YEA Lesson Library
Chosen Bride
About This Lesson
This lesson uses the story of Eliezer finding and choosing Rebekah as Isaac’s wife to teach the student that loving, trusting, and obeying God are the evidence you have been chosen by God and are important to Him.
Scriptures
Genesis 24
Proverbs 18:22
Proverbs 31:10-12
John 15:15-16
Romans 12:10-13
1 Corinthians 1:24-31
Ephesians 1:3-4
Philippians 4:6-7
1 Peter 2:4—10
1 Peter 2:9
Words to Know
DELIGHT- great pleasure
RESPONSIBILITY- something for which you must give an account
SUITABLE - appropriate, suits a given purpose
The Lesson
Pat looked forward to gym class - he loved to play baseball. But, he was always nervous when it came time to choose teams. Pat was afraid he wouldn't be chosen until last. It was embarrassing being the last one chosen. Today would be different; it was his turn to be captain and choose the team.
As Pat looked around at his classmates, he chose Johnny first. Johnny was a great hitter and Pat wanted him on his team. His next choice was Susan, she was a fast runner. Ronnie could throw the ball a long way, Tony was a good outfielder and Kelly was a good pitcher. Finally Pat had his team. Everyone had been chosen because of something they could do well.
But, there was one boy left who was not chosen for either team. He was new in school. Pat had never seen him play baseball; he didn't know what he could do. The gym teacher placed the new boy on Pat's team.
Choosing the right person for a team or a job can sometimes be difficult - especially when you don't know the person. Today's lesson is about a man who asked for special help in making the right choice. He was Abraham's best servant. And, he had an important job to do.
Abraham's son, Isaac, was a grown man. Abraham knew it was time for him to get married and start a family of his own. But, Abraham didn't want Isaac to marry any of the women who lived nearby. Those women didn’t worship the true and living God. They worshiped idols. So, Abraham called his very best servant and told him he had a job for him.
Abraham knew that his relatives who lived back in his homeland worshiped God. He knew he could find a good wife for Isaac there. But Abraham was getting too old to make such a long trip. So he decided to send his servant, Eliezer.
Abraham told Eliezer exactly what kind of wife to choose for Isaac. He made Eliezer promise to do exactly what Abraham wanted. Abraham gave Eliezer ten camels loaded with all kinds of good things and sent him on his way.
This was an awesome responsibility. Can you imagine how Eliezer must have felt? He didn't know anyone in Abraham's homeland. How would he ever meet a suitable woman for Isaac? And if he met one, how would he know she was the right one? What if she refused to travel back to marry Isaac? Eliezer knew he couldn't do this job alone.
The trip had been long. Eliezer was hot and thirsty when he came to a well of water. It was the time of day when the women came to get water. Now was his chance! But, first Eliezer asked for help - he prayed to God. "Give me success today. Be kind to my master." He asked God to let one of the women offer to give a drink to him and to his camels. "That's how I will know you have been kind to my master” (Genesis 24:12, 14 NIrV.)
Have you ever seen a camel drink water? They can drink as much as 21 gallons of water in ten minutes! So giving water to ten camels was no easy job. Was Eliezer asking the impossible?
Rebekah came to the well that day. She was a beautiful young woman. And, as she and Eliezer talked, he discovered that she was related to Abraham. Eliezer decided to ask her for a drink. And to his surprise and delight she offered water to him and to his camels. His prayer had been answered - she was the one!
God chose Rebekah to be a bride for Isaac. It was God who led Eliezer to the well at just the right time of day. Rebekah was friendly and caring. She offered to help the thirsty traveler. She was not lazy and was willing to work and serve Eliezer. But most importantly, Rebekah had been taught to love and serve God.
Your memory verse states, "But God chose you to be his people. You are royal priests. You are a holy nation. You are a people who belong to God" (I Peter 2:9a NIrV). Why are you a special person? If you believe and trust in God, you belong to Him. He has made you holy.
God wants you to be like Rebekah - friendly and caring to others. When there is a new person in your school, be friendly. Help him find his classes. Invite him to eat lunch with you.
God also wants you to be willing to work and serve Him. Doing kind things for others is serving God. Inviting friends to attend Sabbath School with you is working for God. These are some ways you can show your love to God.
