Speaker 1: Previously on the chosen people.
Speaker 2: Can you count the stars, Abram.
Speaker 1: Abram shook his head uncertain.
Speaker 2: You cannot, for there are too many. It is impossible.
Speaker 2: It is to be the same with your offspring. The
Speaker 2: great nation I shall make through your air would be
Speaker 2: as innumerable as the stars in the night sky.
Speaker 3: Sarah has given you a son, Isaac.
Speaker 4: Listen, carefully, take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom
Speaker 4: you love. Go to the land of Moriah and offer
Speaker 4: him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains.
Speaker 5: My son, Ai, I must ask something of you.
Speaker 3: Whatever you ask of me, Father, I'll do.
Speaker 1: See destiny, dreams, the future. Isaac represented all those things.
Speaker 1: With one fell swoop of his blade. He would end
Speaker 1: it all, sacrifice it all for his god. Abraham poised
Speaker 1: to strike and shouted to the heavens. His voice billowed
Speaker 1: against the wind. He threw his hips back, cocked his arm,
Speaker 1: and began his descent into sorrow.
Speaker 6: Abraham, Abraham, do not lay a hand on the boy
Speaker 6: or do anything to him.
Speaker 2: For now I know that.
Speaker 3: You fear your God, since.
Speaker 2: You have not withheld your only son from me.
Speaker 7: Amidst the aired landscape of Canaan, with faith and obedience
Speaker 7: her only guides. A young woman's kindness becomes the key
Speaker 7: to an ancient promise fulfilled. Shallo, my friends from here
Speaker 7: in the Holy Land, i'm ya l Extein with the
Speaker 7: International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. Welcome to the Chosen People.
Speaker 7: Today's story is the story of a mission, a mission
Speaker 7: of love and faith, A mission where every step echoes
Speaker 7: with ancient promises, of a covenant, whose every choice reverberates
Speaker 7: through the corridors of time, whose outcome is consequential for
Speaker 7: generations yet to come. A mission that asks us, what
Speaker 7: does it mean to trust in something greater than ourselves?
Speaker 7: And how do we find direction when the road ahead
Speaker 7: is shrouded and uncertainty? And what are those invisible threads
Speaker 7: that bind us to our ancestors who came before us?
Speaker 7: These are the questions that stir our hearts as we
Speaker 7: embark on the mission found in Genesis twenty four, a
Speaker 7: mission that is as much about faith as it is
Speaker 7: about finding a pride for Isaac.
Speaker 1: The dawn's early light stretched long fingers across the pasture,
Speaker 1: casting shadows that dance like phantoms in the morning. Mist
Speaker 1: Elieza was inspecting the freshly shorn wool, evaluating its quality
Speaker 1: to ensure it bore the mark of his master Abraham.
Speaker 1: As the morning sun cast long shadows across the pasture
Speaker 1: and urgent summons reached him without delay, he nodded to
Speaker 1: the shepherds and hastened towards Abraham's tent. The old Patriarch's
Speaker 1: tent was a simple but stately structure, its weathered fabric
Speaker 1: bearing the marks of many seasons.
Speaker 3: Yes, Master Abram, you called for me.
Speaker 5: Yes, Eliazar, I have something important to discuss with you.
Speaker 5: Please take a seat with me. I've decided to take
Speaker 5: another wife. I miss Sarah dear, and her memory will
Speaker 5: be with me every day, but I can no longer
Speaker 5: ignore the duty that is expected of me. I've put
Speaker 5: it off for these past three years, but I can't
Speaker 5: put it off for much longer.
Speaker 3: Yes, that's wise, Master, It's as the custom of your
Speaker 3: God goes, be fruitful and multiply. I should be glad
Speaker 3: to see you have more children and add to our household.
Speaker 5: Quite but it actually wasn't my marriage that I wanted
Speaker 5: to speak with you about. It's Isaac's ah. Yes, though
Speaker 5: he is a man grown, I admit I still think
Speaker 5: of him as my precious boy. Perhaps it's the vast
Speaker 5: difference in age between us. He is the child of
Speaker 5: my twilight years. But he has taken on every responsibility
Speaker 5: I've given him and worn it well. He is a
Speaker 5: fine air one I know I can and rely on.
Speaker 5: But now that my own attention turns to matrimony, I
Speaker 5: must acknowledge that my son is yet a bachelor. Truth
Speaker 5: be told, I enjoy having him near me, and perhaps
Speaker 5: that is why I have put this off for so long.
Speaker 5: But I must see Isaac married before I take a wife.
Speaker 3: He is ready, Master. He will make a fine husband,
Speaker 3: just as he will bear his inheritance.
Speaker 5: Well, I know, Eliezar, Thank you.
Speaker 3: Do you wish for me to search for a bride
Speaker 3: for him, Master.
Speaker 5: I do, But I suppose that brings us to the
Speaker 5: heart of what I would ask of you.
Speaker 3: Master, I will do anything you ask.
Speaker 2: I know you will.
Speaker 5: Eliezar, you are a true friend. I would have you
Speaker 5: seek out a wife for Isaac from the land of
Speaker 5: my family in haran Ah.
Speaker 3: I see that is quite the journey.
Speaker 5: Yes it is, But I cannot permit a marriage pact
Speaker 5: with the people of Canaan. They do not know our
Speaker 5: God or understand our ways. I fear this could lead
Speaker 5: my son or his children, or his children's children astray.
Speaker 5: And besides, our God has spoken of my legacy in
Speaker 5: my line time and time again. I wish for the
Speaker 5: line of my father's to be preserved through my grandchildren.
Speaker 5: I want to honor the line of Shem, that of Noahs,
Speaker 5: and that of Seths.
