Theme: Faith (Part 20 – Father draws all in Adam to be in Christ at the appointed time)
(Key Verses: Gen 24:62-67; 1Cor 15:22-28)
The book of Genesis reveals mankind’s biggest needs which consume our whole earthly life from beginning to end. The first man Adam was created void of the spirit life of God, as Adam 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). But 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 spirit 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 (CLV) 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.
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
1Co 15:22-28 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. 24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. 25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. 28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
Jesus is indeed the Saviour of ALL:
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.1Ti 4:9-10 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation. 10 For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.
The faith of Christ brings forth life and the good works of the spirit of God in our lives , and these works are visible in our actions (Jas 2:14-18).
Gal 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
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 for, 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 uses 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 was 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. And here we also see a few pointers 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 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 is 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. But 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 hadsaid, 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 is 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.
4windkoinonia 