I spoke to the prophets, gave them many visions, and told parables through them. Hosea 12:10
Then Abraham returned to his servants and they set off together for Beersheba. And Abraham stayed in Beersheba (Gen. 22:19). Students have puzzled over this verse. Abraham had told his servants that he and Isaac would return to them (v.5), and the Lord had provided a substitute offering sparing Isaac (v.13) so why doesn’t the verse read “Abraham and Isaac returned to their servants… “? The answer is hidden in plain sight in chapter 24 when Isaac re-appears and completes the story of the Gospel in Genesis.
In Gen. 24:1 we read that Abraham was now old and well advanced in years and the Lord had blessed him in every way. Sarah had died and Abraham had buried her in Hebron (Gen. 23) so he sent the chief servant in his household to the home of his relatives to choose a wife for Isaac, traditionally a mother’s privilege. Abraham instructed him that he was not to get Isaac a bride from the Canaanites, nor was he to take Isaac back to his homeland. If the woman he chose refused to come, then the servant was released from his duty (Gen. 24:1-9).
Will You Marry Him?
The servant packed 10 camels with gifts and set out for the town of Nahor, Abraham’s brother. On the way he devised a plan that he asked the Lord to bless as he was arriving at the well outside town. The deal was that if he asked a girl for a drink and she offered to help water his camels as well, she would be the one the Lord had selected for Isaac. Now drawing enough water for 10 camels is no small task so this would be a real sign. Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came along and when he asked her for a drink she agreed and offered to water his camels as well. The servant confirmed that she was from the family of Nahor (she was his grand daughter) gave her a gift, and asked to spend the night with them
Upon arriving at her family home, the servant told his story and formally asked for Rebekah on behalf of Isaac. They gave their permission but when the servant insisted that they leave immediately said the final decision was hers. With out hesitation she agreed to go and they set off (Gen. 24:10-61).
Isaac had come in from the desert to Beer Lahai Roi one evening and as he looked up in the distance he saw them coming and went out to meet them. Rebekah spotted him and asked the servant who he was. “He is my master,” the servant replied so she covered herself with a veil as was the custom. Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah and married her and she brought comfort to Isaac after his mother’s death. (Gen. 24:62-67)
The Well Of Living Water
This is about as good a model of the relationship between the Father, the Son, Israel, and the Church as you’ll find anywhere in scripture. Remember that from the command to offer his only son as a sacrifice, Isaac was as good as dead to Abraham. Three days later Abraham received Isaac back from death when the Lord provided a substitute sacrifice (Gen. 22:4-6, 13 & Hebr. 11:17-19). At this point Isaac disappeared from the story. Abraham returned home with the servants to preside over the death and burial of his beloved Sarah and send an unnamed servant to the land of his family to obtain a bride for Isaac. She is supernaturally identified to the servant, given gifts by him, and must decide immediately to leave her familiar life, embark upon a journey of unknown duration with the servant as her guide to marry a husband she has never seen. Isaac is re-introduced into the story on the occasion of their initial meeting (on a day and hour previously unknown to her) near Beer LaHai Roi where they finally meet face to face and are married. Roughly translated Beer LaHai Roi means well of living water.
I Spoke To The Prophets, Gave Them Many Visions, And Told Parables Through Them (Hosea 12:10)
After God the Father had received His Son back from death, Jesus ascended into heaven and disappeared from Earth. Later the Father presided over the death and burial of His beloved Israel. He also sent an unnamed Servant into the Earth in search of a bride for His Son. This Servant, The Holy Spirit, is called The Comforter by Jesus in John 16:7 KJV but is known by no other name. (Although Abraham’s servant is not named in Gen. 24, a few chapters earlier he is identified as Eliezer a name that roughly translates “God is our comforter” Gen.15:2).
The Holy Spirit seeks out supernaturally identified people (He knew us before the foundation of the Earth was laid) asking us to become the Bride of Christ, investing us with gifts when we agree (Ephe. 1:13-14 and 1 Cor. 12:7-11). We must decide immediately to leave our familiar life, and embark upon a spiritual journey of unknown duration with the comforter as our guide to marry a husband we have never seen. On a day and hour previously unknown to us our Betrothed will come out to meet us (1 Thes. 4:16-17), The Holy Spirit will usher us into the presence of the true Well of Living Water, and upon meeting Him face to face for the first time we will wed. And now you know the adult version.