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Isaac And His Willing Bride
(Genesis 24:1–67)
Introduction:
For the past few weeks, I have been preaching a series of sermons from the Old Testament on the life of Isaac. We began by looking at Genesis 21 as well as several other passages in Genesis to highlight and discover several aspects of “Isaac And His Wonderful Birth.” I tried to point out how the experiences in Abraham’s life leading up to, surrounding, and following the birth of Isaac relate to our own spiritual experience.
Two weeks ago, I preached a message from Genesis chapter 22 about “Isaac And His Wide Brush-strokes.” When you talk about a painter using wide brush-strokes, you are referring to the practice of covering a lot of area on the canvas with the paintbrush. Figuratively, the expression of using a wide brush-stroke means to describe something in a very encompassing way. And that’s what Isaac does in Genesis chapter 22. In just a brief passage, Isaac paints a picture for us of (1) A Sinner Who Was Condemned; (2) A Saint Who Was Confounded; and (3) A Savior Who Was Crucified.
Then last week, I preached about an event in Isaac’s life in which he is only mentioned indirectly. The death of Isaac’s mother Sarah is recorded in Genesis chapter 23, but Isaac is not mentioned a single time in this chapter. It is not until Isaac takes Rebekah as his wife three years later that we are told in Genesis 24:67 that “Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.” I believe that in some ways, the record of Sarah’s death reveals the situation of “Isaac And His Worst Bereavement.”
Today, it’s on my heart to preach a message from Genesis chapter 24 on “Isaac And His Willing Bride.” The willingness of the bride is a recurring concept in this chapter. For example, the Bible says…
(Genesis 24:5) 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?
(Genesis 24:14) 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 showed kindness unto my master.
(Genesis 24:19) And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw water for thy camels also, until they have done drinking.
John Phillips said…
A camel will drink about five gallons of water, and the servant had ten of them. To draw some fifty gallons of water from the well and empty them into the trough in the heat of that climate was a big undertaking.
(Spirit [as represented by the servant] and truth [as represented by the water] both factor into the coming of the bride.)
Then, at the end of the chapter, her willingness is shown in a very clear way…
(Genesis 24:55-58) And her brother and her mother said, Let the damsel abide with us a few days, at the least ten; after that she shall go. {56} And he said unto them, Hinder me not, seeing the LORD hath prospered my way; send me away that I may go to my master. {57} And they said, We will call the damsel, and inquire at her mouth. {58} And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.
I remember back in 1987 when I asked my wife to marry me. She had a willingness to become my bride. What a special time that was in my life. But even more special was when I agreed to become part of the bride of Christ. And that is really what the account here in Genesis 24 typifies for us.
With that in mind…
I. Let’s Notice The Comparisons In This Account
Harold Wilmington in his Bible Handbook said…
Notice the typology in the story of Isaac and Rebekah:
* Abraham is a type of the heavenly Father, who is planning a marriage for his beloved Son (Matthew 22:2).
* Isaac is a type of Christ, who was offered up as a sacrifice (22; Matthew 27) and seeks his bride. Like Isaac, Christ loves his bride dearly (24:67; Ephesians 5:25).
* The servant is a type of the Holy Spirit.
* The servant came to Mesopotamia for one reason — to take a bride for Isaac. The Holy Spirit came at Pentecost (Acts 2) for one purpose — to gather a bride for the Son.
* Abraham’s servant gave honor to the father and son. Today the Holy Spirit gives honor to the Father and Son (John 15:26).
* Rebekah is a type of the church. Before anyone can be a part of Christ’s bride, he or she must answer the question Rebekah answered: “Are you willing to go with this man?” (24:58).
A. There Is A Master Burdened With A Matter – Like The Sovereign Who Beckons The Bride
(Genesis 24:3) 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:
(Genesis 24:7-9) 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. {8} 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. {9} And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and sware to him concerning that matter.
To compare Abraham to Almighty God here in this account should not seem like a far-fetched idea because the story of Abraham is inextricably linked to the account of God’s work and movements in those days, so that if you look at the life of Abraham, you see the activity and agenda of God in the human world.
Warren Wiersbe wrote…
Just as Abraham wanted a bride for his son, so God the Father elected to provide a bride for His beloved Son. Why? Not because Jesus needed anything, for the eternal Son of God is self-existent and self-sufficient and needs nothing. The bride is the Father’s love gift to His Son. We usually emphasize that the Son is the Father’s love gift to the world (John 3:16) and forget that the church is the Father’s love gift to His Son (17:2, 6, 9, 11-12, 24).
B. There Is A Man Bringing A Message – Like The Spirit Who Brings The Bride
James Freeman wrote that…
Hebron, or Mamre, where Abraham lived is about nineteen miles south of Jerusalem and fifteen miles west of the Dead Sea—it is still called Hebron today and is one of the most ancient cities still in existence. The journey from there to Abraham’s homeland of Mesopotamia was slightly over 500 miles. The trip would have taken almost two months there and the same time back to Hebron. Abraham’s servant traveled to the city of Nahor, which was about twenty-five miles from Haran, both cities being named after Abraham’s brothers, Nahor and Haran: “After Terah had lived 70 years, he became the father of Abram, Nahor and Haran” (Genesis 11:26).
