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Genesis 24:52-61
Our last two lessons have been about the search for a bride for Isaac. But that is not all that Genesis 24 is about. Not only is it a beautiful love story, but in type, it pictures another search, and another love story. Yes, this chapter pictures the calling out of a bride for Christ in this Age of Grace. So, after a short review, we will follow the servant's
little caravan as it wends its way back to
Time will not allow us to complete this journey today,
but nevertheless, I think we will still have much to learn as we travel the
dusty roads of
Let's go back then to the time when God began to move upon the heart of Abraham. Genesis 24:1 "And
Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in
all things."
Truly "the
LORD had blessed Abraham in all things."
He had prospered him materially, but most importantly, He had prospered him spiritually. Yes, Abraham was the heir of the Abrahamic Covenant. And among other things, that Covenant promised Abraham descendants without number. But as yet, his son, through whom this covenant must be channelled, was unmarried and childless. Clearly something must be done. A suitable bride must be found for his son, but now, with his increasing age, Abraham realized that this responsibility must be entrusted to another. V 2-4 "And
Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he
had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh: Thus Abraham's most trusted servant was launched upon this important and rather difficult mission. He was to find a bride for Isaac, a bride who would be suitable, not only to share the blessings, but the responsibilities of the Abrahamic Covenant. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ In Genesis 22, Abraham is presented to us as a type of God the Father. Also in Genesis we have been made aware that Isaac is a type of Christ. Now in chapter 24, the eldest servant, in his quest for a bride, beautifully portrays the third person of the Trinity. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Abraham’s servant had travelled over 500 miles to reach
As far as location was concerned, that was the end of his master's instructions, but he still hadn't found a wife for Isaac. So, to fulfill his oath, Abraham’s servant must rely completely upon God’s directions. V 11-12 "And he made his camels to kneel down
without the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, even the time
that women go out to draw water. Well, God answered his prayer, and that very evening, he found himself standing at Rebekah's door! And just as God had answered his prayer without delay, this faithful servant was determined to transact his master's business without delay. V 33 "And
there was set meat before him to eat: but he said, I will not eat, until I have
told mine errand. And he said, Speak on.
Well, he did speak on and on, but he was not making idle talk. First he explained Abraham's plan in detail, and his own involvement in it. And then, as the man continued to speak, it became apparent that it was God, not Abraham, Who had directed him to their door. And not only that, but God had chosen their daughter to be Isaac’s wife! V 48 "And I bowed down my head,
and worshipped the LORD, and blessed the LORD God of my master Abraham, which
had led me in the right way to take my master's brother's daughter unto his
son."
They had heard his testimony concerning Isaac, and concerning God's definite leading in the matter. It was now incumbent upon them to make a decision. They could not turn it over in their minds while they
ate supper.
And nothing else would be added to make the decision easier. Had they inquired, they would have been told that there was no possibility that the prospective bridegroom would be available for further scrutiny. No, they must rely completely upon his testimony, and on that basis, decided immediately. A delay would be considered a refusal. V 49 "And now if ye will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me: and if not, tell me; that I may turn to the right hand, or to the left." Their decision would determine his decision. If they refused, or even procrastinated, he probably would have declined their invitation for supper and gone on his way. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ And that is the way it is in this Age of Grace. The inducements to accept Jesus as our Saviour are quite
different from God’s manifestations to
They had been given many encouragements to receive His Son as their king. First of all, Jesus had come in person to live among them. And during His public ministry, God had testified to His authenticity with many signs and wonders. In fact, the Apostle John plainly says "--- the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among
us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,)
full of grace and truth."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ But during the calling out of a bride for Christ, our Isaac is conspicuously absent. No, He will not appear bodily during this Age of Grace. But God has not left us without a witness. In this present dispensation, the Holy Spirit indwells Christ’s church, and is seriously engaged in presenting the Son of God to a lost world. But the bride of Christ must be wooed and won on the basis of the written Word of God and the testimony of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. There will be no angelic host. There will be no voice from heaven. There will be no signs and wonders to convince the unsaved that Jesus is the Saviour. No, they must make their decision based upon the testimony of the Holy Spirit as it is found in the inspired Word, and in the testimony of the redeemed. "--- tell me: and if not, tell me; that I may turn to the right hand, or to the left." ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Well, happily, in the case of Rebekah's family, and indeed in the case of Rebekah herself, they were most willing to accept God's will in the matter. V 50-51 "Then
Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceedeth from the LORD: we
cannot speak unto thee bad or good. I'm sure that faithful servant breathed a sigh of relief when he heard those words. The first phase of his mission was now complete. In a real sense, and at that very moment, Rebekah had become Isaac's espoused bride. So with a smile on his face, that happy man opened up his master's treasures! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ V 52-53 "And
it came to pass, that, when Abraham's servant heard their words, he worshipped
the LORD, bowing himself to the earth. Only a few short hours ago, Rebecca had been drawing water for the family, and now she was to be the wife of a rich and important man. And even now, Rebekah and her family were sharing in his riches. Not only were these gifts a proof of the servant's testimony, but they were an earnest, you might say a down payment on the blessings that were awaiting her in her husband's home. Yes, it was the beginning of a new life. Even in this far off country, a lifetime relationship had already begun. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ And the moment the sinner says yes to Christ, he enters into a new relationship with his Saviour, and begins a journey that will end in glory. Yes, even in the far country, the Christian immediately receives the gift of the Holy Spirit to dwell in him as the earnest of good things to come. Ephesians 1:12-14 "That
we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ V 56-57 "And
they did eat and drink, he and the men that were with him, and tarried all
night; and they rose up in the morning, and he said, Send me away unto my
master. The family had already agreed to send Rebekah away, but when the time came to put action to words, her brother and mother wanted to delay the parting for a week or so. And in a way, that reaction was understandable. They knew that the consequences of their decision would be quite momentous. This parting would be final. Once Rebekah mounted that camel, they would probably never see her again. But Abraham’s servant was insistent. "Hinder me
not, seeing the LORD hath prospered my way."
