Abraham's Servant's Mission

IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Abraham's Servant's Mission

Date: Mar. 12, 2015

Passage

Genesis 24:1-9 (ESV)

1 Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years. And the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things. 2 And Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he had, “Put your hand under my thigh, 3 that I may make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell, 4 but will go to my country and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac.” 5 The servant said to him, “Perhaps the woman may not be willing to follow me to this land. Must I then take your son back to the land from which you came?” 6 Abraham said to him, “See to it that you do not take my son back there. 7 The LORD, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my kindred, and who spoke to me and swore to me, ‘To your offspring I will give this land,’ he will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there. 8 But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be free from this oath of mine; only you must not take my son back there.” 9 So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master and swore to him concerning this matter.

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Daily Bread

Key Verse: 24:3, 4

that I may make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell,

First, go, get a wife for Isaac (1-4). It was time for Isaac to marry and have a son to whom he could pass on the covenant promises. Isaac's wife should be a woman of faith, and his marriage an event that built faith. The Canaanite culture around them was steeped in pagan religions, and the Canaanite lifestyle was godless and immoral. Abraham did not want to compromise, so he commissioned his most trusted and responsible servant to go to Paddan Aram and find a wife for Isaac.

Second, what if the woman is unwilling to come? (5-9). The test of faith of the woman who could qualify to be Isaac's wife was that she make a decision of faith to accompany Abraham's servant back to Canaan to marry Isaac. Abraham's servant understood that his task was not easy, but he had God's promise and God's angel to help him, so he accepted the mission.

Prayer: Lord, help us to challenge a godless culture with the gospel. Give us your Spirit's help.

One Word: Accept God's mission by faith

Countless Saved from God’s Wrath by the Blood of the Lamb

Revelation 7:1-17

Key Verse: 7:9-10

A Great Multitude from Every Nation

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

Today's Question

Are all sins equally evil?

See answer and references