Origins: The Promise (Genesis 12–25)Sample

By Pastor Dan Hickling

“So it was, when the camels had finished drinking, that the man took a golden nose ring weighing half a shekel, and two bracelets for her wrists weighing ten shekels of gold, and said, ‘Whose daughter are you? Tell me, please, is there room in your father’s house for us to lodge?’” Genesis 24:22-23 (NKJV)

Abraham’s servant, Eliezer, had just witnessed something impossible apart from God’s involvement. In seeking out the perfect bride for his master’s son, Rebekah appeared and fulfilled his hopes and prayers in dramatic detail. It was something only the Lord could have orchestrated. 

Assured of this divine orchestration, Eliezer now moves to secure Rebekah’s commitment to return with him. He starts by giving her some of his master’s jewelry and inquiring about her family. “Whose daughter are you? Is it possible to lodge at your home?” He doesn’t tell her everything just yet but seeks confirmation one step at a time. Check out her response: “’I am the daughter of Bethuel, Milcah’s son, whom she bore to Nahor.’ Moreover she said to him, ‘We have both straw and feed enough, and room to lodge’” (Genesis 24:24-25 NKJV).

Rebekah reveals that she is Abraham’s brother’s son’s daughter (his great-niece). So her ancestral requirement is met. But she then goes on to invite him (and his ten camels) over to eat and lodge. This further indicates how generous Rebekah was. She had already been abundantly generous with her time, effort, and resources by watering this wanderer’s camels. But now she takes it a step further by exercising hospitality towards the stranger. All of this further confirms that God is working here, and Eliezer can’t help but praise Him for it: “Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His mercy and His truth toward my master. As for me, being on the way, the Lord led me to the house of my master’s brethren” (Genesis 24:26-27 NKJV).

There’s something so instructive in these words. As Eliezer was “on the way,” the Lord led him. In other words, it was while he was walking in obedience to what little he did know (go to Abraham’s homeland) that God guided him to the specific person he needed to find. Eliezer did his part, and then God did His!

Our faith journey is a lot like that. God doesn’t reveal every detail or destination to us. He just says, trust me and step in this direction. This can be frightening, but as we step out in obedience, the Lord reveals the next step to us, and so on until we arrive at the destination He has divinely determined. But this only happens as we take that first step of faith, as Eliezer did.

DIG: How did Eliezer’s efforts and God’s guidance work together?

DISCOVER: What clue does this offer us in our own faith journey?

DO: Take some time to examine if there’s a first step of faith that you need to take. If so, take it and trust the Lord to reveal the rest in His wise timing.