And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things. 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: And I will make thee swear by the Lord, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell: But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac.
And the servant said unto him, Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land: must I needs bring thy son again unto the land from whence thou camest? And Abraham said unto him, Beware thou that thou bring not my son thither again. The Lord God of heaven, which took me from my father’s house, and from the land of my kindred, and which spake unto me, and that sware unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land; he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence. And if the woman will not be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my oath: only bring not my son thither again. And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and sware to him concerning that matter. And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his master were in his hand: and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor. 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. And he said O Lord God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham. Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water: And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed kindness unto my master.
And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder. And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her: and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up. And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher. And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink. And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw water for thy camels also, until they have done drinking. And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels. And the man wondering at her held his peace, to wit whether the Lord had made his journey prosperous or not. And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold; And said, Whose daughter art thou? tell me, I pray thee: is there room in thy father’s house for us to lodge in? And she said unto him, I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, which she bare unto Nahor.
She said moreover unto him, We have both straw and provender enough, and room to lodge in. And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the Lord. And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I being in the way, the Lord led me to the house of my master’s brethren.
Genesis 24:1-27
In the offering up of Isaac, recorded in chapter 22, we cannot fail to see a striking type of the death and resurrection of Christ. Then, in chapter 23, the death and burial of Sarah typifies the setting aside of Israel—God’s earthly people—that followed upon their rejection of Christ. In this chapter there is a beautiful picture of the calling out of the Church that takes place during the time Israel is set aside.
Three Great Truths
We know that after the death and resurrection of Christ, He ascended to glory and took His place at the right hand of God. Then there followed that great event, the coming of the Holy Spirit—a divine Person—to dwell with and in believers on earth. These three great truths mark the day in which we live: first, that there is a Man in the glory, Christ Jesus; secondly, there is a divine Person on earth, the Holy Spirit; thirdly, the Holy Spirit has come to form the Church, to guide her through this world, and to present her to Christ in the day of His coming glory.
A Comprehensive View
These are the great truths that pass before us in type in Genesis 24. The immense importance of the chapter lies in the fact that it presents in a picture what each divine Person in the Godhead is engaged in during the day in which we live. As we look around we see the increasing wickedness of the world, and the increasing failure and weakness of the people of God. Looking upon all this confusion, we can easily become depressed and cast down. When, however, we look at the picture presented in this chapter, we see in a comprehensive view what God is doing to carry out His own purposes. Other scriptures may bring into prominence the faith as well as the failure of believers for our encouragement and warning. But here comes before us in all its blessedness what God is effecting for the glory of Christ, in spite of every adverse influence, whether in ourselves, in the world, or by the devil.
Seeing what God is doing, and the object that He has before Him, and knowing that all that God has purposed He will assuredly carry out, will keep the soul at rest in the midst of a scene of turmoil. Moreover, it will make us intelligent in the mind of God and save us from disappointment from false expectations. Further, we shall be saved from expending our energies in so many activities that, while they have the benefit of the world in view, are wholly outside the purpose of God.
In the course of the story there comes before us three main subjects: first, the directions of Abraham to his servant (vv. 1-9); secondly, the mission of the servant in Mesopotamia (vv. 10-61); and thirdly, the meeting between Isaac and Rebekah in the land of Canaan (vv. 62-67).
The Father’s Purpose
Abraham’s directions very beautifully set forth the counsels of God the Father concerning the Son, and what God is doing in the world today by the Holy Spirit in carrying out His purposes.
First, we learn that the great object of the servant’s mission was, as Abraham said, to “take a wife unto my son.” The servant was sent to Mesopotamia with this single object in view. Having found the bride and brought her to Isaac, his mission would be accomplished. It was no part of the servant’s work to interfere with the political or social interests of Mesopotamia. The Holy Spirit is not here to improve or reform the world, or bring peace to the nations, or even convert the world. He is not here to right the wrongs of the poor, remove oppression, or relieve man from disease, want, and misery.
There is One that in due time will indeed bring peace and blessing to the world. One who has been here and proved that He had the power and grace to relieve man of every pressure. Alas! we nailed Him to a cross, and He is gone, so the misery of the world remains. Nevertheless, He is coming again to bring in the blessing. But in the meantime Jesus is in heaven and the Holy Spirit is down here to obtain the bride for Christ—a heavenly people—and conduct her to Christ in the gloryland.
