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The Mystery of the Bride: Finding Rebekah
Faithful Performance is a ministry that correlates the current events of today to the biblical prophets, and specializes in teaching the Jewish roots of Jesus to the Gentiles, while revealing to the Jews that Jesus is the Jewish Messiah.
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The Mystery of the Bride: Finding Rebekah

Hello Friends,

Rebekah’s calling to be the bride of Isaac, son of Abraham, is a wonderful illustration of God’s divine direction and plan, and has much symbolic and prophetic significance. Within this mystery, we see one of the original images of trust, devotion, humility, service, and ultimately the reliance on the miraculous powers of the Creator. While many lessons can be applied to this story, today we will focus on the prophetic symbolism, parallels, and foreshadowing to the ultimate bride; the Bride of Jesus Christ (Yeshua HaMashiach).

There are few mysteries as profound and enigmatic in the Holy Bible as that of the Bride of Christ. Throughout the Holy Bible, we are given parables, stories, allusions, visions, and even some direct descriptions of the Bride. While many opinions abound and no individual can be completely assured as to the complete and perfect identity of the Bride of Christ, today we will begin to explore what God has revealed to us regarding this topic by looking at one of the original brides in the bible. The story of Rebekah can provide much insight and guidance in our walk with the Messiah.

The story begins in Genesis chapter 24. At the beginning of the story, we must remember that Abraham had just lost his own beloved wife, Sarah, and buried her in the land of Canaan (Genesis 23:19). As Abraham mourns, he desires a suitable wife for his son Isaac.

Genesis 24:1-4, “Now Abraham was old, advanced in age; and the LORD had blessed Abraham in every way. Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he owned, “Please place your hand under my thigh, and I will make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live, but you will go to my country and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son Isaac.”

In these verses we discover several things. While it is not explicitly stated, many scholar’s believe that Abraham’s servant is Eliezer of Damascus, the initial heir of his household before the birth of Isaac (Gen 15:2). Unfortunately, the exact identity of the “servant” that was sent to find the bride is never told to us. Interestingly enough, Eliezer in Hebrew means “God of help” or “God’s helper” (Strong’s 461).

We can also understand that Abraham, Isaac, and the “servant” form a type of trinity: father, son, and servant. From a symbolic perspective father Abraham is representative of God the Father, Isaac is representative of the Son Yeshua/Jesus, and the servant-helper is representative of the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh). Within this framework we see the father commanding his servant-helper to go and find a suitable bride for his son. Specifically, we see that he commands the servant-helper to “not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live, but you will go to my country and to my relatives.” The Hebrew word used for “relatives” here is “moledeth” (Strong 4138), which means “lineage, borne, begotten.” The bride that Abraham wants for his son is not to be chosen from amongst the Canaanites (unbelievers), but rather from his people, who have been “born” of his lineage. Later, Jesus (and several authors of the New Testament) reaffirmed the importance of being “born” into His lineage: John 3:3, Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” From a prophetic prospective, in this first section, we see that Abraham (Father God) is using his servant (Holy Spirit) to find a bride (Bride of Christ) for his son (Jesus/Yeshua), not from among unbelievers (Caananites), but rather from his own “born” relatives (born again Christians).

The story continues:

Genesis 24:5-9, “The servant said to him, “Suppose the woman is not willing to follow me to this land; should I take your son back to the land from where you came? Then Abraham said to him, “Beware that you do not take my son back there! “The LORD, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my birth, and who spoke to me and who swore to me, saying, ‘To your descendants I will give this land,’ He will send His angel before you, and you will take a wife for my son from there. “But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be free from this my oath; only do not take my son back there. So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter.”

So the servant placed his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter (Genesis 24:9). While the command of Abraham to his servant is to find and bring back a bride for his son (Isaac), it is clear that it is the bride’s choice whether or not she will go with him. Similarly, it is our choice as Christians whether we will leave our worldly home, and be willing to follow the servant (Holy Spirit).

