(Genesis 24:7) “...The Lord, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my birth, and who spoke to me and who swore to me, saying, ‘To your descendants I will give this land,’ He will send His angel before you, and you will take a wife for my son from there..."
When the servant arrived in the land of Canaan, (right or wrong) he prayed a very specific request for help...
(Genesis 24:12-15) He said, “O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today, and show lovingkindness to my master Abraham. 13 Behold, I am standing by the spring, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water; 14 now may it be that the girl to whom I say, ‘Please let down your jar so that I may drink,’ and who answers, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels also’—may she be the one whom You have appointed for Your servant Isaac; and by this I will know that You have shown lovingkindness to my master.” 15 Before he had finished speaking, behold, Rebekah who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor, came out with her jar on her shoulder.
We have no idea if any angels were used or how they might have been used in this situation, but the servant's prayer was answered - immediately - even BEFORE "immediately"! Rebekah showed up and did exactly what the servant requested.
Later, when the servant was speaking to Laban (Rebekah's brother), the servant recounted what Abraham had told him before leaving on this journey...
(Genesis 24:40) He said to me, ‘The Lord, before whom I have walked, will send His angel with you to make your journey successful, and you will take a wife for my son from my relatives and from my father’s house...'
Then the servant gave God all the glory for answering their prayers...
(Genesis 24:48) And I bowed low and worshiped the Lord, and blessed the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who had guided me in the right way to take the daughter of my master’s kinsman for his son.
We can see that:
- angels might guide people
Personal experience: before GPS, I got lost in Los Angeles because there was a very complicated network of ramps at one giant-overpass-thingy. It was very obvious that I had taken the wrong ramp - but now what? To get back on the right highway was not obvious to me... at all. The directions I had didn't make any sense. I could not find where I was on the map. And there wasn't any place I could pull over and ask for directions. All I could do was ask God to guide me.
Was there an angel involved? I'm not sure. I don't know how He worked this out, but He did. I just had these strong sensations of someone telling me, "Turn around. Turn left. Left again. Now right..." etc. And when I was up to speed, I recognized the highway I was supposed to be on. My directions once again made sense.
Today's takeaway: sometimes God's guidance doesn't make sense in the moment. Some of the commandments He gives us may not sound fair or sound like fun at times - but He knows things we do not know. Well, HE KNOWS EVERYTHING!!! Why would we not trust that? And because He is all-knowing, He knows the prayers that we will request in our future! And like for the servant, sometimes God answers our prayers before we even pray them!...
(Jeremiah 29:11) “For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope."
(Jeremiah 23:23-24) “Am I a God who is near,” declares the Lord, “And not a God far off? 24 “Can a man hide himself in hiding places so I do not see him?” declares the Lord. “Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?” declares the Lord.
(Romans 11:33-36) Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! 34 For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? 35 Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to him again? 36 For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.
(Psalm 29:10b-13) ...“Blessed are You, O Lord God of Israel our father, forever and ever. 11 Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Yours is the dominion, O Lord, and You exalt Yourself as head over all. 12 Both riches and honor come from You, and You rule over all, and in Your hand is power and might; and it lies in Your hand to make great and to strengthen everyone. 13 Now therefore, our God, we thank You, and praise Your glorious name."
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