Christendom, unfortunately, has so entirely missed the mind of God that it looks at Christianity as merely a religious system for the improvement and uplifting of man, in order to make the world a better and brighter place. If this is all that people see in Christianity, little wonder that they are giving up its profession, for it is evident that after nine teen centuries the world grows worse rather than better, and today it is filled with increasing violence and corruption, and men’s hearts are failing them with fear of things coming upon the earth.
It is true that God in His providence cares for His poor creatures and can, and does, restrain the evil of men. It is also true that where the truth is received it will certainly bring a measure of improvement in temporal circumstances. But with our thoughts directed by the Word of God, we see that the Holy Spirit is here to take a people out of the world for Christ in glory.
The servant was told that the bride for Isaac was not to be of the daughters of the Canaanites. Abraham said she was to be of “my kindred.” The Canaanites were under the curse and devoted to judgment. In the same way, there can be no link between Christ in the glory and a world under judgment. Isaac’s bride was not to be a stranger but one that already belonged to Abraham’s family. So the Church is formed not of unbelievers, nor of a mixture of believers and unbelievers, but wholly of the family of faith.
Further, the servant was warned that in no case was he to bring Isaac back to Mesopotamia. During the time that the servant was in Mesopotamia, Isaac was in Canaan, and there was no link between Isaac and the people of Mesopotamia. So we know today that there is no direct link between Christ in heaven and the world as such. Failing to see this, the efforts of Christendom—as well as of many sincere Christians—are entirely directed to doing the very thing that the servant is twice warned not to do. The attempt is made (in a variety of different forms) to bring Christ back to the world and attach His Name to benevolent schemes for the reformation and improvement of the world. Such efforts are entirely outside the work of the Spirit who is here not to bring Christ back to the world but to take a people out of the world for Christ.
It is true that in due time Christ is coming back to the world, but let us not forget that the last time the world saw Christ, He was on the cross to which they had nailed Him. The next time they see Him will be when He comes “in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thess. 1:7-9).
Finally, the servant was told that God’s angel would go before him. We know that the angels are “ministering spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation.” Their service always seems to be of a providential and guardian character. The Holy Spirit deals with souls, while the angels seem to act in relation to circumstances. An angel may have directed Philip as to the way he should take, but the Spirit directed him in dealing with a soul (Acts 8:26, 29).
The Servant’s Mission
This part of the story is rich with instruction for us seeing that it typically presents not only the object of the Spirit’s coming but also the way He carries out this object.
The servant came to Mesopotamia well-equipped for his service, for we read, “All the goods of his master were in his hand,” reminding us that the Holy Spirit has come to teach us “all things,” to guide us into “all truth,” and show us “all things that the Father hath” (John 14:26; 16:13-15).
The servant’s work in Mesopotamia had a fourfold character: first, he found the bride appointed for Isaac (vv. 10-21); secondly, having found the bride, he distinguished her from all others (v. 22); thirdly, he weaned her heart from Mesopotamia, and attached her affections to Isaac (vv. 23-53); finally, he led her across the desert to her unseen bridegroom (vv. 54-61).
The Bride Found
We learn from the prayer of the servant the great purpose of his mission. He did not pray for the men of the city, or their daughters; he was engrossed with one object—to find the bride appointed for Isaac.
Moreover, we see that the infallible sign of the appointed bride was that she would be marked by grace. The servant prayed, “Let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that Thou hast appointed for Thy servant Isaac” (Gen. 24:14).
The prayer was granted, for when Rebekah arrived at the well and was put to the test, she answered the servant’s request, and said, “I will draw for thy camels also.” In all this we are reminded of the Spirit working in grace in those who are the “elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father through sanctification of the Spirit” (1 Peter 1:2).
The Bride Adorned
Secondly, the servant, having found the appointed bride was not content with a work of grace which only he could see, but he publicly distinguished the bride from all others by adorning her with the golden earrings and the bracelets of gold, which others could see. Not only is the Spirit here to produce a work of grace in the believer, but there is to be seen in the believer the fruits of being sealed by the Spirit—love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, fidelity, meekness, and temperance. These precious jewels are a witness to others, and distinguish the believer from the world around.
The Story Told
Thirdly, we see the pains that the servant took to link the affections of Rebekah with Isaac. Again, this sets forth the work of the Spirit by which believers are strengthened in the inner man in order that Christ may dwell in their hearts by faith. This part of the servant’s work was introduced by the question, “Is there room in thy father’s house for us to lodge in?” Rebekah’s answer again went beyond the servant’s request. He only asked for “room”; she said that there was “provision” as well as room (v. 25). Laban, too, could say to the servant, “Come in, thou blessed of the Lord.” So we read, “The man came into the house” (vv. 31- 32). The Holy Spirit has come to take of the things of Christ and show them unto us (Jn. 16:14). But we do well to take home to ourselves this great question, “Is there room? “Are we prepared to put ourselves out to make room for the Holy Spirit? The flesh and the Spirit “are contrary the one to the other” (Gal. 5:17). We cannot entertain the Spirit if ministering to the flesh. To make room for the Spirit while at the same time to be minding the things of the flesh is impossible. Are we prepared to refuse the indulgence of the flesh in the passing things of time in order to make room for the Spirit to lead us into the deep and eternal things of God? Are we making room and provision for the Spirit? “Room” and “provision” were made in the house of Bethuel for the servant of Abraham with the result that the servant was able to speak of Isaac, to engage the affections of Rebekah with Isaac, and lead her to Isaac.
The Bride Won
Having been warmly welcomed into the house, at once the servant bore witness to Isaac. He revealed the mind of his master concerning Isaac, and in so doing he took of the things of Isaac and showed them to Rebekah. He spoke of the wealth of his master, and showed that all was given to Isaac: “Unto him hath he given all that he hath.” So the Lord Himself tells us that “All things that the Father hath are Mine,” and that the work of the Spirit will be to take of His things and show them to us (John 16:15).
The Response
Having spoken of Isaac and the purpose of Abraham for the blessing of Isaac, the servant paused to see the effect of his message. Does not the Spirit deal with us in like manner? Does He not wait to see if we respond to His unfoldings of Christ before He makes us a public witness to Christ? In the picture there was a ready response, with the result that at once “the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave them to Rebekah.” In the same way, if we respond to the unfoldings of the Spirit concerning Christ, He will make us the witnesses of redeeming love—the jewels of silver; the witnesses of divine righteousness—the jewels of gold; and the witnesses of practical sanctification—the raiment.
The Decision Made
Finally, having engaged the affections of Rebekah with Isaac, the servant’s one great aim was to lead Rebekah to Isaac. The servant said, “Send me away unto my master.” He had come to find the bride, and having accomplished that end, he longed to be away. He had not come to find the bride and settle her in her old home, but to lead her to a new home.
The relatives wanted to detain Rebekah at least ten days. The servant’s desire was to be away, and by his report of Isaac, he formed the same mind in Rebekah. If we allow the Holy Spirit to have His way with us—if we hinder Him not—He will form our minds according to His mind, to think as He thinks about Christ, to detach our hearts from the things where Christ is not, and to engage our affections with Christ where He is. Too often we hinder the work of the Spirit by clinging to the world, its politics, its pleasures, and its religion. But the world cannot hold us if our hearts are set on reaching Christ in glory.
Earthly relations may have sought to detain Rebekah, but after all, the decision rested with her. They said, “We will call the damsel and inquire at her mouth.” So the great question for Rebekah was, “Wilt thou go with this man?” This is still the question for each one of us. Do we recognize the presence of the Holy Spirit, and are we prepared at all cost to follow His leading?
Christendom has almost entirely ignored the presence of the Spirit, with the result that multitudes who take Christ’s name have settled down in the world that has rejected Him and from which He is absent. It is a great moment when our hearts are so attached to Christ in heaven that, like Rebekah, we say, “I will go.”
A Pathway Followed
The immediate result of her decision was that “they sent away Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant and his men.” If we let it be known that we are forgetting the things that are behind and have set our hearts on heavenly things, it will not be simply a question of our giving up the world. The world will give us up; we shall be “sent away.”
Then we read that “Rebekah arose...and followed the man; and the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.” Believers, while gladly submitting to God’s way of salvation, often are tempted to go their own way to heaven. Our desire should be to know “His way” and to follow as He leads. To follow the Spirit will not be to follow some inner light, as men speak, but will be to walk according to the Word of God. And the Spirit, using the Word of God, will always gather us to Christ.
Thus Rebekah, following the man, found herself on a wilderness journey. For the moment she had neither the home of Laban nor the home of Isaac. So if we follow the leading of the Spirit, we shall find that “we have neither the earth in which we are, nor heaven to which we are going.” Nevertheless, as Rebekah traveled the four hundred miles of desert journey, she had a bright prospect before her. At the end, Isaac—to whom her heart had been attached—was waiting to receive her.
