I, Isaac, Take Thee, Rebekah: Moving from Romance to Lasting Love [Paperback]

Ravi Zacharias (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 5, 2005

In the twenty-fourth chapter of Genesis a beautiful young woman offers assistance to a weary traveler and his camels, and out of that simple action, a marriage results-a marriage that offers profound lessons to couples today. Bible scholar and renowned speaker Ravi Zacharias draws five points critical to the long-lasting success of every marriage from the biblical story of the marriage of Isaac and Rebekah.

"Real love folds together both the emotions and the will," writes Zacharias. "Without the emotions, marriage is a drudgery; without the will, it is a mockery." Building upon that foundational truth, Zacharias goes on to explain the principles of seeking the counsel of others when finding a mate, cherishing your partner, remaining pure, becoming a man or woman of prayer, and, finally, risking everything in a relationship in order to experience God's ideal for love.

Couples everywhere, from those about to be married, to those who have been married for decades, will draw strength and wisdom for the journey of marriage as they learn from Ravi what it means to move from romance to lasting love.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Evangelical Christian apologist, speaker and author Zacharias (The Lotus and the Cross; Jesus Among Other Gods) turns his attention to intimate matters of the heart in this primer on romantic love and marriage. At a time when Christians' divorce statistics match those of nonbelievers, Zacharias provides a strong pathway to enduring, timeless love between men and women. Taking the biblical tale of Isaac and Rebekah's marriage as found in Genesis 24 as the premise for his text, Zacharias carefully depicts this primordial love story as a model to which today's couples can look for inspiration and direction. Love is hard work, he writes; it is, in fact, the hardest work of all, and no partner is ever allowed a vacation. Modern society has robbed couples of love's higher call-cherishing and nurturing one's spouse-by unfairly pairing marriage with charm and sensuality. Zacharias offers three pivotal habits necessary to yield the strength and wherewithal to endure marriage's fatal foes. Christian couples, he says, should prioritize their time to include a daily prayer retreat to gird themselves with strength; consistently study the Bible to allow eternal principles to take root; and invest themselves in a local church body where couples can work out their faith in a supportive environment. Readers will be enchanted by Zacharias's gentle, conversational style, yet challenged by his unwavering commitment to biblical truth.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson (April 5, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0849908221
• ISBN-13: 978-0849908224
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #89,740 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

For over thirty-five years, Ravi Zacharias has spoken all over the world in great halls and universities, notably Harvard, Princeton, and numerous universities internationally. He is listed as a Senior Research Fellow at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford university. He has appeared on CNN and other international broadcasts. The author of several books for adults and children, he powerfully mixes biblical teaching and Christian apologetics. His most recent works include Walking from East to West, a memoir; The Grand Weaver, an exploration of God's intention in both the ordinary and the startling elements of life; and The End of Reason, a rebuttal of the claims of the so-called New Atheists. His weekly radio program, Let My People Think, is broadcast on 1,692 stations worldwide, and his weekday program, Just Thinking, is on 412. He is founder and chairman of the board of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, with additional offices in Canada, Hong Kong, India, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United Arab Emirates. Dr. Zacharias and his wife, Margie, have three grown children and reside in Atlanta.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wisdom to help, October 16, 2004

By 

Andy Merrick "pilgrim" (Nashville, TN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: I, Isaac, Take Thee, Rebekah: Moving from Romance to Lasting Love (Hardcover)

I picked up Ravi's book after reading an article where he told the story of his brother getting married through the process of arranged marriage. Ravi approached his brother prior to the marriage and basically asked him, "Brother, what if this girl is ugly?" His brother scolded Ravi and said, "Mark this down. If you will to love someone, you can." That intrigued me because today, we're of the mindset that you can only love someone physically beautiful. While I believe it's good our own dating system affords us the chance to have a beautiful mate, I wanted to know more about Ravi's take on willing to love.

This book is fantastic! Ravi lifts marriage out of our own cultural context and puts it in the place God intended it. While it is true that dating/marriage will have aspects of the culture buried within it, Ravi asks us to accept those only to a point. He points us to the story of Isaac and Rebekah - two "kids" who:
1) aceepted the need for a mate and allowed the parents to be involved,
2) willed to love each other,
3) sacrificed their lives for each other,
4) committed to sexual purity prior to marriage (his discussion in this chapter focuses on the believer's body being the temple of God and is very illuminating),
5) left the home of mom and dad,
6) had the great need for daily, genuine personal prayer and bible study, and
7) remained committed to each other even in the hard times.

As I mentioned before, this book will lift your thought of marriage on to a totally new plane. You'll find yourself questioning what you actually believe marriage is. You'll be left with much thinking to do, but will come to appreciate that marriage is a huge commitment in rejecting your own desires, accepting God's desires, and fulfilling your wife's desires (as she, in turn, fulfills yours). It's a beautiful book, in my opinion. Highly recommended. -andy

26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Moving Tribute to Lifelong Love, March 28, 2004

By 

FaithfulReader.com (New York, New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: I, Isaac, Take Thee, Rebekah: Moving from Romance to Lasting Love (Hardcover)

Best-selling author Ravi Zacharias offers a moving, albeit awkwardly titled, tribute to lifelong love with I, ISAAC, TAKE THEE, REBEKAH.

As its subtitle suggests, the book is about "moving from romance to lasting love," and in light of modern day attacks on the sanctity of marriage, its message is not only timeless but timely.

While it is Zacharias' first treatment of this subject matter, fans of his more philosophical works, including CRIES OF THE HEART, DELIVER US FROM EVIL and JESUS AMONG OTHER GODS, won't be disappointed by his departure from "weightier matters of philosophical debate about truth and belief in God," as he states it.

Centering on the Old Testament story of Isaac and Rebekah, Zacharias identifies them as a covenantal couple committed to loving each other unconditionally. In the process of telling their tale, he espouses a return to the enduring values of family, faithfulness and fidelity in the marriage relationship.

Decrying the prevailing popularity of "sex without strings and marriage without rings," Zacharias shares invaluable insights for nurturing a marriage that stands the test of time. For example, in the chapter titled "The Living Act of a Dead Self," he writes that "if the first thing about committing the will is that it is a death to yourself, what comes to life is a disposition that seeks to serve."

Zacharias lists personal maturity, premarital counseling and preparation for disagreements as the three characteristics of a couple properly prepared for life as man and wife. And with clarity and conviction, he drives home the point that "conflict resolution is the key to success in most marriages," an understatement if ever there was one.

As Zacharias points out, the wedding is the easiest part of being married, and it is not until afterward that couples actually discover whether or not their words carry the weight of authenticity. To help couples striving to make their marriage a success, he proposes some governing disciplines that must translate into the lives of each partner.

According to Zacharias, there must be a daily commitment to prayer, to the study of the scriptures and to active involvement in a local church, if couples are to cultivate the type of character that enables them to successfully navigate the stormy seas of modern day matrimony.

Presenting foundational truths in the face of mounting threats to marriage, the book is a useful guide for establishing love that lasts for a lifetime. It is specially suited for use as a premarital counseling tool and related church resource; it's also recommended reading for any couple seeking to ground their relationship in biblical bedrock.

--- Reviewed by Sean Fowlds

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Super, March 22, 2004

By 

William Cain (Gastonia, NC USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: I, Isaac, Take Thee, Rebekah: Moving from Romance to Lasting Love (Hardcover)

Ravi hits a home run with his latest book. Clear and straight to the point. A great read for any parent who wants to help guide their children in these difficult decisions and a must read for anyone who plans to marry or wants to improve the relationship of his/her marriage.