SCENARIO TWELVE

InSpired

MARITAL CHOUCE BY EXPERIENCE 

Sometimes we fashioned, patterned our decisions, career, ministry after that of our neighbours and the trend in the Society 

In as much as our Heavenly Father is the Ancient of  Days and the same yesterday, today and forever, 

The Word of God is not revolving like Science but it's operations are diverse. It may be the same Spirit but it's administrations may differ. 

Hebrews 1:1 reveals 'In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son'

The Rachel and Jacob marriage template is diverse in its components and we will attempt to examine it..

The mother of Jacob requested that her husband (Isaac) allowed their son (Jacob) to go to her brother in Haram and get a wife. (I guess just as she was gotten for Isaac.) 

She probably narrated to Jacob; the story of how she met their father. 

So Jacob equipped with this story ( and marriage choice template) left from Canaan to Haram to sought for a wife for himself. 

While it seemed a third party was absence but the experience of a third party was the choice model Jacob was equipped with to sought for his bride.

His unspoken expectations has been reprogrammed by the experience of his mother 

Then, similar events occurred; a damsel came out to water the flock of her father and Jacob met her in similar circumstances as Eliezer met Rebecca- at the well.

Incidentally, the damsel was the daughter of Laban- Rebecca' s brother just as  Rebecca was the grand- daughter of the brother of Abraham- Nahor.

This damsel was also beautiful and given to diligence like Rebecca. 

Divine Providence!, you may conclude but circumstances beyond their control brought confusion, hurts and strife into the family of Jacob which are not the usually characteristics of the help of God. 

God is not an author of confusion.

Lets place the two experiences side by side.

  SIMILARITY IN ENCOUNTERS

1. ELIEZER'S ENCOUNTER WITH REBECCA

"Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milkah, who was the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor. 

The woman was very beautiful, a virgin; no man had ever slept with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar and came up again. Gen. 24:15-16

2. JACOB'S ENCOUNTER WITH RACHEL

While he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherd. When Jacob saw Rachel daughter of his uncle Laban, and Laban’s sheep, 

he went over and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered his uncle’s sheep. Then Jacob kissed Rachel and began to weep aloud. 

He had told Rachel that he was a relative of her father and a son of Rebekah. Gen. 29:9-13

The two events are  similar; but while the first experience was unique and based on certain conditions at the time of its occurrence, the second experience was a different dispensation and the conditions on ground was different from that of the first one.

The Leah/Rachel and Jacob marriage template is a template based on experience. The experiences can either be that of other people or personal experiences. 

MODERN SCENARIO OF THIS TEMPLATE

1. My marriage choice experience must be like that of my parents, sibling, friends, pastor, contemporary trends. Etc  

2. I will never marry from this particular denomination or tribe because when my uncle, friend, sister, friend, colleague got a partner from that tribe, they had serious trouble in their marriages

3. My mother was a timid and fearful woman controlled and abused by her husband, I will marry a very strong woman who does not take nonesense from any man.

Guys and gals intend to run away from marriage partners that are similar to that of their parents, friends, relatives if their relationships with such was negative.

And they tend to unconsciously seek for marriage partners who have the traits of this group of persons if their experiences with these various groups are positive.

A  gal may decide to settle for an older person as a marriage partner because of the negative experience of someone in  her circle of influence.

 

In as much it is said that experience is the best teacher ; and one of the ways to avoid the mistakes of others is to learn from their experiences, l beg to say in our walk with Christ, revelation  by the Word of God and the Holy Spirit is the most important beam of our Christian faith 

Our Lord Jesus Christ said ' Man must not live by bread alone but by every one that proceeds from the mouth of the Almighty.

Eliezer unique experience in searching for a bride for his master's son was based on his unique relationship with God. God honoured his specific pattern of prayers to help him at that time.

May God guide us always by His Holy Spirit.

A. L. Hephzibah