The word "heir" in the New King James Version is "steward" in the King James Version. But, the New King James has it correct. This word does not mean steward—one who has charge over—but it means heir—one who shall possess. Turn to chapter 24 and we will see that Eliezer was at the time, his heir, the one to whom the possessions of Abraham would go if he had no other natural heir.
And they went through this certain ritual. Eliezer was indeed Abraham's steward, one who rules over another's goods. We have seen in past sermons where Eliezer went and brought back a bride for Isaac. That was a tremendous responsibility that Abraham sent Eliezer to accomplish. Abraham had no control over what Eliezer was going to do. He told him, and gave him his parameters for the mission, but after that it was in God's and Eliezer's hands.
We can see if we had read all this that he discharged his duties with great skill and faith. And that was his most laudable and memorable quality—that he asked God to help him, and God did, He followed through. So this man, Eliezer, the oldest servant in Abram's house is a good example of a steward who is faithful and dedicated to the one he serves.
Just think about what he was doing—here he was, the heir of all that Abraham had, which according to Genesis 13 was exceedingly more than Abraham needed for his own life. Abraham was very rich in gold and silver, and livestock; and as a faithful steward, here Eliezer was in his duties making possible for Isaac himself to have an heir, totally freezing himself out of an inheritance. He was a very selfless man, because he was faithful to the one he served.
This passage supplements our understanding of Revelation 18:4. It is clear that, in telling His people to “Come out of Babylon,” God means, “Stay out of Babylon!” Generation after generation, decade after decade, stay out. Abraham’s instructions to his chief servant, probably Eliezer of Damascus, could not be much more emphatic, much more explicit: “[G]o to my country and to my family. . .” Abraham recognized that Isaac must marry of the same blood line and that he must remain in Canaan. The last thing Abraham wanted was that Isaac should return to Mesopotamia, especially to marry there. He knew he would settle down there. As I shall point out later, Abraham had internalized that God’s promises to him were “forever,” to all his descendants. Abraham could not conceive of his descendants going back east, away from God, relocating to Mesopotamia.
Importantly, in calling Mesopotamia “my country” (Genesis 24:4), Abraham is not exposing a deep-seated, lingering connection with his old home in Ur. He understood that God had promised him Canaan, but that he was only a stranger there at that time; he had not yet inherited Canaan. His comment about Mesopotamia being “my country” reflects that fact. Applied to us, we can properly call the United States or Canada (or wherever we might live) “my country” at this time, knowing full well that the Kingdom is a promise, but a land we have not yet inherited. Paul makes this clear:
