(Key verses: Gen 27:1-14)

In Genesis 27 we read about a very sad time which occurred in the household of Isaac and Rebekah. What started off as one of the most beautiful love stories in the scripture is now turning into divisions and deceit. Although the two sons of Isaac and Rebekah, Esau the elder brother and Jacob, were already striving in their mother’s womb, this jostling intensified as time passed, and as they grew older, the separation between them increased as also did the parents’ love for these sons:

Gen 25:27 And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents.
Gen 25:28 And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob.

As time progresses and the trials of life increase, all these evil things which were once hidden and concealed in the hearts of mankind become clearer. Our old man is progressively revealed as not having any ability or capacity to receive “the things of the spirit of God” and cannot appreciate spiritual things. It actually sees spiritual things as foolishness when the natural man has preeminence in our hearts:

1Co 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Many cannot see that all physical things miss the mark completely when it comes to the spiritual things of God. Missing the spiritual mark of God is what sin is defined as in scripture (Jdg 20:16). This missing of the mark also applies to the flesh’s interpretation of who the firstborn is and why the right of the firstborn belongs to it, as prescribed in the law of Moses:

Deu 21:17 But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated for the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath: for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his.

For those who can receive this principle, this double portion here indicates to whom rulership belongs – the son of the hated (the man of sin) or the son of the beloved (the sons of God). The flesh cannot see that it was never the firstborn of God, and it will therefore never rule over the spiritual sons of God. Only the sons of God will receive rulership over flesh (our own flesh progressively and in its final fulfillment during the thousand-year reign on earth) and also the rulership in the spiritual age being fulfilled in the lake of fire (Rev 20). Here is why this fleshly man of sin is so upset when he cannot see the order of God before the world began:

1Co 15:45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
1Co 15:46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.

The last Adam is our life-giving spirit, and He is the true firstborn of the Father:

Col 1:12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
Col 1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
Col 1:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
Col 1:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

This pattern is repeated in physical parables throughout the scriptures. The firstborn in flesh will always be the one who is rejected, and the second or last born is given the favourable rulership of God. Our fleshly motives and aspirations will always be shocked when it is  discovered that it does not carry any favour with God whatsoever:

1Co 1:29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.

In this discussion on the theme of sonship, this very important spiritual revelation of the right of the firstborn is driven to its climax in the household of Isaac and Rebekah. The house of Isaac is merely a type of the household of God, as even in this household among the sons of God, comes time when spiritual vision and insight are lost, and a fall from the grace of God brings back the spiritual darkness which we thought could never happen. When spiritual insight is lost, it becomes very obvious as we grow slowly back to being dependent on and attached to natural things, even when we justify our actions by the insights and laws of the natural mind:

Gal 5:4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.

We are clearly warned through the many “ensamples” in scripture to think soberly of ourselves by not laying up a treasure for oneself and become self-confident instead of confident in the Lord (1Co 9:27; Php 3:13; Luk 12:21):

1Co 10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
1Co 10:12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

Rom 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

True spiritual vision is what the spirit of God works with when that spirit teaches us how to compare spiritual with spiritual and then empowers and helps us to apply that to our own walk in this life:

1Co 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

That is why the natural man, who is enslaved in his own pride and lusts, will put up a fight for a spiritual inheritance he actually despises and sees as foolish. This losing of vision is also what happened to Isaac when he became progressively attached to the things that appealed to his earthly senses. These senses connected him to the things he loved, and they became his guides:

Gen 27:1 And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto him, Behold, here am I.
Gen 27:2 And he said, Behold now, I am old, I know not the day of my death:
Gen 27:3 Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison [Greek ABP+: thēra = a trap = Rom 11:9]
Gen 27:4 And make me savoury meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat; that my soul may bless thee before I die.

As with physical Israel and their blindness to the true election of the sons of God, Isaac’s table became his trap (Rom 2:28-29):

Rom 11:7 What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded
Rom 11:8 (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.
Rom 11:9 And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them.

The words “his eyes were dim, so that he could not see” typify also Isaac’s lack of spiritual insight and heeding to the will of God in terms of God’s election criteria, which is always counterintuitive with our natural ways of understanding the election of God (1Co 1:26-29). In this instance, Isaac is used as a type of those who fall away from grace and are blinded not to see the true elect of God as they, like the physical nation of Israel, are yet again enslaved to the desires of the physical meat of Egypt and a renewed dependence on the laws that guides this world in their spiritual blindness (Gal 3:23-24):

1Jn 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1Jn 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

To fall from grace is to reject the function of the grace of God in our lives which actually helps us to get rid of these deceitful lusts and pride of earthly life. This rejection is witnessed in our complaining and murmuring when things seemingly go wrong as we are convinced the blessings of the Lord is witnessed only in physical things we can accumulate:

Tit 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Tit 2:12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.

We are actually encouraged in the scriptures to rather grow in grace for a good reason:

2Pe 3:17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.
2Pe 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

As in the household of Isaac and Rebekah, so will it be in the household of God, for the sole purpose to make manifest those sons of God who are approved by Him:

1Co 11:18 For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it.
1Co 11:19 For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.

Before the birth of the twins, Rebekah did not understand what was happening inside her womb, and she went the right route to approach God directly for the answer, and God respected her and revealed His election to her:

Gen 25:22 And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD.
Gen 25:23 And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.

The lastborn in the flesh of these twins, which was Jacob, was the one whom God had chosen to typify His firstborn in spirit, Jesus Christ (1Co 15:45-46). Rebekah, like Mary with the birth of Jesus, “kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart” continually while Isaac, like the whole earth, was wondering after the venison of this world (Luk 2:18-19; Jas 1:14; Rev 13:3). Rebekah diligently heeded to those words, while it is clear that Isaac did not have the same conviction. He was led by his natural preferences instead of the election which God prefers. He seemingly forgot the pattern which God established even through him as the second born of Abraham, when he was given this favourable position by God. Isaac himself also suffered many trials and severe tests which included the mockery by his elder brother, Ishmael (Gen 21:9-12). These lessons of these trials seemed to have been replaced by a spirit of lasciviousness in Isaac, but Rebekah remained focused on the election of God:

Gen 27:5 And Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it.
Gen 27:6 And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying,
Gen 27:7 Bring me venison, and make me savoury meat, that I may eat, and bless thee before the LORD before my death.
Gen 27:8 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command thee.

The “voice” of Rebekah is the word she heard from God, to which she was faithful, and upon which she wanted Jacob to also act. Rebekah knew the truth that, from God’s perspective, Jacob was the rightful heir, not Esau, which Isaac sadly could not receive. While Rebekah was subjecting herself in all things to her head, Isaac, it is also true that if these earthly authorities go against the will and commandments of God, “we ought to obey God rather than men.”

Act 4:19 But Peter and John answered and said unto them [the rulers, and elders, and scribes of Israel], Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.
Act 4:20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.

Act 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered [the council…and the high priest] and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

Rebekah did not openly disagree with her husband by confronting him with the truth, but in silence and fear did what was determined and worked by God:

1Pe 3:1 Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;
1Pe 3:2 While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.

Luk 14:26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
Luk 14:27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

Hating others is to love them less than the love we have for God and His commandments:

1Jn 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
1Jn 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
1Jn 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

This is only applicable when those dear family members want us to go against the doctrine of Christ and deny the truth of His Word. This brings to mind how Abigail also acted in the same way as Rebekah against the wish of her obstinate husband, Nabal, who refused to give heed to David’s plea for food for him and his men after David actually protected the shepherds of Nabal. Abigail was given understanding by God to respect the request of David, who was the elect favoured king of God for Israel to replace the first anointed king of Israel, Saul. Nabal acted on the limited knowledge at his disposal and insulted David and despised David’s integrity, election and lineage – to Nabal’s own sudden demise (1Sa 25:10-11; 1Sa 25:36-38):

1Sa 25:18 Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched corn, and an hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on asses.
1Sa 25:19 And she said unto her servants, Go on before me; behold, I come after you. But she told not her husband Nabal [whose name means “fool”].

