Few who have read the 22nd chapter of the Book of Genesis with any amount of spiritual intelligence, have failed to see, in the scene described there, a figure of the death and resurrection of Christ. Abraham, at the bidding of God, binding his son Isaac a sacrifice, and preparing to offer him up as a burnt-offering to the Lord. The Lord staying his hand, which grasped the uplifted knife, and pointing to the ram caught in the thicket, the substitute of His own providing. And then Abraham receiving his son as from the dead in a figure. (Heb. 11:1919Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure. (Hebrews 11:19).)
All this speaks, to the heart renewed by grace, of the wondrous story of the death and resurrection of God’s Lamb, and the complete and perfect settlement of the question of sin which was wrought thereby.
But when we read Chapter 23 we find something more. We read of the death and burial of Sarah, Isaac’s mother; and of his father Abraham having no portion in the Land of Canaan, but must even buy a sepulcher; and is a stranger and a sojourner there. This sequence of events, interpreted in the light of the New Testament, afford special delight to the soul. The death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus is followed by the setting aside, for the time, of His nation Israel, figured in the death of Sarah, the mother of Isaac. And the result of all this, that the Jew, instead of being restored to his land under his Messiah, is a wanderer in the earth, having now no portion in the land promised to the fathers.
But when we open Chapter 24 a story of wondrous exactitude and beauty unfolds itself to us. Isaac was dead and risen in a figure, and the parent stem is set aside. And now Abraham, Isaac’s father, desires to get a bride for his only son, a son who cannot return to the land of his people. And Abraham sent his servant who ruled over his house, charged with this errand to get a wife for his son Isaac. This wife for his son must be brought to him, for his son cannot return thither again. “Beware, thou, that thou bring not my son thither again.” (Verse 6.)
So when Christ died and rose, and Israel, to whom the promises would have been fulfilled had they received Him, were set aside, and became wanderers, without a portion in their land. It was then we find for the first time the wondrous purpose of God, His “eternal purpose” revealed. And His purpose was, that His only Son, Jesus, should have a “bride,” one to share with Him His throne of heavenly glory, and to be joint possessor with and in Him of all that the Father had bestowed. As long as Israel were the objects of the Lord’s dealings this could not be. Then He had an earthly nation, the center and platform, we may say, of all His dealings with the world. But now, once they had refused Him and the kingdom he had proposed, he has an earthly people no more for a time. And so, when Christ is hidden in the heavens, and glorified there, the Holy Spirit has come from heaven, charged, as it were with this wondrous mission, to gather out of Jew and Gentile a bride for His Son.
Of His wondrous mission the Lord Jesus speaks to His disciples when he was going away. “Howbeit, when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth, for he shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak; and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me; for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you. All things that the Father hath, are mine: therefore, said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall show it unto you.” (John 16:13-1513Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. 14He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you. 15All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall show it unto you. (John 16:13‑15)) Just as Abraham’s servant, explaining his errand, says, “And the Lord hath blessed my master greatly, and he is become great; and He hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and man-servants, and maid-servants, and camels, and asses; and Sarah, my master’s wife, bare a son to my master when she was old: and unto him hath, he given all that he hath.” (Verse 35 and 36) So we read also in John 3:3535The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. (John 3:35)— “The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.” Abraham’s servant took some of his master’s treasures and put them upon this chosen one, tokens of the grace of him for whom she was sought. “The man took a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands, of ten shekels weight of gold.” (Verse 22) Thus the Holy Spirit takes of the treasures of “wisdom and knowledge,” and of the “unsearchable riches of Christ,” and makes them known to the Church, espousing her as a “chaste virgin unto Christ.” (2 Cor. 11:22For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. (2 Corinthians 11:2).)
And now, when the espoused one is to begin her long wilderness journey in the charge of him who came for her, the servant “brings forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave them to Rebekah.” And thus we find that when Christ ascended up on high, leading captive captivity, He gave gifts unto men. And the Holy Spirit, the Church’s guide and companion, takes up these gifts of Christ (Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor, and Teacher), and uses them to strengthen her heart and guide her feet, and train her according to the heart of Him who will at last “present her to himself glorious, without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing.”
