We all grew up reading and hearing these great love stories. Tristan and Iseult, Ndemi and Wanjiru, Romeo and Juliet, Oliver Barrett IV and Jennifer (in Erich Segal's best-selling novel, Love Story) and many others, all so very moving, adventurous and oft times with a bit of tragedy.

Such is the Genesis 24 story of Isaac and Rebbekah. 

It is without doubt one of the greatest and most beautiful love stories in the entire Bible.  You see, old man Abraham was healthy and hale, but quite advanced in years and Elohim had blessed him "in all things" (verse 1). So with the many years "under his belt", his concern naturally turned to the future and, more specifically, to what would amount to be the perfect marital setting for his heir -  his only son Isaac. This was especially so, bearing in mind that Elohim had given Abraham a number of sublime promises (Genesis 13:14-17, 15:17-21, 17:4-8). 

He therefore summons Eliezer (the Damascene), the oldest of his servants and the man in charge of his entire household. He intends to dispatch him on such a critically important mission that he has to put him under solemn oath first. He wants Eliezer to go and get a suitable wife for his only son, Isaac. The bride must not come from among the neighbouring Canaanites, but must be obtained from Abraham's extended family in far away Haran. Eliezer immediately assembles a caravan of ten of his master's camels, loads them up with all manner of good things and, along with some men, sets off on the all-important journey. They travel to Mesopotamia. On reaching these far off lands, the tired party decides to take a break from the journey beside a well. Eliezer then sends up a prayer to the God of heaven whom his master Abraham serves. He entreats Him to make his mission successful and to guide him to the right destination.

Almost immediately thereafter, a beautiful young maiden comes to the well. She not only courteously let's the stranger drink from her water pitcher, but also offers to water all Eliezer's camels! Just as Eliezer, in prayer, had sought to happen! Could she be the one? Eliezer closely observes the girl in action. He then requests that she introduce herself and to his amazement, it turns out that she is Rebbekah, daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, wife to Nahor, Abraham's brother! She is indeed, the answer to Eliezer's prayer! The man is overjoyed! 

Later, Rebbekah does not hesitate, but agrees to accompany Eliezer back to the land of Canaan. When at a distance she learns that a man they were seeing coming to meet them was her future husband, Rebbekah immediately alights from her camel and demurely veils her face. Isaac is over the moon when he sees her! He takes her into his mother's tent, and then, a few days later, the two lovebirds are wedded. Isaac loved Rebbekah and though his mother Sarah died shortly thereafter, he Isaac, was comforted by reason of Rebekah's presence in his life (Genesis 24:67). O what a beautiful story! 

This moving love story is a word painting of Elohim's love for his people, Israel. Wealthy old man Abraham, "blessed in all things" (Genesis 24:1), is a type of Elohim. That is why Abraham is described as both AGED and VERY WEALTHY. Let us look at the parallels: He, Abraham is described as old, just as Elohim is described as the "Ancient of Days" (Daniel 7 :9). He is from the beginning and no one can number his years.

As regards wealth, 

Eliezer had this to say about Abraham: "...I am Abraham's servant. The LORD has blessed my master abundantly, and he has become wealthy. He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, menservants and maidservants, and camels and donkeys..." (Genesis 24:34-35, NIV).This is in similitude to Elohim, about whom we are told in Psalm 24:1 and 1 Corinthians 10:26, that:  "...the earth is the LORD's and the fulness thereof..." In the book of Haggai, we read: "...the silver is mine and the gold is mine ", declares the LORD Almighty (Haggai 2:8, NIV). In the Psalms, it is declared: "... for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine..." 

        Psalm 50:10-11, NIV.

So in so far the parameters of wealth in our text are concerned, Abraham typifies Elohim. 

Further, Isaac is a type of Yahshua as we are told that he is an ONLY son (Genesis 22:2). Remember that the question of Ishmael does not arise here because Ishmael was never a part of God's plan for Abraham. Abraham actually erred in accepting Sarah's _Mpango wa Kando idea (the taking on of Sarah's handmaid Hagar for a concubine, in Genesis 16:1-4). This error, and it's subsequent consequences in the birth of the wild, warlike Ishmael (Genesis 16:11-12), continues to be the source untold suffering, bloodletting and violence in the Middle East and indeed, the entire world today. Almost the whole multi-faceted global terror architecture as is known today is somewhat linked to Ishmael's progeny. The terrorist organizations: Al Qaeda, ISIL, Al Shabaab, Boko Haram, Taleban, Hezbollah, Hamas, Janjaweed, Abu Sayaf, Muslim Brotherhood etc, seem to almost always have a connection to the children of Ishmael. But I digress.