Rebekah’s name means “ensnared” or “ensnarer”, and this is important to note also in the way Rebekah acted to establish the blessing on Jacob. This is where Rebekah could not help herself getting entangled in ever increasing deceit and masterful evil trickery as we will see in this chapter 27 of Genesis. She started off by sending Jacob to the flock:

Gen 27:9 Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence two good kids of the goats; and I will make them savoury meat for thy father, such as he loveth:
Gen 27:10 And thou shalt bring it to thy father, that he may eat, and that he may bless thee before his death.

It was also through these two good kids of the goats from the flock that Isaac’s insight will be tested and revealed. Kids of the goats are not mature. Goats also are not spiritually positioned on the right hand of God, but on the left hand of God as they are also representing the cursed of God:

Mat 25:32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
Mat 25:33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

Mat 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.

Jacob obeyed the commandments of his mother as he was also aware of the way he had also deceitfully taken the right of the firstborn from Esau. Esau openly despised his birthright for temporary earthly things which satisfied his immediate needs:

Gen 25:33 And Jacob said, Swear [Hebrew: “shâba” = oath] to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob.
Gen 25:34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.

Jacob knew all this but is now, like a true hypocrite, concerned with being seen as a deceiver by his father:

Gen 27:11 And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man:
Gen 27:12 My father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver; and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing.

Jacob was in fact a supplanter whom God appointed to be the representative of the true firstborn, even as the words of Esau also reveals:

Gen 27:36 And he said, Is not he rightly named Jacob? for he hath supplanted [Hebrew: “âqab” = to seize by the heel/to circumvent] me these two times: he took away my birthright; and, behold, now he hath taken away my blessing. And he said, Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me?

Jacob’s deceitful and hypocritical behaviour can be understood when we know that all of God’s true elect start out walking “according to the course of this world” in “times past” when they are the seed of the serpent and a son of our first father the devil or serpent, who were ordained by God to “bruise [Christ’s] heel” (Joh 8:44):

Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Eph 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

It is important to note that this happened “in times past” in the lives of God’s elect, and no son of God will continue to walk in this deceitful manner. Many use this as a justification to live deceitfully while claiming elect status. Only God can use evil for His good purposes, and we are not to call evil good, meaning we are not God to think we can use evil to achieve good results:

Gen 50:20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

Isa 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

This behaviour of Jacob at this time of his life was written down for our admonition, not for our justification of sin (1Co 10:11). God’s elect for sure was “in times past” deceived as they also deceived others, but that “conversation” is not the case when the truth comes. Grace and truth comes when Jesus comes to our lives, even while we are dwelling in flesh:

Joh 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Joh 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

The indwelling spiritual Christ has come to separate His elect from dealing in deceitful ways, and His truth brings an end to all lying (Eph 4:15; 1Pe 2:1):

Heb 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
Heb 7:26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens.

Rebekah’s role in this deception is also clear by her own words:

Gen 27:13 And his mother said unto him, Upon me be thy curse, my son: only obey my voice, and go fetch me them.

After this chapter 27 of Genesis, Rebekah and her life afterward are not even mentioned further in the scripture except for the place of her burial (Gen 49:31). Rebekah’s role reminds us of this woman in the book of Revelation who was also cursed to dwell in the wilderness, yet her son was taken up to be God’s elect:

Rev 12:1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:

Rev 12:5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.
Rev 12:6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.

This represents the church in the wilderness who actually contributes to fulfill its role to establish the true church of God (Greek: “ekklēsia” – those who are called out of the called – Mat 22:14). This is why Jacob is also obedient to this mother:

Gen 27:14 And he went, and fetched, and brought them to his mother: and his mother made savoury meat, such as his father loved.

Next week, God willing, we will continue with this chapter 27 of Genesis.

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Detailed studies and emails relating to these foundational themes in Scripture are available on the iswasandwillbe.com website, including these topics and links:

Knowing and Believing Elect
How Do We Know We Are Elect?
Once In Grace Always In Grace?

The book of Genesis reveals mankind’s biggest needs which consume his whole life from beginning to end. The first man Adam was created void of spirit life and was formed in a corruptible earthy body of sin and death (Gen 1:2; Gen 2:7; Psa 51:5-7; Jer 18:4; Mat 6:19; Mat 7:17; Act 13:33-34; Rom 1:23; Rom 6:6; Rom 7:24; 1Co 15:45). God also places in the heart of all mankind the hope of this spirit life, and He will not disappoint anyone in that hope:

Rom 8:20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope.

God’s plan to bring all in the generation of the first Adam to spiritual perfection is indeed a secret or a mystery which is hidden in His Word, Jesus Christ, through whom He chose to make this all possible (Rom 16:25; 1Co 2:7; Eph 1:9; Eph 3:9-11). Through Christ all will eventually receive this new life as God now reveals to His servants what He is busy doing to bring all to Him (1Co 15:22-28):

Rev 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John.

Amo 3:7 Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.

This revelation of Jesus includes the unveiling of who the first Adam is and how God is working this process to make all in His image:

Gen 1:27 And creating [this Hebrew verb “bârâ” is used here in the imperfect tense which indicates the action, process or condition is incomplete] is the Elohim humanity in His image. In the image of the Elohim He creates it. Male and female He creates them.(CLV)

We are still discussing the foundational theme of faith, and in Genesis chapter 24 this process of making man in the spiritual image of God is also highlighted where the Godhead and their work in the hearts of humanity are revealed through the union of the male with the female (1Co 11:3; Eph 5:31-33). Abraham appoints his elder faithful servant to bring a bride for his Son, Isaac, who is a type of Christ (Gen 22:2; Mat 1:1-2; Gal 3:16; Gal 3:29; Heb 11:17-19). Through the faith of Christ, the Father draws all in the generation of the first Adam to be in Christ at the appointed time (Joh 6:44; 1Co 15:22-28; 1Ti 4:9-10):

1Ti 2:3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
1Ti 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
1Ti 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
1Ti 2:6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

The faith of Christ brings forth life and works, and these works are visible in our actions (Jas 2:14-18). As with Abraham, the Father made all the necessary provisions for this salvation process to be 100% successful and also give His servants all that is needed to fulfill their task. Everything God created was good for the purpose He is using it, even the evil and the wicked – although evil is never good, and darkness can never be equated to light (Gen 50:20; Pro 16:4; Isa 5:20; Mal 2:17; Isa 54:16; Eph 1:11):

Gen 1:31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

Isa 45:7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

In this story in chapter 24 of Genesis, several role-players are used as types to reveal the works of God through His Christ in the generation of the first Adam. The main players in this scene in Genesis 24 includes a mature in faith and physically aged Abraham, his faithful servant, Abraham’s son Isaac, a young, beautiful virgin named Rebekah and her family, and also ten camels who are also playing their part in this story. We will recap in short each one’s role and will conclude this discussion with the main focus on verses 62 to 67 – the romantic meeting between Isaac and Rebekah which pictures the marriage of Christ and His church. It all starts off with Abraham sending his elder and faithful servant to find a wife for Isaac with very specific instructions:

Gen 24:1 And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.
Gen 24:2 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:
Gen 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:
Gen 24:4 But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac.