But now the world tries to prevent her from going on to meet her Lord. Rebekah’s family says, “Let the damsel abide with us a few days, at least ten; after that she shall go.” They would like to have her stay with them, and not separate herself to Isaac, obedient to the call of Abraham’s servant. And so does the world. It likes not the thought that the Church is a heavenly bride, “espoused as a chaste -virgin unto Christ:” because, if she walks in the power of. her calling, she cannot sink down to its level, and, as it were, sanction its ways by her presence in its midst. She knows that her Bridegroom has nothing to do with the world now; that He has been here, and that He tried if it would receive Him, and that it only rejected Him and cast Him out. That her heavenly guide has told her of His charge, “Beware, thou, that thou bring not my son hither again.”
She knows in her heart that He has no portion here, and therefore she can have none but the gifts and graces which He bestows.
She decides the great question herself. “We will call the damsel, and inquire at her mouth.” “Wilt thou go with this man? and she said, “I will go.” Thus would the Church, if guided by the Spirit of God, ever reply. There would be no hesitation in her answer if she followed and was led by her heavenly Guide. There would be no indecision, no turning back, thinking of what she had left behind. There would be no divided heart in her, but where her treasure is there would her heart be also.
“And Rebekah arose,... and followed the man and the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.” She was “forgetting those things that were behind, and reaching forth unto those things that are before.” Her heart would ever be saying, “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:13,1413Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13‑14)) How sad if, instead of this, she was turning behind her, and longing after that which she had left behind.
But now we have the end of the wilderness journey brought before us in our beautiful Scripture.
“And Isaac came from the way of the well Lahai-roi (the well of Him that liveth and seeth me); and he lifted up My eyes and saw.... And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac,” The journey was over, the wilderness was past, hope was changed to fruition, faith was changed to sight. The toil of the wilderness world, dear fellow-Christians, is nearly over. We know not that before you read these pages the Church’s Bridegroom will have come. We know not if, even as the lines are penned, He may not have left His throne of glory, to descend and meet His people in the air. The Holy Spirit has, as Christ promised, abode with the Church forever. He has been with her all through, unfaithful to Christ as she has been. He has awakened her hopes, and enabled her to lift up her eyes and see Him by faith, and has put into her mouth that longing inviting word, “The Spirit and the Bride say, come,” in response to the voice of Him who has just told her, “I am the bright and the morning star.” (Rev. 22:16,1716I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. 17And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. (Revelation 22:16‑17).)
And now, dear reader, can you not for yourself realize in some little measure the testimony of the Comforter, the Church’s guide in her wilderness journey? Surely if ever He leads the heart to look behind, He can only lead it to one object, the death of the true Isaac, even Christ. He can point to that and unfold its varied excellencies, and glories, and wondrous efficacy, and its result, which is the believer’s portion; as that through which his Lord has gone to the throne of His glory, through which he has redemption and forgiveness of his sins. He can unfold how the glory of God has been established through it. But he never can, never does, lead to a doubting thought, an unbelieving fear. Nor can He ever lead the soul to earthly things; rather to those that are heavenly—to the riches, and glories, and person of Him with whom He fills the heart.
I ask you then, “Wilt thou go with this man?” Will you suffer Him (the Blessed Spirit) to lead and to guide you with unhindered, ungrieved power? Think on your association with the world if you are not separate from it, and above all with the so-called religious world; and think of your walk and ways, and answer this question, “Are you grieving and hindering the Holy Spirit of God, whereby you are sealed unto the day of redemption?” (Eph. 4:3030And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. (Ephesians 4:30)) Or are you “led of the Spirit?” (Gal. 5:1818But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. (Galatians 5:18)) Are the accents of your heart even now, “I will go.” And if this be so, your conversation will be in heaven, from whence you look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will change your body of humiliation that it may be fashioned like unto His body of glory, according to the power whereby He is able even to subdue all things to Himself. (Phil. 3:20,2120For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. (Philippians 3:20‑21).)
NOTE. —It is interesting to see that in the following chapter of the Book of Genesis (xxv) we find the election of Israel. The elder, Esau, shall serve the younger, Jacob. “Jacob have I loved.” Poor rebellious Israel, long cast-off among the nations, will, after the Church is safe with Christ, be again restored to their land and their blessings under the new covenant, by the grace of Him whose gifts and calling are without repentance.