GEN 24
Old Testament scriptures like Genesis 24 give beautiful pictures of the church. Abraham pictures to us God the Father who sends the servant (the Holy Spirit) to take a bride for his son (our Lord Jesus Christ). The story illustrates the counsels of the Godhead, for we see in it the Father's mind, the Son's will and the Holy Spirit carrying it out. These counsels of God are eternal. By His ways in time He fulfill Is them, The New Testament reveals to us the mystery of the church, and now we can enjoy the pictures hidden in the Old for the enjoyment and comfort of our hearts. "This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church" (Eph. 5:3232This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. (Ephesians 5:32)). The heart of the Father in taking a bride for the Son is so important that not only do we have brought before us this story, of Abraham, Isaac, the servant and Rebekah, but the Word begins with the provision of a bride for Adam and ends by telling us of the bride, the Lamb's Wife.
This mystery was kept secret in the counsels of the Godhead until the work of redemption was accomplished and the Son had returned to the Father's house, there to remain in quiet patience while the Holy Spirit was sent back into that far country to fetch the bride and bring her home to the Father's house. "Now to Him that is of power to stablish You according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, but now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith" (Romans 16:25-2625Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, 26But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith: (Romans 16:25‑26)).
The servant receives his instructions and sets out to seek the bride. He takes with him all that will be needed to fit her for the father's house and to take her safely there. He is perfectly suited to this responsibility, for he "ruled over all that [Abraham the Father) I had" and "all the goods of his master were in his hand." All she needs to be properly presented to the son, he is prepared to give to her. He will fill her heart with thoughts and longings for the son, as they journey together toward her new home.
When he arrives in the far country, the first gifts from his master which he presents to Rebekah, the bride, are the ring and bracelets of gold. She puts them on. She is like the bride, the church, who must first put on the "gold," a figure of divine righteousness. Afterward the servant brings out of the father's treasure chest other jewels of silver, jewels of gold, and garments, giving them to her. So each one who is to be part of the bride for Christ must first be made suited to their place, and then afterward learn to know and value all the treasures brought from the Father's house and bestowed upon them for their blessing and happiness.
The servant was not to take a bride for the son in the land where the father dwelt. He must make a long journey to another land. So, too, the bride of Christ was to be gathered in the place where redemption had been accomplished. She is not gathered from heaven's hosts; she is gathered on earth from among men. Heaven is the Lord's; the earth was given to the sons of men. Each must be given a life, nature and body suited to the Father's house.
There is in the Father's house no place for man until the Lord as man gets there. The Savior was refused a home on earth, but He went to heaven to prepare a place for man. Before leaving earth, He spoke in prayer to the Father, saying: "I have glorified Thee on the earth: I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Thou Me with Thine own self with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was" (John 17:4-54I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. 5And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. (John 17:4‑5)).
As the servant told Rebekah of her home-to-be, so the Son told his disciples of His Father's house and its many mansions (abodes). These words remind us of the abodes in the temple which had a balcony connecting them with the center court. Soon His own are to be gathered around Him in the Father's house. The word "many" denotes no limit. He said, "I will... receive you unto Myself," not to the abodes. We who are part of His bride are not going to an empty house. No place could satisfy the heart of the saint if the Son were not there. We go there to be in association with Himself.
Much talk is heard about the place (heaven), but not enough is heard about the one who makes heaven what it is for the heart. Always in Scripture it is Christ we go to be with. For example, "Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise." In a past eternity He said, "My delights were with the sons of men." These delights will be fully satisfied when His own are forever gathered around Himself in eternity to come.
As they journeyed home the servant did not Occupy Rebekah with himself, but rather with the bridegroom she was going to meet. Together they looked forward to the end of the journey. The Holy Spirit has taken the place of Servant for the Son of plan's glory. He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak." He has the interest of the church at heart—Christ's interest and glory.
The servant, bringing before us the Holy Spirit, was faithful from the beginning to the end, presenting the bridegroom to the bride and then taking her safely through every peril all the way home, encouraging and preparing her heart to meet her loved one.
There were ten camels loaded up for the bride. Ten speaks of all the fullness that God can supply. Everything was provided for the journey. We little realize the counsels of God concerning ourselves and the provision lie has made to Fulfill them. The camels carried her all the way regardless of the circumstances, hardships and trials of the way.
In John 4 we read of another woman whom the Lord Jesus met at a well. She shows us the need and condition of those who comprise the bride, the church, when the Savior first meets them. In Genesis 24 we see where she was taken to. We little think how precious we are to God and how He thinks of us!
Neither Christ nor this servant, at first, tell these women what they came for. The Lord begins by asking the woman for a drink. Water drawn from the well was to be for refreshment of man. Little did that poor woman know that she was to supply refreshment to the heart of Christ even as He ministered to the needs of her soul, providing her "a well of water springing up into everlasting life.”
Back again in Genesis we learn that Isaac was comforted after the death of his mother. The loss of his mother is a picture of the loss of Israel for the Lord, a loss that was felt by Him. Isaac's bride is brought to him to comfort him after his loss. In like manner the church is a comfort to her Lord. No one can tell what joy it will be for the Lord to receive the church to Himself.
After Rebekah has on the jewels of gold, she delights in hearing the story of such a man, the one who had been laid on the altar, the one son who was given all that was his father's. Like her, we want to be with our Savior where He is. As his eternal companions, we want to learn more through His Servant, the Holy Spirit, each day of the joys and the sorrows that are His.