The quote above in Genesis 24:12 was said by Eliezer, “the most senior man in charge of Abraham’s entire household” (2), when seeking YHWH’s help in securing the right wife for Abraham’s son, Isaac.
Abraham had given Eliezer strict marching orders: “You must not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live, but go to my father’s family and to my own clan, and get a wife for my son” (37). And to get the point across as to how serious he was, Abraham had Eliezer “swear by the Lord, God of heaven and earth” (3), while placing his hand on Abraham’s genital circumcision (2), which got the point across that getting Isaac a wife from Abraham’s family was essential to God’s circumcision covenant promises to Abraham being fulfilled (17:9-11, 19).
And so confident was Abraham in this being God’s absolute wish that he told Eliezer, “God will send his angel ahead of you” (24:7). Expect it all to work out then, my good man, and don’t fret. So with ten camels laden with goodies and supplies (10), Eliezer and his men set off on the 550 mile (885 km) journey from Hebron to Nahor, the town likely named after Abraham’s brother Nahor (11:27) in the area of Haran where the family had stayed on their way from Ur to Canaan (11:31). And it was at the well in Nahor that Eliezer asked God to “please grant success to the journey on which I have come” (24:42).
But the angel had already made sure of that, because while Eliezer’s praying, up to the well pops Rebekah, the granddaughter of Abraham’s brother (15, 48). She’s pedigree family, exactly what Abraham wanted, and it soon becomes obvious to Eliezer, Rebekah’s family and to Rebekah herself that this was YHWH’s doing (27, 50, 58).
But YHWH had long been preparing the ground and putting the cogs in place, so that when Eliezer prayed, “Give me success today,” God had already answered that prayer before he prayed it. But YHWH did say in Isaiah 65:24, “Before they call, I will answer,” and in Matthew 6:8 that he knows our need before we ask him about it. But does that mean God works out everything for us ahead of time, so that life just falls into place perfectly like it did for Eliezer?
Well, in Isaac’s experience, “Life was good – but then it wasn’t”….(next blog)
