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Hillbilly
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Date Posted: 19:00:19 12/06/09 Sun
CHAPTER 24
Genesis 24:1-9 And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things. 2 And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh: 3 And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell: 4 But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac. 5 And the servant said unto him, Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land: must I needs bring thy son again unto the land from whence thou camest? 6 And Abraham said unto him, Beware thou that thou bring not my son thither again. 7 The LORD God of heaven, which took me from my father's house, and from the land of my kindred, and which spake unto me, and that sware unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land; he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence. 8 And if the woman will not be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my oath: only bring not my son thither again. 9 And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and sware to him concerning that matter.
Yes Isaac is old and is showing his age. Isaac will be around 40 at this time (Gen. 25:20) which makes Abraham 140 yrs. old. Abraham was 100 when Isaac was born and Isaac is 40 when he marries Rebekah.
Isaac has remained unmarried and it should be remembered that the custom was that marriages were arranged by the parents of the children. Primarily by the father but I am sure much input was normally there from the mother also but Sarah was dead. Abraham was not willing to see his son "marry wrong". He was in the land of the Canaanites and he did not want his son marrying a Canaanite. Most commentators would tell you that it was because Canaanite's were idol worshipers but so were the kinsmen that Abraham came out from. (see Gen. 31:30-31) No it had to be more than that. Abraham's decision was racial in motive. Abraham knew that when you marry you marry the family. People from vastly different cultures will have much trouble in assimilating to each other's customs and ways of life. Not only that but the children will be torn between the cultures. Many have been the couple who have rushed into such a union only to discover the marriage was a mistake. While dad and mom may suffer for their decision the children will suffer much more.
Abraham is unwilling to see his son marry wrong if he can help it so he binds his eldest servant of his house with an oath. The servant is probably Eliezer (Gen. 15:2) and the name means "God is help". The oath is sealed by the placement of the hand of the servant under the thigh (upper leg including buttock) of Abraham thus swearing by Abraham's strength. (Some have said the oath was pertaining to the regenerative organs but the wording is plain it was under the thigh and not between the thighs) The upper leg is normally the largest and strongest muscle in the body. When God took Jacob's strength from him he touched his thigh and he limped the rest of his life. Jacob had Joseph his son to place his hand under his thigh and swear that he would not bury him in Egypt but would carry his bones back to the promised land for burial (Gen. 47:29). The placement of the hand for the oath had nothing to do with generation.
The instructions for the servant were for him to go into Abraham's own native country from his own kindred and take a wife for his son. The servant replies with the question: If the woman will not be willing to come back here am I to take your son back to her to wed? The answer is no and Abraham specifically tells him: "Beware thou that thou bring not my son thither again." (vs. 6) He further tells his servant the land he stands on is the land God promised to him and his seed and this is where Isaac is to live. He was not under any circumstances carry Isaac back to the land God brought him out of. Abraham then tells him if the woman is not willing to come back with him then he will be clear from the oath only Isaac is not to return to his native land.
The historical account is simple to understand and needs little if any comment. What we should glean from this is the spiritual side of the account. All scripture has at least one of three applications. Historical: It happened at a certain time and place as the scriptures indicate. Doctrinal: There is a doctrinal truth that teaches a tenant of faith as it is. Lastly there is a spiritual application to scripture that teaches a spiritual lesson. Within the spiritual application is found truth and doctrine to be revealed at future times. Typology falls in this category.
We want to look to the typology in this account as it reveals great truths that are in application to us today. First we must realize that Isaac is a type of Jesus Christ. Abraham as his father is a type of God the Father. The servant, Eliezer, then will represent the Holy Spirit. Understanding this sets the stage for what transpires through the entire account. The context of the entire chapter 24 of Genesis is a hidden prophecy of the Church, the bride of Christ. Notice the servant is to go from the promised land. The native land will represent the world. The promised land will represent heaven and the abode of God. The servant is sent back to obtain a bride for His son. The son is not to go back with him. The son was with his father just as Jesus has been with the Father since his ascension. Remember also the "sacrifice" of Isaac preceded his taking a bride just as the cross precedes our redemption and our soon going to meet Him. The servant is to go back to the land of nativity and try to get a suitable bride to come to the son. He is not to try and use force. God's Spirit tries to woo us to Christ by telling us about Him and what He has done so that we might desire Him. The means is the written and preached Word. (1 Cor. 1:21) This was what the servant was to do and we will see in subsequent lessons he did just that. If the woman will not come the servant would be free from the oath.
This will fit the way that God has chosen to call a people unto Himself. In John 6:44 we read:
"No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day". How does the Father draw us to Jesus? We are given to understand that the Father is in heaven but the Spirit is on earth working. Abraham stayed in the promised land but the servant (Spirit) went and drew the prospective bride by telling her about the son. That is the way that God does it. He sends His Spirit to draw us to Christ. The Word is preached and the Spirit draws and we either accept or reject. This was the condition placed on the servant. He was to tell (typifies preaching) the prospective bride all about Isaac (Jesus) and she had to make up her own mind. He was not to force her and he wasn't required to try to talk her into coming with him. God MUST draw each and every person of sound mind to His Son according to His Holy Word. John 12:32 tells us: "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." He was lifted up at Calvary and so He must give all an opportunity to come to Him. It is His promise. Not only that but He also said in Matthew 11:28 "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." No one has been left out. God's Word also warns us there will be many who will perish because they would not receive "the love of the truth, that they might be saved." (2 Ths. 2:10)
Just as it was to be up to the woman whom the servant found it is up to us. We can go with the Spirit unto the bridegroom or we can remain behind. The choice was hers and the choice today is ours. Jesus is not going to come back to "wed" us we are going to go to Him.
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