God the Father placed in Christ all of Himself, which includes all His spiritual blessings needed to make this all possible (Joh 1:1-4; Joh 1:14-16; Col 1:19; Heb 2:1-3; Rev 1:1-3). God then prepares the hearts of those to whom He reveals this Jesus to receive and do His spiritual words and bear this testimony of Jesus Christ faithfully until their task is concluded (Isa 28:23; Mat 7:24-25; Joh 17:6-8; Eph 1:10; Eph 1:23; Rev 19:10). The faith of Abraham in God’s provision and promises was witnessed in his words and in his life by this servant over many years in the company of Abraham:

Gen 24:7 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.

All God’s true servants know that God works all things to happen precisely at the appointed time and place, as He also prepares the hearts and directs the steps of all, especially as revealed to those whom He humbles to hear His truths (Psa 10:17; Pro 16:1; Pro 20:24; Jer 10:23; Rom 9:16). The faith of Christ removes the fear of failure, although we all will fall and stumble in the process, but God raises up again and heals all wounds (Job 5:17-19; Psa 34:19-20; Pro 24:16). In the performance of their task, the servants of God use this faith of Christ also; first of all in prayer as an important tool to operate in humility and in God’s perspective of things:

Gen 24:12 And he [the servant of Abraham] said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham.

The prayer of faith will always produce results as we learn through prayer that the will of God is done in every situation as He alone provides in every aspect of life:

Mat 6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Mat 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Mat 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.

Whatever we will inherit or receive from God was already predetermined (“having been bound in the heavens”) and is being worked after the counsel of His will, for those who are given to see this truth (Eph 1:11):

Mat 18:18 CLV Verily, I am saying to you, Whatsoever you should be binding on the earth shall be those things having been bound in the heavens, and whatsoever you should be loosing on the earth shall be those loose in heaven.

Before this servant of Abraham finished his prayer, Rebekah already appeared on the scene to prove that his prayer had already “been bound in the heavens” as it will also happen in the sight of this servant of Abraham:

Gen 24:15 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.

Rebekah was from the right family, and her heart wanted to do the right thing, even according to the prayer which this servant prayed in his heart. Here we also see a few pointers on how the true bride of Christ is to be recognised and identified, as typified by Rebekah and her behaviour:

Gen 24:16 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.
Gen 24:17 And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher.
Gen 24:18 And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink.
Gen 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.
Gen 24:20 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.

She was “very fair to look upon”, and this relates to the bride of Christ in terms of their appearance or insight into the word and doctrine of Christ as witnessed by their actions (Mat 7:16-21; Rev 4:8-11). Their words and actions will be in harmony with the doctrine of Christ and always as refreshing as the morning and clear as the sun which will help us also on our path (Psa 119:105; Psa 119:130; 2Co 4:6):

Son 1:15 Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves’ eyes.
Son 1:16 Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant: also our bed is green.

Son 6:10 Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners?

Rebekah was a virgin, which reflects on those who are espoused to Christ having a pure heart. This is achieved by God as He blots out our previous life of sin and transgression through Christ, even as far as the east is from the west, and He never thinks about it again as He indeed makes all things new (Psa 103:12; Isa 43:25; 2Co 5:17):

2Co 11:2 For 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.

Mat 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Rebekah did what she had to do in haste, and this also points to those in Christ who know that the time is at hand and that every word of God is applicable in their lives as they do His commandments and work out their salvation with fear and trembling (Php 2:12-13; Jas 1:25-27):

Rev 1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

She was not only diligent to serve this servant of Abraham and those with him, but also serve all the ten camels with fresh water, which are unclean animals in the scriptures. The true bride of Christ is diligent not only in their unconditional service to each other, but also to those who will come to Christ later in the second resurrection (Oba 1:21; Rev 20:11-15). They do not look for vainglory, but deem others more important than themselves (2Co 1:24).

Php 2:3 KJV Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
Php 2:4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
Php 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Php 2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
Php 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
Php 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Rebekah was from the family of Abraham who were still living in the land of the Chaldees, which was situated in the region of Babylon (Isa 47:1; Isa 48:14; Dan 2:1-2; Dan 5:30; Dan 3:8-12; Isa 13:19). This typifies our own route through spiritual Babylon where we also thought we served God while hating His true doctrine and servants. From this state of spiritual delusion all of God’s elect are called to come out of and be humbled to be joined to His bridegroom, Jesus Christ. God’s elect has compassion and understands that although our brothers and sisters in spiritual Babylon recognise and use the words of God, they rather fixate their attention on the physical application of those words and are in captivity and puffed up in their own delusional understanding of His Word (which is His gold and His silver):

Eze 16:15 But thou didst trust in thine own beauty, and playedst the harlot because of thy renown, and pouredst out thy fornications on every one that passed by; his it was.
Eze 16:16 And of thy garments thou didst take, and deckedst thy high places with divers colours, and playedst the harlot thereupon: the like things shall not come, neither shall it be so.
Eze 16:17 Thou hast also taken thy fair jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given thee, and madest to thyself images of men, and didst commit whoredom with them,

This is the status of Rebekah’s family also:

Gen 24:50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceedeth from the LORD: we cannot speak unto thee bad or good.
Gen 24:51 Behold, Rebekah is before thee, take her, and go, and let her be thy master’s son’s wife, as the LORD hath spoken.
Gen 24:52 And it came to pass, that, when Abraham’s servant heard their words, he worshipped the LORD, bowing himself to the earth.
Gen 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.

Those who cannot leave the old earthly Jerusalem with her fleshly attachments are used by God to eventually persecute and kill His elect, for the benefit of the elect. This is very much needed as they are used to crush and kill God’s elect in their streets (in public) and also openly display the bodies of the elect in public retribution and unforgiveness (Act 4:10; Rev 11:3-10):

Luk 13:33 Nevertheless I must walk to day, and to morrow, and the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem.
Luk 13:34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!

Rebekah’s family wanted to keep her a little longer…”at the least ten” days as this is also the time the flesh needs to stay in a spiritual delusion of perfection or maturity and try to cling to those who are called out (the “ekklēsia”), who are being separated and drawn away. However, the call in the hearts of God’s true elect to go and leave the fleshly attachments is stronger than anything any human can resist. This separation is always viewed by the fleshly mind as unloving, very cruel and unjust (Mat 10:22):

Gen 24:55 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.
Gen 24:56 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.
Gen 24:57 And they said, We will call the damsel, and enquire at her mouth.
Gen 24:58 And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.

Now Rebekah is taking the long road as she left with this stranger, in the form of this servant of Abraham, to be with her unknown husband whom she wants to be with, no matter the discomfort and trials along this journey and which is still ahead of her (Act 14:22). Only the Father knows the time of the gathering of His elect, even the marriage feast between His Son and His bride (Mat 24:36; Joh 6:44; Joh 17:11; Php 3:11-14). God caused Isaac to come from the “south country” without any precise time when he will meet his wife:

Gen 24:62 And Isaac came from the way of the well Lahairoi; for he dwelt in the south country.

This well of Lahairoi is first mentioned in relation to Hagar, the slave of Sarah earlier on in Genesis:

Gen 16:10 And the angel of the LORD said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude.
Gen 16:11 And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.
Gen 16:12 And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.
Gen 16:13 And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?
Gen 16:14 Wherefore the well was called Beer-lahairoi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.

Hagar gave birth to Abraham’s firstborn after this, but Ishmael was to be the rejected son of Abraham who was “after the flesh” and not like Isaac, who was “by promise”:

Gal 4:22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.
Gal 4:23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.

This well is also the place where Isaac dwelled after the death of Abraham:

Gen 25:11 And it came to pass after the death of Abraham, that God blessed his son Isaac; and Isaac dwelt by the well Lahairoi.

