To Ponder

• Abraham asks the servant to fulfil a promise. Have you everbeen asked to fulfil a promise?

• When have you experienced the providence of God in yourlife?