The servant is so excited he recounts the story over and
over. The piece that is missing from the
reading is one more re-telling of the story.
We first meet a character who will be important in the life of Isaac’s
son here, Laban. We can see a bit of
Laban’s character in this first meeting.
At first he seems genuinely hospitable, a true gentleman but what we see
is that his hospitality is based on what he sees, the ring and bracelets his
sister is suddenly wearing. His interest
is definitely heightened when he hears how financially blessed is the master of
this servant, his own kinsman. Laban is
with his father, Bethuel, here so he is not the one ultimately in control of
the situation, the decision concerning Rebekah lies with his father.
In the middle of the festival Jesus appears and begins
teaching. The people marvel at His
teaching because He never studied. He
didn’t need to, He is the exposition of God’s Word. Jesus calls the people to account for not
following or knowing the Law by saying that they circumcise children on the
Sabbath so how is it wrong to heal on the Sabbath. All work is not alike. Everyone is confused by Jesus. They don’t know what He means by His
teachings and His sayings because no one truly could have imagined that He was
literally from heaven and what would happen next would not be the end of
things. They want a Messiah but they
want Him on their own terms, Jesus breaks past their understanding of the Word
in a way that leaves them puzzled because their understanding is too
small. We are called to not be dazzled
by the signs but by Jesus Himself.
If you keep in mind that the audience of the letter to the
Hebrews is a group of people who are looking backwards towards restoring the
old covenant it is easier to follow the path of the logic. Esau had sold his birthright for a mess of
pottage and once his strength was restored he had great regret. We cannot sell our birthright as children of
God in Christ Jesus for a mess of pottage by returning to self-justification
through sacrifice. In His teaching Jesus
taught us to raise the bar on sin so high that no amount of sacrifice would be
possible to atone for it all. Lustful
thoughts equate to adultery, hatred is murder, we have to love our enemies,
etc. The author refers to Exodus 19 when
he writes beginning in verse 18 of this passage. The better word than the blood of Abel is
“Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing” as opposed to
Abel’s blood crying out for vengeance.
Moses and the angels were the mediators of the old covenant, Jesus alone
is the mediator of the new covenant which is celebrated by the angels. What we
have been given but do not see is far greater than what the old covenant gave,
a land flowing with milk and honey. We
need to stop being like Laban and move beyond being impressed by the things we
see in the flesh and think and live as spiritually-driven people.
We give thanks to you,
O God;
we give thanks, for your name is near.
We recount your wondrous deeds.
we give thanks, for your name is near.
We recount your wondrous deeds.
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