Isaac and Rebekah: Sharing Joy!

Isaac and Rebekah: Sharing Joy!

>>>>Genesis 24: 62-67<<<<

If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive

 you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.     John 14:3

 

We have come to the end of our story and we find Isaac meditating alone as he waits for his bride. He had come from the place of "Him that loves and sees" (Lahai-roi) when he lifted up his eyes and saw the camels making their way toward him. Rebekah lifted up her eyes and saw him coming to meet her. At last, they meet face to face! She sees the one who has been waiting for her and he sees the one who left everything in order to be with him. Isaac loved Rebekah and her presence brought him comfort (vs 67).

 

It is the servant who brings Isaac and Rebekah together. While the servant accompanied her, she was blessed by Isaac; and now, in Isaac's presence, she is blessed with him. The servant tells Isaac about everything that has transpired (vs 66) – he is the connection between Isaac and his bride and he has been true to His errand of love. 

 

The Spirit of the Living God is on an errand of love right now! He is calling together individuals who, formed into one body through the Spirit, constitute the Church. He is working in your life, and mine, to make Christ the very center of our attention while Our Savior waits for us in heaven. He waits to share our unrestrained love. He waits to bring us unhindered joy. He waits to share His full inheritance with us. At the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, with angels looking on, the Lord Jesus will display His Bride in all her glory and beauty (Rev. 19:5-8). Her splendor will equal the splendor of Christ Himself who has clothed her with the garments of His righteousness and grace.  We often think of what we will feel when we are with Him, yet we fail to realize the joy and comfort that He will enjoy in us. It is the pleasure that the father of the prodigal son enjoyed when his wayward boy came home.

 

As I work on this study, I find myself returning repeatedly to two of my favorite sections of Scripture. The first is Ephesians chapters one through three.  Ephesians, of course, is Paul's letter about the Church (not individual organized churches, but the Church as His Body). Paul tells us that we have been blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies (Eph. 1:3) – the Greek manuscript does not record the word places ('heavenly places') as many translations do. In Ephesians Paul speaks of our Spiritual experience while we are in the body of Christ on earth. We are blessed with heavenly riches even while we live on earth. I think this is clear in Ephesians since the first three chapters speak of our spiritual riches, which come to us from heaven, and the last three chapters tell us how to live in the good of those riches. 

 

The second favorite section is John 14-17, particularly chapter 17 where Jesus is having an intimate conversation with His Father. We get a glimpse of the love of the Son for the Father, and Jesus' love for those whom the Father has given Him – He refers to you and me! Jesus is preparing to go to the cross, yet He speaks as though He has already completed His sacrifice and has ascended – as though 'His own' were already living in union with Him.  These chapters in Ephesians and John are dripping with His desire for intimacy with us!  I encourage you to find a quiet spot and savor these passages. Set aside your need to understand doctrine or to know the meaning of every phrase; just drink in His personal desire for you.  (Key passages: Eph. 1:18-20; John 16:23-28;  John 17:3-8)

 

In our story, everything that Isaac inherits belongs to Rebekah, for she is one with him. In our relationship with Christ, everything the Father gives Him is ours, for we are one with Him. What did Rebekah do to earn her glorious position with Isaac? Nothing – absolutely nothing! She received (not earned) Isaac's gifts and responded to the invitation to be His. The purpose of this story is to communicate the desire of the Son for us; however, it does not address His suffering and the cost to Him. He has done everything necessary to free us from the penalty of sin so that we can share His glory. Put another way: instead of requiring us to pay the penalty that we justly deserve, He paid everything so that we can share His love and glory throughout all eternity! 

He and I in that bright glory, one deep joy shall share,

Mine, to be forever with Him; His, that I am there.  

                                       (W.T.P. Wolston)

 

And what about those heavenly riches that we have here on earth? As a member of His Body, we should be living in the full joy of the fact that we are His. He expects us to benefit from the abundance of our spiritual treasure:

 

 If you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you . . . ask and you will receive so that your joy may be made full.  