Lahairoi means “the well of the Living One seeing me”, and this confirms that God is the Well of living waters from whom all in this creation live and have their being in full view of Him (Luk 8:17; Act 17:28; Heb 4:12-13). It is the same God who brings forth both of Abraham’s sons: one from the bondwoman and the one from the free woman, to be significant for His purposes in their own generation. From this well Isaac also went out to meditate (“chew the cud” of God’s Word), and it is during this time of meditation his vision also cleared to see his wife arriving (Lev 11:4; Deu 14:7; Joh 3:29; Rev 21:1-3; Rev 21:9). As the bridegroom lifted up his watchful eyes, his expectation is met with the coming of the camels which is known to him:

Gen 24:63 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.

The true church of God also keeps the lamps burning, because their eyes are fixed on the prize of the high calling in Christ as they also do not know the time of the appearance of the bridegroom (Mat 25:1-13). Rebekah was also watchful and prepared to meet her bridegroom. The bride of Christ is veiled and covered to be His alone:

Gen 24:64 And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel.
Gen 24:65 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.

The true spiritual Israel of God after the spirit is the true elect and the chosen bride of Christ whom He prepares and arrays in His righteousness (Isa 54:5):

Rev 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
Rev 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
Rev 19:9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.

The task of the servant was complete, and great joy was also in his heart as he is requested to give a full account to His master’s son:

Gen 24:66 And the servant told Isaac all things that he had done.

We all will give an account of all we had done as God works all things in our lives and we rest and account to this truth alone:

Joh 3:29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.

Rom 14:11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
Rom 14:12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

Now the wedding feast can start referring to those in the first resurrection where they will be comforted and find true love in the “tent” or covering of Christ. “Jerusalem which is above”, referring to Christ and His mind, “is the mother of us all” and is here symbolized by Sarah’s tent. In Christ the church has spiritual intimacy and unity through the mind of Christ – away from the eyes and mind of the world (Isa 62:2-5; Eph 2:6; Gal 4:26; Rev 21:2-4):

Gen 24:67 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.

Detailed studies and emails relating to these foundational themes in Scripture are:

Revelation 1:3
Revelation 14:1-5
Revelation 21:1-3
New Jerusalem Comes Down From Heaven
The Third Heaven

(Key verses: Gen 24:29-61)

The wedding supper of the bridegroom, Jesus Christ, and all the preparations the Father is making for that feast, is the most beautiful love story ever told. Finding a wife is indeed a good thing, and that opens the favour of God, especially for the bride of Christ, His church (Pro 18:22; 1Co 11:3; Eph 5:31-33). The coming together of Christ and His church fills our hearts with great joy and gladness even through the severe trials we have to endure to get into that elected and faithful initial few:

Mat 22:2 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,
Mat 22:3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding….

Mat 22:9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.
Mat 22:10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.

Mat 22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen.

After the death of Sarah, we read in Genesis 24 that Abraham gave specific instructions to His elder servant, which some supposed to be Eliezer of Damascus, to find a wife for Isaac (Gen 24:1-4, Gen 15:1-2). For the purpose of these discussions, Genesis chapter 24 is divided into four segments:

• Verses 1 to 10: Abraham gives specific instructions to his servant about a wife for Isaac;
• Verses 11 to 28: the servant of Abraham went to find this wife and meet Rebekah;
• Verses 29 to 61: the servant of Abraham meets the family of Rebekah;
• Verses 62 to 68: Isaac meets Rebekah and takes her as his wife.

In this discussion of the foundational theme of faith, we will be focusing on verses 29 to 61 in Chapter 24 of Genesis where this faithful servant of Abraham meets the family of Rebekah. The faith of Christ inspires us to walk a road unknown to us resting in His provisions and directions to bring us to God’s church in Christ (Rom 4:16-22; Gal 2:16; Gal 3:6-9; Php 3:9; Heb 11:8-10):

Gen 24:29 And Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban: and Laban ran out unto the man, unto the well.

Laban is introduced here for the first time in the scriptures, and he will also play an important part in the life of one of his nephews, namely Jacob, who will be born through this union between his sister, Rebekah, and Isaac (Gen 27:43, Gen 28-31). Laban’s heart is revealed to us when he saw these gifts the servant of Abraham presented to Rebekah. Laban’s self-serving attitude and love for material things will be given further detail at a later stage in his dealings with Jacob:

Gen 24:30 And it came to pass, when he saw the earring and bracelets upon his sister’s hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, Thus spake the man unto me; that he came unto the man; and, behold, he stood by the camels at the well.
Gen 24:31 And he said, Come in, thou blessed of the LORD; wherefore standest thou without? for I have prepared the house, and room for the camels.

This servant of Abraham adorned Rebekah first of all with golden earrings, typifying the ability to hear the words of truth which draw us with loving kindness to our spiritual husband (Jer 31:3, Psa 36:10, Son 1:4, Hos 11:4). He also gave her golden bracelets for her hands as she served without asking questions and with great diligence. Not only did she give water to this chosen servant of Abraham and the men with him, but she also gave water to the ten camels. Rebekah typifies the elect of God being called out of the world not only to render diligent and unconditional service to God’s church initially, but they will also give the waters of spirit life to all in unclean flesh eventually, even as the camel represent an unclean animal (Oba 1:21, 2Co 1:6, Rev 20, Isa 11:9, Lev 11:4). This servant of Abraham is welcomed and here the family relationships between Rebekah and Abraham are confirmed:

Gen 24:32 And the man came into the house: and he [that is Laban, the brother of Rebekah] ungirded his camels, and gave straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet, and the men’s feet that were with him.
Gen 24:33 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.
Gen 24:34 And he said, I am Abraham’s servant.
Gen 24:35 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.
Gen 24:36 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.

Abraham left this family several years ago, and to them he must have looked very silly to move to the unknown. This servant of Abraham actually came to reveal to Abraham’s family that his separation from them has brought enormous blessings on Abraham. We are seen as foolish when we leave physical securities and relationships behind as we respond in obedience to the call of the faith of Christ in our lives:

Mat 6:31 (MKJV) Therefore do not be anxious, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, With what shall we be clothed?
Mat 6:32 For the nations seek after all these things. For your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things.
Mat 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.

In due time all will see how God indeed blesses His elect far beyond what this world can provide because the faith of Christ helps us to invest in the more important and eternal issues:

Mat 19:28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Mat 19:29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.
Mat 19:30 But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.

According to the servant of Abraham Isaac received all that Abraham owned typifying how only Christ was given all things the Father has, even the fullness of His spirit (Gen 25:5):

Col 1:19 For it pleased the Father that in him [Christ] should all fulness dwell.

Joh 13:3 Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;

Joh 16:15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

Christ is the spiritual Head of the body of believers, and all that belongs to the Head therefore belongs to the church as He distributes to each member to “profit withal” (1Co 12:7):

Col 2:6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
Col 2:7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
Col 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
Col 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
Col 2:10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

This is what Rebekah and her family are being shown by this servant of Abraham, even as the Father is showing the church what He has prepared for them to function as a body (1Co 12:1-31). It is only Rebekah who, in the end, will see this in the proper light when she will make her decisions, as only God’s elect are now given to humbly accept and know their function in His church (Rom 1:20, Eph 1:20-23). Abraham gave the instructions to this servant, and the purpose of his mission is also explained to the family of Rebekah:

Gen 24:37 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:
Gen 24:38 But thou shalt go unto my father’s house, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son.
Gen 24:39 And I said unto my master, Peradventure the woman will not follow me.
Gen 24:40 And he said unto me, The LORD, before whom I walk, will send his angel with thee, and prosper thy way; and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my kindred, and of my father’s house:
Gen 24:41 Then shalt thou be clear from this my oath, when thou comest to my kindred; and if they give not thee one, thou shalt be clear from my oath.

Abraham and his family were from Ur in the land of the Chaldeans, also known as the region of Babylon in the scriptures (Isa 47:1, Isa 48:14, Dan 2:1-2, Dan 5:30, Dan 3:8-12, Isa 13:19). Even as our route to the spiritual kingdom of God comes via an evil experience of a physical creation first, so must God’s elect also serve their time in spiritual Babylon (Gen 2:7, Jer 18:4, Rom 8:20, 1Co 15:46). There are no shortcuts in this process as our time of capture in spiritual Babylon provides important aspects in our spiritual growth (Jer 24:5-7). As God’s physical elect, the nation of Israel was taken into captivity by the Chaldeans and taken to Babylon for not keeping the Sabbath years of rest for the land for four hundred ninety years, so we are taken into spiritual captivity in our time of the symbolic seventy years, also known as the “seventy sevens” in the scripture (2Ch 36:16-21, Jer 25:11-12, Dan 9:24). This is our time when we cannot “measure” the true temple of God and His altar and have not been given the faith of Christ to accept God’s total provision and cease from our works (Eph 2:8-10, Heb 4:1-16). In the first part of that last “week” of the “seventy sevens”, we also do our share in the killing of the Christ while we sincerely believe all the false things being preached about the Father and Jesus (Dan 9:27). In this time we are in the court outside the temple we, like Gentiles, tread underfoot the holy things of God (Eph 2:2-3):

Rev 11:1 And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.
Rev 11:2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.

Our obsession with the physical things and miracles which God supplies blinds us to the true Christ after the spirit in this period symbolized by “forty and two months” – also known spiritually as “a thousand two hundred and threescore days”/ “three days and an half”/“time, and times, and half a time” (Rev 11:3, Rev 11:9, Rev 12:14). Then we are called out of that mind set to fill up what is lacking of the afflictions of the Christ at the end of the eon of the flesh and carnality in us when we die with Christ outside the camp bearing His reproach (Col 1:24, Gal 2:20, Heb 13:13, 1Co 10:11). The true witnesses of Christ will have to suffer the same affliction as their Head, Jesus Christ, during His time in flesh (Php 1:29, 1Th 3:4, 2Th 1:5, 1Ti 4:10, 2Ti 3:12, 1Jn 4:17):

Rev 11:8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
Rev 11:9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.

Through the sufferings come the rewards (Psa 73:14, Mat 5:10-12, Rom 8:17-18). This is the call of the servants of God, typified by this servant of Abraham who is trying to explain to the family of Rebekah why she was chosen by God to leave them and be joined to her bridegroom, Isaac. This servant now confirms the deeper spiritual rewards for Rebekah rather than to concentrate on the physical wealth of his master and his son. Rebekah fulfilled the prayer which this servant prayed to God, and through this godly-appointed meeting with Rebekah, the will of God in this regard is slowly being revealed to all present in Rebekah’s family in finer details:

Gen 24:42 And I came this day unto the well, and said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, if now thou do prosper my way which I go:
Gen 24:43 Behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall come to pass, that when the virgin cometh forth to draw water, and I say to her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water of thy pitcher to drink;
Gen 24:44 And she say to me, Both drink thou, and I will also draw for thy camels: let the same be the woman whom the LORD hath appointed out for my master’s son.
Gen 24:45 And before I had done speaking in mine heart, behold, Rebekah came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder; and she went down unto the well, and drew water: and I said unto her, Let me drink, I pray thee.
Gen 24:46 And she made haste, and let down her pitcher from her shoulder, and said, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: so I drank, and she made the camels drink also.
Gen 24:47 And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? And she said, The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bare unto him: and I put the earring upon her face, and the bracelets upon her hands.
Gen 24:48 And I bowed down my head, and worshipped the LORD, and blessed the LORD God of my master Abraham, which had led me in the right way to take my master’s brother’s daughter unto his son.
Gen 24:49 And now if ye will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me: and if not, tell me; that I may turn to the right hand, or to the left.

The family of Rebekah could only understand to a certain extent, as her brother and father also could see that this was from God, and no one can actually resist anything which God ordained to take place:

Gen 24:50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceedeth from the LORD: we cannot speak unto thee bad or good.
Gen 24:51 Behold, Rebekah is before thee, take her, and go, and let her be thy master’s son’s wife, as the LORD hath spoken.

Obedience to God’s call always brings great joy and rewards to all involved, even to our loved ones who must stay behind, for the time being, in spiritual Babylon as we receive mercy because of the unbelief God put on them at this stage (Rom 11:30-33). God will show mercy through His judgment on all at the appointed time (Isa 26:9, Jas 2:13):

Gen 24:52 And it came to pass, that, when Abraham’s servant heard their words, he worshipped the LORD, bowing himself to the earth.
Gen 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.

The fleshly attachments will not let go easily and will cling to us as long as possible even when it knows the inevitable separation from earthly concepts and things, including family and friends, is ordained by God:

Gen 24:54 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.
Gen 24:55 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.

The call in the heart of God’s elect to be with His chosen “ekklēsia” is the strongest pull known to those who are experiencing that, as it also delivers us from temporary earthly attachments. Through the faith of Christ we rather associate with total strangers in the flesh who become the best spiritual companions we will ever meet. This blessing of true spiritual knowledge and pure doctrine is indeed on those who are drawn from the breast and separated from their physical attachments, as the life of Joseph also typified in this regard (Isa 28:9-11):

Gen 49:26 The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren.

As in the case with Lot and his family, our urgency and obedience to the call of God will be vital to our salvation (Gen 19:15-17). When the scriptures say the time is at hand, it is talking about those servants of God who are given to see that all the words of God are extremely important and applicable to them here and now (Psa 119:160, Mat 4:4). They hide God’s Word in their hearts and minds all the time as His words are the most valuable treasure to be found (Exo 15:26, Psa 119:11, Mat 6:21, Mat 13:44, Rev 1:3). This is the same attitude displayed by this elder and faithful servant of Abraham:

Gen 24:56 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.

There is still a choice to be made, but the choice is not according to a “free” will as many propagate. Naturally we cannot serve God – it is Him who works His will in us to choose His righteous ways (Jos 24:15-19, Rom 9:16). God works in the hearts (the mind or heaven) of men because His will is indeed done in heaven and also on the earth. His will also include Him sending evil spirits to delude and cause us to sin, for those who can receive this (Heb 12:9, Jdg 9:23, 1Sa 16:14, 1Ki 22:19-23, Isa 63:17). When we are humbled to seek after His righteous ways, we indeed ask and pray for those ways of His kingdom to be established in our minds and in our actions in this earthy body:

Mat 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

As God works in the heart or heaven in us, even so will we work out our own salvation with fear and trembling:

Php 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
Php 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

We are not stripped of our will as we need to know that we give an account by the way we think, speak and act in fulfilling the supreme will of God:

Rom 14:11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
Rom 14:12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

This is what is revealed for us in the heart of Rebekah as the will of Rebekah still played an important part in her decision:

Gen 24:57 And they said, We will call the damsel, and enquire at her mouth.
Gen 24:58 And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.

As with Rebekah, the church of Christ is indeed blessed to eventually bear “thousands of millions” as their spiritual wombs are now being prepared while in the flesh and riding on camels as God provides even through physical and temporary means to bring us all together in the Christ. The church of God will indeed take up the judgment of this world as they will sit in the gate to possess it, even to help those who hate and revile them now:

Gen 24:59 And they sent away Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant, and his men.
Gen 24:60 And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them.
Gen 24:61 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.

Detailed studies and emails relating to these foundational themes in Scripture are available on the iswasandwillbe.com website, including these topics and links:

The Marriage Supper is Furnished With Guests
What Are the Biblical Instructions for Finding a Wife?
Come Out of Her My People
Coming Out of Babylon

(Key verses: Gen 24:11-28)

In Genesis chapter 24 we see the longest chapter in the book of Genesis, which will be divided into four segments for the purpose of our discussions:

• Verses 1 to 10: Abraham gives specific instructions to his servant about a wife for Isaac;
• Verses 11 to 28: the servant of Abraham went to find this wife and meet Rebekah;
• Verses 29 to 61: the servant of Abraham meets the family of Rebekah;
• Verses 62 to 68: Isaac meets Rebekah and takes her as his wife.

