As I have mentioned a few times on this blog, and many times throughout my ministry, I believe in Old Testament types as a means of further understanding the Gospel message of the New Testament. Today’s entry focuses on one of the greatest type lessons of the Bible. I don’t have the time or space to look at every type or shadow-picture within Genesis 24, but I will try to point out the more significant images, and how they apply to our understanding of Jesus, our relationship to Him, and the character of the Christian life itself.
The Bible Study from the David Phelps message boards for January 30 dealt with Genesis 24, and several questions were presented. I wanted to take some of these questions a bit further and show you just how much the Lord is involved with history, and how a seemingly straight-forward story can still yield magnificent truth. I created a Bible study lesson for another church series several years ago on this very subject, and will adapt a portion of that lesson for this entry.
To begin, we need to see the four main characters in the story, and whom they represent in the spiritual realm (remember that for types in the Old Testament, the people, places, relationships, situations all can be applied to a spiritual concept in the New Testament as well as today). The four main characters are the father (Abraham), the son (Isaac), the chief servant, and the bride (Rebekah). The spiritual counterparts should be clear: Abraham the Father is a type of God; Isaac the Son is a type of Jesus; the Chief Servant is a type of the Holy Spirit; and Rebekah the Bride is a type of the Church (the Bride of Christ).
With this information in hand, let us examine just a few questions.
WHY DIDN’T ABRAHAM WANT HIS SON TO HAVE A WIFE FROM THE PEOPLE AMONG WHOM THEY WERE LIVING?
In considering the Genesis 24 story as a type of what was to happen centuries later with the Messiah, we conclude that this showed us that the bride for the son was to come from distant family in another part of the world. This describes well the Gospel message.
We are all distantly related to God through the Creation of humanity; and even if we do not believe in God, the fact that He is the creator of us all makes us related in that respect. The Bride was to come from somewhere else. So instead of heaven, the bride was to come from earth, from a people once related to the Lord but now a distant acquaintance. But if the bride accepts the invitation given, that relationship will indeed change. There is still an attachment the Father has for His “family” which He created, and wishes to bring us back to a relationship with Him.
WHY DIDN’T ABRAHAM WANT HIS SON TO GO BACK IF THE POTENTIAL BRIDE SAID NO TO THE INVITATION?
The servant had asked Abraham if the woman refused to return, should the servant bring Isaac. Abraham said no. This seems a bit odd, but think about it. This is a story which would have implications in the coming Messiah. Jesus came to this earth but once to die for the sins of man. From that moment on, there was nothing left for Jesus to do. “It is finished,” we hear Him say from the cross. The Holy Spirit, the Chief Servant of God, goes about through the world even today, compelling lost souls to come to the Lord in salvation, to become part of the Church, the Bride of Christ. Jesus did His redemptive work, and there is nothing left for Him to do here. The Spirit, though, is still at work. We must remember the words of Scripture, that Jesus came to die once for sins.
FINALLY, WHY DID ABRAHAM SEND HIS CHIEF SERVANT, AND NOT HIS SON, OR EVEN HIMSELF, TO FIND A SUITABLE BRIDE?
In ancient times, the son had all the rights and authority of the father. The chief servant was the “head honcho” of the rest of the servants, and acted (in essence) with the authority of the father in matters concerning the household. The chief servant was also more than just a slave or servant, but was often considered like a member of the family.
Since we’ve already established the spiritual correlation in the relationships of the physical characters in Genesis 24 to those of heaven, we can see the Trinity in action. The Father is in control, and the Son is the heir to all things. The Holy Spirit moves upon the hearts of man, with all the power and authority of God the Father, in order to seek a bride for the Son. When the time is right, Son and Bride will be joined for all eternity.
What must be seen is that it was still the choice of the bride to accept or decline the invitation, as we can see in verses 57 and 58 of Genesis 24. The Spirit offers salvation in Jesus, but we must decide whether we will go with Him or not. I am particularly fond of verse 60: And they blessed Rebekah and said to her: "Our sister, may you become The mother of thousands of ten thousands; And may your descendants possess The gates of those who hate them."
When we come to the Lord, let there be no doubt that we gain beyond imagination. We go from a life of no hope, to a life of all hope. We go from nothing to everything, we become part of a larger family, the family of God. What could be better?
The Bible Study from the David Phelps message boards for January 30 dealt with Genesis 24, and several questions were presented. I wanted to take some of these questions a bit further and show you just how much the Lord is involved with history, and how a seemingly straight-forward story can still yield magnificent truth. I created a Bible study lesson for another church series several years ago on this very subject, and will adapt a portion of that lesson for this entry.