So, as far as Elohim is concerned, Yitzhak was an only son, in the similitude of Yahshua, who is the only begotten Son of Elohim (John 3:16, Proverbs 30:4, John 1:14). Just as Isaac was heir to all of Abraham's estate (Genesis 21:10), so also, is Yahshua the heir to all of Elohim's estate (Hebrews 1:2). 

That is why we seeAbraham exercise a lot of caution as to the kind of bride his son Isaac should marry. He actually put Eliezer under oath, just to ensure that some Canaanite or Gentile damsel did not end up becoming his daughter-in-law (Genesis 24:2-3). We shall come back to this point later.

Abraham's servant, Eliezer, typifies the Holy Spirit. He is the oldest and most senior of all Abraham's servants. He is in charge of Abraham's household and "ruled over all that he (Abraham) had" (Genesis 24:2, brackets mine). We see that Eliezer's primary desire is to ensure that Abraham's instructions are fully executed (Genesis 24:48). The Holy Spirit too, is keen to see Elohim's will carried out (Isaiah 11:1- 5, Isaiah 61:1-3, Acts 1:8 etc). Just as Abraham sends Eliezer on an errand to find a bride for Isaac, so does the Holy Spirit too, desire that many people join Yahshua's Bride, the True Church. Says the word of Elohim: 

  [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.

           (Revelation 22:17)

Also, just as Eliezer gave out precious gifts (not his own, but obtained from Abraham's bountifulness) to Rebekah, Yitzhak's bride (Genesis 24:22) and also to Rebekah's relatives (verse 53), so also does the Holy Spirit give precious gifts to us. These gifts are sourced from the Heavenly Father. Says the apostle: "... every good and perfect gift comes from above, from the Father of the Heavenly lights..." (James 1:17). Another scripture bearing this out is 1John 15:26. 

Rebbekah, Isaac's bride, is a type of the True Church, the Church of God (7th Day), the Daughter of Zion, which is Yahshua's Bride. We learn that the maiden is comely, beautiful and a virgin. No man has known her. Likewise, the True Church is likened to a beautiful virgin betrothed to Yahshua (Jeremiah 6:2, 2 Corinthians 11:2). The church therefore ought to maintain spiritual purity, unstained by the wickedness and idolatry of the world. Just as a Canaanite girl would not have been acceptable to Abraham, so will Elohim not accept a church polluted with paganism and Gentile idolatry for His Son, Yahshua. Elohim's word, is the water that is being used to wash and keep clean the Bride's wedding garments (John 13:8, 15:3, 17:17, Ephesians 5: 26-27, Revelation 19:7-9 etc). This Bride, the True Church is even now, getting ready for the marriage Supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:7-9).

We also see that Rebbekah had absolutely no hesitation in agreeing to follow Eliezer back to the land of Canaan and to getting married to Isaac (whom she had never seen before!) It is testament to the amount of faith and sense of adventure that, the young lady had! We too have never seen Yahshua, yet as believers, we should, like Rebbekah, have total faith and commitment in our relationship with Him. As believers, ours is wholly a walk of faith (Habakkuk 2:4, Hebrews 12:1-3, 11:6).

Finally, we see that Eliezer chose exactly ten camels for the mission to  Haran. What is the significance of this number? Why did not he pick less, or more than ten camels? The number typifies the Ten Commandments. We see young Rebbekah diligently seeking to satiate the thirst of TEN camels! This is no mean feat. A thirsty camel can drink up to 53 gallons (or 200 litres) of water in just one session! Remember too, that these beasts were arriving in Haran after a long, arduous journey across a desert! They must have been very thirsty indeed. Since there were ten of them, it means that Rebekah had to draw approximately 2,000 litres of water for them! That is the level of industry and determination that the girl had. She did not complain or go to seek extra help. This is the amount of diligence that Elohim expects of us in keeping His  Ten Commandments. "If you love me, keep my Commandments" (John 14:15). Indeed, the True Church is described as one that "...has the Testimony of Yahshua and keeps the Commandments of Elohim..." (Revelation 12:17, 14:12). Any church claiming to be Elohim's church and is opposed to the keeping of God's Commandments is simply still wallowing in darkness. Says Isaiah the prophet:

"Bind up the testimony and seal up the law among my disciples..." (Isaiah 8:16). Again, "...to the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, they have NO LIGHT OF DAWN" (Isaiah 8:20, NIV, emphasis added).

The apostle Paul put it this way:

[12]Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

(Philippians 2:12, KJV, emphasis added). 

Though it is absolutely true that we are saved by the grace of God, yet grace is not a license to trample on the immutable laws of God (Romans 6:1-2). On the contrary, like Rebbekah watering the ten camels, we too must be diligent in upholding and keeping the Ten Commandments. Says Paul:  "...not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the DOERS of the law shall be justified" (Romans 2:13, KJV, emphasis mine). Blessings.

By Pastor Ken Chang'andu