Speaker 3: I understand, Master, But suppose the woman is unwilling to
Speaker 3: follow me back to this land. It would be a
Speaker 3: great distance without the protection of her family, and she
Speaker 3: would be a complete stranger in these lands. It would
Speaker 3: be quite a woman who is bold enough to forego
Speaker 3: the protection of her father's house and take me at
Speaker 3: my word. If I am unsuccessful at finding such a woman,
Speaker 3: who would venture to Canaan to secure a marriage. Fact,
Speaker 3: should I have Isaac come with me to the land
Speaker 3: of your fathers instead?
Speaker 5: No, Isaac will not return there. I would have you
Speaker 5: swear an oath to me to ensure that you carry
Speaker 5: this task out in exactly the manner I've commanded. When
Speaker 5: the God Most High came to me all those years ago,
Speaker 5: he bid me go out and leave the land for good.
Speaker 5: He promised that my offspring would have this land worth
Speaker 5: standing upon. Right now, our God will go ahead of
Speaker 5: you and make a way for you to get a
Speaker 5: wife from my son there. If the woman is unwilling
Speaker 5: to come back with you, then you will be released
Speaker 5: from this oath of mine. Only do not take my
Speaker 5: son back there. I understand, Master, I am ready to
Speaker 5: swear the oath. I must have you do this, not
Speaker 5: because I do not trust you, but because if something
Speaker 5: were to happen, or if I should not live to
Speaker 5: see the result, I would rest easier knowing that we
Speaker 5: swore this oath. As you know, this is profoundly important
Speaker 5: to me. The promise must be protected at all costs.
Speaker 5: We must remain the chosen people.
Speaker 3: I understand, Master Apram, I will do as you ask.
Speaker 1: With that, Elieza dutifully knelt before his master and placed
Speaker 1: his hand under Abraham's thigh, as was the custom of
Speaker 1: Abraham's people when swearing this type of oath Allah. The
Speaker 1: oath resembled a curse upon Elieza should he break it.
Speaker 1: Though born and raised in another land, Elieza had learned
Speaker 1: the ways of Abraham's people.
Speaker 5: Well, swear by my God God Almighty, the God most High,
Speaker 5: that you will not take a wife from my son,
Speaker 5: from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I lived,
Speaker 5: but that you will go to my land and my
Speaker 5: family to take a wife from my son Isaac.
Speaker 3: I swear by our God.
Speaker 5: Let this be a solemn sign between us that if
Speaker 5: this oath is not carried out, any of my children
Speaker 5: will avenge your unfaithfulness.
Speaker 3: I understand, Master, Thank.
Speaker 2: You, Eliezer.
Speaker 5: Now I hope your journey brings you back to us swiftly.
Speaker 5: I do not wish to die with my duty to
Speaker 5: take another wife unfulfilled, and I am sure Isaac would
Speaker 5: feel the same.
Speaker 3: Of course, Master, very true, I would not have you
Speaker 3: delay this blessing on my account.
Speaker 1: Two weeks later, Eliezer and his men approached Taran, their
Speaker 1: ten camels laden with provisions and gifts. The journey had
Speaker 1: been swift, driven by Eliaz's determination and the urgency of
Speaker 1: his mission. Each day prayed fervently for success, for he
Speaker 1: dreaded returning to Abraham without fulfilling his vow. Eliezer had
Speaker 1: joined Abraham's household when the patriarch had pass through Damascus.
Speaker 1: The young servant had grown by Abraham's side, rising from
Speaker 1: obscurity to become chief servant and trusted adviser. He owed
Speaker 1: everything to Abraham, and he loved him as a father.
Speaker 1: As they neared heron as scout raised a hand to
Speaker 1: hold the party.
Speaker 6: This be Aram Naharaim. If the travelers from the roadway
Speaker 6: back there, can we believe the locals call it nahorstown.
Speaker 3: Neahor Master Abraham's brother. We're in the right place.
Speaker 6: Hi. It sounds like he's a prominent man in these parts,
Speaker 6: rich too. Oh.
Speaker 3: Yes, our master's family was wealthy long before he departed
Speaker 3: from them. These sons of Shem are considered merchant princes,
Speaker 3: their well thrivaling royalty among the trade routes between Haran
Speaker 3: and oh Nery.
Speaker 4: Aye.
Speaker 6: A suitable family for our master's son, then.
Speaker 3: Eh, yes, exactly, I see a well over there by
Speaker 3: the city walls. Let's unload the camels so we can
Speaker 3: water them. We can also set up camp here outside
Speaker 3: the walls.
Speaker 6: Yes, Eliza.
Speaker 1: The men sprang from their camels and set to the
Speaker 1: task Eliezer had assigned them. Eli Azer dismounted more slowly
Speaker 1: and massaged his aching joints once he was on the ground.
Speaker 1: The ride here had been long and hard, and the
Speaker 1: weight of his task hadn't helped. He decided to go
Speaker 1: and see to his own thirst before returning to help
Speaker 1: the other men unload. As he neared, he saw the
Speaker 1: townswomen emerging to draw water in the cool of the day.
Speaker 1: He watched them, wondering if any were kin to Nahor
Speaker 1: and if he might find Isaac's bride among them. For
Speaker 1: two weeks, Eliezer had pondered how to fulfill his task.
Speaker 1: Now standing at Aaron's well, he devised a test. He
Speaker 1: closed his eyes and prayed silently to the God of Abraham.
Speaker 3: Aye, I ask you, God, Most High God of my
Speaker 3: master Abraham, make this happen for me to day, and
Speaker 3: show kindness to my master Abraham. Here I am, Lord,
Speaker 3: standing at the spring where the daughters of the men
Speaker 3: of the town are coming out to draw water. Let
Speaker 3: the girl to whom I say, please lower your water
Speaker 3: jug so I may drink, and who responds drink and
Speaker 3: our water the camels also, Let her be the one
Speaker 3: whom you have appointed for your servant, Master Isaac. By
Speaker 3: this I will know that you have shown kindness to
Speaker 3: my master.
Speaker 1: Eli As I felt satisfied with the test, he had devised.
