(Genesis) Genesis 24:10-14

Now, watch the servant as he goes out to get a bride for Isaac. And the servant took ten camels, of the camels of his master, and departed. For all the goods of his master were in his hand, and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor.

Now, may I stop just to make this comment. I make the statement that there weren't just three wise men that came in on three camels to Jerusalem. That wouldn't have created a stir in the city.

I believe there were nearer 300 camels that came in, and 300 wise men. And the scripture would seem to bear that out. There's no number given, of course.

The number of gifts, that is, the kind of gifts, three kinds of gifts, but that doesn't confine it to three wise men. But you'll notice here, even the servant that's going to Mesopotamia, to get a bride for Isaac, he takes ten camels along, and that means somebody had to ride them. He took along quite a retinue of servants.

Now, notice what he does. He says here, and he departed, for all the goods of his master were in his hand. In other words, he had charge of all of the chattels and all the possessions of Abraham.

And he arose, and he went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor. And he made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, even the time that women go out to draw water. Now, that may seem strange to you that the women came out to draw water, but they were the ones that did the watering of the camels in that day.

Very frankly, women did lots more work in those days, friends, than they do today. I mean by that hard work, the women were the ones that watered the stock and took care of them. Now, the men were supposed to be out trading, of course, and they were supposed to be out doing other work.

Now, they were not always loafing by any means, but it's interesting to note this was the custom of that day, even the time that women go out to draw water. Now, this servant was waiting. It was not the proper thing for him to water his camels, a stranger, before others came there that lived in that community.

And he said, now notice this servant that's depending on God, and you find Abraham also put all of this in the hands of the Lord. And now the servant, listen to him, he prays, he said, O Lord God of my master Abraham, I pray thee send me good speed this day and show kindness unto my master Abraham. Behold, I stand here by the well of water, and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water, and let it come to pass that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee that I may drink, and she shall say, Drink, and I will give the camels drink also.

Let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac, and thereby shall I know that thou hast showed kindness unto my master. Now, his prayer is something like this. The daughters of the men of the city will be coming out.

I do not know, that is, I'm speaking for this servant. Now, that servant would say, I do not know which one to choose. And so it's just left up to me to pick one of them.

Now, I pray that the one that I pick might be the one that God picks. In other words, he calls upon the Lord to lead him in making the right choice. Now, who do you think he's going to pick? Well, he's a man.

He's going to pick the best-looking when he comes out. And you can be sure of one thing, Rebecca was a good-looking woman. We need to emphasize that today.

The Puritans had an idea that beauty was of the devil. Well, the devil is beautiful. He's an angel of light, by the way, but he doesn't have it all.

God, after all, is the Creator, and you've never seen a sunset. I looked in a beautiful flower that he didn't make it, and he makes women beautiful. And there's nothing wrong with that.

And this man's going to pick the beautiful one. He's to be a pretty poor servant if he didn't, I'll say that. And I'm sure he picked the best-looking one that came out.