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Sermons from the Book of Genesis

HERE COMES THE BRIDE

Genesis 24

Genesis 24 is the longest chapter in Genesis. It contains 67 verses. It is the longest single episode except for the flood that occupies 75 verses. It is the story of a father and a son, a servant and a master, and a groom and a bride. The main characters are Abraham, Isaac, Rebekah and the unnamed servant of Abraham. Abraham is 140-years old and his son Isaac is 40. It is time for Abraham to find a bride and time for Isaac to take a bride. The story ends with the unnamed servant bringing Isaac a bride it was love at first sight.

A man on a plane sat down next to a beautiful young lady. She was the most gorgeous woman he had ever seen. It was love at first sight. He struck up a conversation with her, “Are you married?” “No,” she said. “Are you engaged?” “No.” “Are you dating anyone?” “No.” “Why isn’t a beautiful woman like you not dating?” She replied, “I am looking for a man with certain qualities." He asked, "What kind of qualities are you looking for in a man?" She replied, "I like native American Indians. I love their skin color and high cheek bones. I also like Jewish men. Jewish men seem so brilliant and are financially successful. But I also like the good ole boys from the south, their southern drawl and the way they treat a woman. By the way, what’s your name?” He answered, “My name is Geronimo Berstein, but my friends call me Bubba.”

For Isaac it was love at first sight. But for Rebekah it was love at no sight. Rebekah is a type of the Church, the Bride of Christ. In Genesis 22-24 we see a wonderful picture of Christ and His bride. In chapter 22 we see the death of Christ typified in the offering of Isaac. Then in chapter 23 the death of Sarah reminds us of the setting aside of Israel. In chapter 24 we see in the securing of a bride for Isaac, God taking a Gentile bride for His Son, the Lord Jesus.

Genesis chapter 24 typifies our present age. We find ourselves living in a new life. Isaac is mentioned 8 times in the chapter. The number 8 is the number of new beginning. In Christ we were given a new life. You also find the bride mentioned 8 times reminding us of that glorious day and the new life we enter when the Lord Jesus will come for His own.

Genesis chapter 24 is one of the great typology chapters of the Bible. In Abraham we see a type of God the Father. In Isaac we see a type of God the Son. In the unnamed servant we see a type of the Holy Spirit and in Rebekah a type of the Church. Now let’s look at the chapter and consider the following truths.

First we see:

 

1. THE FATHERS WILL TO SEEK THE BRIDE

 

In the actions and movements of Abraham we see a great picture of God’s purpose and plan in this age. What is God doing in this age? First notice with me:

 

A. The Interest of the Father

 

We read in verse 4 of Abraham saying to his servant, "But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac." The great interest of Abraham was to get a bride for his son Isaac. The great interest of our Heavenly Father is to get a bride for His Son, the Lord Jesus. We find this illustrated several times in the Bible.

In Matthew 22:2 we read, "The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king which made a marriage unto his son.” Like the certain king that prepared a marriage feast for his son, God is preparing a marriage for His Son.

Jesus said to His earthly parents in Luke 2:49, "I must be about My Father’s business.” What is the Father's business? The business of the Father is getting a bride for His Son. This is the great interest of God. God is in the saving business! Each saved person makes up the bride of Christ. God's great interest in saving us is not just so He can take us to heaven, but to present us to His Son! Just as Abraham wanted a physical companion for his son, God wants a spiritual companion for His Son. The great concern of God is not buildings, budgets, but a bride.

May I say that we should be about the Father’s business as well. Secondly, notice:

 

B. The Initiative of the Father

 

Abraham was seeking Rebekah before she ever knew she was being sought. We often speak of how we found the Lord, but the truth of the matter is that most of us were not seeking Him. Yet, we know that He was seeking us! The Bible says in 1 John 4:19, "We love him, because he first loved us." When Rebekah went to the well I doubt it ever crossed her mind that on that day she would be introduced to her future husband. In my case, when I went to Church on that Easter Sunday morning in 1972, the last thing I had on mind was getting saved. But little did I know that there would be someone at Church Who was looking for me. Glory!  

We also see:

 

C. The Instructions of the Father

 

We read in verse 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." Abraham's instructions were plain. The bride was not to come from unbelievers but from the family of faith. The bride God is calling is made of a family of faith. It is only by faith that one can come to the Lord Jesus.

