Gen 24: Abraham's servant sent to find a wife for Isaac

The previous chapter told of Abraham burying his wife; this chapter tells of him marrying his son. As one generation passes away another generation comes.

• v1: Abraham started to think about marrying his son because he was old and well advanced in years.
• v3: He did not want his son to marry a daughter of Canaan (the cursed), but one of his own, because the Canaanites were cursed and degenerating into wickedness and would thus become a snare. Yet he would not allow his son to go back to his native land, lest he should be tempted to settle there. "If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return" (Heb 11:15)
• v2-3: Abraham entrusted this important task to his oldest servant.
• v7: Abraham's faith in action: he put his fatih in a good God, remembering that God had wonderfully brought him out of his native land to prosper him. He also remembered the promise God had made and hence inferred that God would bless his endeavours to match his son in order to fulfil the promise.
• v12-14: Abraham's servant acknowledged God in prayer, petitioning for prosperity and good success. "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight" (Prov 3:5-6). He knew that "a prudent wife is from the LORD" (Prov 19:14), and thus asked God for a sign.
• The answer to the prayer was
  speedy (v15 - before he had finished speaking)
  satisfactory (v16 - Rebekah was so well qualified that she answered all the characters he wished for)
• v26: Remember to thank God when He gives the breakthrough!
• v30: Laban was extremely hospitable and went out to invite the servant in, but not until he saw the ear rings and bracelets in his sister's hands. "A gift opens the way for the giver and ushers him into the presence of the great." (Prov 18:16)
  
• v31: The servant was thus pronounced blessed of the Lord
• v33: The servant was intent upon his business. The doing of our work and fulfilling of what God has set for us to do takes precedence over our material comforts and necessary food: work was Jesus' meat and drink. ""My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work" (John 4:34)
• v45: "before I finished praying in my heart" -not out loud, hence removes any possibility that Rebekah had decided to humour the servant and play along if she had heard his prayer
• v50: Rebekah's family did not object distance of place, Abraham's forsaking them, his having no possession of land, nor the questioning the servant's integrity. They decided upon it because it was "from the Lord".
• v52: Abraham's servant made a thankful acknowledgement to God. As we pray without ceasing, we should in everything give thanks.
• v54: The servant did not linger or delay his return from business at home.
• v60: When you enter into a new season, do you by prayer ask for the blessing and grace of God?
• v64-65: Rebekah alighted her camel and took a veil and covered herself, in token of humility, modesty and subjection.
• v67: It was three years since Isaac's mother's death, yet he was not till now, comforted.