Juliana Claassens
The fresh new lectionary chooses to only tend to be choices of it section, but the preacher is well-served to take on the complete of your own narrative.
Genesis 24 fits into the book of Genesis total offered central inquiries eg if or not God’s promise off progeny, home and you may safety is understood. About matriarchal and you can patriarchal narratives that comprise the latest narrative schedules on the book off Genesis, it is apparent one throughout the each generation, God’s faithfulness must be found anew. Inside the Genesis twenty-four, it is Isaac who finds out one God was not only faithful so you’re able to Abraham, but you to God’s faithfulness reaches an alternate age bracket too.
The main topic of Genesis twenty-four ‘s the matter of several teenage boys and you can girls ask after they come of age, and that’s where perform I have a wife or husband? Regarding Genesis 24 which real question is all even more pressing just like the Isaac needs a spouse to ensure that God’s hope of progeny can be satisfied. For the Genesis people say that Isaac is forty when he hitched Rebekah, in almost any age, and particularly for the reason that time, a little a belated phase becoming a bachelor. It ily stayed outside of its house, like since Abraham is actually determined in the verse 37 you to definitely Isaac is always to maybe not ean wife one given a discussed record and you will roots from Abrahams’ early lifetime (cf.
Which taken-aside account of finding Isaac a partner in the end transforms to the a romance tale, in the event the story has a happy end. Into the verse 67 they claim that Isaac partnered Rebekah, providing their so you’re able to their mom’s old tent, and you may thereby instating the lady as the new matriarch of one’s clan. More over, this new occurrences regarding Sarah’s demise and you may Isaac’s matrimony try aswell registered together with her when his relationships so you can Rebekah is alleged so you’re able to comfort Isaac pursuing the loss of his mom. And more than rather, Isaac is claimed to enjoy Rebekah – one of the few circumstances on the Hebrew Bible in which love vocabulary is used to explain the connection ranging from men and you may a woman.
Such like you to peak, brand new membership out of Isaac interested in a girlfriend possess a rather secular situation and outcome, indicating some thing of your typical cycles regarding life and death that mode the back ground of several of your tales of patriarchs and you can matriarchs. However, so it average story of finding a wife to own a bound bachelor, that takes person sense surely, is provided with a spiritual season once the theme out-of God’s blessing and you will recommendations try lead because a main the main narrative.
Comments to your Genesis -38, 42-forty-two, 58-67
Thus from inside the verses 35-thirty six, the newest servant’s pitch to Laban’s relatives with regard to the fresh s’ relatives, we browse the servant’s interpretation away from Abraham’s lifetime, saying that Goodness keeps richly privileged Abraham with lots of property because well given that magic infant when their spouse Sarah was already dated. Together with in the verses 42ff we comprehend just how Rebekah can be as well because considered to be a solution to prayer, for even before slave finished his prayer, Rebekah arrived, providing besides drinking water so you’re able to him and to his camels (a photo one to instance clearly attests to their kindness and you can union seeing that camels drink of many gallons regarding h2o and she merely keeps one drinking water jug!). Inside the verse forty eight, new slave investigates this type of ordinary occurrences with sight away from trust as he professes one Goodness enjoys contributed your because of the right way to to complete his employer’s charges to help you him.
It’s www.datingmentor.org/local-hookup/boston/ also crucial that you mention the newest part one to Rebekah plays within this narrative. It young woman exactly who is inspired by a type of impressive matriarchs (Rebekah as being the granddaughter away from Milkah, partner out-of Nahor inside verse 47) is actually illustrated in a number of outlines as a fearless, separate girl. Whenever her household members aims to help you slow down the girl deviation, therefore the slave claims which they exit at some point, Rebekah is known as from inside the and you can questioned their thoughts who would settle the problem, indicating an amazing example of people company on the patriarchal perspective of one’s biblical traditions. Furthermore, the girl ily and her belongings, to get married a guy upon whom she’s never ever set eyes, the thing is the new fearless procedures out-of Abraham leaving all of that is famous to leave on vacation toward an unidentified coming, accompanied merely by the ample claims regarding God.
Regarding membership out-of Rebekah leaving her home, a fascinating source is made to Rebekah’s nursing assistant which is associated the girl into second phase from this lady lifetime (verse 59). For the Genesis thirty-five:8 we are going to again read about so it nursing assistant, called Deborah, once we discover new death and you may burial from the girl and particularly how Rebekah mourned the brand new death of their nurse.
Which reference to the nurse, whoever name’s remembered inside the subsequent sections, attests to your benefit so it lady kept on the communal memories. In particular, which lady had a prominent input the life span of Rebekah, offering the link between the girl earlier lifestyle along with her coming existence. The associated presence away from Rebekah’s nursing assistant more over attests to your hope as well as the assumption with the many people that can are from which wedding anywhere between Isaac and Rebekah (cf. along with the true blessing because of the Rebekah’s household members during the verse sixty you to she was luxuriously blessed that have youngsters that strong enough to get over the opposition).
In the end, the reality that Goodness is considered to be perhaps not above the typical lives occurrences that some one busy by themselves; the difficulties to find an appropriate life partner or the glee of finding one’s soul mates even offers a significant theological position out-of a goodness who is a personal God; a jesus that is profoundly invested in and you can involved in God’s manufacturing.
