Genesis 24:1-21 – A Bride for the Son – Bible study

Gen 24:1-21 A Bride for the Son For some reason, marriage is on my mind! If you can let God change you, and if you can find someone who will let God change them, I strongly recommend marriage. Since my mind is so much on it, it seemed logically and I believe of the Lord, for me to preach on it this morning. However, I want to look at this marriage from a slightly perspective. Lets look at it from the prospect of the God seeking a bride for His Son. The Bible makes it clear that God is seeking a bride for His Son. Re 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. Re 21:9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lambs wife. Re 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. What comparisons can we find between these two accounts? I. In both accounts, it was the Father who sought a bride for His Son. A. There is no missing the fact that Genesis 24, it was Abraham who was seeking the bride. 1. Abraham called his eldest servant and charged him to find a bride for his son. 2. As a matter of fact. Isaac is hardly mentioned and we are never told that it was his desire to get married. 3. Of course, in that Middle East culture, it is often the parents who arranged the marriage for the children. B. Yet, it is also the heavenly Father who desired a wife for His Son, Jesus Christ. Joh 6:40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. Mt 18:14 Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish. Lu 12:32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Lu 22:42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. 1. And again, Jesus is hardly mentioned in the selection process. 2. About the only thing we see related to Jesus is that He came to do the will of His Father. C. Why did Abraham pick this time to find a bride for his son? \#Ge 25:20\ tells us that Isaac was 40 years old when he married! 1. Isaac was now more alone and it was likely that he would soon be completely alone. a. Sarah, his mother, had recently died. Gen 23:1 And Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty years old: these were the years of the life of Sarah. 2 And Sarah died in Kirjatharba; the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her. b. Abraham was old and soon to die. Gen 24:1 And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things. c. Although Abraham and thus Isaac was very rich, wealth makes for a very poor companion. 2. I would suggest that Sarahs death prompted Abraham to realize just how difficult it would be for Isaac to be left alone. a. Death is NOT normal. (1) Death is a result of sin and although God expected and even provided for mans sin, God never intended His creation to go through it. (2) The human race is not equipped to deal with sin or sins results. (a) We are not equipped to deal with sins guilt. (b) We are not equipped to deal with sins penalty. i. The ongoing spiritual separation from God. ii. Death iii. Hell b. Abraham looked at his son Isaac and saw his brokenness, his loneliness, and his need and determined that Isaac needed a wife. c. By the way, the Bible itself indicates that Abrahams plan worked. Ge 24:67 And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarahs tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mothers death. D. Why did God the Father seek a bride for His Son? 1. It was NOT because the Son needed a wife! a. Jesus, Gods Son, is complete in Himself. He needs no other. b. In fact, the Bible makes it clear, that it was not Gods Son who will be completed by His bride but the bride who will be completed by the Son! Col 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: 2. We are the ones who are alone, broken, and needy! God desired a bride for His Son not for the Sons sake, but for the brides! a. Here is one of the strange paradoxes of Bible. b. Why would God love the human race so much that He would sacrifice His Son for us? c. The only answer is LOVE. John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. II. In both accounts, the Father sent His trusted Servant. A. \#Ge 24:2\ Abraham sent the oldest servant in his house. 1. Abraham was a mortal man himself and was old at this time. a. Abraham had inherited a good bit from his father, Terah. b. It is possible that the servant Abraham sent was one of the servants his father had left to him. c. That would simply mean that this servant knew Abraham and what Abraham would want for his son like no other man on earth. He might have known Abraham since before he was born! 2. Abraham sent his servant with only two commands. a. \#Ge 24:4\ Find a bride for his son. b. \#Ge 24:6\ Bring the bride to my son. Do not take my son to the bride. c. Concerning the first command, find a bride from the son. (1) That was pretty vague. (2) It left all of the decision making to the servant. a. The servant could decide was important in determining the correct bride for the son. b. He decided if she was to be pretty and what pretty was, he decided what was to be too big or too small. He decided whether her nature was good or bad. c. He even got to decide HOW he would determine this things. d. \#14\ The servant decided that the most important thing was the womans nature so he set up a test in his mind. e. He would ask woman for a drink of water and the one who had enough of a servants heart to give him a drink and to water his 10 camels would be the right woman! f. According to Wikipedia, a dessert camel can drink up to 53 gallons of water! This woman was offering to tote over 500 gallons of water! d. Concerning the second command, bring the bride to my son. (1) That was pretty absolute. (2) \#8\ Abraham was so absolute on this command that if the woman the servant thought was the perfect woman for Isaac would not come back with him, then the servant was free of his promise. (3) That meant Isaac would NEVER be married. (4) By the way, as hard as it is to hear, we need to know. No mate is better than the wrong the mate! B. What about Gods Son? Who did God send to find a bride for Him? 1. God sent the Holy Ghost! There is no salvation without the Holy Ghost. Joh 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 1Co 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. 2. The Holy Spirit was given two charges. a. Select the bride for the Son. (1) The Father sent the Holy Ghost and the Son died to save souls but it is the Holy Ghost who draws people to the Son. (2) How does the Holy Spirit determine who will make up the bride for Jesus? (3) Two requirements: (a) They must believe that Jesus died for their sins. (b) They must follow the Holy Spirit in turning from their sins. b. Do not take the Son back to the bride but bring the bride to the Son. (1) Jesus will not be coming to sojourn on this world, but His bride will be going to Him. (2) One of the points of the Christian life is for the bride to be getting ready to LEAVE this world. 2Co 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 1Jo 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 1Pe 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; (3) Last week, Brother Rosado spoke to us about the shofar, the trumpet, and the fact that the saved are waiting for it to sound! (4) Once we hear it, we will be instantly take from this world into the presence of Jesus Christ! (5) He is not coming to us. We are going to Him! III. In both accounts, the potential bride must chose to marry the Fathers Son. A. Rebekah had to choose. Gen 24:57 And they said, We will call the damsel, and enquire at her mouth. 58 And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go. B. Everyone individual must choose to accept Jesus. Re 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. IV. In both accounts, a small taste of the Fathers riches was shared. 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. Eph 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, V. In both accounts, there would be a great wedding celebration when the bride arrived home! A. Genesis 24 does not describe it, but I am certain it happened. B. Revelation describes the celebration that heaven will have. Rev 19:5 And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. 6 And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. 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. 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. 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. 10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. Friend, the question is not, "Will there be a bride?" The question is, "Will you be part of the bride?" You must choose to obey the Holy Ghost. You must believe that Jesus died for your sins and you must follow Him in turning from sin. What will your choice be?