Were both the bride and the servant alone in this ordeal? Did Abraham really expect his servant to find any woman to be Isaac’s bride, and for her to follow a strange servant without any foreknowledge or spiritual preparation? Of course not! Abraham assures his servant that an angel of God will precede the servant and prepare the way for the bride to receive him. Similarly, in His infinite wisdom, God sent forth His son, Jesus/Yeshua, as Messiah ben Joseph (Suffering Messiah-Isaiah 53) to prepare the way for both the servant (Holy Spirit) and the bride (you and me). By becoming the “Suffering Messiah” and the once-for-all atoning sacrifice for sin, Jesus has gone before His servant (Holy Spirit) to prepare His bride  to receive Him! Hallelujah! But keep in mind that the choice to follow Him is left up to the bride (you and me). This is not a question of salvation, but rather of sanctification and maturation. Jesus/Yeshua’s sacrifice on the cross has justified all those who believe in Him and atoned for all sins, so the salvation work is finished (Romans 3:24, Hebrews 10:10). It is the bride’s choice as to what we do with this gift of salvation.

Abraham also clearly instructs his servant to “take the wife” from his relatives, and to “not take my son back there.” Here we learn that after the bride has been selected and agreed to the marriage, she is to leave her homeland and return with the servant to the homeland of the son (Promised Land) to complete the union. For Rebekah, this is likely going to be an arduous and costly journey, and the ultimate reward will not be in the land from which she came. Similarly, as followers of Christ, we are called to leave this fallen world and follow the Holy Spirit to the realm of Messiah. Jesus/Yeshua states this in multiple places (Matthew 10:38, Mark 8:34), and although the cost will be high, He promises that those who follow him will receive rewards in heaven.

Matthew 19:29, “And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name’s sake, will receive many times as much, and will inherit eternal life.”

Thus, while the selection and journey of the Bride of Christ are to take place in this present world, the marriage celebration and consummation for the Bride of Christ will occur within the realm of the Holy One. As it says in Genesis 2:24, “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” Jesus will cleave unto His bride, and the celebration and consummation of the marriage will take place in heaven.

Genesis 24:10, “Then the servant took ten camels from the camels of his master, and set out with a variety of good things of his master’s in his hand; and he arose and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor.”

Here we see the servant taking ten camels for his journey. In Hebrew tradition, ten is the number for a congregational quorum, known as a minyan (no, not a little yellow helper creature), and is the number necessary for public worship or to start a congregation. Camels are also used multiple times in the Holy Bible to represent both prosperity and beasts of burden, and are often said to be bearing treasures, such as precious metals and stones, spices, incense, food, and linens (Genesis 37:25, 1 Kings 10:2, 2 Kings 8:9). In this story, these 10 camels are the carriers of the master’s belongings and treasures intended for both the journey and the bride. In a symbolic sense, the 10 camels represents the richness of God given to this world through His Church, or body of Messiah, as it functions as an expression of public worship of God. The camels bear the treasures of the master and the supplies during the journey of all believers, and are led by the Holy Spirit.

The servant went to the city of Nahor, Abrahams brother, located in Mesopotamia (Ancient Babylon). Babylon is represented throughout the Holy Bible as the fallen world and spiritual idolator (pagan). So the bride is to be taken out of the family of Abraham, which is located in Ancient Babylon. This is a prophetic foreshadow of the Bride of Christ being taken out of the greater body of Messiah, the Church, who is spread throughout the spiritually idolatrous world.

Genesis 24:11-20, “He made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at evening time, the time when women go out to draw water. He said, “O LORD, the God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today, and show lovingkindness to my master Abraham. “Behold, I am standing by the spring, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water; now may it be that the girl to whom I say, ‘Please let down your jar so that I may drink,’ and who answers, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels also’—may she be the one whom You have appointed for Your servant Isaac; and by this I will know that You have shown lovingkindness to my master.”

Genesis 24:15-20, “Before he had finished speaking, behold, Rebekah who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor, came out with her jar on her shoulder. The girl was very beautiful, a virgin, and no man had had relations with her; and she went down to the spring and filled her jar and came up. Then the servant ran to meet her, and said, “Please let me drink a little water from your jar.” She said, “Drink, my lord”; and she quickly lowered her jar to her hand, and gave him a drink. Now when she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw also for your camels until they have finished drinking.” So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, and ran back to the well to draw, and she drew for all his camels.”

What a prophetic picture! At the beginning of these verses the servant has arrived at his destination. He is weary, and the camels are kneeling beside the well, thirsty and ready to drink. He then offers a prayer to the God of Abraham, asking for “lovingkindness” (Hebrew word is “chesed” which also means mercy or favor – Strong’s 2617), and then for a sign that will confirm the chosen bride for Isaac. In the servants prayer, we see the humility of his request; not that he, the servant, should be blessed, but rather that in God’s great mercy he should have success in his service to his master, Abraham. He also prays that the sign which will identify the bride is not one of glory and self indulgence, or worldly beauty and possessions, but rather of selfless service and sacrifice, even to those to whom she is a stranger.