To begin, we need to see the four main characters in the story, and whom they represent in the spiritual realm (remember that for types in the Old Testament, the people, places, relationships, situations all can be applied to a spiritual concept in the New Testament as well as today). The four main characters are the father (Abraham), the son (Isaac), the chief servant, and the bride (Rebekah). The spiritual counterparts should be clear: Abraham the Father is a type of God; Isaac the Son is a type of Jesus; the Chief Servant is a type of the Holy Spirit; and Rebekah the Bride is a type of the Church (the Bride of Christ).
With this information in hand, let us examine just a few questions.
WHY DIDN’T ABRAHAM WANT HIS SON TO HAVE A WIFE FROM THE PEOPLE AMONG WHOM THEY WERE LIVING?
In considering the Genesis 24 story as a type of what was to happen centuries later with the Messiah, we conclude that this showed us that the bride for the son was to come from distant family in another part of the world. This describes well the Gospel message.
We are all distantly related to God through the Creation of humanity; and even if we do not believe in God, the fact that He is the creator of us all makes us related in that respect. The Bride was to come from somewhere else. So instead of heaven, the bride was to come from earth, from a people once related to the Lord but now a distant acquaintance. But if the bride accepts the invitation given, that relationship will indeed change. There is still an attachment the Father has for His “family” which He created, and wishes to bring us back to a relationship with Him.
WHY DIDN’T ABRAHAM WANT HIS SON TO GO BACK IF THE POTENTIAL BRIDE SAID NO TO THE INVITATION?
The servant had asked Abraham if the woman refused to return, should the servant bring Isaac. Abraham said no. This seems a bit odd, but think about it. This is a story which would have implications in the coming Messiah. Jesus came to this earth but once to die for the sins of man. From that moment on, there was nothing left for Jesus to do. “It is finished,” we hear Him say from the cross. The Holy Spirit, the Chief Servant of God, goes about through the world even today, compelling lost souls to come to the Lord in salvation, to become part of the Church, the Bride of Christ. Jesus did His redemptive work, and there is nothing left for Him to do here. The Spirit, though, is still at work. We must remember the words of Scripture, that Jesus came to die once for sins.
FINALLY, WHY DID ABRAHAM SEND HIS CHIEF SERVANT, AND NOT HIS SON, OR EVEN HIMSELF, TO FIND A SUITABLE BRIDE?
In ancient times, the son had all the rights and authority of the father. The chief servant was the “head honcho” of the rest of the servants, and acted (in essence) with the authority of the father in matters concerning the household. The chief servant was also more than just a slave or servant, but was often considered like a member of the family.
Since we’ve already established the spiritual correlation in the relationships of the physical characters in Genesis 24 to those of heaven, we can see the Trinity in action. The Father is in control, and the Son is the heir to all things. The Holy Spirit moves upon the hearts of man, with all the power and authority of God the Father, in order to seek a bride for the Son. When the time is right, Son and Bride will be joined for all eternity.
What must be seen is that it was still the choice of the bride to accept or decline the invitation, as we can see in verses 57 and 58 of Genesis 24. The Spirit offers salvation in Jesus, but we must decide whether we will go with Him or not. I am particularly fond of verse 60: And they blessed Rebekah and said to her: "Our sister, may you become The mother of thousands of ten thousands; And may your descendants possess The gates of those who hate them."
When we come to the Lord, let there be no doubt that we gain beyond imagination. We go from a life of no hope, to a life of all hope. We go from nothing to everything, we become part of a larger family, the family of God. What could be better?
Again, there is much to discuss in a topic like this, but time and space do not allow for a complete discussion. However, I hope that in this brief exposition you have seen that many beautiful gems of truth and fulfillment can be found just below the surface of the stories we may know so well. Don’t be afraid to get in the Word and let God speak directly to you.
I’d like to close by giving you a couple of Bible study hints to help you explore types especially, but any part of the Bible you study can benefit from these hints. First, don’t look at the stories of the Bible as merely an historical account or record, as just a history lesson; ask, “How does the New Testament fit into this story? What can I see of the New Testament or Jesus within this story? What relationships or similarities can I find?”
Then, look at the story not only as a comparison, but as a parable. In the parables of Jesus we know that every element of those stories is significant (types of soil, the seeds, the one who sows, etc). Every physical thing in the story has a spiritual correlation for us, which helps us understand not only the story itself, but the principles of the story as well. Much truth can be found if apply these same methods to everything we read.
Well, I’ll be off for now. Good reading, God bless, and if the Lord wills, we will see you here again on Monday.
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