In this series, Professor Jared Kingsley focuses our attention onto the importance of the well in the biblical narrative as it relates to and ultimately culminates in Christ Himself. In Scripture, wells are far more than being a water source. They serve as meeting places, turning points, and symbols of God’s provision for His people.
In today’s episode, Professor Kingsley hones in on Genesis 24, where a well becomes the stage for God’s covenant promises to move forward through Abraham’s seed. It is at this well where a wife was found for Isaac, ensuring the continuation of the covenant people.
The Servant’s Instructions
By Genesis 24, Abraham is old. He knows that when he passes, his son Isaac will be the one to carry on the Abrahamic Covenant, and yet, to do so, he knows that Isaac will need a wife. Therefore, Abraham sends his servant out to find a wife for his son, Isaac, with two clear conditions:
- She must not be a Canaanite woman. Abraham did not want his son intermixing with the Canaanites, a wicked people steeped in paganism and syncretism.
- Isaac must not leave the land. Abraham himself had once left the land for Egypt in a moment of disobedience and weakened conviction before the Lord. Knowing the hardships that this caused him, Abraham did not want his son to repeat his same mistake.
The Servant’s Faith
What stands out in this passage is not only Abraham’s faith but the servant’s. Throughout Genesis, we have seen both Abraham and Isaac becoming men of God, and in this chapter, the same is true of the servant. He faithfully obeys Abraham, who he calls his master, by setting out on the journey, holding fast to Abraham’s commands. Moreso, he faithfully prays to the Lord, praying what he knows to be true of the Lord and His character. Before he had even finished his prayer, Rebekah appeared at the well, solidifying this event as a God-ordained moment.
The Servant’s Master
One of the subtle yet profound details in Genesis 24 comes at the chapter’s close. When the servant returns with Rebekah, she sees Isaac for the first time and asks, “Who is that man walking in the field to meet us?”, to which the servant replies, “He is my master” (Genesis 24:65, LSB). The covenant has moved forward. The baton has been passed to the next generation.
And all of it begins at a well.
This blog post captures the essence of Professor Jared Kingsley’s series on Jesus and the Wells. You may click on the video above to hear more insightful details about the provision of the LORD shown through the image of the well. Professor Kingsley is professor of Hebrew and Old Testament for The Master’s University traditional on-campus program.
