Pointing to Him

made with Proclaim

Barrett Case

Rich Hill Christian Church

In the Beginning: A Study in Genesis • Sermon • Submitted a year ago • Presented a year ago • 29:31

Genesis 24:28–67

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We come back this morning to the longest chapter in Genesis—Genesis 24. It’s an incredible account, marking the important shift in the story of God’s people. The focus is changing, as generations change, from Abraham to Isaac.

We read not quite half of Genesis 24 last week.

In Genesis 24, the Hero of the story is the LORD Yahweh, the God of heaven and earth who does the impossible and works out every detail.

It’s an incredible account of this servant’s search for Isaac’s wife, the LORD leading him and guiding him to the woman He had in mind for Abraham’s son.

Abraham has his servant head back to Abraham’s home country to find a wife for Isaac among his people. The servant travels 500+ miles to get there, prays that the LORD sends the right girl out of the town to draw water.

Before he had finished praying, here comes Rebekah with a water jar on her shoulder. She gives the servant a drink and offers to water his camels.

When the servant asks the girl her name and who her father is, it is made clear that this girl is from Abraham’s people.

The LORD has directed the servant to this place, to the exact girl He had in mind for Isaac. It’s providence. Incredible and encouraging.

Last Sunday, we read this verse without explanation:

Genesis 24:28 NIV

28 The young woman ran and told her mother’s household about these things.

Rebekah, upon having this interaction with Abraham’s, runs home. She told her family about these things (what just happened to her).

No doubt, she showed them the bracelet and the nose ring the servant gave her in exchange for the hospitality and generosity she showed to him.

I believe the idea of telling/report/relaying is significant in the second half of the chapter. Rebekah goes and tells her family all about what had happened and about what the servant had done (verse 28).

In verse 33, Abraham’s servant insists on telling Rebekah’s sister and those there with him what he has to say. And Laban asks for the servant to tell them what he has.

And then, at the end of the story, the servant gets to tell Isaac about everything.

It’s a chapter of telling.

As I was reading this over the last few weeks, I wondered (at several points) why this was recorded for us like this.

“Why do they record this happening and then record the retelling of what happened?”

And then it dawned on me: it’s the telling, it’s the witnessing that makes the story stick. It makes the story significant.

Genesis 24:28–33 NIV

28 The young woman ran and told her mother’s household about these things. 29 Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban, and he hurried out to the man at the spring. 30 As soon as he had seen the nose ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s arms, and had heard Rebekah tell what the man said to her, he went out to the man and found him standing by the camels near the spring. 31 “Come, you who are blessed by the Lord,” he said. “Why are you standing out here? I have prepared the house and a place for the camels.” 32 So the man went to the house, and the camels were unloaded. Straw and fodder were brought for the camels, and water for him and his men to wash their feet. 33 Then food was set before him, but he said, “I will not eat until I have told you what I have to say.” “Then tell us,” Laban said.

Rebekah tells her family all about it. Runs home to tell her family. When her family greets the servant, he refuses to eat until her tells them what he has to say.

Witness—Pointing to Him

When Abraham’s servant received water from Rebekah and watched Rebekah water his camels, he was just waiting to see if this was the LORD making his journey successful.

Upon asking who she was— “Whose daughter are you?—and hearing from Rebekah that she was part of Abraham’s family, the servant immediately pointed to the LORD.

Gen 24:27 “Praise be to the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his kindness and faithfulness to my master. As for me, the Lord has led me on the journey to the house of my master’s relatives.”

This is the only thing Rebekah hears the servant say about the matter (at least that’s the only part recorded for us here).

And it’s enough. Because what the servant says is directing her to Him; the servant is pointing to Him, the Hero the story: Praise be to the LORD…His kindness and faithfulness…the LORD has led me…

This is his witness to the LORD—pointing people to Him. This is why he goes on to tell the story again.

I believe this is why what happened (and what was explained in detail as it happened) is explained in detail for us to read again.

It’s the telling, the witness. Here it is:

Genesis 24:34–49 NIV

34 So he said, “I am Abraham’s servant. 35 The Lord has blessed my master abundantly, and he has become wealthy. He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys. 36 My master’s wife Sarah has borne him a son in her old age, and he has given him everything he owns. 37 And my master made me swear an oath, and said, ‘You must not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live, 38 but go to my father’s family and to my own clan, and get a wife for my son.’ 39 “Then I asked my master, ‘What if the woman will not come back with me?’ 40 “He replied, ‘The Lord, before whom I have walked faithfully, will send his angel with you and make your journey a success, so that you can get a wife for my son from my own clan and from my father’s family. 41 You will be released from my oath if, when you go to my clan, they refuse to give her to you—then you will be released from my oath.’ 42 “When I came to the spring today, I said, ‘Lord, God of my master Abraham, if you will, please grant success to the journey on which I have come. 43 See, I am standing beside this spring. If a young woman comes out to draw water and I say to her, “Please let me drink a little water from your jar,” 44 and if she says to me, “Drink, and I’ll draw water for your camels too,” let her be the one the Lord has chosen for my master’s son.’ 45 “Before I finished praying in my heart, Rebekah came out, with her jar on her shoulder. She went down to the spring and drew water, and I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’ 46 “She quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I’ll water your camels too.’ So I drank, and she watered the camels also. 47 “I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ “She said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel son of Nahor, whom Milkah bore to him.’ “Then I put the ring in her nose and the bracelets on her arms, 48 and I bowed down and worshiped the Lord. I praised the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me on the right road to get the granddaughter of my master’s brother for his son. 49 Now if you will show kindness and faithfulness to my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, so I may know which way to turn.”

Witness—Pointing to Him

Abraham’s servant does a masterful job of relaying the details. He does an even better job of recounting/retelling the work of the LORD in all of this.

He points to the LORD’s blessing on Abraham, that’s his starting point (v. 35).

Abraham’s servant details the faith Abraham has in the LORD’s leading (v. 40).

He shares with his audience about his own praying to the LORD, in detail, and how the LORD answered him before [he] had finished speaking in [his] heart (v. 45).

This is, honestly pretty simple, isn’t it? Well, it seems simple—just talking about what the LORD has done in whatever situation you’re talking about.

Of course, you have to open your mouth and speak in order to witness. And sometimes we don’t feel like doing that.

My natural inclination is to not. I’m terribly introverted. It’s not a competition, but I’m probably more introverted than you. I win. Maybe it is a competition. My default mode is to stay to myself.

To reference a random movie no one is familiar with, I could “get a horse and live in the mountains someplace and not bother any body.”

But the love of Christ compels me to speak. I can’t not speak about what I have seen and heard. As difficult as it is, as nerve-wracking as it is, there are many times I simply have to share with others about what God has done.

Christian, I promise you: the LORD is at work in your life, in more ways than you are aware. “Christ is doing 10,000 things in your life at any given time; you might be aware of three of them.”

So, like Abraham’s servant, identify where the LORD is working in your life, whatever situation you find yourself in, the LORD is working.

Identify where the LORD is at work. What’s He up to in your life?

What blessings has He bestowed upon you?

What’s the LORD teaching you? How is He growing your faith?

How has the LORD answered your prayers?

Identify where the LORD is at work, what the LORD has done, how the LORD has blessed, what prayers the LORD has answered—identify and then share, pointing others to Him.

It really is as simple as telling, but that requires something from you and me.

We have to actually open our mouths. I hate to even reference the quote from Francis of Assisi, but it’s so popular and commonly held that I feel I must. He famously said, “Preach the gospel at all times; when necessary, use words.”

Do whatever you can to forget that. Please, for the love of everything holy, ignore that “advice.” There’s no way to “preach the gospel” without using your words.

You can live a life in accordance with the demands of the gospel without having to say anything, but the only way to preach is to preach! The only way to share, is to share. The only way to witness is to witness.

Tell what the LORD has done. Use the voice God has given you to tell people about what He has done. Identify how He’s at work in your life and then go and tell people about that.

Like the man who had been demon-possessed.

Mark 5:18–20 NIV

18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. 19 Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 20 So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.

If you lack anything to share in the moment, go back to the gospel itself.

Give people a reason for the hope you have within you, because of what Jesus did when He stepped into our world, took our sin and shame, died the death our sins deserve, and made us right with God.

Do what Abraham’s servant does here.

This is an extraordinary set of circumstances, but it’s a rather ordinary retelling. A simple witness. A faithful pointing to Him.

Abraham’s servant doesn’t just tell the people he’s with about what the LORD has done, but he actively worships the LORD in their midst.

In his retelling of the events with Rebekah, the servant recounts his worship:

Genesis 24:48 NIV

48 and I bowed down and worshiped the Lord. I praised the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me on the right road to get the granddaughter of my master’s brother for his son.

But Abraham’s servant also worships after their response to his witness.

Genesis 24:50–52 NIV

50 Laban and Bethuel answered, “This is from the Lord; we can say nothing to you one way or the other. 51 Here is Rebekah; take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master’s son, as the Lord has directed.” 52 When Abraham’s servant heard what they said, he bowed down to the ground before the Lord.

After the servant’s retelling of events, Rebekah’s brother, Laban, and her father, Bethuel respond with seeming belief and conviction.

For these men to say, “This is from the LORD; we can say nothing to you one way or the other,” is an admission/ acknowledgement of God’s providence.