And then enters the bride. In Hebrew, Bethuel means “destroyed of God” or “man of God/dweller in God” (Strong’s 1328), and Milcah means “queen” (Strong’s 4435). The bride is beautiful, a virgin, pure, and carrying an empty jar that is to be filled with pure water. Her first act is to serve water to the servant, and then to serve water to his camels until they are all filled. In these verses we see the characteristics that make up the heart and the actions of the bride. She is said to have had no relations with men, i.e. she is not defiled by the things of this world. And while she is never described as perfect, she does not have in her heart idolatry, impurity, or animosity toward man or God. She is a “queen who is dwelling in God.” She is also carrying a jar that is to be filled with water, which she will then serve to others. So what is this water?

Fast forward approximately two thousand years, on the last day of The Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) during the water libation celebration (Simchat Beit Hashoeivah) at the alter on the Temple mount. A man named Jesus/Yeshua stands in front of the alter, where several thousand people have gathered to watch the water and wine ritual and begin the largest celebration of the year. He turns toward the crowd and loudly proclaims: John 7:37-38, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’”

And earlier, when Jesus/Yeshua was at the well with the Samaritan women: John 4:9-14, “Therefore the Samaritan woman said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” She said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep; where then do You get that living water? “You are not greater than our father Jacob, are You, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself and his sons and his cattle?” Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”

So the water is the very person of Messiah and the message of the Gospel! The bride is the server of His living waters, which flow from her innermost being! She is filled with this water, carries this water, goes again and again to the well which provides this water, and serves this water to all who are thirsty! What is the well? The Word (Holy Bible)! The water and the well are Messiah and the Word! By studying and going back to the Word over and over, we support a continually growing personal relationship with Messiah (Word made flesh), thus growing closer to the Father. The bride is the very vessel that carries His living waters from His well to His people. Not only does His bride carry the waters to the Church (camels) and to strangers (servant from another land), but to all those who are thirsty, until they are filled.

Continuing the story:

Genesis 24:21-27, “Meanwhile, the man was gazing at her in silence, to know whether the LORD had made his journey successful or not. When the camels had finished drinking, the man took a gold ring weighing a half-shekel and two bracelets for her wrists weighing ten shekels in gold, and said, “Whose daughter are you? Please tell me, is there room for us to lodge in your father’s house?” She said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.” Again she said to him, “We have plenty of both straw and feed, and room to lodge in.” Then the man bowed low and worshiped the LORD. He said, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His lovingkindness and His truth toward my master; as for me, the LORD has guided me in the way to the house of my master’s brothers.”

Here we see the servant observing the the potential bride. The Hebrew word for “to know” is yada (Strong’s 3045) which can have several meanings, including to perceive, observe, teach, advise, and understand. It is also the same word used when Adam “know(s)” Eve (Gen 4:1) and the same word as used in the previous verses Genesis 24:16, in which we were told that “no man had had relations with (or knows) her”, describing Rebekah. So, while it can mean to simply observe or watch, it can also mean to acquire a much deeper, intimate knowledge about someone, in the same way that a person would “know” their spouse. In this sense, the servant (Holy Spirit) is getting to “know”, or establish an intimate relationship or knowledge about the potential bride of his masters’ (Father God’s) son (Yeshua/Jesus). Through the Holy Spirit, Messiah is able to “know” His bride.

John 16:13-15, “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. “He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. “All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you.”

After the servant has observed and gotten to “know” the bride, he bestows gifts on her. However, they are not just any gifts; gifts of precious gold. Specifically a gold ring (or nose ring/earring) weighing half a shekel, and two golden bracelets weighing 10 shekels. In Hebrew a half-shekel is the word “beqa”, which has the root word “baqa” (Strong’s 1234). “Baqa” means to cleave, split, rend, break up, divide, cut out, and interestingly enough, win. By accepting this ring, Rebekah has been “cleaved/split/rendered/broken/divided/cut out” from the rest of the members of her family and the world.  She has been marked with precious gifts and promised to her future husband. In ancient Hebrew weddings, the acceptance of the ring is part of the kiddushin, or betrothal process, and signifies the contractual part of the wedding as complete, although the celebration and consummation of the marriage have not yet occurred. So while she has never seen her husband face to face, she trusts in him and his servant, and accepts this ring. And don’t forget, “baqa” also means “to win.” Not only has she been marked and separated out, but she has also won the prize!