First we see the father wanting to get a bride for his son. Secondly we see:

 

2. THE SERVANTS WORK TO SECURE THE BRIDE

 

Nowhere in the chapter is the servant of Abraham called by name. In verse 2 he is simply called "the eldest servant of his house." In verse 5 and 9 he is simply called the "servant." In verse 34 he identifies himself as "Abraham's servant." There are those who believe that he is Eliezer (Cp. 15:2). Yet, in Genesis 24 the servant is not called by name. This servant is a type of the Holy Spirit, the One who does not speak of Himself but seeks to glorify Christ. As you look at the chapter you see that all the servant did was talk about the Father and the Son. He never said one word about himself. The Bible says of the Holy Spirit in John 16:13: "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 shew you things to come."

The will of the Father is getting a bride and the work of the Spirit is to get a bride for Isaac. He was commissioned by the Father and committed to the Son. In verse 33 the servant referred to his mission as an "errand." What is the errand of the Holy Spirit? First notice:

 

A. Gaining a Bride for Isaac

 

As we look at the errand of the servant we first see that there was a work of introduction. The servant leaves on his mission and meets Rebekah at the well. Something in his heart said this is the one. It was then that he began introducing Rebekah to Isaac. We read in verses 34-38, "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. 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. 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: But thou shalt go unto my father's house, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son." The servant introduced her to the son. The errand of the Holy Spirit is to introduce sinners to the Lord Jesus.

There was also a work of invitation. We read in verses 54-58, "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. 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. 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. And they said, We will call the damsel, and enquire at her mouth. And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go." He did not make her come but gave her a choice. He invited her to go with Him. He asked her to believe a man she had never seen and to go to place she had never been. There was the day when the Holy Spirit introduced us to the Lord Jesus and invited us to come to Him. I will ever be thankful that I said yes!

There was also a work of information. They began the journey to the father's house. Along the way the servant told her more about Isaac. We read in verse 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." At the beginning he let her know the son was someone she would like to know. When she accepted his invitation, he pulled out even more symbols of the son's wealth: "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" (Gen 24:53). On the journey he kept pulling out symbols of his wealth. It was a process of telling her about Isaac. She was learning of Isaac, which made her long for Isaac, which made her look for Isaac.

There was also a work of impartation. We read in verse 10, "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." The servant simply took the things of the Father and gave them to her. Since the day God saved us the Holy Spirit has been giving us wonderful blessings from the Father. These blessings are just a symbol of the eternal blessings of that life ahead.

We not only see the servant gaining a bride for Isaac, but also him:

 

B. Getting the Bride to Isaac

 

We read in verse 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." They set out for the father's house. It was not only the responsibility of the servant to get a bride for Isaac, but also to get the bride to Isaac. He was to guide her, guard her, and guarantee her. He was the one responsible for getting her to Isaac.

The Holy Spirit is our guide, our guard and the guarantee that we will make it. The Bible speaks of the Holy Spirit as our down payment that we will get home one day. We read in Ephesians 1:13-14, "In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory." The words "earnest of our inheritance" speak of a down payment. If you have been saved you do not have to worry about making it. The Holy Spirit will get you to the Father's House!

She found herself on a long journey of 400 miles through a wilderness, but she was safe, secure, and satisfied because of the care of the servant. Hallelujah, we are safe and secure! Thirdly, notice:

 

3. THE SONS WAITING TO SEE THE BRIDE

 

As we come to the end of the chapter we see Isaac waiting. This is the first time we have actually seen Isaac since Moriah (Genesis 22). It reminds us of the two comings of our Lord. He came the first time to die for us. He will come the second time to take us home. In between we are waiting for the day we see Him face to face.

In the story we see Isaac:

 

A. Meeting the Bride

 

We read in verse 63, "And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels were coming." He went out to meet her. We see Rebekah coming to Isaac and Isaac going out to meet her. There will come that glorious day when the Lord Jesus will go out to meet His bride.

Notice the reaction of Rebekah in verse 64, "And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel." Someone has said that this is the only example of smoking in the Bible; she lit off a camel. The servant had been talking about her new husband, giving her symbols of his glory all along the way, and when she sees him, she is so excited she jumps off her camel and starts running toward him.

Also notice the respect of Rebekah in verse 65, "For she had said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, It is my master: therefore she took a vail, and covered herself." On that glorious day we reverently fall at the feet of the one who loved us and saved us by His grace.

We not only see Isaac meeting the bride, but also:

 

B. We See Isaac Marrying the Bride

 

We read in verse 67, "And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death." There is a glorious wedding ahead for everyone that is saved. We are espoused to Christ at the present, but our wedding day is coming! What a day, what a day that will be!

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Sermons from Genesis by Ken Trivette

Gen #20

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