If there was ever a man that meant business, it was Abraham's servant. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ And also, in the case of the Gospel, there is an urgency in the message. Once a person has clearly understood God's message of salvation, he shouldn't delay coming to Christ. Like that insistent servant, the Holy Spirit knows the danger of putting off this most important decision for a more convenient time. 2 Corinthians 6:2 says "(---I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) So Rebekah was called in and asked the all important question:
"Wilt thou go with this man? And
she said, I will go."
In her enthusiasm, she had said "I will draw water." Now, without hesitation, she says "I will go.” Like the servant himself, this girl seemed to be a person of decisive action. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The circumstances surrounding her decision were not unlike those of her great uncle’s. God had commanded Abraham to "Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee." Unfortunately, family ties had delayed his obedience for some time. Now Rebekah was being asked to leave her country and her family and go to a strange land. And she was being asked to place herself in subjection to a man, although chosen of God, who was someone she knew very little about. It was a tremendous step of faith, but unlike Abraham, there was no delay this time. Hardly had the question been asked, when Rebekah
responded, "I will go."
Yes, without a moment’s hesitation, she abandoned her life of drawing water and perhaps tending Laban’s sheep, and said, "I will go." But actually it was not as quick a decision as it might seem. Having listened to the servant's testimony the previous day, she had already given her heart to Isaac even before the question had been asked. So, "forgetting
those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are
before," she said yes to Isaac and yes to
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ In this Age of Grace, this same question has been asked thousands of times. Over and over faithful ministers of God have lifted up
the Son of God to lost mankind, and asked the question, "Wilt thou go with this man?"
Those that obey the leading of the Holy Spirit leave their
old lives behind and say "I will
go."
But some are held back by the influences of friends and
relatives, and the beggarly things of their old life.
Unfortunately, in spite of God's offer of salvation and
a new life in Christ, some cling to their old life and never say "I will go."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ But Rebekah had accepted this momentous change in her life without hesitation. To us, this might seem like a rather impetuous decision, but actually it was not. Right from the beginning, this man held a strange fascination for her. Although I'm sure Rebekah was thrilled with the gifts, it was the man, not the gifts, that had held her interest. As soon as the servant told them about Isaac's affairs, she found her heart strangely warmed and drawn to Isaac. Oh, it was definitely
free will, for without hesitation she said, "I will go.”
But also, in His sovereign will, God had drawn her heart to her Isaac. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Well, after Rebekah said "I will go," things moved very quickly. Obviously Abraham’s servant was a man of action—courteous, yes, but diligent in his responsibilities. V 59-61 "And
they sent away Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham's servant, and
his men. This was the beginning of a new life for Rebekah. A few weeks ago when she was performing her usual household duties, she had no idea that she would soon be setting out on this wonderful adventure. She had no idea she would soon be leaving her household duties to become the mistress of a large and wealthy household, with servants of her own to do these menial chores. No, in her wildest dreams she would have never guessed what her future would bring. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ But for some time now, her future had been carefully planned on her behalf. Yes, without her knowledge, Abraham had been setting the wheels in motion that would determine the rest of her life. As she had gone about her daily chores, perhaps dreaming about and no doubt praying about her future husband, the plans of Abraham, and more importantly the councils of God, were turning in her favour. Under God's prompting, Abraham had put his eldest servant under a strict oath to seek out a bride for Isaac. Yes, Rebekah had already been chosen by God, and would soon be chosen by Abraham’s servant to be the heir, along with her husband, of all of Abraham's wealth, both physically and spiritually. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ And so it is with the bride of Christ. The calling forth of the bride was established in the councils of God in eternity past. Ephesians 1:4-12 "According
as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should
be holy and without blame before him in love: ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Freewill? Absolutely. When the question came, Rebekah said with all her heart, "I will go.” But many weeks before she was even aware of the question, Abraham had said, "He shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence." And Rebekah was to be that wife! Do you believe that marriages are made in heaven? Well, this one certainly was, and so was Christ’s. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ So Rebekah was off to
V 60 "And
they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the
mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those
which hate them."