Speaker 1: He would ask the approaching women if they would draw
Speaker 1: a drink for him, a hospitable act the most any
Speaker 1: respectable woman would certainly oblige. But he would know that
Speaker 1: Abraham's God's hand was at play if the woman miraculously
Speaker 1: went above and beyond this common display of social niceties.
Speaker 1: He had ten camels in tow. Watering them would be
Speaker 1: no small task. If a woman offered to do that
Speaker 1: as well, there would be no denying divine intentions were
Speaker 1: at work. Eyes still closed, Elieza sent out a quieter,
Speaker 1: a more vulnerable prayer in his heart to the God
Speaker 1: of Abraham. He prayed that his voice would be heard,
Speaker 1: that he would even be permitted to make such a
Speaker 1: request to this powerful god. He desperately hoped that his
Speaker 1: master's God would deign to listen to him. He hoped
Speaker 1: for it as much as he was fearful of failing
Speaker 1: Master Abraham. As he opened his eyes, a young woman
Speaker 1: approached her water jug, balanced gracefully on her shoulder. Elieza
Speaker 1: watched her with anticipation, his heart pounding, My.
Speaker 8: Lady, I have news. What is it, Deborah, hurry, let's
Speaker 8: hear it. I must leave to go down and draw
Speaker 8: water soon.
Speaker 9: That's just it, my lady, I hurt. Some wealthy travelers
Speaker 9: just arrived. They're saying it's an advanced party sent out
Speaker 9: on behalf of some lord or merchant to look for
Speaker 9: a wife. I heard their wealth is quite substantial.
Speaker 8: Oh, you would have me go down and bat my eyes.
Speaker 9: You should find out what their business is. At least,
Speaker 9: my lady, you should be the first to offer them hospitality.
Speaker 9: Go and make a good impression. See what comes of it.
Speaker 8: Deborah, have you made an offering to the Goddess Eana today?
Speaker 8: Did you beg for her favor in love and fertility?
Speaker 8: Your scheming is as bad as Laban's.
Speaker 9: My lady, If I thought as your brother does, I
Speaker 9: would be on the city wall peering down at them
Speaker 9: and counting the parcels myself.
Speaker 8: I wouldn't be surprised if Laban isn't doing that very thing.
Speaker 8: I do suppose you're right. Though it doesn't cost me
Speaker 8: anything to be kind, and who knows I could have
Speaker 8: much to gain. I would be wise to see if
Speaker 8: there's something advantageous for me. Oh, and I know my
Speaker 8: brother Laban would never forgive me if I let a
Speaker 8: good opportunity pass me by.
Speaker 1: Not half an hour later, Rebecca was on her way
Speaker 1: toward the well. Deborah fussed over her clothes, but then
Speaker 1: frantically shoot her out the door of their house, Fretting
Speaker 1: about the other young women of the town speaking to
Speaker 1: the visitors before her, Rebecca nervously smoothed her dress with
Speaker 1: one hand as she walked. The other balanced the large
Speaker 1: clay water jug on her shoulder. Rebecca was young, but
Speaker 1: she was no fool to the way of things. Her
Speaker 1: brother Larban had not yet begun to take marriage negotiation
Speaker 1: meetings with her, but she knew what was expected of her.
Speaker 1: She was the daughter of a great family. Her grandfather
Speaker 1: was none other than their patriarch, Nahor. The day was
Speaker 1: soon coming that she would be a bride, and if
Speaker 1: she could have a hand in bringing it about, she
Speaker 1: was determined to do so. Rebecca was clever, never missing
Speaker 1: an opportunity. Deborah often told her she had a wilful
Speaker 1: and independent spirit that would need to be curbed some day,
Speaker 1: but Rebecca could not help it. Perhaps she and her
Speaker 1: brother were more alike than she would care to admit.
Speaker 1: Rebecca inhaled sharply and straightened her shoulders as she passed
Speaker 1: through the city gates. Sure enough, the camels were kneeling
Speaker 1: beside the well. Deborah was right. The amount of goods
Speaker 1: divided among the unridden camels was staggering. Perhaps their lord
Speaker 1: was as rich as her family, maybe even more so,
Speaker 1: she chuckled to herself. There she was thinking like Larbon again.
Speaker 1: As she approached the entrance to the well, she noticed
Speaker 1: a man standing several paces away, watching her. Keeping her
Speaker 1: head high in her shoulders back, she demurely pretended not
Speaker 1: to notice him. She proceeded to walk down the stairs
Speaker 1: and draw water from the well. He had the look
Speaker 1: of a servant, but one of status the head servant.
Speaker 2: Perhaps.
Speaker 1: She sifted through her thoughts to plan what to say
Speaker 1: to him. But as she climbed the stairs to the well,
Speaker 1: she found that all her schemes and designs suddenly evaporated
Speaker 1: from her mind. She didn't feel overwhelmed or scared. She
Speaker 1: just felt present, an odd feeling since she constantly dreamed
Speaker 1: and skimmed about the future. Rebecca was aware of her
Speaker 1: breath going in and out of her lungs. Her mind
Speaker 1: felt crystal clear and open. The man approached, Please, my lady,
Speaker 1: would you let me have a little water from your vessel.
Speaker 1: Up close, Rebecca was surprised to feel compassion for the man.
Speaker 1: He seemed incredibly weary and tired. He must have come
Speaker 1: from a far distance. Though she did not know him,
Speaker 1: she felt responsible to him for some reason, loyal even
Speaker 1: without thinking, she cared for. Shrugged the heavy water jug
Speaker 1: from her shoulder, clasping it with two hands, and handed
Speaker 1: it to him in a gesture of kindness.
Speaker 8: Drink, my lord.
Speaker 1: She watched as he drank long and deep from the jug.
Speaker 1: She saw the camels kneeling beside the water trough behind him.