The servant also places two golden bracelets on her wrists. By doing this, he is signifying that the works of her hands have been seen and judged as good, as she is being rewarded. Not only are the works of her hands good, but now they are bound to her husband’s hands and his works, just as her husband’s hands belong to her.

After this, the bride invites the servant to her house, where their is rest, shelter, food, and drink. Here it is specifically mentioned that the camels will receive straw and feed. The Hebrew word for straw is “teben”, which has as its’ root “bahan” (Strongs 1129), which means “to build.” Paul (Sha’ul) specifically mentions the spiritual “building materials” of believers.

1 Corinthians 3:9-15: “For we are God’s coworkers. You are God’s field, God’s building. According to God’s grace that was given to me, I have laid a foundation as a skilled master builder, and another builds on it. But each one must be careful how he builds on it. For no one can lay any other foundation than what has been laid down. That foundation is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on that foundation with gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or straw, each one’s work will become obvious, for the day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire; the fire will test the quality of each one’s work. If anyone’s work that he has built survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, it will be lost, but he will be saved; yet it will be like an escape through fire.”

In these verses we can clearly see the differences in the spiritual building materials of different believers. While some seek to build upon the foundation of Yeshua with precious metals and stones such as those given to the bride, others chose wood, hay or straw, which were given to the camels and which will be consumed by fire. This is not a salvation issue, as Paul clearly states that the person who builds with wood and straw will be saved, but rather an affirmation of our rewards in Heaven based on our works on Earth (Matthew 25, Matthew 16:27, Matthew 6:20, Proverbs 24:12). Again, the servant prays, and gives praise to the God of Abraham for His “chesed”, His truth, and His faithfulness. Totally appropriate!

Genesis 24:28-33, “Then the girl ran and told her mother’s household about these things. Now Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban; and Laban ran outside to the man at the spring. When he saw the ring and the bracelets on his sister’s wrists, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, “This is what the man said to me,” he went to the man; and behold, he was standing by the camels at the spring. And he said, “Come in, blessed of the LORD! Why do you stand outside since I have prepared the house, and a place for the camels?” So the man entered the house. Then Laban unloaded the camels, and he gave straw and feed to the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him. But when food was set before him to eat, he said, “I will not eat until I have told my business.” And he said, “Speak on.”

Here Rebekah shares the good news with her family, specifically her brother, Laban. Laban in Hebrew means “white” or “to be made white” (Strong’s 3836) and is the brethren of the bride. After Rebekah commits to being the bride, she shares the good news with her beloved brother, who then meets the servant (Holy Spirit) at the spring (Word), and welcomes the servant and his camels into his house. He then proceeds to feed, water, and wait on them, and also offers water to wash the feet of the servant, which was a common custom. Just as Laban offers water to wash the feet of the servant, at a much later date another person would use tears to wash the feet of an even greater servant.

Luke 7:36-47, “Then one of the Pharisees invited Him to eat with him. He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. And a woman in the town who was a sinner found out that Jesus was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house. She brought an alabaster jar of fragrant oil and stood behind Him at His feet, weeping, and began to wash His feet with her tears. She wiped His feet with the hair of her head, kissing them and anointing them with the fragrant oil. When the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, “This man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what kind of woman this is who is touching Him — she’s a sinner! ” Jesus replied to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” “Teacher,” he said, “say it.” “A creditor had two debtors. One owed 500 denarii, and the other 50. Since they could not pay it back, he graciously forgave them both. So, which of them will love him more? ” Simon answered, “I suppose the one he forgave more.” “You have judged correctly,” He told him. Turning to the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she, with her tears, has washed My feet and wiped them with her hair. You gave Me no kiss, but she hasn’t stopped kissing My feet since I came in. You didn’t anoint My head with olive oil, but she has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. Therefore I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; that’s why she loved much. But the one who is forgiven little, loves little.”

By offering water to wash the servants feet, Laban is welcoming him into the house of the bride. How much more blessed are those who fall to their knees and wash the feet of Messiah with their tears? The servant then begins to recount his story before eating his meal.

Genesis 24:34-36, “So he said, “I am Abraham’s servant. “The LORD has greatly blessed my master, so that he has become rich; and He has given him flocks and herds, and silver and gold, and servants and maids, and camels and donkeys. “Now Sarah my master’s wife bore a son to my master in her old age, and he has given him all that he has.”

