“And Laban and Bethuel answered saying, ‘This matter has come from Yahweh; we are not able to speak evil or good to you. Behold Rebekah is in your presence; take up and go, let her be the wife of your lord’s son just as Yahweh has spoken.’”

(Genesis 24:50-51)

What is curious to me is just how prominent a role that Laban begins playing here. Perhaps it is simply because Bethuel is older and Laban has taken a more dominant role in managing his father’s household, but most likely it is because he is being introduced to prepare us for his much more significant (and sinister) role later on in his nephew, Jacob’s, life. Either way, Laban and Bethuel recognize that God’s hand is at work here in this interaction and do not choose to interfere. An interesting side note is that in Laban and Bethuel’s response, the “her” that is included in many of our English translations is implied. Literally they say: “Take and Go.” This is not meant to be rude so much as it is meant to communicate that the discussion is closed and that they are giving permission for the girl to go with Eliezer. Essentially they are saying, “Get on with it and go.”

One of the things that we often struggle with is not knowing what God would have us do, but following through on it. Jesus himself had people coming to him trying to be followers on their own terms — “Let me first bury my father…” (Matthew 8:21-22). Our Lord doesn’t work based on our conditions, he expects us to follow on his conditions. We tend toward pursuing self; God demands we put ourselves to death and follow Him. What an amazing contrast that happens to be.

So which will it be? Pursue God or man? Seek the praise of God or the praise of men? Surely the glory of the former dwarfs the latter, yet how often we seek the praise of the ant in the presence of the King of Kings. May we recognize what is true and pursue Him.

All to Jesus, I surrender;

All to Him I freely give;

I will ever love and trust Him,

In His presence daily live.

-Judson Van DeVenter