Speaker 1: She could see from here that the limestone bottom of
Speaker 1: the trough was cracked and dry as a bone. The
Speaker 1: water from the day had been drained earlier or evaporated
Speaker 1: in the heat. Again, a strong sense of compassion nagged
Speaker 1: at her. She had to do something about that. She
Speaker 1: was young and capable. She found within her an intense,
Speaker 1: urgent desire to help.
Speaker 8: Please my Lord, Allow me to serve you. I see
Speaker 8: that your camels have not been watered after your journey.
Speaker 8: I'll also draw water for them until they've had enough
Speaker 8: to drink.
Speaker 1: The man blinked at her in surprise, but graciously handed
Speaker 1: her back her vessel and stepped aside. Rebecca emptied the
Speaker 1: rest of her jogging to the trough. She took her
Speaker 1: empty water chug and descended the stairs. She drew more
Speaker 1: water and began the climb again. The first camel was
Speaker 1: already drinking deeply from the trough, and the others were
Speaker 1: crowded around, eager to drink from the next. It took
Speaker 1: Rebecca nine trips just to satisfy the first camel. The
Speaker 1: man watched her still, and now his companions had slowed
Speaker 1: their camp making to watch this strange scene unfold, that
Speaker 1: of a young girl hurrying back and forth from the
Speaker 1: well to the trough. A few of them started to
Speaker 1: move forward to help, but the man wordlessly waved them off,
Speaker 1: his eyes still fixed on Rebecca. But Rebecca didn't stop
Speaker 1: at the first camel. She kept drawing water and marching
Speaker 1: up and down the stairs, lungs and legs burning, until
Speaker 1: all ten camels nearly one hundred trips, were watered. All
Speaker 1: the while she wondered at herself. Gone was the advice
Speaker 1: from her nurse maid, Gone was her own ambition or scheme. Instead,
Speaker 1: there was only this overwhelming sense of miraculous loyalty. The
Speaker 1: kindness and compassion she felt in her heart were all
Speaker 1: that remained As she labored at her task. Eliezza had
Speaker 1: to keep reminding himself not to hang his mouth open
Speaker 1: in disbelief. The girl was fulfilling the test he laid
Speaker 1: before God. He was stunned into silence. The task had
Speaker 1: taken several hours to complete, but she didn't stop to
Speaker 1: rest or show signs of halting, even once. The light
Speaker 1: was very nearly gone from the sky now and the
Speaker 1: flicker of lamps in high windows could be seen beyond
Speaker 1: the city walls. The girl finally stopped when she poured
Speaker 1: the last portion of water into the trough for the
Speaker 1: last camel. She turned and faced him, panting as if
Speaker 1: waiting for him to speak. Still in shock, dumbly, Elieza
Speaker 1: stumbled forward toward one of the camels, now kneeling satiated
Speaker 1: beside her.
Speaker 3: My lady, wait, I know it's getting late, and I'm
Speaker 3: sure your family will be wondering where you are, but
Speaker 3: I would present.
Speaker 2: You with something.
Speaker 1: He fumbled through the saddle bags until he found what
Speaker 1: he was looking for. He then stood before the girl.
Speaker 1: She was young, but stunningly beautiful, with sharp, clever eyes
Speaker 1: that he knew would not miss a thing. This was
Speaker 1: undoubtedly the girl God intended for Master Isaac, and still
Speaker 1: shaking with realization and clarity, he gently took her hand
Speaker 1: and placed a half shekeled gold ring in her palm.
Speaker 1: He then took her other hand and placed two bracelets
Speaker 1: weighing ten shekels of gold upon her wrists.
Speaker 3: Whose daughter are you? And please tell me? Is there
Speaker 3: room in your father's house for us to spend the night?
Speaker 8: I am the daughter of Bethul, son of Milcah, whom
Speaker 8: she bore to Nahor. And yes, our camp has plenty
Speaker 8: of straw and feed for your camels, and a place
Speaker 8: for you and your men to spend the night.
Speaker 1: Elieza should not have been surprised by this discovery, after
Speaker 1: what he had just witnessed, but he was amazed for
Speaker 1: a second time that evening. When the girl named herself
Speaker 1: one of Abraham's extended family. An overpowering sense of awe
Speaker 1: swelled inside Eliezza, and he dropped to his knees in amazement.
Speaker 3: Blessed be the God of my master Abraham. He has
Speaker 3: not withheld his kindness and his faithfulness from my master
Speaker 3: as for me. This same god, the god of my master,
Speaker 3: has not led me astray, but led me straight to
Speaker 3: the house of my master's relatives.
Speaker 1: Rebecca ran home and promised to send someone back to
Speaker 1: meet them and escort them to her house. A short
Speaker 1: while later, Elieza and his men were preparing to move
Speaker 1: the camels when a large bear like man approached.
Speaker 6: Rather, I am Laban at yours. My sister tells me
Speaker 6: you have joined it a long while Lamb. I shall
Speaker 6: spoil you with lamb wine and figs. Your camels will
Speaker 6: have plenty of straw, and your heads will have soft
Speaker 6: pillows to be at ease.
Speaker 1: Larban presented himself as a jolly simple man, Yet Rebecca
Speaker 1: knew better. She knew that Larban always had an angle.
Speaker 1: The wheels were always turning behind his wide smile and earnest,
Speaker 1: deep voice. Elieza and the others were escorted to the
Speaker 1: grand dining tent. Tapestries of Nahor's exploits laced the walls
Speaker 1: and floor. Torches flickered, music played, and the rich smell
Speaker 1: of lamb stew and roasted figs filled the air. It
Speaker 1: was nearly more than Elieza could handle after such a journey,
Speaker 1: but he had to remember the task at hand.
Speaker 3: My Lord Laban, and sweet Lady Rebecca, I must not
Speaker 3: eat until I've said what I've come to say.
Speaker 6: Speak to your heart's content.