In our last discussion we covered verses 1 to 10 of this chapter when Abraham, at a mature age, gave specific instructions to the elder servant in his household in connection with the special task of acquiring a wife for Isaac. This servant is not named in this chapter, but some suppose it to be Eliezer of Damascus, which was mentioned in Genesis 15 as a very trustworthy servant for Abraham (Gen 15:1-2). Abraham, as a loving father to Isaac, typifies our heavenly Father who sends His servants throughout the history of the church to bring the bride to Christ, as Christ is also typified by Isaac (Mat 22:1-3; Rev 19:7; Rev 20:4-6; Rom 9:7; Gal 3:29). All of this displays the faith of Abraham which he also instills in this servant to fulfill the task at hand. It is the faith of Christ in us which the Father sends in our hearts through His Word to draw us to Christ and His bride, His true church (Rom 10:17; Gal 2:16; Rom 4:16-22; Gal 2:16; Gal 3:6-9; Php 3:9; Heb 11:8-10):

Joh 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

In this discussion of the foundational theme of faith, we will be focusing on this faithful servant of Abraham who left for the city where Nahor, Abraham’s brother, lived to find this wife for Isaac:

Gen 24:10 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.

All of what the flesh can contain or handle, and by which it is limited by God, is spiritually represented in the number ten in the scriptures (Gen 45:23; Exo 9:14; Exo 26:1; Exo 34:28; Luk 19:13). This burden of flesh, which is our vessel of dishonour, must carry us during our earthly eon which is also emphasised by the camels (Rom 9:21; 1Co 15:44). This unclean beast of flesh and carnality is also represented in the symbol of the ten camels which were created to endure long journeys through very harsh environments. Camels are classified as unclean animals in the scripture as they do chew the cud, but they “divideth not the hoof”:

Lev 11:4 Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.

This indeed indicates our time when we can chew the cud, which is to meditate on God’s word, but are not able to rightly divide the truth. This chewing of the cud can also include our natural inclination to be striving about words and concepts, and getting involved in fruitless discussions with no works to prove in our lives:

2Ti 2:14 Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.
2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
2Ti 2:16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

The camel is also the symbol of the carrier of physical riches in various forms which so easily impresses and captures the attention of the flesh (Gen 30:43; Gen 32:9-16; 1 Ki 10:2; 2Ch 9:1; 2Ki 8:9; Mat 19:24; Mat 23:24):

1Ki 10:1 And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to prove him with hard questions.
1Ki 10:2 And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.

Abraham was also rich in earthly goods and animals, including camels (Gen 12:16). With this servant of Abraham, these camels were moving in the right direction – toward the bride of Isaac to be released of their earthly burdens. This brings to mind how Jesus describes the positive application of camels and how what seems to be impossible with mankind is indeed possible with God:

Luk 18:24 And when Jesus saw that he [the rich young ruler] was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
Luk 18:25 For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
Luk 18:26 And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved?
Luk 18:27 And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.

It is when we understand the ministry of the camel in our lives that we make it to bow down to serve God with whatever He blesses us for the benefit of His kingdom. The servant makes these camels to kneel down by a well of water as we all must bow to the waters of the Word where our spiritual thirst can be satisfied, especially when we do not yet have clarity in our spiritual evenings or dark times:

Gen 24:11 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.

Throughout the scriptures we find references to women who go out to draw water from wells, confirming that the church, typified by these women, is always in need of the cleansing and satisfying waters of the Word of God (Exo 2:16; 1Sa 9:11; Joh 4:7-15):

Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.

The first step in performing any task is vital in our walk of faith. If we miss the first step, the rest will be built on a false foundation and will not endure the trials and tribulations until the end. This mature servant in Abraham’s household learned from his master that prayer is the essential first step in every task, no matter how big or how small:

Gen 24:12 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.
Gen 24:13 Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water:
Gen 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 shewed kindness unto my master.

It is important to note that this servant did not approach God in his own name, but in the name of his master. This again reveals why this servant’s name is not mentioned in this passage, for our learning. If our Master is Christ, then we come in His name to the Father and to the world, and this has nothing to do with the vocalization of a pronoun, but more to do with knowing and doing His will (Joh 14:13; Mat 10:22; Mat 19:29; Mar 16:17; Joh 14:14; Act 9:1-5).

Joh 15:7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

Joh 16:23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.

This servant of faithful Abraham knew to ask God for directions which would strip him from his natural ideas and solutions. Prayer brings the mind of Christ into operation in us and disempowers the beast of his fabled free will and earthly convictions. The prayer of this servant was also specific in asking for clear understanding and vision in performing this task for his master. This is the prayer which is inspired by faith which is also called “the prayer of faith” in the scriptures. The prayer of faith will always bring the right answer when we use the Name of our Master, which is to know that God’s will is supreme and will always be done in heaven and also on earth, if we can receive this:

Joh 14:13 And whatever you may ask in My name, that I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
Joh 14:14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

This prayer enables us to admit that our own delusions in our natural mind are what spiritual sickness is all about:

Jas 5:14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
Jas 5:15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

As faith comes through the word of God, so does the prayer of faith operate through the application of the oil and the water, which are both symbols of the spiritual words of God (Rom 10:17). Through the anointing of the spiritual words of Christ, we are being saved spiritually and raised to a higher heaven of understanding by the Lord who enables us to be “dead to sin” (Eph 2:6; Rom 6:1-7). Only those who know they are sick call the Elder Physician and submit to His prescriptions:

Luk 5:29 And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them.
Luk 5:30 But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?
Luk 5:31 And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.
Luk 5:32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

This servant’s prayer symbolizes the call of those who know they are in need of direction because they admit and confess daily that God alone directs all our paths and every footstep of every creature all the time:

Jer 10:23 O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.

Pro 20:24 Man’s goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?

All things are from God, and this prayer of the servant of Abraham was inspired by God and answered according to His will:

Gen 24:15 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.
Gen 24:16 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.

Before this servant finished his prayer the answer was already there. God supplied the answers to our problems before the foundation of this world – in Christ:

Joh 17:24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.

Eph 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

1Pe 1:20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you.

The salvation of the fleshly Adam was in place long before Adam was created. God planned the life of Adam, and all in him, to every minute detail and worked the process according to His one perfect plan from the start. God ordained and purposed it that Adam must come through a body of sin and death to learn vital lessons through failure, trials and tribulations before the spirit life can be given to him and to all in him (1Co 15:21-28; Joh 1:1-4; Col 1:15-19; Rev 1:8; Rev 1:11; Rev 1:17):

Eph 1:9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
Eph 1:10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.

When the servant of Abraham saw this young and beautiful woman, he could not wait but ran to meet her. No one can resist the true bride of Christ when she appears in her splendour and spiritual beauty:

Gen 24:17 And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher.

She was also in a hurry to give to this unknown man what he asked her, even as the church of Christ will serve whoever comes in humility and need. God indeed prepares hearts to do exactly what He wants them to do with all diligence:

Gen 24:18 And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink.

And then she did exactly what the servant of Abraham mentioned in his prayer to God which confirms that God caused the same words of the prayer of the servant and the response in the heart of Rebekah. This was not done according to a fabled “free” will in Rebekah or in the servant of Abraham, but it was all the works of the same God who indeed works all things to be performed 100% after the counsel of His will alone (Eph 1:11):

Gen 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.
Gen 24:20 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.

