Daily Devotions
Genesis
"Come and hear, all you who fear God, And I will declare what He has done for my soul. I cried to Him with my mouth, And He was extolled with my tongue." Psalm 66:16-17
Text: Genesis 24 : 1 - 67
A CONCERNED YOUNG MASTER
Isaac displayed good signs of being a worthy son of Abraham. As he noticed the camel train coming towards them, he began to approach his servants. He didn’t have to do that, for after all, he was the young master. His position of wealth and power did not affect him in any adverse way.
“Then Rebekah lifted her eyes, and when she saw Isaac
she dismounted from her camel; for she had said to the servant,
‘Who is this man walking in the field to meet us?’
The servant said, ‘It is my master.’ So she took a veil and
covered herself.”GENESIS 24:64-65
APPROPRIATE MAIDENLY MODESTY
Rebekah had never met Isaac. Thus she could not recognize the young man who came up to meet the returning servants! It would not be inappropriate to expect that servants be met by other servants. That would be quite normal! To her surprise, she was informed that it was Isaac, Abraham’s son who was making his way towards them! Quickly, Rebekah felt that she must do at least two things.
1. She alighted from the camel
She felt that it would be more appropriate to be walking beside the camel, than to be found seated on the camel! There was nothing wrong to sit on a camel, for that was how she had traveled the vast distance from Mesopotamia to Canaan. Nevertheless, if the young master could walk towards his returning servants, the least she could do was to respond by alighting from the camel.
2. She put on a veil
She did not know how Isaac would perceive her. Would he expect her to be veiled as some of the Bedouins women she must have seen along the way? Would he be disappointed if he saw her? Appropriate womanly modesty seemed to be the most prudent course of action, and thus she veiled herself as she was brought to Isaac.
THE MARRIAGE OF ISAAC AND REBEKAH
The old servant gave a full report of all that had transpired. Soon after the marriage between his young master and the bride he brought home took place. The death of Sarah had brought great sorrow to Isaac. It took Rebekah to soothe that grief that had stayed with Isaac all this while!
“And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done.
Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent; and he took
Rebekah and she became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was
comforted after his mother’s death.”GENESIS 24:66-67