Speaker 3: I am Abraham's servant, that is Abraham, son of Terah,
Speaker 3: and your father's brother. Now, God Almighty has blessed my
Speaker 3: master in the land of Canaan. He has become very
Speaker 3: wealthy in land and resources. God has given him flocks
Speaker 3: and herds, silver and gold, servants, camels and donkeys. Sarah,
Speaker 3: my master's wife, bore a son to my master in
Speaker 3: her old age, and he has given him everything he owns.
Speaker 3: His name is Isaac.
Speaker 1: Hell has a paused for breath, and when he did,
Speaker 1: he noticed with amusement that Rebecca's cheeks reddened at the
Speaker 1: mention of Isaac's name.
Speaker 3: You see, I have traveled back to this land because
Speaker 3: my master put me under an oath. He said to me,
Speaker 3: you will not take a wife for my son from
Speaker 3: the daughters of the Canaanites, but will go to my
Speaker 3: father's family. Well to day we arrived in the land
Speaker 3: of my master, and this is the first town we
Speaker 3: came upon. Imagine my surprise when we came to discover
Speaker 3: the name. While resting at the well, I devised a
Speaker 3: test to discern God's will. I prayed to him and
Speaker 3: I said, let the young woman who comes out to
Speaker 3: draw the water, and I say to her, please, let
Speaker 3: me drink from your vessel. And she responds, drink, and
Speaker 3: I'll also water for your camels. Let her be the
Speaker 3: woman that God Almighty has appointed for my master's son.
Speaker 1: The look of shark on the faces around the table
Speaker 1: revealed that this match precisely to the account Rebecca told them.
Speaker 3: So, it sounds like you already know where my tail
Speaker 3: is heading. Before I had even finished praying, there was
Speaker 3: Rebecca with her jug of water. What happened next was
Speaker 3: it was exactly the sign that I had prayed for.
Speaker 3: So you see the God of my master Abraham, He's
Speaker 3: guided me to you, the granddaughter of my master's own brother.
Speaker 6: I speak for all of us when I say I
Speaker 6: am amazed. Now I've heard rumors of Abraham's God whispers
Speaker 6: and tall tales that blow in with the sand. Hearing
Speaker 6: your account makes me believe.
Speaker 3: All the more.
Speaker 6: Hoo, it would seem that we have no choice in
Speaker 6: the matter. You have also already offered, my dear sister,
Speaker 6: what would appear to be the beginning of a generous
Speaker 6: bride price. You should stay so we can discuss the
Speaker 6: details of the arrangement. As long as it's all right
Speaker 6: with you, dear sister.
Speaker 8: It seems fitting, brother, let's proceed.
Speaker 6: Ah, Yes, fitting indeed, Eliezar raise your cup to Rebecca
Speaker 6: and Isaac.
Speaker 1: Household hummed with an excited frenzy. Elieza and Laban negotiated
Speaker 1: the bride price. Of course, Laban squeezed every last ounce
Speaker 1: he could during the negotiations, but in the end all
Speaker 1: was set and ready. She was to be Isaac's wife.
Speaker 1: She could scarcely sleep and have been up at first
Speaker 1: light to begin preparing for her journey. Word had come
Speaker 1: to her that Eliezza was eager to depart right away.
Speaker 1: Rebecca heard voices from outside. She leaned in closer to listen.
Speaker 9: I know you are eager to get back to your master,
Speaker 9: but let the girl stay with us for another ten days.
Speaker 9: We are delighted with your offer, but this is so sudden.
Speaker 9: We need time to prepare. Give us ten days then
Speaker 9: she can go.
Speaker 3: I understand this may seem sudden, but please do not
Speaker 3: delay me. Since God Almighty has made my journey successful,
Speaker 3: I must go to tell my master and tell him.
Speaker 9: But we cannot organize an escort for her on such
Speaker 9: short notice.
Speaker 6: You would have us send Rebecca alone without the protection
Speaker 6: of her family.
Speaker 3: Because you were unwilling to.
Speaker 6: Wait a few days.
Speaker 3: I cannot delay, but I assure you she will be
Speaker 3: under my protection. I will see her to my master
Speaker 3: and my master's son safely.
Speaker 9: But how let us ask the girl. I am sure
Speaker 9: Rebecca will have himpeen. She will decide.
Speaker 1: Rebecca pulled away from the door in surprise. She thought
Speaker 1: she would have more time to prepare for this new life.
Speaker 1: Now that her thoughts were racing, she wondered if she
Speaker 1: would ever be ready for something like this, leaving the
Speaker 1: nun and stepping into the unknown to learn a new
Speaker 1: land and its customs, to learn to follow this God
Speaker 1: of Abraham. She had never met Isaac or traveled to
Speaker 1: the land she would help him rule. What had seen
Speaker 1: and exciting in one moment now seemed utterly daunting. As
Speaker 1: she fumbled through her thoughts, her mother, Elieza, and Laban
Speaker 1: entered Rebecca.
Speaker 9: A Liezer maintains that he cannot be delayed in reporting
Speaker 9: back to his master. Will you go with him? He
Speaker 9: intends to leave this very day.
Speaker 1: Rebecca looked from her mother to Alieza. When she looked
Speaker 1: at him, all her overwhelming fears dissipated again. She felt
Speaker 1: that sensation of loyalty and peace. Whether it was the
Speaker 1: display of this man's faith or the power of his God,
Speaker 1: she knew it would be all right.
Speaker 8: I will go.
Speaker 9: Look at this desolate place.
Speaker 8: Do these people live in sand castles? My betrothed people
Speaker 8: are ranchers. They travel with their flocks and move about
Speaker 8: in caravans. I would think some areas are more barren
Speaker 8: than others.
Speaker 1: Rebecca had never beheld anything quite like the Negev before.
