Securing a Wife for Isaac: The Bride of Christ
Genesis 24
Genesis 24
Genesis 24. In this chapter we have the call of Rebecca to be the wife of Isaac, and this as a beautiful type of the call of the church as the bride of Christ. The truth of the church is called “the mystery”, and Paul expressly declares it to be “kept secret since the world began” (Rom. 16:25), “hid in God from the beginning of the world” (Eph. 3:9), and “hid from ages and from generations” (Col. 1:26). The distinctive truth of the Mystery (Jew and Gentile in one body) is never found in the Old Testament, even in type.
However, the bridegroom-bride relationship is found in the types of the Old Testament. Old Testament types of Christ and His bride include: (1) Adam and Eve, (2) Isaac and Rebecca, (3) Jacob and Leah, (4) Joseph and Asenath, (5) Moses and Zipporah, (6) David and Abigail, (7) Solomon and Pharaoh’s daughter. But none of these types incorporated the distinctive truth of the Mystery; i.e. Jew and Gentile in one body. That truth was hidden in God (v.9); period. Therefore, Jew and Gentile formed into "one new man" is not even hinted at in Old Testament pictures! Some have tried to say that the two wave loaves on the Feast of Weeks speak of Jew and Gentile in one body. However, it is more consistent that both loaves represent the Church's testimony on earth, the numeral two speaking of adequate testimony. Furthermore, the two loaves are separate, which also doesn't fit with the truth of one body. Nevertheless, we can read and enjoy the Old Testament types of the bride of Christ, always remembering that we could never understand them unless we had the full light of New Testament revelation.
Read more…Contents
- The Commission of Abraham’s Servant (24:1-9)
- The Servant’s Journey and Prayer at the Well (24:10-14)
- Rebekah Appears, Draws Water, is Introduced (24:15-31)
- The Servant’s Explanation and Proposal (24:32-49)
- Agreement to the Proposal, Blessing and Sending Off of Rebekah (24:50- 60)
- The Bride’s Journey and Union with Isaac (24:61-67)
The Commission of Abraham’s Servant (24:1-9)
CHAPTER 24
1 And Abraham was old, and advanced in age; and Jehovah had blessed Abraham in all things. 2 And Abraham said to his servant, the eldest of his house, who ruled over all that he had, Put thy hand, I pray thee, under my thigh, 3 and I will make thee swear by Jehovah, the God of the heavens and the God of the earth, that thou take not a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am dwelling; 4 but thou shalt go to my land and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac. vv.1-4 A Wife from Abraham’s Family. Abraham was now old and blessed “in all things”. Perhaps it is a type of the Father, fully glorified in the work of Calvary. Sarah had died in the previous chapter, and Abraham had buried her. Perhaps this is a type of God’s suspending His dealings with Israel. Abraham now turns to the one object before his soul; the happiness and prosperity of his son Isaac. “It is not good that Man should be alone” (Gen. 2:18). These are the last recorded words of Abraham; he seeks a bride for his son. Moreover, Abraham instructs his servant to fetch Isaac a bride. Elsewhere we find that the servants name is Eliezer (Gen. 15:2), but his name is not mentioned here. Often in scripture an unnamed servant is a type of the Spirit of God (John 10:3; Luke 22:10). It speaks of the Father’s desire to call out a bride for Christ, and the sending of the Holy Spirit to accomplish this work. Notice that it was of utmost importance to Abraham that his servant find a wife, not from the Canaanites, but from Haran, where Abraham’s family was. Perhaps this shows us that the Canaanites were already becoming morally depraved. But in a typical sense, the truth of the mystery which Paul taught discloses the fact that the church, the bride of Christ, is a new thing. Formed of Jew and Gentile, it is no longer Jew nor Gentile, but “one new man”. An angelic bride would not do. The bride of Christ must be “bone of His bone” (Eph. 5:28-32); i.e. the Church is of the same material as Christ, the new creation race – perfectly compatible! It was a journey that would require much effort and expense, but it was the only way for Abraham to obtain a suitable companion for Isaac. As a practical lesson for believers, this is a warning not to marry an unbeliever. Such a union would be an “unequal yoke” (2 Cor. 6:14). The Spirit of God will never lead you to marry an unbeliever.
