Yes, Rebekah's decision to go with Abraham's servant is a picture of the personal, willing response required in salvation.
Les Feldick uses Rebekah's willing choice to illustrate that salvation, though initiated by God, requires the individual's willing response. As the Holy Spirit draws, the person must decide to accept God's offer. No one is forced into salvation, and arm-twisting methods are rejected because they rest on human effort rather than the Spirit's work.
Genesis 24:58 — This verse records Rebekah's own decision to go, which Les uses as the direct parallel to personal faith.
In Genesis 24, Abraham's servant seeks a wife for Isaac. When Rebekah's family is asked, they call her and inquire, 'Wilt thou go with this man?' (Genesis 24:58). Rebekah responds simply, 'I will go.' Her choice is voluntary, not coerced. The narrative highlights that she made the decision herself, without pressure from the servant or her family. This personal decision becomes a pivotal moment in the account, leading her to leave her homeland and journey with the servant to Isaac.
Les Feldick sees Rebekah's choice as an 'illustration or parallel of God calling out the body of Christ from amongst the Gentiles' (Clip 5). He emphasizes that God's sovereignty and human willingness are not mutually exclusive. In Clip 1, he explains that Rebekah was chosen because God's foreknowledge knew she would be willing, just as salvation is offered to all, but only those who are willing respond. Les also clarifies that salvation is entirely God's work (Clip 3), yet it requires the individual's faith. He warns against forcing decisions through arm-twisting, because genuine salvation must be the Holy Spirit's work, not a human manipulation (Clip 5).
Les explains that Rebekah's willingness was not by accident; it was the sovereign working of God, but she was willing because God foreknew she would respond that way (Clip 1). Her decision led to her becoming Isaac's wife and part of the lineage of Israel, but Les uses it primarily as a spiritual object lesson about how God calls individuals to Himself.
Les teaches that God does not force anyone. He uses the example of Rebekah to show that the final response is left to the individual. In Clip 5, he describes the Holy Spirit 'wooing' people with the plan of salvation, presenting the offer, but not compelling. This aligns with his rejection of arm-twisting in evangelism, as such pressure relies on human flesh rather than the Spirit (Clip 5).
Les addresses the tension between God's sovereignty and human free will, saying it's not 'either one or the other' (Clip 5). He affirms that there must be a willingness on the person's part (Clip 2). He also notes that even after salvation, believers retain free will to choose whether to walk in the Spirit or the flesh (Clip 7).
Is It Luck or God? Divine Sovereignty vs. Free Will
when he saw," underline that, "...and when he saw the earrings and the bracelets," what does he see? The wealth that this man represents, see? And I'll bet his eyes just bugged out, and he thought, wow, what in the world is my little sister getting into? "...
Sovereign Foreknowledge and Willingness
Les explains that Rebekah was chosen because God's foreknowledge knew she would be willing, just as salvation depends on one's response to the offer.
God’s Foreknowledge vs. Free Will: How Salvation Works
Well, Arminius was of the opposite persuasion, and that was that God has nothing to do with it. It's all up to the free will of the individual. Well, you see, that's the other extreme. And so what you have to see in this verse here, verse 5, there has to be a willingness. But on the other hand, as you go through this chapter, you can see that God definitely had His hands on the whole situation.
Salvation Totally God's Work
Les emphasizes that salvation is entirely God's work and that any human effort or pressure undermines the principle of faith plus nothing.
Does God Choose Who Gets Saved? Romans 9 & Election Explained
All right, now then, let's move on. I hope I've clarified my view on that, lest we get into this and people say, well, then why should I be concerned? You better be concerned, because Christ died for every human being. He did not die for just the few. He died for every one of us. But it's up to us to accept His offer of pardon. All right, what do we got left? A minute.
Salvation as a Parallel
Les says Rebekah's story is a picture of how God the Father sends the Holy Spirit to woo individuals, and the response must be willing, not coerced.
Jacob & Esau: The Sovereignty of God in the Birthright & Blessing | Genesis 25-27
So anyway, what Rebekah is doing here is taking that special designated cloak of Esau's, which showed that he was the eldest, and she puts it on the youngest. Now, do you see that? Again, in the energy of the flesh, but God doesn't stop it, because He had mandated in the beginning that this is the way it should be. And so we can't jump on Rebekah and Jacob too hard.
Romans 6:7-12 — Can a Believer Still Sin After Being Set Free?
But now look at this word here in verse 11. Likewise, what's the next word? Reckon. What does that mean? Hey, come to a mental conclusion. You have this freedom now. It isn't something that's commanded, or demanded, or has already been done. But now it's left with our free will, that we're going to have to come to some place of decision, even as a believer.
Genesis 24:58: And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.
This verse shows Rebekah's personal, voluntary decision, which Les uses as the key parallel to the faith response in salvation.
Ephesians 2:8: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Paul teaches that salvation is by grace through faith, which aligns with Les's emphasis on willingness and personal response, though Les does not quote this in the clips.
No. The narrative and Les's teaching show that Rebekah made the decision herself. Her family asked, and she willingly responded, 'I will go.' This illustrates that no one is forced into salvation.
No. He rejects arm-twisting because it relies on human flesh and pressure, whereas genuine salvation must be the work of the Holy Spirit, and the individual must be willing.
Les teaches that Rebekah's choice reflects God's foreknowledge—God knew she would be willing. Similarly, salvation is offered to all, but God elects those whom He foreknows will respond in faith.
Watch the Teaching: Is It Luck or God? Divine Sovereignty vs. Free Will