Genesis

The messenger was to not take a wife for Isaac from the Canaanites (pagans, and not God's people). He was to go to Abraham's people.

The hand under the thigh represented a solemn agreement between the servant and Abraham but since it invoked God, it was also sacred oath. Its connection to circumcision is that it was a covenant that was not to be broken. It is also seen as an extension of the covenant between God and Abraham as this union between Isaac and his wife would produce the next generation of God's people.

• Abraham – He was placing the outcome in God's hands working through the servant.
• The Messenger – He demonstrated great faith in accepting the challenge and placing the outcome in God's hands. The servant prayed for God's guidance and revelation in the selection of a bride.
• Rebekah – She would demonstrate great faith in accepting the offer and leaving her home to start a life with Isaac.

As we seek to follow God's will, we too must pray for His guidance in making our choices. Our prayers should include a desire for God's wisdom to make choices that reflect His will for our lives. Sometimes the specific response from God is not seen in a direct way, but only realized through hindsight. However, if we are seeking God's guidance as a priority component in making decisions, His will is going to be part of the outcome. Abraham, now advanced in years, recognized the need for Isaac to marry.

He demonstrated a desire for God's will by ensuring that the wife would be from those whom God would approve and not from the pagan people in the area.

It would likely have been much simpler and quicker for the servant, but he refused to take the easy way. Sometimes Satan tempts (tests) us by offering an easier way. We must be careful to ensure that we are seeking and taking God's way, no matter what the cost.

Once they understood that it was God's will for Rebekah to become Isaac's wife, they enthusiastically approved the plan. We should have the same attitude once we recognize God's will. This is especially true in our initial response to obey the gospel but is just as true in our efforts to live faithfully each day. God outlines what His will is.

For example, in 1 Thessalonians 4 Paul teaches us how to make our lives pleasing to God. He presents three elements: (1) Our salvation (sanctification); (2) pure living (represented by refraining from sexual immorality); (3) loving one another.

We can use these three standards to measure many of our daily decisions. Jesus taught this in Matthew 22:37-40 as He answered the apostles concerning the greatest commandment, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. And the second is like it, love your neighbor as yourself." John echoed this in I John 3:23-24: We believe in the name of Jesus, love one another as Jesus commands, Keep His commandments as we abide in God and in this way know that He abides in us through His Holy Spirit.

In short, we do not hesitate to fully obey God's will upon discovering it.

See the associated text for further detail.

The messenger's work in bringing Rebekah to Isaac is like the action of the Holy Spirit bringing the Church to Christ as the bride of Christ. The Holy Spirit presents us gifts that enable us to serve faithfully. The Holy Spirit helps us grow spiritually in order to become more presentable as the Bride of Christ.

See the associated text for this response.

As a faithful servant of God we must seek and obey His will. In doing so we will be given entrance into God's eternal Kingdom. There are times when we might second guess our decisions as to whether we are in fact doing God's will, and sometimes we might deviate from it. However, we must strive to the best of our ability to entrust ourselves to God's care. He does not hide His will from us. When we find we have deviated from His will, we must quickly return to His way.