5 And the servant said to him, Perhaps the woman will not be willing to follow me to this land: must I, then, bring thy son again in any case to the land from which thou hast removed? 6 And Abraham said to him, Beware that thou bring not my son thither again. 7 Jehovah the God of the heavens, who took me out of my father’s house, and out of the land of my nativity, and who has spoken to me, and who has sworn to me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land — he will send his angel before thee, that thou mayest take a wife for my son thence. 8 And if the woman be not willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be quit of this my oath: only, bring not my son thither again. vv.5-8 Isaac to Remain in Canaan. The servant proposes a possible hindrance to Abraham’s plan; “Perhaps the woman will not be willing to follow me to this land: must I, then, bring thy son again in any case to the land from which thou hast removed?” Abraham’s response is emphatic: “Beware that thou bring not my son thither again.” Abraham had received Isaac from the dead in figure, and Isaac was never to leave the land of Canaan, the land of his possession. If the woman was not willing to come to Canaan, she was not worthy of Isaac. It speaks of the heavenly character of Christ, risen and glorified. Christ is ever to remain in that character, as a heavenly man. Under no circumstances will Christ leave that glorified condition again. Christ will not be brought down to the level of His bride; instead, she will be brought in to association with Him in glory! This is the truth Paul preached. Not only “the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24), which brings God down to meet man’s need, but “the gospel of the glory of Christ” (2 Cor. 4:4), which presents the exaltation of Christ, and redeemed man being brought into Christ’s place! As the bride of Christ, we share His associations, His interests, His home, His inheritance, and His destiny!
9 And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore unto him concerning that matter. v.9 The Servant’s Oath. The hand under the thigh is some kind of cultural symbol. It may have to do with the idea of Abraham’s progeny. The servant’s oath is a type of the unity of the Godhead in the action of calling the bride of Christ. The Holy Spirit will only do what the Father’s will is.
The Servant’s Journey and Prayer at the Well (24:10-14)
10 And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; now all the treasure of his master was under his hand; and he arose and went to Aram-naharaim, to the city of Nahor. v.10 Journey to Nahor. It is wonderful to think of the expense that Abraham was willing to afford to acquire a bride for Issac; “all the treasure of his master was under his hand”. When the Father sent the Holy Spirit down at Pentecost, all the riches of heaven were at His disposal. The believer who is indwelt by the Holy Spirit is “blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1:3).
11 And he made the camels kneel down outside the city by a well of water, at the time of the evening, when the women came out to draw water. 12 And he said, Jehovah, God of my master Abraham, meet me, I pray thee, with thy blessing this day, and deal kindly with my master Abraham. 13 Behold, I stand here by the well of water, and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water. 14 And let it come to pass, that the maiden to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink, and who will say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also, be she whom thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and hereby I shall know that thou hast dealt kindly with my master. vv.11-14 The Sign. Abraham’s servant prayed to the Lord and asked for a sign that would direct him to the girl Isaac was to marry. He did not know ahead of time who she was. This speaks of how believers, during the Church period, “walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7) according to the leading of the Spirit of God. We also read of the servant praying for guidance, which is something that marks those in Christianity who are led by the Spirit of God. The sign was simple. There are some lessons we can learn from what the servant asked. The girl would be marked first by drawing water; a picture of enjoying and sharing the Word of God. This is what should characterize us as the bride of Christ. The second thing is that the girl would be generous, and offer him water, and also for his animals. This perhaps speaks of the refreshment that we can provide to God first of all (worship), and to our fellow believers (service) if we have been faithful in drawing from the well.
Rebekah Appears, Draws Water, is Introduced (24:15-31)
15 And it came to pass before he had ended speaking, that behold, Rebecca came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother; and she had her pitcher upon her shoulder. v.15 Rebecca Approaches. Rebecca was very familiar with the task of drawing waster and was willing to draw for others. Often those who are most used of the Lord are those who appreciate the truth they have and walk in it. She was evidently a hard worker, and she was also from Abraham’s family.
