A BRIDE FOR ISAAC

The story of Abraham offering, at the instruction of the Lord, his Child of Promise, Isaac, on “the mountains of Moriah” is the pre-eminent prophecy or foreshadow in the Bible. It is a picture of God the Father, offering His only son, on Mount Moriah. (Calvary is part of that mountain.) It is interesting that at the conclusion of this story, Isaac is not mentioned. In Genesis 22:19 we are told that Abraham came down from the mountain and returned home with the two servants. Isaac is not mentioned.

The next story is about Abraham obtaining a bride for his son Isaac. The account is found in Genesis 24. Abraham sent his unnamed (main) servant to find a bride for Isaac among Abraham’s people in the town of Nahor. Isaac is not mentioned. He also had no part in the choice of the bride.

The servant went to the land of Abraham’s family and stopped at a well. The servant then asked the Lord’s direction in finding a wife for Isaac. He asked that the woman the Lord wanted Isaac to marry would respond to the servant’s request in a certain way. A young woman came to the well and the servant requested that she draw water for his camel. According to her response, the servant was shown that this was the woman to be the bride of Isaac. It was Rebekah. Isaac had no part in the choice of his wife.

Rebekah returned to the Negev in Canaan with the servant, and there for the first time since Genesis 22, Isaac is mentioned. He is not noted in the Genesis account from the time that Abraham was prepared to offer him in sacrifice until he is united with his bride. Even though Isaac did not choose Rebekah, he loved her dearly.

This story of Abraham and Isaac shows us interesting pictures of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Although the servant is not named in this account, we know his name from previous scripture. In Genesis 15:2 we find that the name of the anonymous servant is Eliezer. Peloubet tells us that Eliezer means “God is help.” Eliezer is a type of the “helper” or “comforter.” So these accounts show us the Father (Abraham), the Son (Isaac), and the Holy Spirit (Eliezer).

The Father sent the Holy Spirit to obtain a bride for the Son. This is a picture of the Holy Spirit leading us to Jesus. We, the Church, are the bride. The Son did not choose His wife. But He loved her dearly. What a picture of how Jesus loves us.

It is also interesting to observe that Isaac was “out of the picture” from the time he was to be offered as a sacrifice until the time the servant brought the bride to him. What a picture!! Jesus was offered as a sacrifice for our sins. The Lord resurrected Him and He now sits in Heaven. He is “out of the picture” so far as earthly history, and will be until the Bride is brought to Him by the Holy Spirit. This is the Rapture! The only thing missing here is the date!

The Gentile brides of the Old Testament are a type of the Church. Of all these Gentile wives, none of their deaths are recorded. That is not to say that they did not die, but that their deaths are not noted in the Bible. The New Testament Gentile Bride, the Church, will not die, but live with Jesus forever. Praise His name!