It was a very generous blessing, but its real power rested in a much more important blessing. In fact, had she not been willing to be Isaac's wife, her blessing would have been worthless. But now it would be completely fulfilled, as it found its basis in Isaac's blessing. Yes, the Abrahamic Covenant, which is founded upon God’s promises, was Rebekah's blessing too. Genesis 22:15-18 "And
the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, Yes, there was only strength in Rebekah's blessing as it merged into Abraham's blessing, and as she became Isaac's wife. And did you notice the actual basis on which Abraham's blessing was solidified? God said it was "because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine
only son.”
Of course Abraham was justified by faith, but on
That's what James told us, didn't he? James 2:21 "Was not Abraham our father justified by
works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?"
Oh yes, sinners can only become part of the bride of Christ by faith, and by faith alone. But our faith only saves us because God has justified us by His works. Yes, God was only able to give the Church of Jesus Christ eternal life because He "spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all." Oh, we are saved by faith alone. But for God, and for God's Son, our salvation required works. Christ had to become "sin for us" because God's Law and God's righteousness required full payment. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ So, without hesitation, Rebekah climbed onto her camel
to begin the long journey to
V 61 "And
Rebekah arose, and her damsels, and they rode upon the camels, and followed the
man: and the servant took Rebekah, and went his way."
Actually no details are given about that journey, but I suspect it was not completely uneventful. After all, although they were soon in the Promised Land, it was still peopled by the Canaanites, a most wicked nation. And like everything else in this chapter, there is a hidden meaning here. This trip is a picture of the Church’s journey through this present evil world. And the very trials of the journey only increase our longing to see our Isaac. 1 Peter 1:8-9 "Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom,
though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and
full of glory: However, Rebekah was not left to her own devices. She was well cared for and protected by Abraham's servant. He was both her guard and her guide, for he knew the way. No, Rebekah was never left to stumble along as best she could. Every provision had been made to bring her safely to her new home. And I am sure that along the way, as they took their meals or rested in the evening, the topic of conversation was always Isaac. Rebekah had 100 questions to ask, and that faithful servant never tired of telling her about his master's son. Was he handsome? How old was he? What was his occupation? Is he a cheery or serious individual?
Was he kind and
thoughtful? What was he doing when you
last saw him?
Actually, it was quite astonishing how little she really knew about Isaac when she had said yes. But her questions were not prompted by any second thoughts about her marriage. No, they only expressed her great desire to know him better. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ And, actually, it is astonishing how little most of us knew about Christ when we gave our hearts to Him. We are saved by faith, but then our life is, or should be, one long learning experience under the teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I am sure these times of learning were a delight to Abraham’s servant as he told this eager young woman all about the man she was going to meet at the end of the journey. He would tell her all about the father's love for his son. And also how Isaac had been willing to lay down his life on Mount Moriah simply because it was his father's will. He would tell her about his riches, that Isaac was the heir of the Abrahamic Covenant. And probably he told her that this very country that they were traveling through would some day belong to her family! So every day, as Rebecca learned more about the man she would soon marry, her longing to meet Isaac grew greater and greater. At first, he was just a name, but gradually, as he began to form in her mind and heart, she loved him more and more. She loved him, not for the gifts that had been bestowed upon her, or for the inheritance that was to be hers. No, her initial fascination with the man had grown into a deep love. And as the journey wore on, she was changing. Her past life began to recede into a faint and rather unreal memory, while this new life dominated her thoughts day and night. Day after day, mile after mile, her life was becoming filled with Isaac, and the more she knew about him, the more she looked for his appearing. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Well, we're going to leave Rebekah right there on the dusty road in Canaan. And, actually, that is exactly where we are at this present time. Under the supervision of the Holy Spirit, who is our
teacher, guide, and protector, we are making the journey to our heavenly Canaan,
and to the glorious time when we will meet our
Isaac.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ So, take courage brothers and sisters. Though the way be long and hard, there is no doubt at all that----
♫♪It
will be worth it all when we see Jesus,
Life's trials will
seem so small when we see Christ;
One glimpse of His
dear face all sorrow will erase,
So bravely run the
race till we see Christ.
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