16 And the maiden was very fair in countenance; a virgin, and no man had known her. And she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up. 17 And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, sip a little water out of thy pitcher. 18 And she said, Drink, my lord! And she hasted and let down her pitcher on her hand, and gave him to drink. 19 And when she had given him enough to drink, she said, I will draw water for thy camels also, until they have drunk enough. 20 And she hasted and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again to the well to draw water; and she drew for all his camels. vv.18-20 The Prayer for a Sign Answered. Mention is made of Rebecca’s purity. Her beauty had been preserved for Isaac. In a similar way, the church ought to be reserved for Christ alone, and none of the worldly interests that attract the people of this world. According to the servant’s prayer, Rebecca offered him a drink, and his camels also! What answer to prayer! Rebecca pictures one who has a willingness to share the Word with others.
21 And the man was astonished at her, remaining silent, to know whether Jehovah had made his journey prosperous or not. 22 And it came to pass when the camels had drunk enough, that the man took a gold ring, of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands, ten shekels weight of gold, 23 and said, Whose daughter art thou? tell me, I pray thee. Is there room in thy father’s house for us to lodge? 24 And she said to him, I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor. 25 And she said to him, There is straw, and also much provender with us; also room to lodge. vv.21-24 Family Requirement Met. The prayer for a sign had already been answered, but the servant remained silent, waiting to know if this really was the Lord’s will. He perhaps had not forgotten his solemn promise to Abraham, that the wife he brought back would be from Abraham’s family. We can take a practical lesson from this. Circumstances may indicate the Lord is leading a certain way, but the Word of God is the final authority. Perhaps in marriage, we feel that the Lord is directing us a certain way. But it is imperative to know if they are really in the family of God. Abraham’s servant gave several gifts to Rebecca, as a token of good will. The servant inquired of the girl’s family, and found that she was indeed from Abraham’s family!
26 And the man stooped, and bowed down before Jehovah, 27 and said, Blessed be Jehovah, God of my master Abraham, who has not withdrawn his loving-kindness and his faithfulness from my master; I being in the way, Jehovah has led me to the house of my master’s brethren. 28 And the maiden ran and told these things to her mother’s house. vv.26-28 Thanksgiving for the Lord’s Leading. Thanksgiving to the Lord is the proper response when our prayers for guidance are answered. “I being in the way, Jehovah has led me” is a beautiful expression. This servant was guided on his journey to the very place he needed to go. The Lord did not reveal the place to him ahead of time. The servant had to be in the way before he could be guided to the place. The same is true with the Spirit’s leading today. We must be “in the way”, actively following what we know the Lord’s will is for us today, and then the Spirit will guide our path. The result of this was thanksgiving and praise to the Lord.
29 And Rebecca had a brother, named Laban; and Laban ran out to the man, to the well. 30 And it came to pass when he saw the ring and the bracelets on his sister’s hand, and when he heard the words of Rebecca his sister, saying, Thus spoke the man to me — that he came to the man, and behold, he was standing by the camels, by the well. 31 And he said, Come in, blessed of Jehovah! why standest thou outside? for I have prepared the house, and room for the camels. vv.29-31 Laban’s Invitation. Rebecca’s brother Laban is an interesting character. He figures strongly in the middle years of Jacob’s life. He was a shrewd businessman, and we get a sense of that here; “when he saw the ring and the bracelets on his sister’s hands”. Nevertheless, Laban made Abraham’s servant welcome.
32 And the man came into the house; and he ungirded the camels, and gave the camels straw and provender, and water to wash his feet, and the feet of the men who were with him. 33 And there was set meat before him to eat; but he said, I will not eat until I have made known my business. And he said, Speak on. vv.32-33 The Urgency of the Matter. The servant would see that his animals were cared for, but refused to eat until he had explained why he was there. Perhaps it speaks of the importance of the Spirit’s mission to gather out a bride for Christ.