 John 16:23-24

Our Companion in the Desert

Our Companion in the Desert

>>>>Genesis 24:54-61<<<<


“. . . Christ also loved the Church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the Church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. Ephesians 5:25-27



Isaac is waiting for the arrival of His bride. There has been a stirring of affection in Rebekah’s heart for this unseen groom, and she has heard of the blessedness that will be hers when she becomes a part of Abraham’s household. Whereas, she was formerly clothed with the garments of her father’s home, now she wears the garments of a different country. Her life is changing and this change is reflected to others by the gifts she accepted, and now wears. Only one thing remains –Rebekah must leave her family and the familiarity of her homeland – she must entrust herself to the servant and become a pilgrim of the desert for a time.



The servant, eager to get back to his master, speaks to Rebekah’s family saying, “Send me away to my master.” The family wanted her to stay with them for a time and tried to dissuade the servant. It seems reasonable that Rebekah’s family would want to have some time with her before she leaves; however, the servant is insistent, so they agree to ask her what she will do. Rebekah is completely committed to going and so she packs up and leaves with the servant – she is ready to leave her old life behind so she can be near her groom.



Rebekah could have stayed at home, treasuring the gifts and enjoying thoughts of Isaac and the blessings of his family. However, she would have missed all the benefits of intimacy. How long could she enjoy the gifts without the intimacy? The things of the world, love of family and even religious activity can keep us from developing our relationship with Christ. The Lord Jesus wants us for His very own so that we can share His joy throughout the endless ages of eternity – starting now! Satan is a master of designing ‘reasonable’ distractions to keep us from intimacy with Christ - he will obstruct this heavenly relationship as long as you are on earth. If Satan can keep you from understanding and enjoying what it means to be one with Christ, he will use any means possible to do so.



We do not have to occupy ourselves with how to thwart Satan’s purpose – the very fact that God wants to bless us frustrates Satan’s opposition. We are the joy of God’s heart because of the Son’s affection for us; when we stay near to the Son, we cannot fall prey to Satan’s out-and-out lies or subtle deceptions. The active work of the Holy Spirit is to keep you ever conscious of your relationship to Christ because when your heart and mind are assured of His affection and care, the enemy will not get a foothold in your life.



Rebekah said, “I will go,” and she left. The Spirit of God had disengaged her heart from the place where she was and fixed her attention on the place where her groom was. Rebekah provides an illustration of Paul’s meaning when he said:



Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Phil. 3:12



Though she had not set eyes on him, Rebekah’s heart belonged to Isaac. Her life was in the hands of the servant as he led her away from the life she had always known. I can imagine that she asked many questions about her new country, her new family and especially about Isaac. We can suppose that this devoted family servant had plenty to share about the story of Isaac’s birth, his trip up the mount where the ram was provided for a substitute sacrifice, and the blessings God has promised Abraham’s heir. This is where the Church is at this moment – no longer at home in the world, on the way to meet her Groom – listening to the voice of the Spirit as He reveals the things of Christ to us.



The Spirit of God, our companion through the desert, brings the depths of God to our hearts – this produces in us a longing to see Him as He is and the desire to be like Him. We have been made suitable for our groom by the riches we have been given (redemption, righteousness, and an appropriate covering), and our hearts are changed as well. The Spirit searches the depths of God, and brings those depths right to our own hearts!



Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him. For to us God revealed them through the Spirit, for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. 1Cor 2:9-10

Gifts for Life and Godliness

Gifts for Life and Godliness

>>>>Gen. 24:53<<<<

I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, my soul will exult in my God; for He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness.  As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.            Isaiah 61:10

 

Rebekah perceived, in Abraham's servant, the impact of God and His blessing upon Abraham and his son. She learned how the servant was led directly to her doorstep, and that she had been chosen to become the bride of Abraham's son. Affection for the son had been kindled in her heart – but would she leave everything behind to travel across the desert to become his bride? We know that she does, but first she must be made ready. Is there something she must do before she can qualify for this great honor? She cannot qualify herself to be Isaac's bride, but there is one thing she must do – she must receive the gifts the servant brought for her.

