Origins: The Promise (Genesis 12–25)Sample

By Pastor Dan Hickling

“Rebekah lifted her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she dismounted . . . and he took Rebekah and she became his wife, and he loved her.” Genesis 24:64-67 (NKJV) 

After many days: hundreds of miles and against insurmountable odds, Isaac and Rebekah are brought face to face. Their marriage is consummated, and it’s fitting that God’s Word makes special mention that this was a marriage that was defined by love; testimony of its ordination by the One who is, Himself, love (1 John 4:8).

But before we leave the happy couple, we must look at their story through another lens; one that refocuses and reframes it as our story.

First, we need to establish the Bible is the divinely inspired Word of God. While various people were called to put pen to parchment to record the Scriptures; all were inspired by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:20–21), which means God is the author of everything we read in the Bible, from cover to cover. He is also eternal, unbound by time as we are. 

Consequently, He has the ability to reveal things in the future. If we look closely, we see instances where He’s done this to affirm our trust in the Bible being His Word, not the creation of man. Only the eternal God could forecast the future as the Bible does. 

Why emphasize this? Because the love story between Isaac and Rebekah is a prime example of how God has revealed the future in His Word for all to see and say, “Wow!”

Consider this; we have a father (Abraham) who desires a bride for his son (Isaac). The father sends a helper (Eliezer, whose name means “help”) to go out into the world to secure a bride (Rebekah) for his son. That helper bears witness to the bride about the father and son, as well as the inheritance that awaits her. By faith, she believes what has been revealed and is eventually united with the groom.

Likewise, God the Father has sent His Helper (the Holy Spirit) into the world to secure a Bride (we, the Church) for His Son (Jesus). The Spirit bears witness to us about the Father and Son and reveals the heavenly inheritance that awaits us if we believe His testimony. As we trust in what the Spirit reveals, we enter into a relationship with Christ as His beloved Bride.

Could God have forecasted His love for us any more powerfully than through the love story of Isaac and Rebekah? His plan of salvation and His eternal love to execute it truly transcends time. We have always been in the eternal heart of God! And this is proven by the fact that it’s been previewed for us thousands of years ago in the love story we read here in Genesis.   

DIG: What does the love story between Isaac and Rebekah forecast? 

DISCOVER: What effect do you think this has on us?

DO: Take some time to dwell on the implications of God’s eternal plan and love towards you today.