Speaker 1: She had lived in Nahor's town her whole life, and
Speaker 1: traveled to Haran and the surrounding camps on occasion. Nothing
Speaker 1: could have prepared her to see great plains and the
Speaker 1: wild wildernesses. But when they arrived at the edge of
Speaker 1: the Negev Well, she had never seen anything like it.
Speaker 1: It was barren and harsh, yet she marveled at its
Speaker 1: dangerous beauty. Her betrothed family had learned to harness the
Speaker 1: land and create a vast empire. She too, would soon
Speaker 1: be brought into the fold and learn the ways of
Speaker 1: the desert.
Speaker 9: He Yezon, are we close. I'm not sure how many
Speaker 9: more days on a camel my rump can take.
Speaker 3: We are close. We have just crossed into the Master's lands.
Speaker 1: Rebecca's heart soared in anticipation. Hardly a fortnight ago, her
Speaker 1: family had sent her off with Abraham's servant all her
Speaker 1: belong means Dowry, and her nursemaid, Deborah, who would become
Speaker 1: her handmaiden in her new roller's mistress. Her family had
Speaker 1: blessed her before she left, and she had given them
Speaker 1: each a tearful goodbye late at night when they slept
Speaker 1: under the stars. She still missed them terribly, but as
Speaker 1: each day brought her closer to her new home, she
Speaker 1: could not deny the excitement building inside. Just then, movement
Speaker 1: on the horizon caught her attention. Through the haze of
Speaker 1: the desert, her shape started to solidify.
Speaker 8: It was a man, Eliezer. Who is that in the
Speaker 8: field coming out to meet us? How can you.
Speaker 7: See anyone through this blasted haze and heat?
Speaker 3: That my lady is Master Isaac.
Speaker 1: Rebecca blushed and grinned like a fool. She quickly turned
Speaker 1: away from Eliezza to hide her nervousness.
Speaker 5: My lady, your veil.
Speaker 8: You're about to meet your patrolled You should dune your veil.
Speaker 9: That is what is proper in your new station.
Speaker 1: Rebecca heeded her former nursemaid and donned her veil. She
Speaker 1: fidgeted atop her camel in the saddle and wished her
Speaker 1: palms were not sweating so much. As the man approached,
Speaker 1: he was alone, as if returning from a leisurely walk
Speaker 1: about his lands. His stature was impressive, even from the
Speaker 1: top of her camel, and at a distance she could
Speaker 1: tell he was tall, but his demeanor was not intimidating.
Speaker 1: She could see a good natured grin springing across his face,
Speaker 1: brightening his eyes and forming deep crinkles on his face.
Speaker 1: This was a man who smiled a great deal.
Speaker 3: He Liezer, you've returned that I have Master Isaac, and
Speaker 3: so soon eager to remain my father's favorite.
Speaker 4: I see.
Speaker 3: Master Isaac. As you can see, I have returned from
Speaker 3: my journey. God has made it successful. May I present
Speaker 3: Lady Rebecca.
Speaker 1: Rebeca inclined her head and found that when she brought
Speaker 1: her gaze back up to meet her betrothed. His smile
Speaker 1: had somehow doubled in size. Butterflies coursed through her, and
Speaker 1: she was thankful that the veil covered most of her face.
Speaker 1: She could only imagine the vibrant shade of red that
Speaker 1: could be found beneath it. The desert heat was nothing
Speaker 1: to the heat that radiated from her cheeks. She then
Speaker 1: remembered she was supposed to say something, Oh, my.
Speaker 8: My lord, I have traveled a long way to meet you.
Speaker 8: I am honored to become your wife.
Speaker 3: Oh no, no, Rebecca, it is I who am honored.
Speaker 3: Look at how far you've traveled, why you've uprooted your
Speaker 3: whole life to be here. I just pray I don't
Speaker 3: disappoint you with that.
Speaker 1: He strode to her camel, reached up with muscular arms,
Speaker 1: and lifted her gently to the ground. Her breath caught
Speaker 1: as he set her down, and she nearly swooned as
Speaker 1: she grasped his arms to steady herself. As if sensing
Speaker 1: her nervousness, he gave her a good natured smile and
Speaker 1: turned to Elieza.
Speaker 3: Eliezer, tell me everything I want to know about your
Speaker 3: journey and how you met this lovely woman. Spare no detail.
Speaker 1: Rebecca was grateful for not being the center of attention.
Speaker 1: She wondered if Isaac knew that explicitly or simply intuited sir.
Speaker 1: As they walked side by side, she had the opportunity
Speaker 1: to observe him. He earnestly listened and responded to Elieza's
Speaker 1: story with great enthusiasm. Rebecca admired the man's easy going
Speaker 1: way about him.
Speaker 3: My lady, Rebecca, I'm amazed you can stand around all
Speaker 3: these camels for a moment longer, after all the time
Speaker 3: you spent watering and wandering among them these past weeks.
Speaker 3: But fear not, my dear, your camel wrangling days are
Speaker 3: far behind you.
Speaker 8: Oh, I am grateful to hear it.
Speaker 3: My lord, Come, I would be honored to introduce you
Speaker 3: to father.
Speaker 1: Isaac took Rebecca's hand as they walked toward his father's camp.
Speaker 1: She looked up at him, and he smiled at her.
Speaker 1: She smiled back. Rebecca was home at last.
Speaker 7: Isaac and Rebecca. It's one of those tales that feels
Speaker 7: more like a Hollywood screenplay than ancient history. The drama
Speaker 7: starts when Abraham, our aging patriarch, sends his faithful servant
Speaker 7: on a mission to find a wife for Isaac, his
Speaker 7: beloved son. No pressure right now, Imagine the scene, a
Speaker 7: vast desert, stretching as far as the eye can see,
Speaker 7: a lone servant with ten camels trudging through the sand,
Speaker 7: dust swirling all around him. And then there's a well,
Speaker 7: a simple well can you might pass by without a
Speaker 7: second thought. And then there she is, Rebecca, a woman
Speaker 7: of unparalleled kindness and hospitality. She offers water, not just
Speaker 7: to the servant, but to all ten of his camels.
