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GENESIS 24
LESSON #38
A BRIDE FOR THE SON
- MEMORY VERSE: SONG OF SOLOMON 2:10
- IN GENESIS 24 WE WILL SEE ABRAHAM SEEK TO OBTAIN A BRIDE FOR HIS SON. THIS CHAPTER IS ANOTHER MAJOR PREFIGURE OF A NEW TESTAMENT TRUTH.
- READ JOH 3:27-29 REV 21:2,9
- THE CHURCH IS CALLED THE BRIDE OF CHRIST. AS WE READ THROUGH THIS CHAPTER, THIS PREFIGURE WILL BECOME MORE CLEAR.
- READ GEN 24:1-5 A FATHERS CONCERN
- THE SERVANT IS SENT OUT TO FIND A BRIDE. THIS SERVANT IS PROBABLY ELIEZER, THE MAN ABRAHAM ADOPTED. (GEN 15:2)
- THE OATH (2)
- PUTTING THE HAND UNDER THE THIGH WAS A FORM OF SWEARING AN OATH.
- ELIEZER SWORE HE WOULD NOT SEEK A WIFE AMONG HEATHEN TRIBES BUT FROM ABRAHAM’S OWN FAMILY.
- IT IS THOUGHT THAT PERHAPS ABRAHAM WAS EXPECTING TO DIE SOON. THE OATH IS TO ENSURE THAT ISAAC WOULD GET A GOOD WIFE, AND AS A RESULT THERE WOULD BE CHILDREN TO PASS ON THE INHERITANCE.
- VERSE 36 INDICATES THAT ABRAHAM HAD ALREADY GIVEN ISAAC HIS INHERITANCE BEFORE HE DIED.
- THE FAITH OF ABRAHAM AND THE FAITH OF THE SERVANT
- ABRAHAM BELIEVES GOD WILL PREPARE THE WAY FOR THE SERVANT TO FIND JUST THE RIGHT WIFE ACCORDING TO GOD’S PERFECT WILL. (7)
- THE SERVANT PRAYS AND ASKS GOD’S DIRECTION (12). HE GOES TO THE CITY OF NAHOR. THIS IS THE SAME CITY OF HARAN WHERE ABRAHAM SPENT 5 YEARS BEFORE GOING TO THE PROMISE LAND.
- READ GEN 24:10-24 THE SEARCH FOR A BRIDE
- REBEKAH
- HER NAME MEANS “TO TIE FAST”
- THE TEST–TEN CAMELS
- NUMBER 10 IS THE NUMBER OF THE STANDARD OF GOD BY WHICH MAN IS TESTED.
- IF THE GIRL SUGGESTS SHE DRAW WATER FOR THE 10 CAMELS, SHE WILL PASS THE TEST.
- CAMELS DRINK A LOT OF WATER (30 GAL.). THIS WOULD BE VERY STRENUOUS AND TIME CONSUMING FOR HER TO DO. THE SERVANT IS LOOKING FOR A GIRL WHO IS INDUSTRIOUS AND HOSPITABLE.
- THE BETROTHAL GIFTS:
- A GOLD RING OF HALF SHEKEL WEIGHT.
- PROBABLY A NOSE RING FOR THE LEFT NOSTRIL. THIS WAS THE CUSTOMARY BETROTHAL GIFT.
- 2 GOLD BRACELETS OF THE WEIGHT OF 10 SHEKELS.
- NOTICE THE NUMBER 10 AGAIN.
- THE FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS:
- NAHOR, REBEKAHS GRANDFATHER, WAS THE BROTHER OF ABRAHAM. HE WAS AN IDOL WORSHIPER WHO SOMETIMES FOLLOWED THE LORD BUT VACILLATED BACK AND FORTH.
- LABAN, REBEKAHS BROTHER, WAS A DECEPTIVE MAN WHO ALWAYS SOUGHT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF PEOPLE. WE WILL SEE HIM IN MORE DETAIL LATER IN GENESIS.
- READ GEN 24:50-58 THE AGREEMENT
- THE 10 DAY WAITING PERIOD (55)
- THE FAMILY WANTED A BETROTHAL CELEBRATION OF 10 DAYS WHICH WAS NOT UNUSUAL.
- HOWEVER, THE SERVANT IS IN A HURRY. PERHAPS BECAUSE ABRAHAM IS PROBABLY NEAR DEATH.
- THE DECISION IS LEFT TO REBEKAH:
- NOTICE IT IS A TEST OF HER FAITH BY THE USE OF THE NUMBER 10.
- READ GEN 24:61-67 THE ARRIVAL OF THE BRIDE
- THE MARRIAGE AT THE WELL, LAHAIROI (BEERSHEBA), WHICH MEANS = THE LIVING GOD THAT SEES ME (62):
- ISAAC TOOK HER TO SARAH’S TENT (67).
- THIS ALSO WAS A TRADITIONAL CUSTOM. REBEKAH WOULD TAKE SARAHS PLACE IN THE HOUSEHOLD.