The Servant’s Explanation and Proposal (24:32-49)
34 And he said, I am Abraham’s servant. 35 And Jehovah has blessed my master greatly, and he is become great; and he has given him sheep and cattle, and silver and gold, and bondmen and bondwomen, and camels and asses. 36 And Sarah, my master’s wife, bore a son to my master after she had grown old; and unto him has he given all that he has. 37 And my master made me swear, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanite, in whose land I am dwelling; 38 but thou shalt by all means go to my father’s house and to my family, and take a wife for my son. 39 And I said to my master, Perhaps the woman will not follow me? 40 And he said to me, Jehovah, before whom I have walked, will send his angel with thee, and prosper thy way, that thou mayest take a wife for my son of my family, and out of my father’s house. 41 Then shalt thou be quit of my oath, when thou shalt have come to my family. And if they give thee not one, thou shalt be quit of my oath. vv.34-41 The Purpose of His Journey. The servant began by explaining the purpose of his journey. It represents the testimony of the Spirit of God. The Spirit makes known the Father’s glory, and the fact that Christ is the heir of all things, and that the Father seeking a bride for His Son, and co-heirs to share Christ’s inheritance. The Spirit does the will of the Father for the glory of the Son. We see the sovereignty of God in the responsibility of man together. Jehovah would send His angel to prosper him, but also the servant was responsible to obey. There is no conflict between God’s sovereignty and human responsibility.
42 And I came this day to the well, and said, Jehovah, God of my master Abraham, if now thou wilt prosper my way on which I go, 43 behold, I stand by the well of water, and let it come to pass that the damsel who cometh forth to draw water, and to whom I shall say, Give me, I pray thee, a little water out of thy pitcher to drink, 44 and she shall say to me, Both drink thou, and I will also draw for thy camels — that she should be the woman whom Jehovah hath appointed for my master’s son. 45 Before I ended speaking in my heart, behold, Rebecca came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder, and went down to the well, and drew water; and I said to her, Give me, I pray thee, to drink. 46 And she hasted and let down her pitcher from her shoulder, and said, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also. And I drank; and she gave the camels drink also. 47 And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? And she said, The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bore to him. And I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her hands. 48 And I stooped, and bowed down before Jehovah; and I blessed Jehovah, God of my master Abraham, who has led me the right way to take my master’s brother’s daughter for his son. 49 And now, if ye will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me; and if not, tell me; and I will turn to the right hand or to the left. vv.42-49 The Matter Explained. What a shock it must have been for Rebecca and her family to hear this! And what a shock for believers, especially from among the Gentiles, to learn that they were in God’s purposes from a past eternity! Also notice the importance of prayer in this account. Prayer is crucial to practical guidance in our Christian lives.
Agreement to the Proposal, Blessing and Sending Off of Rebekah (24:50- 60)
50 And Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceeds from Jehovah: we cannot speak to thee bad or good. 51 Behold, Rebecca is before thee: take her, and go away; and let her be wife of thy master’s son, as Jehovah has said. 52 And it came to pass, when Abraham’s servant heard their words, that he bowed down to the earth before Jehovah. vv.51-52 Rebecca’s Family Willing. There is a practical lesson for parents in the response of Laban and Bethuel. It is important for parents of young people to discern when a marriage of their son or daughter is of the Lord. If the thing “proceeds from Jehovah”, who are we to stand in the way? Notice that they did not pressure Rebecca either way; “we cannot speak to thee bad or good”. How many parents have made the mistake of pressuring their son or daughter to marry someone they thought was a perfect match, and which ended in disaster. And how many parents have made the mistake of preventing their son or daughter from marrying one who could have been a real blessing to them, because of some perceived imperfection.
53 And the servant brought forth silver articles, and gold articles, and clothing, and he gave them to Rebecca; and he gave to her brother, and to her mother, precious things. v.53 The Earnest of the Spirit. Rebecca didn’t have to wait until she got all the way to Canaan to have the jewels, etc. The servant gave her a down-payment of those riches ahead of time. This is a picture of what Paul calls “the earnest of the Spirit”.