 

The real-life gifts that Rebekah received are pictures of the spiritual riches that we have received in the Lord and continue to count upon throughout our entire lives as Christians. Rebekah must travel across a desert to reach her groom. The desert represents the earthly life of the Christian as he journeys toward his eternal home. During his time in the desert, the Christian is no longer a part of the world (symbolized by Mesopotamia) and he has not yet reached his eternal home. He has left behind the comfort and ease of worldliness and has taken on the trials associated with knowing Christ. Of course, the Lord does not expect the Christian to traverse the desert without spiritual resources. As the servant bestowed tangible gifts upon Rebekah to set her apart as one belonging to Isaac, the Spirit of God has set us apart to Christ through divine     provision.  There is spiritual significance in each item the servant presented to Rebekah.

 

The servant brought out articles of silver and articles of gold, and garments, and gave them to Rebekah.     Gen. 24:53

 

Jesus Himself is our precious silver jewel – for silver speaks of redemption and grace and security. Silver was used in the foundation upon which the tabernacle rested (Exod. 26:19-25) – the tabernacle is a type of the believer and the silver beneath represents the foundation upon which our salvation rests. In addition, Silver is mentioned throughout the Bible as a ransom price – even the thirty pieces of silver to betray Christ was an unwitting price for the redemption of sinners. The Psalmist, David, tells us that when a sinner sees his own desperate need, the Lord says, "I will set him in the safety for which he longs." David describes the words of the Lord as "pure words, as silver tried in a furnace… You O Lord will keep them." (Ps 12:5-7)  The grace of God secures His every promise for salvation and security, which He provides for us when we are redeemed by His Son.

 

The golden gift of Christ to us is the gift of His righteousness. He has not only paid the price for our redemption from sin and to God, He has imputed His own righteousness to us, and this is symbolized by gold. It is not enough that our sin has been paid for and that we are spared from God's judgment – that does not make us a suitable bride for the Son of Glory. Christ's bride must have a righteousness equal to His own, for there is no entrance into God's presence without it. From the golden utensils, furniture, overlays and accents in the tabernacle, to the golden bowls full of God's wrath in Revelation – gold is symbolic of God's righteousness. The articles of gold given to Rebekah speak of the righteousness of Christ credited to believers the moment they receive Christ as Savior (Rom. 5:18). 

 

The servant in our story also provided the garments Rebekah would need to wear when she meets Isaac. Christ's Bride must be clothed appropriately for the wedding, but she has no part in designing her garment. The theme of garments, or "covering," runs throughout the Scripture. In every instance, it is God Himself who provides the covering needed for mankind to enter into His presence. Adam and Eve, in the garden, received an acceptable garment from the Lord to replace the one they had made for themselves. Priests serving in the tabernacle were required to wear garments made exactly to God's specifications. Even the prodigal son received a robe from his father when he was welcomed home. The covering that God provides is set before us in contrast to the works that our human nature offers up to Him. Human works may clothe me in the sight of my fellow sinners, but they have no significance in the sight of God.

 

The Holy Spirit has come to appropriately clothe us for God's presence – our bridal garment is Christ Himself, "for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ" (Gal. 3:27).  In our Genesis 24 picture, Rebekah will set off across the desert, accompanied by the faithful servant, and enriched by the gifts she has freely received from the father of the groom. In the spiritual reality of our individual lives, the Holy Spirit is the Official Administrator of everything we need for the journey across our own desert, which is the world of corruption in which we live.  As the representative of the Father and the Son, the Spirit delivers everything we need to be an acceptable Bride for the Son of God.  The gold, the silver and the garments are set before us – our only responsibility is to receive them. When these gifts become ours, we gain the assurance of His constant presence and faithful support as we make our way home.

 

Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.      2Peter 1:2-4