To Study:
Genesis 24:50-67
To Read in class: Genesis 24
Memory Texts:
Younger: Genesis 24:58 “Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I
will go."
Older: 1 Peter 1:8 “Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though
now ye see him not,
yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.”
OBJECTIVES: To teach that:
1. Abraham, the father, desires that a wife be found for Isaac, his son.
2. The servant is sent to seek a wife for Isaac in accordance with the will
of God.
3. Rebecca had to make a decision on her own to go with the servant to
become the wife of Isaac.
4. There will always be opposition facing those who want to follow Christ.
5. The activity of the father and the servant in relation to the son is a
figure of the activity of God the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit in seeking a bride for Christ. Rebecca
is a figure of the church.
6. Rebecca found happiness on meeting her Beloved.
SCENE 1. VISUAL AIDS: In Canaan at
Abraham’s home. Abraham talks to his servant of many years revealing to him
his desire that Isaac should have a wife. He tells him that he will have to
travel a long way to find her.
DEVELOPMENT:
 -
It was Abraham's desire that Isaac have a wife.
Apl. Abraham is a figure of God the Father who wants His Son to have a
Bride. See Objective five.
- Abraham talked to the servant, an individual not given a name in this
chapter, and established the principles that would guide the servant in his
journey to seek a bride for Isaac.
Cmt. Ever since the scene on the mount when Isaac was offered up, nothing
has been known of him. In figure he died and rose again and does not appear
until he comes out to receive his wife.
Cns. The Lord Jesus, in His relationship to the church, is absent from
earth. So Isaac, as a figure of The Lord Jesus, was absent while the
servant, as a type of the Holy Spirit, sought a bride for him.
- The servant must bring her from the far country where she lived, and lead
her to where Isaac had his home.
Apl. Rebecca is a figure of the sinner who, when found by Christ, becomes
part of the Church, the Bride of Christ.
- Abraham talked to the servant and established the principles that would
guide him in his journey to seek a bride for Isaac.
- The servant must bring her from the country where she lived, but not take
Isaac to where the woman lived.
Apl. The Holy Spirit is now in the world, a land far distant from Heaven,
doing the work of seeking a bride for Christ. The future of the Church with
Christ has to do with heaven and not the earth. For this reason, Rebecca had
to go to Isaac and not vice versa.
SCENE 2. VISUAL AIDS: In Mesopotamia,
outside the city of Nahor, figures of a well and camels resting near it, and
a figure of the servant, praying. Figure of Rebecca approaching, and then
change to her arriving.
DEVELOPMENT:
 -
On reaching the outskirts of the city, the servant prayed that God would
show him the person "appointed for Thy servant Isaac" (Genesis 24:34).
- His prayer was short, for he was confident that God had someone ready and
all that was needed was to be guided to recognize her (v.14).
- Rebecca, the answer to his prayer, arrived before he finished speaking to
God. She had come to draw water for the flock.
Cns. God does not always answer prayer this quickly.
Cmt. The Holy Spirit works in agreement with God's purposes and will.
- Carrying out the will of the father Abraham, the servant talked with the
young woman, looking for a way to meet her parents.
- As events develop, the servant proves that all is working out in
accordance with the will of Abraham.
 Apl.
Sometimes events in life seem to be coincidences, when really they have been
ordered by God.
- The Omnipotent God made it possible for the servant to carry out His will.
Cns. Children who attend Sunday School are the objects of prayer as was
Rebecca, and the teacher looks to God to work in the lives of the students
in answer to prayer.
- The servant gave Rebecca jewels, thus showing the love and wealth of Isaac
and his father.
Apl. The Holy Spirit shows us the spiritual riches that God the Father has
laid up for us. These riches will be enjoyed in fellowship with the Son.
SCENE 3 VISUAL AIDS: Laban's house with
figures of Rebecca and her family and the servant waiting for her reply.
Signs with the question “Will thou go with this man?” and Rebecca’s reply,
“I will go”.
DEVELOPMENT:
 -
Rebecca came to the point where she had to make a decision as to whether she
would go to be the wife of a man she knew only from the account of the
servant and through the gifts that he brought.
Apl. Each sinner reaches a decisive point in his life when he must decide
what to do with the invitation given by the Holy Spirit. Either he will
“hear and obey”, or “reject and be lost”.
Sug. The teacher can explain the work of the Holy Spirit, using the question
asked of Rebecca. Do they wish to come to Christ so that He might be their
Saviour?
- Rebecca's brother, Laban, tried to postpone the time of Rebecca's
departure.
- He suggested that they wait ten days, a fairly short time, but long
enough, perhaps, for her to change her mind about leaving.
Cns. Friends and relatives influence in different ways to keep a sinner from
responding to the call of God. Perhaps they do not openly oppose, but hint
at reasons for not accepting Christ at that moment.
- The question asked Rebecca was direct, and easily understood, "Wilt thou
go with this man?" All she had to do was answer YES or NO.
- Rebecca, won by the evidences of love and the report of loving interest in
her, decided and replied, “I will go”.
Cmt. It would be well to emphasize at this point that the children should
accept Christ as Saviour without delay.
SCENE 4 VISUAL AIDS: In the desert,
figures of the camels of Abraham’s caravan, and of Rebecca and the servant
traveling on camels. Later add a figure of Isaac, first walking in the
field, then running to meet them.
DEVELOPMENT:
 -
At last the caravan reached its destination.
- Just as he promised Rebecca at the start, the servant has brought her
across the unknown desert to her meeting with Isaac.
Apl. Once a believer's has placed his trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, the
Holy Spirit begins His work of bringing the him/her across the desert of
this world to the safe and eternal presence of the Beloved.
Cmt. This will occur at the coming of the Lord for His own, at which time He
will take us to the place He has prepared for us (His Bride).
Apl. Just as Rebecca was separated from all she had known in her family
home, the Holy Spirit brings the believer to a place very different from all
we have previously known.
- During the trip through the desert, Rebecca probably talked with the
servant about Isaac.
Sug. Have the students think about what things Rebecca might have asked the
servant during the trip and the answers he might have given her, revealing
Isaac’s character. The servant would tell her what Isaac was like and what
there was that pleased him.
- On arrival, Rebecca would find that the servant was correct in all that he
had told her about her future husband.
Sug. Help the students reflect on what Rebecca would have lost had she not
responded and come.
Apl. Focus the attention of the students on what it means to suffer eternal
loss. John 3:36, “They shall not see life”.
Cns. The reason believers on their way to heaven meet together to listen to
the teaching of the Bible is so that they will know more about the Saviour
as they look forward to their meeting with Him.
Cmt. The goal of every believer ought to be that of growing "in grace and in
the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18). |