Speaker 7: That's no small feet. A camel can drink up to
Speaker 7: thirty gallons of water at a time. We are talking
Speaker 7: about a major act of service here. It's a love
Speaker 7: story that I believe is scripted by God himself, and
Speaker 7: it's a story that shows his hand at work. But
Speaker 7: here's the thing. How often do we recognize God's hand
Speaker 7: at work in our own lives. We rush through our days,
Speaker 7: eyes and minds focused on the tasks at hand, and
Speaker 7: sometimes we miss the divine moments along the way. Do
Speaker 7: you ever feel that way that you miss something that's
Speaker 7: so important. Maybe it's the smile of a stranger. It
Speaker 7: could be as simple as a kind word from a friend.
Speaker 7: It could even be the stillness of a morning prayer.
Speaker 7: But when you open your eye to it, God's fingerprints
Speaker 7: in your life are everywhere. The story of Isaac and
Speaker 7: Rebecca reminds us that every step we take, every encounter,
Speaker 7: and every act of kindness is directly orchestrated by a
Speaker 7: loving God who cares about the details. So next time
Speaker 7: you find yourself at a proverbial well, take a pause
Speaker 7: look around, because if you open your eyes, you might
Speaker 7: just see God's hand at work writing your very own story. Now,
Speaker 7: let's talk about Rebecca and Isaac, since this is actually
Speaker 7: their story. The test to find a wife for Isaac
Speaker 7: that ultimately leads to Rebecca is an interesting one, isn't it.
Speaker 3: It's not to find the.
Speaker 7: Woman who praised the most deeply or has the closest
Speaker 7: relationship to God. It's not to find the most spiritual woman. Now,
Speaker 7: it's to find the woman who showed the greatest commitment
Speaker 7: to hospitality to strangers and even to their cam Doesn't
Speaker 7: this seem like a strange test if you actually think
Speaker 7: about it, But the truth is, if we look at
Speaker 7: it through Godly eyes, it's not so strange. Think about Abraham.
Speaker 7: Think about those qualities of hospitality and compassion. Those were
Speaker 7: so important to our patriarch. As we've seen in previous episodes,
Speaker 7: those qualities are still central to the Jewish people. So
Speaker 7: it's actually not so strange that compassion and hospitality would
Speaker 7: be absolute musts for Isaac's bride, who's going to continue
Speaker 7: his lineage. Those same qualities hospitality and compassion are ones
Speaker 7: we all, as God's chosen people, should still show today.
Speaker 7: Those are Godly qualities, and it's those same qualities that
Speaker 7: drive the Fellowship each and every day here in Israel
Speaker 7: and all around the world. Here at the International Fellowship
Speaker 7: of Christians and Jews, the organization that I oversee, we
Speaker 7: seek out those in need and we provide them what
Speaker 7: is all too often lacking life saving food, water, shelter, medicine,
Speaker 7: and love. We look at the scriptures and God tells
Speaker 7: us where we should be. We should be there to
Speaker 7: save lives of the lonely.
Speaker 9: And the hopeless.
Speaker 7: And that's where the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews goes.
Speaker 7: As Rebecca is passing the test, Isaac is waiting back
Speaker 7: at home for his new bride. In verse sixty three,
Speaker 7: we read that Isaac quote went out to the field
Speaker 7: one evening to meditate, and as he looked up, he
Speaker 7: saw camels approaching. Now, the Bible doesn't tell us what
Speaker 7: Isaac was meditating about, but we can be pretty sure
Speaker 7: that he was praying that his bride would be the
Speaker 7: right one for him, that she would help him carry
Speaker 7: on the great tradition of his parents, beloved Abraham and Sarah.
Speaker 7: In fact, Jewish tradition teaches us that at that moment,
Speaker 7: Isaac established one of the three main prayer services that
Speaker 7: the Jewish people still pray every single day. Isaac's prayer
Speaker 7: in the field is the Jewish prayer in the afternoon.
Speaker 7: You see Jewish people say the traditional prayers from the
Speaker 7: prayer book three times a day in the morning, in
Speaker 7: the afternoon, and in the evening. This prayer that Isaac
Speaker 7: instituted is the afternoon prayer called Minchah, which literally means offering.
Speaker 7: And this prayer is one where we stop our work
Speaker 7: and offer to God our time praying in the middle
Speaker 7: of the day in the afternoon, we stop and we say,
Speaker 7: I am yours, my time is yours, my success is yours.
Speaker 7: But even as his prayer is one still prayed by
Speaker 7: Jews today. Isaac didn't whip out a prayer book when
Speaker 7: he first prayed this prayer. No, Isaac prayed from the heart.
Speaker 7: He prayed spontaneously, and this can be a model of
Speaker 7: prayer for all of us. Of course, we often pray
Speaker 7: from a text, but all prayers, especially at the most
Speaker 7: important moment in our lives, like this moment for Isaac,
Speaker 7: must also be from the heart, our own personal words
Speaker 7: of connecting with God. And like Isaac, we pray knowing
Speaker 7: that our Father in heaven Avenu shebasha Mine is guiding
Speaker 7: us every step of the way. So much is happening
Speaker 7: in this love story of Isaac and Rebecca. To expand
Speaker 7: more in its significance to Christians, Let's turn again to
Speaker 7: my good friend, Bishop Paulineer.
Speaker 10: Thank you so much. Child. Here we are in Genesis
Speaker 10: chapter twenty four, and it's one of the most consequential
Speaker 10: chapters of generational transfer that we're going to read about.