Student Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for choosing me to belong to your family. Help me to act like one of your children by being caring and friendly to others. And help me to show that I love you by serving you.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
Daily Devotions
Sunday - Proverbs 31:10-12
Monday - 1 Corinthians 1:26-27
Tuesday - John 15:15-16
Wednesday- Ephesians 1:3-4
Thursday - Proverbs 18:22
Friday - Romans 12:10-13
Saturday- Philippians 4:6-7
Objectives
At the end of this lesson, the students will be able to:
1. Give the reason Abraham sent Eliezer back to his homeland to find a bride for Isaac.
2. State how Eliezer knew when he found the right one.
3. Tell how they can show that they belong to God's family.
Topics & Themes
Bride
Chosen
God’s Provision
Isaac
Loving God
Obedience
Rebekah
Sign
Trusting God
Materials Needed
Bible, YEA students' and teacher's books, attendance and memory verse chart, stars, songbook, cassette/CD player and music tape or CD, large sheet of paper, crayons, markers, strips of paper, chalkboard or newsprint pad, chalk or marker
Preparation
Taking the time to set up the lesson and motivate your students will help them focus on how this content connects to their lives. Simply presenting information doesn't guarantee that learning takes place. The students will lose their interest and won't grasp the Bible facts you are presenting if they do not see that the information is relevant to their lives.
Write the following Scripture references on strips of paper: Proverbs 15:13; Proverbs 6:20-21; 1 Corinthians 11:15; 1 Peter 3:5; Proverbs 31:13; Proverbs 31:20; Proverbs 31:17; Proverbs 31:22; Proverbs 31:26. Make a life-sized paper silhouette of a woman. (This can be placed on the table, floor, or attached to the wall).
How to Teach This Lesson
Begin the lesson by telling the students that they will be "dressing" and preparing this "bride" so she will be suitable for Isaac. Allow each student to choose at least one Scripture verse to look up and discover something with which to adorn the bride (smaller classes can choose several). You can allow them to work in groups or as individuals. Supply them with markers and crayons. They should read the verse, discover the adornment, draw or color it in, write out what they have drawn. Example: She will need a face (friendly and cheerful, Proverbs 15:13).
Hand Picked - In Bible times, and in some countries still today, marriages were arranged by the family. Men and women didn't date, then fall in love, and get married. Much thought and planning went into choosing the right person. Often the bride and groom didn’t even see each other until the time of their marriage. Ask: Does that seem strange to you? Do you think this is a good or bad idea? (Allow time for discussion.)
Things That Matter Most -When it came time to choose a bride for Isaac, Abraham had specific ideas about who his son should marry. First of all, Abraham told his servant to promise not to let Isaac marry any of the women who lived near them. Abraham knew that those women didn't worship the true God, they worshiped idols. Isaac was a special son. God had promised to bless his children and make many great nations out of him. Abraham knew Isaac would need a wife who loved and worshiped God as he did. How she looked, how well she dressed or how important her family was were not as important as how much she loved God.
Not Just Any Woman - Abraham sent Eliezer back to his homeland, to the land of his relatives. He knew that they believed and worshiped God. He made Eliezer promise to bring a bride back for Isaac. That meant that the woman had to be willing to leave her family and everything familiar to her and go to a new home.
EliezerNeeded Help! - Eliezer knew that finding such a woman would be like finding a needle in a haystack. He didn't know anyone in Abraham's homeland. But he knew someone who could help him. Eliezer prayed and asked God to direct him.
How Will I Know? - Eliezer arrived at the well at the time when the women gathered to draw water. Rebekah was probably not the only woman there. How could he be sure he chose the right girl? Eliezer laid out these conditions: “I will ask her for a drink of water. If she gives me a drink and offers to give a drink to my camels also, then I will know she is the one.”
She's The One! - Not only did Rebekah give water to Eliezer and his camels, she was the daughter of one of Abraham's relatives. Eliezer gave gifts to Rebekah and her father. And when she was asked if she would go back to marry Isaac, she said yes. God had answered Eliezer's prayer and led him to right girl.
Chosen By God - Rebekah was chosen by God to be Isaac's wife. She was chosen by Eliezer because of God's leading. Rebekah made the choice to do what God wanted. If you believe and trust in God, you become one of His chosen people - you belong to Him (I Peter 2:9). You will live with Him in His Kingdom. It doesn't matter how rich you are or how smart - God will make you the person you need to be (I Corinthians 1:24-31).
Show God You Love Him - Ask: What are some ways that you can show that you love God? (List these on the chalkboard or newsprint pad.)