This is evidence of some level of belief in the LORD as a result of the servant’s witness. The LORD led Abraham’s servant to this place and has used his witness to point them to the goodness, faithfulness, kindness of God.

In addition to the servant’s witness, they see him worship.

Worship—Pointing to Him

For the servant, the positive reception of the story and their agreeing that Rebekah should go and is meant to be Isaac’s wife—this is confirmation of the LORD’s work.

This is just another affirmation of what the LORD has done for him, for Abraham, for Isaac, for His people.

I maintain that worship is one of the more powerful ways we point others to the LORD.

The very act of our worship, our praise, our thankfulness expressed to the LORD is a way of pointing others to the LORD.

People notice what consumes us. When we’re consumed with worship—singing, praying, giving, serving, reading the Bible—those actions, in themselves, point others to Him.

Your commitment to gather together with the LORD’s people on Sunday mornings is no small thing.

This is no small thing. There are a myriad of other options before you, and you set aside this time to be here. That speaks an incredibly important message.

To raise your kids with the understanding that gathering for worship is a joy, to teach them it’s the first thing you do in the week, that it’s a commitment that extends beyond Sunday but it’s never less than Sunday—these are some of the most significant teachable moments.

I find myself encouraged and strengthened by the weekly gathering of the church. It does my soul good to see my church family gather.

I know what some of your weeks look like. I know that some of you come limping into this building on Sundays, with struggle, with heartache. And still you worship. You still pray and give and serve.

That’s really something.

Laban and Bethuel see Abraham’s servant worship. They see how worship is his natural response to the work of God. When the LORD works, answers a prayer, blesses; when the LORD is moving, His people worship.

And it speaks a strong message. Worship is a very visible way of pointing people to Him.

Laban and Bethuel and everyone else gathered there listening to the servant’s story and seeing his worship were impacted by it in some way or another.

Worship points people, ourselves included, to the LORD.

Genesis 24:53–67 NIV

53 Then the servant brought out gold and silver jewelry and articles of clothing and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave costly gifts to her brother and to her mother. 54 Then he and the men who were with him ate and drank and spent the night there. When they got up the next morning, he said, “Send me on my way to my master.” 55 But her brother and her mother replied, “Let the young woman remain with us ten days or so; then you may go.” 56 But he said to them, “Do not detain me, now that the Lord has granted success to my journey. Send me on my way so I may go to my master.” 57 Then they said, “Let’s call the young woman and ask her about it.” 58 So they called Rebekah and asked her, “Will you go with this man?” “I will go,” she said. 59 So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way, along with her nurse and Abraham’s servant and his men. 60 And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, “Our sister, may you increase to thousands upon thousands; may your offspring possess the cities of their enemies.” 61 Then Rebekah and her attendants got ready and mounted the camels and went back with the man. So the servant took Rebekah and left. 62 Now Isaac had come from Beer Lahai Roi, for he was living in the Negev. 63 He went out to the field one evening to meditate, and as he looked up, he saw camels approaching. 64 Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel 65 and asked the servant, “Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?” “He is my master,” the servant answered. So she took her veil and covered herself. 66 Then the servant told Isaac all he had done. 67 Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah, and he married Rebekah. So she became his wife, and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.

This is the end of the chapter, but really the beginning of the story of Isaac and Rebekah.

The LORD guided and directed all these events to their appointed end, for His glory and for the good of His people.

Rebekah shows a willingness to obey the working of the LORD, even when her family is hesitant to send her away quickly.

She returns with Abraham’s servant, meets Isaac, and it’s all happily ever after.

Don’t miss what happens in verse 66.

Genesis 24:66 NIV

66 Then the servant told Isaac all he had done.

The servant just can’t help himself. He’s going to tell this story over and over, every chance he gets.

It’s a really good story of the really good and faithful God. Why wouldn’t he tell it?

That’s a worthwhile question.

We have in our laps and in our hearts the greatest news of all time—Jesus, the Son of God, come to save sinners like me and you. Those who place their faith in Him are saved, made right with God, sins forgiven, hope secured—why wouldn’t we tell this story?

Why wouldn’t we point people to Him?!

>Abraham’s servant’s name isn’t given to us, as much as I wish it was. He’s just referred to as “Abraham’s servant” or “the man.”

He’s one of my favorite characters in the Genesis account, and I don’t know his name.

But, I guess it’s good we don’t know

Because this isn’t about him. It’s about the LORD, the Hero of the story.

It’s not about this servant. It’s not about any of us. It’s about the LORD.

Let’s point to Him, in word and deed. In witness and worship.

I love to tell the story; 'Tis pleasant to repeat What seems, each time I tell it, More wonderfully sweet. I love to tell the story, For some have never heard The message of salvation From God's own holy Word.