Here we see that the servant attests to the great riches of his master, and that the father has given all that he has to the son. Jesus/Yeshua attests to the same thing in Matthew 28:18, “Then Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth and again in Luke 10:22, “All things have been entrusted to Me by My Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son desires to reveal Him.”

The servant continues:

Genesis 24:36-44, “Now Sarah my master’s wife bore a son to my master in her old age, and he has given him all that he has. “My master made me swear, saying, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live; but you shall go to my father’s house and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son.’ “I said to my master, ‘Suppose the woman does not follow me.’ “He said to me, ‘The LORD, before whom I have walked, will send His angel with you to make your journey successful, and you will take a wife for my son from my relatives and from my father’s house; then you will be free from my oath, when you come to my relatives; and if they do not give her to you, you will be free from my oath.’ “So I came today to the spring, and said, ‘O LORD, the God of my master Abraham, if now You will make my journey on which I go successful; behold, I am standing by the spring, and may it be that the maiden who comes out to draw, and to whom I say, “Please let me drink a little water from your jar”; and she will say to me, “You drink, and I will draw for your camels also”; let her be the woman whom the LORD has appointed for my master’s son.’”

Genesis 24:45-48, “Before I had finished speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder, and went down to the spring and drew, and I said to her, ‘Please let me drink.’ “She quickly lowered her jar from her [shoulder], and said, Drink, and I will water your camels also; so I drank, and she watered the camels also. “Then I asked her, and said, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ And she said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bore to him’; and I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her wrists. “And I bowed low and worshiped the LORD, and blessed the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who had guided me in the right way to take the daughter of my master’s kinsman for his son.”

In these verses, the same story of the servant’s commission, journey, and selection of the bride are repeated. I don’t know about you, but when my earthly father told me once, I listened. If he told me again, then I knew it must be important! How much more so should it be when our Father in Heaven repeats the same story in the same chapter of the same book!

Genesis 24:49-50, “So now if you are going to deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me; and if not, let me know, that I may turn to the right hand or the left.” Then Laban and Bethuel replied, “The matter comes from the LORD; [so] we cannot speak to you bad or good. “Here is Rebekah before you, take [her] and go, and let her be the wife of your master’s son, as the LORD has spoken.”

Here we see the servant asking the brides’ family, specifically her brother, Laban, and father, Bethuel, if they are going to deal “kindly and truly” with his master. “Kindly” is the Hebrew word “chesed,” which we have already discussed and is defined as lovingkindness, mercy, favor. “Truly” is the Hebrew word “emeth” (Strong’s 571) which also means “trustworthy” and “faithful.” The servant is asking if the family of the bride is going to show lovingkindness and faithfulness to his master by allowing him to take the Rebekah. If not, then he will turn from them and turn his attention elsewhere. The family of the Rebekah recognizes that this request does not come from man, but rather from the LORD, and cannot refuse the request.

Genesis 24:51-59, “When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed himself to the ground before the LORD. The servant brought out articles of silver and articles of gold, and garments, and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave precious things to her brother and to her mother. Then he and the men who were with him ate and drank and spent the night. When they arose in the morning, he said, “Send me away to my master.” But her brother and her mother said, “Let the girl stay with us [a few] days, say ten; afterward she may go.” He said to them, “Do not delay me, since the LORD has prospered my way. Send me away that I may go to my master.” And they said, “We will call the girl and consult her wishes.” Then they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” And she said, “I will go.” Thus they sent away their sister Rebekah and her nurse with Abraham’s servant and his men.”

Again, we see the servant humble himself before the LORD, and then give valuable gifts to the family of the bride, gifts of silver, gold, and garments. After resting and being nourished by the Rebekah and her family, the servant is ready to return to his master with the beautiful bride. The family then asks the servant to let Rebekah stay for a time, and afterward go with to her husband, Isaac. The servant has seen the work of the LORD in completing his mission, and wants to return to the master with Isaac’s bride without delay. This is a prophetic foreshadow as Jesus/Yeshua will come and collect His bride, and on that day there will no longer be any delay. The bride is “called”, which is the Hebrew word “qara,” (Strong’s 7121) which means “called out, invited, proclaimed, announced, summoned, be named.” Rebekah is called out or summoned from the rest of the family and posed with a choice: stay with her family, a family that she loves and is ultimately the family of the master Abraham, or choose to go with the servant into unknown territory, to be taken in marriage to Isaac. Similarly, Yeshua made a statement regard the choice between Him and a persons family:

Luke 14:26-30, “If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. “Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. “For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? “Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’”

After the bride is called out, she must calculate the cost of following the servant to Isaac, just as we must calculate the cost of following Christ.