In like spirit the Apostle Paul can say, “One thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I pursue, looking towards the goal for the prize of the calling on high of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:13-14, New Trans.).
The Goal Reached
The servant in Mesopotamia throughout his mission always had in view the great day when the bride, having been guided across the desert, would be presented to Isaac. In all these events Isaac had taken no active part, nor had he left the land of Canaan. All was left in the hands of the servant. Nevertheless, Isaac was far from indifferent to the mission of the servant and the coming of the bride. At evening Isaac came from the way of the well Lahai-roi to meet the bride. The significant meaning of the well is said to be “the well of Him that liveth and seeth.” If this is so, it would suggest the undoubted truth that all through our wilderness journey we are under the eye of One who lives and sees. As the Apostle says, “He is able also to save them to the uttermost...seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them” (Heb. 7:25).
The Coming
Further we see that Isaac definitely came to meet the bride, for Rebekah inquired, “What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us?” The picture presents Isaac as one who was waiting for, and wanting, his bride. Our desires after Christ may often be feeble, but He longs for the moment when His bride will be presented to Him. Before He went away, He could say to His disciples, “If I go...I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:3).
The Marriage
When at last Rebekah saw Isaac, “she took a veil and covered herself.” Immediately, the marriage followed, for we read, “Isaac... took Rebekah...and she became his wife and he loved her.” So, too, after our wilderness journey, when the great work of the Holy Spirit is accomplished, and for the first time we see the Lord Jesus face to face—when He receives us to Himself—then at last these wonderful words will be fulfilled, “The marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready.”
When creation was completed, Eve was presented to Adam as his bride, the first type of the great mystery which from the beginning of the world has been hid in God, and which tells of God’s eternal purpose to secure a bride for His Son. Through the long centuries, and amidst all changing dispensations, God has kept in view the great day of the marriage of the Lamb.
God’s people may fail and break down, as they have done in every dispensation. The world, increasing in violence and corruption, may tempt and often overcome the people of God. The devil may oppose and set up the false woman who becomes drunk with the blood of saints. Nevertheless, in spite of the failure of God’s people, the efforts of the devil, and the temptations of the world, God never turns aside from His great purpose to secure a bride for His Son.
At the end of God’s Book, we are permitted to see in a vision the great day of the marriage of the Lamb, and at the very close we have a beautiful presentation of Jesus waiting for His bride, and the bride, in her true attitude, as led by the Spirit, looking for the coming of Jesus. “The Spirit and the bride say, Come.” His answer is, “Surely I come quickly,” and the bride responds, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”
The Incentive for Us
How much disappointment we would be saved if, in all our service, we had before us the great object that is always before the Spirit of God—the presentation of the Church to Christ without spot or wrinkle or any such thing on the great day of the marriage of the Lamb. Our view, and our service, is too often narrowed down to a small locality and our little day; then when everything seems to fail locally, we are brokenhearted and disappointed. If, however, our great object is to gather souls to Christ in view of the marriage of the Lamb, we shall not be disappointed, whatever the sorrow and failure by the way. There will be no broken hearts, no regrets, no disappointments when at last we hear the voice of a great multitude, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come.”
Let us then press forward through sorrows, through trials, through weakness, through every kind of opposition, knowing that at the end there is the great day of the marriage of the Lamb.
The typical teaching of these chapters closes with the account of Abraham’s children by Keturah, given in the first six verses of chapter 25. These children, from whom many Eastern nations have their origin, received “gifts,” and thus came in for blessing through their connection with Abraham. Nevertheless, Isaac was placed in striking contrast to the other sons of Abraham. To others he may have given gifts; to Isaac he gave all that he had.
This may set forth in type the great truth that Christ, as risen from the dead, is the Heir of all things, and that after receiving His heavenly bride, He will enter into the earthly inheritance in connection with restored Israel, while the nations of the earth will also receive blessing.
The deeply instructive history of Abraham closes with the brief record of his peaceful end at “a good old age,” and the burial by his sons Isaac and Ishmael in the cave of Machpelah. Thus in striking contrast to poor Lot, Abraham finished his pilgrim path with the respect and honor due to one who was “the friend of God,” and “the father of all them that believe.”