Review Questions
1. How was choosing a bride different in Bible times from the way we do it in our country?
2. Why was Abraham so careful to send Eliezer back to his homeland to find Isaac a bride?
3. How did Eliezer know when he found the right girl?
4. Who chose the bride for Isaac?
5. How can God use you if you don't think you are very smart?
6. How can you show God that you love Him?
Teacher-Directed Activity
The Activity was completed at the beginning of the lesson.
REACH Activity
Back to the Bible: Water From A Well
Have you ever noticed how many stories in the Bible mention a well? Wells were very important because people need water in order to survive. But there’s the added emphasis of knowing that God is the Source of the Living Water that we need for eternal life. Using a concordance, find five separate instances when a well is mentioned as part of the story. Write a brief description of each event in your Bible notebook. For instance, you could use the story from today’s lesson like this:
Genesis 24:10-28 - Abraham’s servant prays to God that the young woman who not only gives him water, but who also offers to water his camels, be the woman who should marry Isaac.
Journal Jot: God’s Direction
Abraham’s servant was tasked with a very big job: picking out an acceptable bride for Abraham’s son, Isaac. How would he know who was right? What if he made a bad choice?! Do you ever feel like you are faced with a huge decision and you don’t know which way to go? Remember that God will help you, if you ask. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths” (ESV). Seek God in everything you do. Ask Him for direction. Follow His ways. You’ll find help for those huge decisions.
Write about this topic in your Bible notebook. List the big decisions before you. Then make a plan to find Biblical principles which relate to your decision, to pray about the decision, and to seek Godly counsel from your parents.
Word Study: eklektos
The word “chosen” in 1 Peter 2:9 is the Greek word eklektos. It means “select, by implication: favorite.” It can be translated as “chosen out, elect, choice, select, those chosen out by God for the rendering of special service to Him.”
When Peter tells the followers of Jesus Christ that they have been intentionally chosen by God, you begin to understand that God didn’t just randomly pick the people He is adopting into His family. Just as God showed Abraham’s servant the exact bride to take back to Isaac, God is choosing the Bride today for His Son, Jesus Christ. You are very special to God; He chose you. Now, how does that make you feel? What does that make you want to do for Him?
Just Toolin’ Around: Where is Paddan-aram?
Abraham tells his servant to go to Paddan-aram to find a wife for Issac. Where is Paddan-aram? Is it a city? How far did the servant have to travel? Where did Abraham live at the time he sent his servant to find a wife? Using a study Bible or Bible map resource, sketch a map of the area. Label cities, rivers, the Mediterranean Sea, and other landmarks. Trace the route. Be sure to include a scale to indicate the distances displayed on your map.
Did you Know? Choosing a Bride
The culture of Isaac’s day did not allow him to go on a date to choose his own wife. Men and women were not allowed to choose their mates. The parents arranged the marriage, choosing who was a suitable match for their son. When the parents found a girl they thought was right, they would send gifts to the woman and her parents. If the gifts were accepted, the wedding day was set. In fact, often the son would not see his wife until the wedding day. (Source: The Victor Journey Through the Bible, V. Gilbert Beers, 1996, p. 30.)
Stretch It Out: God’s Leading
Interview family and church members about how God has answered prayers for them. Take notes. Write down the stories in your Bible notebook. When God answers your prayers, write it down so that you will remember it. This record will be a strong encouragement and build your faith the next time you desperately need an answer from God.
Music Notes: All the Way My Savior Leads Me
This hymn is on page 186 of the CEM Hymnal.
This hymn is one of the more than 8000 hymn texts written by the blind Fanny Crosby after she received a direct answer to her prayer. “One day when she desperately needed five dollars and had no idea where she could obtain it, Fanny followed her usual custom and began to pray about the matter. A few minutes later a stranger appeared at her door with the exact amount. ‘I have no way of accounting for this,’ she said, ‘except to believe that God put it into the heart of this good man to bring the money. My first thought was that it is so wonderful the way the Lord leads me, I immediately wrote the poem and Dr. Lowry set it to music.’ The hymn was first published in 1875.” (Source: Amazing Grace, Kenneth W. Osbeck, 1990, p. 259.)
There are so many stories of God’s faithfulness when someone commits their way to Him. Trust Him to lead you - if you are fully devoted to God and His ways.
Write about this in your Bible notebook.
Questions?
Write down any questions you have in your Bible notebook so that you can remember to ask your parents or your pastor.
Song
"I Am A C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N" is on page 52 of Kids Classics Collection.
Closing Prayer
Direct the students to thank God for making them His children, and asking for help to show that they love Him by caring for others.
Printable Pages