Genesis 24:60-61, “They blessed Rebekah and said to her, “May you, our sister, become thousands of ten thousands, and may your descendants possess the gate of those who hate them. Then Rebekah arose with her maids, and they mounted the camels and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and departed.”

“Blessed” here is the word “barak” which means “to kneel” (Strong’s 1288), and is a picture of the family of the bride (Rebekah) kneeling to worship the LORD and bless her as she prepares to leave with the servant on her journey to join Isaac. The blessing they bestow is prophetic in itself, as it is similar to the blessing the angel of the LORD bestowed upon Abraham after he was faithful to the LORD and offered his son Isaac to the LORD:

Genesis 22:15-18, “Then the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven, and said, “By Myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son, indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies. “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”

The blessing of the bride starts by declaring Rebekah will become “thousands of ten thousands.” The Hebrew blessing that Rebekah’s family bestows on her is that she become “aleph revavah” (Strong’s 505 and 7233), or “thousands of a myriad”. Aleph is the first letter of the Hebrew aleph-bet, and has the pictographic representation of an ox head, which represents strength, or God. Jesus/Yeshua is the “Aleph and the Tav” (Alpha & Omega) and the beginning and the end, thus the “aleph” also represents the beginning, or first, of those in the myriad family of God. The second part of the blessing is for her descendants to possess the gate of those who hate them, is nearly identical to the one that God uses to bless Abraham. To “possess the gate” of the enemies is the Hebrew “yarash sha’ar” (Strong’s 3423 and 8179), and means to “drive out/destroy/inherit/take possession of” the “gate/door/city/split open”. So, to “possess the gate” of one’s enemies is to split open the door and drive out the enemy to take possession. This is precisely what Yeshua/Jesus did when he split open the door of death and took possession of His creation from the enemy. By doing this, He now offers us, His creation, life through Him!

Genesis 24:61, “Then Rebekah arose with her maids, and they mounted the camels and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and departed.”

Here we see Rebekah “rise” or stand, confirming her commitment to go with the servant. However, she is not alone. She is accompanied by her “maids” or “maidens,” and they all mount the camels and follow the servant. It is important to note that Rebekah (Bride of Christ) not only “rose,” confirming her position, but then followed the servant, showing obedience and trust to the servant (Holy Spirit), and ultimately to the father (God) and the son (Yeshua).

Genesis 24:62-67, “Now Isaac had come from going to Beer-lahai-roi; for he was living in the Negev. Isaac went out to meditate in the field toward evening; and he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, camels were coming. Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac she dismounted from the camel. She said to the servant, “Who is that man walking in the field to meet us?” And the servant said, “He is my master.” Then she took her veil and covered herself. The servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and he took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her; thus Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.”

Now we see the son, Isaac. He is living in the Negev, which is a parched and desert land, which is a picture of the world near the end of time, when believers will be scarce and Messiah’s enemies will be gathering. He has come from Beer-lahai-roi, which is the “well of the living One that sees me”, or well of God, and is the same well where the Angel of the Lord spoke to Hagar after she had conceived Ishmael (Genesis 16). The son, Isaac, is coming from the well of the living God, and here we see a picture of Jesus/Yeshua, as the living water of the Word, coming from the well of God. Isaac is meditating in the evening, near the end of the day. This is when his bride approaches, near the end of the day, which foreshadows the end of the age. The son lifts his eyes and sees the camels coming, adorned with his lovely bride. The bride also sees for the first time her husband. She then dismounts from the camels and, as if not sure, asks the servant to confirm upon whom she gazes. With the revelation that she is staring into the face of the son, Rebekah quickly covers herself with her wedding garments, jewels, and the fine gifts that she had been given. The servant, having completed his mission, tells Isaac about his journey and his bride, Rebekah. Isaac then brings his Rebekah into his mothers (Sarah’s) tent, or chupah, which is a representation of the Tabernacle of God. Finally, after being called and selected, leaving her family and her homeland, and enduring a long and arduous journey through the desert, the bride meets her husband. The marriage is finally consummated and the celebration begins! And HE loved her, just as Messiah loves us!! Amen!!

 

Joe Harvey
chad@turtlecreek333.com
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