The Earnest of the Spirit (Eph 1:14; 2 Cor. 1:22; 2 Cor. 5:5; Rom. 8:11). The earnest of the Spirit is the guarantee and foretaste in advance of our full portion in Christ. This is evident from the very word "earnest", which refers to the down payment money a person might pay for something they intend to take possession of. For example, if you intend to buy a $300,000 home in a few months, you would pay a certain percentage down, perhaps 10% or $30,000, on the home, up front, to show the seller you are serious about your intention. Why is this necessary? The believer in Christ has two inheritances. First, we have a spiritual inheritance "reserved in heaven for you" (1 Peter 1:4). Paul teaches in Ephesians that we are actually already "seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Eph. 2:6), and therefore we already have access by faith to this heavenly, spiritual inheritance. It is the Spirit who allows us to enjoy those heavenly things right now, "all spiritual blessings in heavenly places" (Eph. 1:3). Secondly, we have a future, material inheritance that we will possess when Christ appears to possess what belongs to Him; "in whom also we have obtained an inheritance" (Eph. 1:11). There is coming a glorious day when the Spirit of God will be poured out on this world for blessing, when the redeeming or “setting free” will take place (Eph. 1:14), and the curse be lifted. That day is not here yet, but we have the very same Spirit within us, allowing us to share in the joy beforehand! The earnest works to keep us from settling for the things of this earth; we have something far better! The Spirit of God is the earnest in two ways: (1) to give us a foretaste of heaven before we get there, and (2) to guarantee that we will get there, then go on to reign with Christ and share all that He possesses! We could summarize the earnest of the Spirit as that which gives the believer the enjoyment of present blessings in Christ, and the guarantee of future blessings with Christ.
Did the jewels make Rebecca more willing to go? Perhaps, if nothing else, they told her of the greatness of the man she was going to meet. Enjoyment of our jewels, our spiritual blessings, will make us more willing to go. Rebecca’s family also received jewels of gold, etc. They represent unbelievers in the profession of Christianity. They are in the house of God, but they are not the true bride of Christ. In a similar way, the whole Christian profession is blessed outwardly because of the bride.
54 And they ate and drank, he and the men that were with him, and lodged. And they rose up in the morning; and he said, Send me away to my master. 55 And her brother and her mother said, Let the maiden abide with us some days, or say ten; after that she shall go. 56 And he said to them, Do not hinder me, seeing Jehovah has prospered my way: send me away, and I will go to my master. 57 And they said, Let us call the maiden and inquire at her mouth. 58 And they called Rebecca and said to her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go. vv.54-58 Willingness to Go. The servant was ready to return to Abraham with his mission accomplished. Rebecca’s family on the other hand wanted to delay his departure, suggesting ten days or so. The servant was unwilling to delay. It was “now or never”. Once we know the Lord’s will (v.56), to delay is to disobey. The decision would fall to Rebecca; “Wilt thou go with this man?” It was not a light decision. She would leave her home and family, and would never see them again. Yet Rebecca had heard and seen enough to make her decision; “I will go”. Typically, it speaks of the heavenly calling of the church. Isaac was back in Canaan, a type of Christ in heaven. The church is called from all earthly associations to embark on a pilgrim journey through the world, to meet our heavenly Bridegroom. Natural relationships hinder us from answering to our heavenly calling. It isn’t that we have no responsibility to our natural families, etc. But Christ has a higher claim on us than those earthly ties. It’s one thing to receive the jewels of silver and gold, it’s another thing to “go” with this man. It’s one thing to accept the blessings that we have in Christ, it’s another thing to follow the leading of the Spirit of God, who is drawing our affections out of this world, to where Christ is in heaven. We find in Revelation 22, that when Jesus says “I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star” then “the Spirit and the bride say, Come.” (Rev. 22:16-17). Together, the Spirit (pictured by the servant) and the bride (pictured by Rebecca) hasten the coming of the Bridegroom.
59 And they sent away Rebecca their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant, and his men. 60 And they blessed Rebecca, and said to her, Thou art our sister; mayest thou become thousands of tens of thousands; and may thy seed possess the gate of their enemies! vv.59-60 Rebecca Sent Away. Although they would be sad to have Rebecca leave, her family understood the immense privilege that lay before her. She was to marry the heir of Abraham’s estate, and also the depositary of the promises, although it is uncertain how much they knew of the promises God had made to Abraham and his seed. As they sent her away, Rebecca’s family blessed her with an earthly blessing: a numerous seed, and a victorious seed. Like Rebecca and Isaac, the church will share Christ’s material inheritance. But the church’s blessing is primarily heavenly. Our portion in the ages to come is Christ Himself, the heavenly Man!