- THE CHRONOLOGY OF PREFIGURES IN GENESIS 21-24
| THE EVENT | THE SCRIPTURE | THE PREFIGURE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT | ||
| THE BIRTH OF ISAAC | GENESIS 21 | THE BIRTH OF CHRIST | ||
| THE OFFERING OF ISAAC | GENESIS 22 | THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS CHRIST | ||
| THE PURCHASE OF A BURIAL PLACE FOR SARAH | GENESIS 23 | THE PURCHASE OF ETERNAL LIFE | ||
| THE SEARCH FOR A BRIDE FOR ISAAC | GENESIS 24 | THE SEARCH FOR A BRIDE FOR CHRIST | ||
- IN ALL THESE PREFIGURES, ABRAHAM EXEMPLIFIES GOD WHILE ISAAC EXEMPLIFIES JESUS CHRIST.
| ABRAHAM SEARCHING FOR A BRIDE FOR ISAAC | GOD SEARCHING FOR A BRIDE FOR CHRIST |
| ABRAHAM DESIRES A BRIDE FOR ISAAC GEN 24:3 | GOD DESIRES A BRIDE FOR CHRIST MAT 22:2 |
| THE UN-NAMED SERVANT SEEKS A BRIDE FOR ISAAC GEN 24:2-3 | THE HOLY SPIRIT SEEKS OUT BELIEVERS TO BE THE BRIDE OF CHRIST JOH 15:26-27 JOH 16:8,13-14 |
| THE SERVANT DOES NOT SPEAK OF HIMSELF BUT OF ISAAC AND HIS WEALTH GEN 24:36 | THE HOLY SPIRIT DOES NOT SPEAK OF HIMSELF BUT LIFTS UP CHRIST AND THE WEALTH OF THE FATHER. JOH 16:13-14 |
| THE SERVANT GIVES GIFTS TO THE BRIDE GEN 24:22 | THE HOLY SPIRIT GIVES GIFTS TO HIS BRIDE, THE BODY OF CHRIST 1COR 12:7-11 GAL 5:22-23 |
| REBEKAH MEANS “TO TIE FAST” | THE BRIDE IS BOUND TO CHRIST FOR ETERNITY 1THE 4:17 |
| THE SERVANT BRINGS THE BRIDE TO MEET THE BRIDEGROOM GEN 24:61 |
THE HOLY SPIRIT BRINGS THE BRIDE OF CHRIST TO MEET THE LORD IN THE AIR WHEN HE COMES IN THE RAPTURE. ROM 8:11 1THE 4:14-17 |
| REBEKAH IS CALLED OUT TO BE THE VIRGIN BRIDE GEN 24:16 |
THE CHURCH IS CALLED OUT TO BE THE VIRGIN BRIDE OF CHRIST EPH 5:25-32 |
| REBEKAH LOVES ISAAC, NOT HAVING SEEN HIM, BUT BASED ON THE TESTIMONY OF THE SERVANT GEN 24:58 |
BELIEVERS LOVE CHRIST, NOT HAVING SEEN HIM, BUT BASED ON THE WITNESS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT 1PET 1:8 |
| ISAAC GOES OUT TO MEET AND RECEIVE HIS BRIDE GEN 24:65 | CHRIST WILL COME TO MEET THE BRIDE IN THE AIR 1THE 4:14-17 |
| ISAAC LOVED REBEKAH GEN 24:67 | CHRIST LOVES THE CHURCH EPH 5:25 |
| REBEKAH AGREED TO LIVE WITH ISAAC IN THE PROMISE LAND GEN 24:58 |
BELIEVERS MAKE A COMMITMENT TO LIVE IN AN ETERNAL KINGDOM WITH CHRIST JOH 3:15 |
- APPLICATION:
- WHAT DO WE LEARN ABOUT GOD FROM THIS CHAPTER?
- IT IS GOD WHO SEEKS US TO BE THE BRIDE OF CHRIST.
- WHAT DO WE LEARN ABOUT GOD’S GUIDANCE FROM THIS CHAPTER?
- IF WE WILL SEEK GODS WAY, HE WILL DIRECT US.
- IF WE WAIT ON HIM, HE WILL OPEN AND CLOSE THE RIGHT DOORS.
- WE CAN ASK GOD TO CONFIRM HIS WILL BY CIRCUMSTANCE BUT DO NOT RELY TOTALLY ON CIRCUMSTANCE.
- SATAN CAN ALSO USE CIRCUMSTANCES.
-
HOMEWORK
GENESIS 25:1-18
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FOR CORRECTION
- APPLICATION OF GEN 24
- HAVING ACCEPTED CHRIST INTO YOUR HEART, YOU ARE A MEMBER OF THE BRIDE OF CHRIST. AS A MEMBER OF THE BRIDE OF CHRIST, IS YOUR LIFE: FILLED WITH LOVE FOR CHRIST, THE BRIDEGROOM?
- IS YOUR LIFE FILLED WITH THE USE OF THE GIFTS HE HAS GIVEN YOU?
- READ 1COR 12:7-11 GAL 5:22-23
- IS YOUR LIFE PURE, WHITE, AND CLEAN, WITHOUT BLEMISH?
- READ EPH 5:26-27
- WHICH AREAS NEED WORKING ON? BE SPECIFIC!
- PREPARATION FOR GEN 25
- READ GEN 25:1-18 DEATH OF ABRAHAM AND THE LIFE OF ISAAC
- (ADVANCED QUESTION) WHAT SIGNIFICANCE IS ABRAHAM’S MARRIAGE TO KETURAH?
- MAKE A CASE FOR LIFE AFTER DEATH BASED ON VERSE 8.
- REVIEW YOUR NOTES CONCERNING THE WELL AT BEERSHEBA CALLED “LAHAIROI” GEN 21:22-34
- THE WELL IS ALSO MENTIONED IN GEN 24:62 GEN 25:11.
- WHAT SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE IS THE WELL TO ISAAC’S LIFE?
- MEMORY VERSE: ROM 3:29