Speaker 10: In fact, I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say
Speaker 10: to you that Rebecca is one of the most significant
Speaker 10: persons or characters individuals in our entire faith. It didn't
Speaker 10: matter what call it said to Abraham. It didn't matter
Speaker 10: what he had promised to Isaac. If that woman, if
Speaker 10: that Rebecca didn't believe, if she didn't in somehow or
Speaker 10: away engage this God of Abraham, it's all gone. The
Speaker 10: Covenant conversation ends there. Then we come to this providential moment.
Speaker 10: Verse sixty seven says that Isaac met her and did
Speaker 10: the most profound thing. The scripture says that he took
Speaker 10: her into his mother's tent. I don't even know. You
Speaker 10: know the later Moses took his father in law, Jethrow,
Speaker 10: into his own tent. We have to be very careful
Speaker 10: who we allow on our inner circle, in those sacred
Speaker 10: spaces of our lives. I tell my people here in
Speaker 10: this church, you better know who you're Peter, James, and
Speaker 10: John are. But he brought her in that hallowed place
Speaker 10: that had been a space of hurt, and she was
Speaker 10: there to transform it into a space of healing. Rebecca
Speaker 10: came into that tent, went into that space, and you
Speaker 10: know what the scripture says, says that Isaac loved her.
Speaker 10: Isaac loved his Rebecca. Do you know this is the
Speaker 10: first time in Torah when the scriptures note that a
Speaker 10: man loved a woman. No, I'm not saying Abraham didn't
Speaker 10: love Sarah. Of course they loved each other. But it's
Speaker 10: worth noting this is the first time it's noted in
Speaker 10: this Torah that Isaac loved her. While Isaac loved her,
Speaker 10: the verse continues to say that and she comforted.
Speaker 3: Him.
Speaker 10: He loved her and she comfort What a.
Speaker 2: Wonderful moment.
Speaker 10: In his longing. She came into his mother's tent, and
Speaker 10: she lived in his hurt, and she healed him, and
Speaker 10: they began their own covenant conversation together with God. Would
Speaker 10: you think it's strange if I pray right now for you,
Speaker 10: for your children, that your son, your Isaac will meet
Speaker 10: his Rebecca, not just a pretty girl, not just a
Speaker 10: smart and brilliant, talented gift. No, it's too important. This
Speaker 10: is about your generations. Could I pray for your daughter
Speaker 10: that she meets her Isaac, not that he's just kind
Speaker 10: and he's a good guy and he makes a good living,
Speaker 10: good gracious, Think higher for your child, Think greater for
Speaker 10: your son and daughter, that the covenant blessings of God
Speaker 10: will be extended through them. Amen.
Speaker 7: Genesis twenty four is Rebecca and Isaac's story, but it
Speaker 7: ends by mentioning Sarah. The verse last the verse. The
Speaker 7: last verse closes by telling us that after he married Rebecca,
Speaker 7: Isaac was comforted after his mother's death. According to Jewish tradition,
Speaker 7: Isaac was comforted by much more than the love of
Speaker 7: his wife. You see, when Rebecca entered Isaac's tent, a
Speaker 7: part of Sarah returned as well.
Speaker 9: Her spirit was with them.
Speaker 7: Tradition teaches that while Sarah was alive, there were three
Speaker 7: constant miracles in her home. The Sabbath candles burned all week,
Speaker 7: the bread never got stale or moldy, and God's clouds
Speaker 7: of glory always rested upon the tent. When Sarah left
Speaker 7: this world, those miracles left two for when Isaac married Rebecca,
Speaker 7: all three miracles returned, and the miracles and the homes
Speaker 7: of both matriarchs reflected the holiness of the women who
Speaker 7: lived inside of them. The lasting candlelight represented the warmth
Speaker 7: and insight that both women offered to others. The second miracle,
Speaker 7: the fresh bread, reflected the fresh enthusiasm that both women
Speaker 7: brought to their service of God every day. And the
Speaker 7: third miracle, the clouds of glory, which was always on
Speaker 7: their which was all and the third miracle, the clouds
Speaker 7: of Glory, which was always above them, showed God's constant
Speaker 7: presence in their homes. They spoke of God, prayed to God,
Speaker 7: and ran their homes according to God's ways. As God's
Speaker 7: Chosen People, my friends, we too can make our homes
Speaker 7: into a temple, into holy places where God's presence and
Speaker 7: blessings are bound. So let's make our own homes a
Speaker 7: place of love and light where people can rest and
Speaker 7: revive and feel renewed. Let's make our own homes into
Speaker 7: godly spaces that remind people of God and his love
Speaker 7: for them. Let's fill our homes with prayers and words
Speaker 7: of scripture. And just like Sarah and Rebecca's tents, which
Speaker 7: were open on all four sides, Let's make our homes welcoming.
Speaker 7: Let's make our homes a welcoming place for strangers and
Speaker 7: family alike. Just like our matriarchs and patriarchs, we can
Speaker 7: bring God's blessings into the world from the inner sanctuary
Speaker 7: of our homes.
Speaker 1: You can listen to the Chosen People with isl Eckstein
Speaker 1: and free by downloading and subscribing to the Prey dot
Speaker 1: Com app today. This Prey dot com production is only
Speaker 1: made possible by our dedicated team of creative talents. Steve Gattina,
Speaker 1: Max Bard, Zach Shellabarger and Ben Gammon are the executive
Speaker 1: producers of The Chosen People with Yile Eckstein. Edited by
Speaker 1: Alberto Avilla, narrated by Paul Coltofianu. Characters are voiced by
Speaker 1: Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvato, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwold,
Speaker 1: Sylvia Zaradoc and the opening prayer is voiced by John Moore.
Speaker 1: Music by Andrew Morgan Smith, written by Bree Rosie and
Speaker 1: Aaron Salvato. Special thanks to Bishop Paul Lanier, Robin van Ettin,
Speaker 1: kayleb Burrows, Jocelyn Fuller, and the team at International Fellowship
Speaker 1: of Christians and Jews. You can hear more Prey dot
Speaker 1: com productions on the Prey dot com app, available on
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