The Bride’s Journey and Union with Isaac (24:61-67)
61 And Rebecca arose, and her maids, and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man. And the servant took Rebecca, and went away. v.61 The Bride’s Journey. They rode camels along the journey to Canaan. Camels are the vehicle of those who are strangers, just passing through. The church does not belong to the world; her true home is in heaven. All across the wilderness, the future bride had the privilege of hearing about Isaac from Abraham’s servant. We find from v.65 that she was interested in who Isaac was. We too have the privilege of being taught by the Spirit of the glories of Christ while we go our way through this world.
62 And Isaac had just returned from Beer-lahai-roi; for he was dwelling in the south country. 63 And Isaac had gone out to meditate in the fields toward the beginning of evening. And he lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, camels were coming. vv.62-63 Isaac’s Anticipation. For the first time, Isaac comes into the scene. He was returning from Beer-lahai-roi, which was the well named by Hagar in ch.16. It is beautiful to think of this well as ‘the well of submission’. It is the place where Hagar learned that “As for God, his way is perfect” (Psa. 18:30). Isaac, as a picture of Christ, came from the path of submission; total submission to the will of His Father. Now in heaven, Christ waits – like Isaac in the field – until He meets His bride! Christ is the perfect pattern of submission. What was Isaac meditating on? No doubt he was thinking about the woman he was soon to meet. In a similar way, Christ is thinking about His bride, and anticipating His union with her. We read in 2 Thess. 3:5; “But the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patience of the Christ.” The patience of the Christ is not only our waiting for Him, but His waiting for us! When Isaac looked up, the camels were coming. How must his heart have rejoiced to see that sight!
Midst the darkness, storm and sorrow
One bright gleam I see;
Well I know, the blessed morrow,
Christ will come for me.
Midst the light, and peace, and glory
Of the Father’s home,
Christ for me is watching, waiting—
Waiting till I come.
There, amidst the songs of heaven,
Sweeter to His ear,
Is the footfall through the desert,
Ever drawing near.
There made ready are the mansions,
Glorious, bright and fair;
But the bride the Father gave Him
Still is wanting there.1
64 And Rebecca lifted up her eyes and saw Isaac, and she sprang off the camel. 65 And she had said to the servant, Who is the man that is walking in the fields to meet us? And the servant said, That is my master! Then she took the veil, and covered herself. vv.64-65 Rebecca’s Anticipation. When Rebecca saw Isaac, she energetically sprang off the camel. Perhaps is speaks of that blessed coming moment when “the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, etc. … then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thess. 4:16-17). She immediately wants to know who this man is, although her heart has already told her. The Spirit of God delights to tell of the glories of Christ. And as we near the end of our earthly journey, it is yet more fitting that we be interested in knowing Him more! The knowledge that this was Isaac caused Rebecca to cover herself with a veil. It was a sign of respect, and of modesty. Her spirit, soul, and body were preserved for Isaac in marriage (2 Cor. 11:2; 1 Thess. 5:23).
66 And the servant told Isaac all things that he had done. 67 And Isaac led her into his mother Sarah’s tent; and he took Rebecca, and she became his wife, and he loved her. And Isaac was comforted after the death of his mother. vv.66-67 The Marriage. Finally, the marriage took place. One day soon, the “marriage of the Lamb” will come (Rev. 19). Christ has waited a long time, but the purpose of God will be fulfilled. Christ will have His bride. “And he loved her” is the second mention of love in scripture. The first was in ch.22, picturing God the Father’s love for the Son. Now we have a picture of the church brought into that circle of Divine love. What a blessed place, to be the object of Christ’s love for all eternity!
He and I together entering
Those bright courts above;
He and I together sharing
All the Father’s love.
Where no shade or stain can enter,
Or the gold be dim;
In that holiness unsullied,
I shall walk with Him.
Meet companion then for Jesus,
From Him, for Him made;
Glory of God’s grace forever
There in me displayed.
He and I in that bright glory
One deep joy shall share:
Mine, to be forever with Him;
His, that I am there.2