This woman was not only prepared to give water to this chosen servant, but she also gave water to all ten camels. Although the spiritual application of the water of God’s Word is now only revealed to His chosen elect in this age, it will however also be given for all in the generation of the first Adam. This is the test of the true church of God – as Jesus is the saviour of all in Adam, so is the ultimate aim of His body to serve all of humanity as the saviours of the world – not only initially in the thousand-year reign of the kingdom of God on this earth, but finally through the salvation of all which will come in the lake of fire (Rev 20):

Isa 11:9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

Oba 1:21 And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD’S.

This speaks of how true love operates as it does not keep book of its works or seek its own glory or remembers what has been done against it (Psa 103:12; 1Co 13:4-7). Godly love washes the feet of all in unconditional service even those who will betray and deny that love (Joh 13:3-9). Rebekah brought water for all ten camels of this servant of Abraham, and that was no mean task. True service indeed brings great excitement and joy to the heart of those who do not want to rule over others because they serve in meekness and humility knowing all is in God’s hands:

2Co 1:24 Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.

Gal 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
Gal 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

1Pe 4:10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

Unselfish servitude always brings amazement to the receiver:

Gen 24:21 And the man wondering at her held his peace, to wit whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not.

The true church of God serves even its enemies free of charge as that also heaps coals of fire on the heads of those who belittle and despise the elect of God – even as they are careful not to throw God’s pearls before swine (Mat 10:7-8; Mat 7:6):

Rom 12:20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
Rom 12:21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

The reward will come at the end of our task after we have endured faithfully until the end (Mat 5:10-12; Rev 22:12):

Gen 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.

The golden earring this servant gave Rebekah symbolizes the ability God gives us to hear His voice through His Word which is the true “apples of gold” in the redemptive work of His silver. His purified gold, silver and precious stones are being used in building ourselves up in the most holy faith (1Co 3:10-14; Jud 1:20):

Pro 25:11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.
Pro 25:12 As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.

Job was also given golden earrings after God spoke to him and he could eventually hear and understand the works of God in his life:

Job 42:10 And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.
Job 42:11 Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold.

The two golden bracelets for Rebekah’s two hands show how our faith is witnessed by our actions and service to God and His people. To be a witness is the spiritual meaning of the number two as we bare the testimony of Jesus Christ through our deeds (Rev 19:10). That is the true spirit of prophecy which speaks the loudest because without works our faith is dead:

Jas 2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
Jas 2:22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
Jas 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
Jas 2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

This is what this elder servant of Abraham also saw in his master’s life and now in the way Rebekah’s hands were diligent in supplying for him and his camels. There was still one more important aspect to be confirmed by Rebekah:

Gen 24:23 And said, Whose daughter art thou? tell me, I pray thee: is there room in thy father’s house for us to lodge in?
Gen 24:24 And she said unto him, I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, which she bare unto Nahor.
Gen 24:25 She said moreover unto him, We have both straw and provender enough, and room to lodge in.

When God answers our prayers, we will acknowledge Him and only Him through worship:

Gen 24:26 And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the LORD.
Gen 24:27 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.

Again the excitement in Rebekah’s heart is visible in her actions even as she did not know at this point in time what the purpose of this unknown man was:

Gen 24:28 And the damsel ran, and told them of her mother’s house these things.

Next week, God willing, we will find out more about the servant of Abraham when he meets the family of Rebekah.

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Detailed studies and emails relating to these foundational themes in Scripture are available on the iswasandwillbe.com website, including these topics and links:

Numbers in Scripture
Come Out of Her My People
Coming Out of Babylon
Be Not Weary in Well Doing
Metals, Gold – Positive Part 1

Video Links

Awesome Hands – Part 13

“Hinder Me Not”

In this week’s study, we are going to continue where we left off in part 12, as we are going to continue towards verse 26 of chapter 25.

Gen 25:26 –  And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau’s heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them.

However, in order to continue from verse 24:49 in last week’s study, we should cover the activities as they unfold between these verses because God’s awesome hands are doing a lot between the two verses.

Last week, the Lord showed us that we are completely reliant on Him. Abraham was sent to sacrifice Isaac; yet, upon Abraham being led to prove his faith, the Lord also had already prepared a sacrifice, “a ram stuck in the thicket by his horns”.

This sacrifice is to show us that we are doing the Lord’s will when we can look back and see that we were given Faith via the trial of sacrificing all that we hold dear. Alas, our “wife” will die and we will continue on to prosper and be blessed to take on our new wife, our spiritual “temple of the Lord”.

This “first wife” who comes “naturally to us”, will be buried in the land of our future enemy.

Through all of this, we will send our servant out to do our will. We know as shown by the Faith we see displayed in the NT, that a master’s servant is the same as the master.

We too, are ambassadors for Christ, and as we pray “thy will be done”, we are living out the function of obeying our master and doing only what He has sent us to do. Once that work is done, we will know that the Lord is in control and is working all things for our good.

Mat 8:8 –  The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.
Mat 8:9 –  For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.
Mat 8:10 –  When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

Gen 24:50 –  Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceedeth from the LORD: we cannot speak unto thee bad or good.
Gen 24:51 –  Behold, Rebekah is before thee, take her, and go, and let her be thy master’s son’s wife, as the LORD hath spoken.
Gen 24:52 –  And it came to pass, that, when Abraham’s servant heard their words, he worshipped the LORD, bowing himself to the earth.
Gen 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. Gen 24:54 –  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.

We too can’t wait to bring news to our Master that we have accomplished that which He sent us to do.

As we dive into the study in part 13, we will continue to see God’s hands working as He brings more “seed of the promise” along via Isaac’s physical seed.

Continuing with verse 55 we see:

Gen 24:55 –  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.
Gen 24:56 –  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.

Notice, we see a very common story unfolding which we also see another time in the New Testament.

Only with the NT example, we see Christ as the messenger and God as the Master, but the scenario plays out the same and we are given more detail with the parable which involves Christ.

Mat 8:19 –  And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.
Mat 8:20 –  And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
Mat 8:21 –  And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.

How are these two stories connected together?

In Genesis, we have the master and the master servant doing the will of the master by going forth to find a wife for the master seed. The parallel in the New Testament is really striking to me.

In verse 54 we see:

Gen 24:54 –  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.

The masters servant would not originally eat until he has spoken the masters will to those who he had been sent to. Now that he has tarried in the night, he again gets to the point of the business at handàsend me away unto my master.

The answer of those we are sent to ends up being:

Gen 24:55 –  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.
Gen 24:56 –  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.

Do any of us think that the number ten mentioned here is just a randomly mentioned number?

The “brother and mother” of those who we have been sent to want to make sure the perfection of the flesh is accomplished, that we can take care of the things we need to take care of first, THEN we can do the will of God.

We, Lord willing, can relate directly to this state of mind because we indeed need to recognize that we all want to tidy things up before we “let God” do what He wants to do.

If you doubt this is you and me at our appointed time, what sayeth the scripture?

Mat 8:19 –  And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.
Mat 8:20 –  And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
Mat 8:21 –  And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.

“The Head of Christ is …”

Let me ask you all a very pointed question. Who is Christ’s head? Also, who is Christ’s body? Christ was just told by a scribe that he would follow Christ where ever He went.

Christ’s reply should seem a little “odd” to the natural man in us all. On the surface, it looks like Christ doesn’t really answer him and just under the surface, it looks like Christ’s answer is simply addressing Christ’s physical head having a place of rest.

However, we all know Christ speaks in parables so why did Christ answer this way and is He only speaking about a place to rest His physical head?

Bringing this question back into focus with this study, we see Christ does give us an answer, though it is cloaked and hidden from those it is hidden from.

Mat 8:22 –  But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.
Mat 8:23 –  And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.
Mat 8:24 –  And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.

There is a difference in us doing our own will and doing the will of the Lord. We know the Lord orchestrates it all, but what can we glean and learn from this two stories separated by time but connected by the Spirit?