(From “Manners & Customs Of The Bible”)
No doubt, this eldest servant would be the same man as Eliezer whom Abraham mentions by name in Genesis 15…
(Genesis 15:2) And Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?
Eliezer – Hebrew 461. 'Eliy'ezer, el-ee-eh'-zer; from H410 and H5828; God of help; Eliezer, the name of a Damascene and of ten Isr.:--Eliezer.
Cf. (Romans 8:26) Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
This servant had all the resources of the father and the son at his disposal just as the Holy Spirit is said in John 16 to have received of Christ in order to show it unto us…
(Genesis 24:10) And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods (welfare) of his master were in his hand: and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor.
(John 16:12-15) I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. {13} 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. {14} He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you. {15} All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall show it unto you.
Additionally, notice that the servant, typically, is either talking about the father or the son and rarely of himself.
C. There Is A Maiden Bound For A Marriage – Like The Saints Who Become The Bride
The first mention of this bride is back in Genesis 22 after the Mount Moriah experience when the son was offered as a sacrifice.
(Genesis 22:23) And Bethuel begat Rebekah: these eight Milcah did bear to Nahor, Abraham's brother.
The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia says of Rebekah that she was the…
Daughter of Bethuel and an unknown mother, granddaughter of Nahor and Milcah, sister of Laban, wife of Isaac, mother of Esau and Jacob. Her name is usually explained from the Arabic, rabqat, “a tie-rope for animals,” or, rather, “a noose” in such a rope; its application would then by figure suggest the beauty (?) of her that bears it, by means of which men are snared or bound; The root is found in Hebrew only in the noun meaning “hitching-place” or “stall,” in the familiar phrase “fatted calf” or “calf of the stall,” and in view of the meaning of such names as Rachel and Eglah the name Rebekah might well mean (concrete for abstract, like riqmah, chemdah, etc.) a “tied-up calf” (or “lamb”?).
Her name suggests “the hitched up one.” Also, Rebekah was the daughter of Bethuel, which means the abode or house of God
John Phillips wrote…
The servant was taken to Rebekah’s home where he told about his great mission. He was abroad to find a bride for Isaac, Abraham’s beloved son, and it was evident Rebekah was the chosen of God. It was all so artless, so natural and yet, at the same time, so evidently of God, the natural overlaid with the supernatural. Here was no chance meeting. Here was a meeting planned in heaven and now taking place on earth. As the servant presented the cause and claims of Isaac, Rebekah listened with all her heart and with wide open eyes.
Woven into the warp and woof of the fabric of that very human story we see the golden threads of another and far greater story. We see the coming of the Spirit of God into the world with a great mission to win and woo a heart here and a heart there to heaven’s Beloved. Only occasionally does He speak of Himself. His great work is to make much of the Son and to tell of the Father and His wondrous ways. His great task is to seek out those who will become the bride of Christ. How wonderfully He takes advantage of life’s ordinary circumstances using them to further His quest. He never forces, never violates the human will, never overwhelms, never uses weird and uncanny means to ravish the soul. Ordinary things happen; a visit here, a chance meeting there, an unexpected conversation, a book passed on by a friend—and all the time the Spirit of God is at work. Until, at last, the gospel is presented and the hour of decision dawns. It was the servant’s way with Rebekah; it is the Spirit’s way with a soul.
II. Let’s Notice The Convincing In This Account
As the servant gently persuaded Rebekah to become the bride of Isaac, we find that…
A. The Son’s Greatness Was Declared
(Genesis 24:33-37) 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. {34} And he said, I am Abraham's servant. {35} 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 menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and asses. {36} 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. {37} And my master made me swear, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife to my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell:
He spoke of the greatness of the father and the amazing birth of the son and then of the mission that the father had sent him on. How like the Holy Spirit who teaches us through the scriptures and persuades us of the greatness of God, the miraculous virgin birth of Jesus, and the great plan of gathering a saved and redeemed bride unto himself.
B. The Servant’s Gifts Were Distributed
(Genesis 24:22) 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;
(Genesis 24:53) And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave them to Rebekah: he gave also to her brother and to her mother precious things.
Again, James Freeman wrote that…
The gifts given to Rebekah were wedding gifts, but the dowry paid to her brother and mother was to secure her financial future in case Isaac should forsake her or he should die. The dowry was actually hers, and was to be kept for her by her brother and mother. If the dowry was used for other purposes, the bride had full right to protest, as Rachel and Leah did about their father: “Does he not regard us as foreigners? Not only has he sold us, but he has used up what was paid for us” (Genesis 31:15). The wedding gifts to the bride were also a token of her future husband’s ability to provide for her and his respect and desire for her. To not give gifts would be the highest of insults, just as would be the refusal to accept the gifts.