Scripture Reading: Gen. 24; Eph. 3:8-11; 5:25-27
Ⅰ
In Genesis 24 there is an account of the marriage of Isaac with four main persons: Abraham typifies God the Father, Isaac typifies God the Son, the servant typifies God the Spirit, and Rebecca typifies the chosen people of God, who will marry the Son and become His counterpart—John 3:29; 2 Cor. 11:2; Eph. 5:25-32; Rev. 19:7-9; 21:2, 9-10.
Ⅱ
In eternity past God the Father made an eternal purpose, an eternal plan, to gain the church as a bride for His Son out of the human race—Eph. 3:8-11; 2:10:
A
Abraham, a type of the Father, charged his servant, a type of the Holy Spirit, not to take a wife for his son from the daughters of the Canaanites but from Abraham's kindred—Gen. 24:4, 7.
B
In typology, the fact that Isaac's bride was taken from Abraham's relatives indicates that the counterpart of Christ must come from Christ's race, not from the angels or from any other creatures; since Christ was incarnated to be a man, humanity has become His race—cf. Gen. 2:21-22; 1:26; Acts 17:28-29a; John 1:14; Rev. 22:17a.
Ⅲ
In time God the Father commissioned God the Spirit, sent Him on an errand, to carry out the Father's plan by going to reach and contact the chosen bride and bring her to God the Son to be His counterpart, His wife—Gen. 24:33:
A
Just as the servant was hunting for a wife for Isaac, the Spirit is hunting for a wife for God the Son through His seeking sanctification—Gen. 24:11, 14, 24; John 4:6-7, 10; 1 Pet. 1:2; Luke 15:8-10; John 16:8-11.
B
Just as the servant brought the riches of Isaac to Rebecca, the Spirit brings the riches of Christ to the bride—Gen. 24:10, 22, 47, 53; John 16:13-15:
１
After the camels had finished drinking, the servant put a golden ring on Rebecca's nose and two bracelets upon her hands—Gen. 24:22, 47:
ａ
The putting of the nose-ring, weighing half a shekel, on Rebecca's nose signifies that her smelling function had been caught by the divine nature with the foretaste of the Spirit, which guarantees that the full taste is coming—cf. S. S. 7:4, 8; 2:3; Lev. 21:18; 1 Cor. 2:15; Rom. 8:23; Eph. 1:13-14.
ｂ
The putting of the bracelets, weighing ten shekels, on Rebekah's hands signifies that we are "handcuffed" by the Spirit to receive the complete divine function for the service in the Body of Christ—1 Tim. 2:8; Eph. 3:1; 4:1; 6:20; Rom. 12:4; Matt. 25:15.
２
Rebekah also received silver jewelry, gold jewelry, and clothing (Gen. 24:53), all of which indicate that in the church life, all of the riches of Christ are ours:
ａ
Just as the servant imparted Isaac's wealth to Rebekah for her beautification in order for her to return to Isaac for his glorification, the Spirit transmits the riches of Christ's glory to His bride for her beautification in order for her to return to Christ for His glorification—Gen. 24:47, 53, 61-67; Eph. 3:16, 21.
ｂ
We are adorned to be Christ's bride by the dispensing of His unsearchable riches into us through the Spirit's dispositional sanctification—Rev. 21:2, 19a; Isa. 54:11-12; 1 Thes. 5:23; Eph. 3:8:
⑴
To receive the dispensing of Christ in His unsearchable riches, we must know, we must use, and we must exercise our spirit, caring for the sanctifying Spirit speaking and working in our spirit—Rom. 15:16; Eph. 1:17; 2:22; 3:5, 16; 4:23; 5:18; 6:18.
⑵
To receive the dispensing of Christ in His unsearchable riches, we must be sanctified by the metabolic cleansing of the instant, present, and living word of Christ—Eph. 5:26-27; cf. S. S. 8:13-14; Rev. 1:20.
⑶
To receive the dispensing of Christ in His unsearchable riches, we must pray ourselves into God so that we may feed those under our care—Phil. 1:19; Luke 11:1-13; 2 Cor. 6:10; Matt. 24:45-46.
C
Just as Rebekah was convinced by the servant to marry Isaac, the Spirit attracts us to Christ and causes us to love Him whom we have not seen—Gen. 24:54-58; 1 Pet. 1:8; 2:7; cf. Hymns, #546.
D
Just as the servant brought Rebekah to Isaac, the Spirit is bringing us to Christ to present us to Christ as His lovely bride—Gen. 24:51, 61-67; 2 Cor. 1:21-22; 3:6, 8, 17-18; 13:14.
Ⅳ
Isaac received Rebekah in the evening, signifying that the marriage of Christ will be at the evening, the close, of this age—Gen. 24:63:
A
Isaac brought Rebekah into the tent of Sarah, his mother, and loved Rebekah, signifying that Christ will receive His bride in grace as well as in love—1 Tim. 1:14; Eph. 6:24; Rev. 22:21.
B
After marrying Rebekah, Isaac was comforted, satisfied; likewise, Christ will be satisfied on the day of His marriage—Rev. 19:7.