22 When the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a GOLD NOSE RING weighing a beka and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels. Genesis 24
Abraham sent his chief servant (a type of the Holy Spirit), to get a wife for his son Isaac from the land of Ur, present day Iraq. The servant prayed for God to guide him and laid out ‘a fleece’ before God.
14 May it be that when I say to a young woman, “Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,” and she says, “Drink, and I’ll water your camels too”– let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master.’ Genesis 24
Rebekah came at once and fulfilled the condition that the chief servant had set and he blessed her with a nose ring and some bracelets. The first step in acquiring a wife for Isaac, his master’s only son was the giving of golden gifts to the future bride. The giving of the ring and bracelets is mentioned three times in this chapter of Genesis. The nose ring and bracelets became part of the bride price for Rebekah, they were much more significant than she could have imagined.
4 So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods they had and the RINGS in their ears, and Jacob buried them under the oak at Shechem. 5 Then they set out, and the terror of God fell on the towns all around them so that no one pursued them. Genesis 35
The fourth reference to Rings in Genesis occurs when Jacob is about to go up again to Bethel, the place where he saw angels going up and down to heaven. Before he could go up and settle there he told all the people in the camp to get rid of the foreign gods and they also gave him the RINGS in their ears. AFTER they’d separated themselves from their idols the fear of God came upon the people around them and they were left in peace. Rings often represent a solemn binding to someone or something. When they’re not of God and represent something opposed to God, they should be got rid of.
41 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.’ 42 Then Pharaoh TOOK HIS SIGNET RING from his finger and put it on Joseph’s finger. Genesis 41
The fifth and final mention of a RING in Genesis is when Pharaoh confirmed Joseph as the ruler in Egypt. Joseph wore the RING as a symbol of his authority over the land where he’d been a slave. God is surely raising up His People today to rule and reign on the Earth, just as certainly as Joseph was ruler in Egypt!
My wife lost her ring on Sunday, not a good start to the week, but praise God we found it again and rejoiced in its return. Rings have great significance in many cultures, they often symbolise things of great importance. The wearing of a ring should not be taken lightly but rejoice in the honour of doing it rightly.
May the Lord bless and keep you today. Immanuel, God is with us.