Didn’t Peter tell the Lord the same thing, after walking with the man and seeing and doing miracles with Him?

Mat 8:19 –  And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.

Mat 26:33 –  Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.
Mat 26:34 –  Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.
Mat 26:35 –  Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.

Brothers and sisters, we are offended at God and His Word when we want to stay back, keep something back or otherwise do what we want to do in order to shore up whatever it is we think is important in the flesh before we are willing to follow Christ.

There is a HUGE difference in how we want to do things that the Lord commands us to do, and how the Lord commands us to do them. We like to qualify things to meet our own needs, just like this scribe:

Mat 8:19 –  And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.

Unlike this scribe, Christ TELLS US what He wants us to do:

Mat 8:22 –  But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.

See, the masters servant doesn’t qualify what the masters will is. He doesn’t expound on it, add to it, take away from it or otherwise try and change it. We simply DO the will of the Lord as it has been commanded to us and as the instruction is given to us.

Christ is clear. When He comes to us, He is telling us to “follow Him”. This is a very simple command.

Mat 16:24 –  Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Mat 16:25 –  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

Gen 24:57 –  And they said, We will call the damsel, and enquire at her mouth.
Gen 24:58 –  And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.

As we read scripture in types and shadows, we have come to know that the woman typifies the weaker of the two pieces…. the head and the body.

“The master” has sent his messenger to do a very specific thing, reminds the “brother and mother” again that the master has a task at hand, yet and still… the “brother and mother” typifying our flesh still wants to consult that which is weaker…. the wants and desires of the flesh.

“We’ll just make double sure that the flesh is in agreement with the Lord” is what you see when you see a response such as, “we will call the damsel and enquire at her mouth.”

Christ’s ways are WAY above our ways because Christ’s ways are the Will of His Father. In fact, you can see this same mindset continuing in our scriptural example.

When the ship is going down, and indeed this flesh has a timestamp of expiration, we tend to fear and want to do whatever we can to survive…. even if the LAST THING we want to do it to go to the source of the problem directly and ask for deliverance. Truly, God has a different mindset.

Mat 8:22 –  But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.
Mat 8:23 –  And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.
Mat 8:24 –  And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.

When Christ tells us He has “nowhere to lay His head”, in conjunction with the statement made from our willful nature of “I will follow you Lord where ever you go”, then we can see Lord willing, that what we think we can do has nothing to do will the Truth of the situation.

Indeed, we can do nothing of ourselves and Christ cannot lay His head, His Father in the mind of Christ’s body until the time appointed of God the Father and ONLY THEN.

This mindset can be seen in that as the ship is sinking, Christ is fast asleep. While we are of our own mindset, Christ’s is a bit different in that He is “asleep” and we are “awake”. This contrast is just to show us where we usually are in our trust with God the Father.

Christ will have a place to rest His Head, and that time is now, as the God drags those to Him whom He wills.

The “key to the mystery” is that Christ is our head and He has a head and Christ dwells in US! When we know this, then we too are starting to be given rest in Christ in the rails the Lord puts us through daily.

Dwelling in the south country

Getting back to the story in Genesis, we read:

Gen 24:59 –  And they sent away Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant, and his men.
Gen 24:60 –  And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them.
Gen 24:61 –  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.
Gen 24:62 –  And Isaac came from the way of the well Lahairoi; for he dwelt in the south country.

We see now that “even our enemies are made to be at peace with us”, we are given dominance over various giants in our lives and mindset as they are conquered by Christ in us, and we start to walk on the path the Lord has chosen out for us with Him.

Notice, this union starts in the south. Viewing this type and shadow from another angle, we can now see that we, the wife, will be our Husband in the south.

Isaac (seed of promise/ new man ) also starts his walk in the south. The wife that the Lord has chosen out for us, Rebekah (the body of Christ) is brings us into the fold of the kingdom of God by this marriage.

After all, it is the new man in us that is the result of Christ dwelling in the heavens of the temple of God…in us. I hope this is making sense to someone else out there J

Interestingly, we start off in the south and judgment (the Word of God dwelling in His people, in the kingdom of God collectively) comes for the north (north = judgment).

What does this mean for us practically and spiritually today as we live out every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God?

Mat 24:33 –  So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
Mat 24:34 –  Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.

Mar 13:30 –  Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done.

Luk 21:31 –  So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.
Luk 21:32 –  Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.

Isaac comes from the WAY of the well of Lahairoi.

Gen 24:62 –  And Isaac came from the way of the well Lahairoi; for he dwelt in the south country.

H883

be’e r la chay ro’y

Total KJV Occurrences:4

lahairoi, 2

Gen_24:62, Gen_25:11

beerlahairoi, 1

Gen_16:14

well, 1

Gen_25:11

Gen 16:11 –  And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.
Gen 16:12 –  And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.
Gen 16:13 –  And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?
Gen 16:14 –  Wherefore the well was called Beerlahairoi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.

This is the “same way” that God “found” Hagar at the well, and it was named as such. This is where God a promise to bless Hagars seed. This is the bondwoman and her sons well.

We live out our lives regularly contending with the things that come most naturally to us knowing that giving into the temptations of them is displeasing to God and down right sinful most the time.

…. and if you are getting anything out of this then you are probably noticing that God blesses both the old and the new man alike.

God has designed us this way and has caused us to err so that He can show us that He is control. He then can deliver us from our destruction and get all the glory in the process because it is all Him!

Rom 7:4 –  Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
Rom 7:5 –  For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.

Rom 7:23 –  But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

Rom 7:6 –  But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

God is telling us in Genesis that He is working all things after the counsel of His own will.

God worked Rebekah’s answer to her “mother and brother” just to show that even the last ditch efforts of our flesh to content with God and do things our way will be answered with and and things in our lives worked so that even those around us will answer us BY GOD, and FROM GOD.

Mat 5:39 –  But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

There is a reason that we listen to God once we know He is “talking” to us in the scripture. We listen because we have experienced that we are BOUGHT with a PRICE and we are sent on a mission. We are sent to gather up the bride of the SON OF THE MASTER!

Didn’t Christ say a very similar thing? What sayeth Christ concerning how we treat things that pertain to our fleshly wants and desires versus how we treat and think about our spiritual needs and family?

Mat 12:45 –  Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.
Mat 12:46 –  While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.
Mat 12:47 –  Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.
Mat 12:48 –  But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?
Mat 12:49 –  And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
Mat 12:50 –  For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

We are in service to the will of the Father in the lives of His Son’s bride. We are that church and we have an obligation to be faithful to the end to that cause…the cause of being servants to the body and filling up that which comes behind Christ. “The head first then follows the body ….”

We all know the Lord works all things, as has been stated again here in this study a few times, and we can see that here in these two seemingly separate stories to the natural mind and man.

Conclusion of Awesome Hands part 13

Gen 24:63 –  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.
Gen 24:64 –  And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel.
Gen 24:65 –  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.

When we have come to see how we are Rebekah in this story, sought after my the Father of our master, then we too will understand the meaning of Rebekah covering her head.

Once we have seen our Lord, we know that we too have just been given Life by the marriage He is offering to us.  From this union, we are met in the field of the world … in the eventide of the night, and our Lord shows us that we are His.

In this, we are comforted in the continual death of our old man as we experience the fiery trials in which we know will end in good for us.

Gen 24:66 –  And the servant told Isaac all things that he had done.
Gen 24:67 –  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.

Next week, we will continue to see the kingdom of God built up in us and those who are given eyes to see and ears to hear as we look into more types and shadows contained in the next verses we see “hand” mentioned in Hebrew.

We will see how we, as a new man loved of God greatly, are given the dominance of the old man who comes first. We will grab the heel of the elder, and claim our inheritance in such.

Gen 25:26 –  And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau’s heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them.