Isaac and Rebekah: Yeshua and Us (pt 1)

The story of Isaac and Rebekah coming together in marriage is amazingly prophetic of Yeshua and his end-times spiritual bride — the saints of redeemed Israel. Here is the story as it unfolds in the pages of your Bible and recorded hundreds of years before the birth of Yeshua the Messiah!

There are many prophetic spiritual types and shadows to be found in the Torah that point forward prophetically to Yeshua the Messiah. A series of events in Isaac’s life beginning in Genesis 22 and culminating in chapter 24 provide us with some amazing antetypical glimpses into events that would surround the life of Yeshua the Messiah some 1800 years later.

For example, in Genesis 22 we find the Akeidah or binding of Isaac on Mount Moriah is a prophetic shadow-picture of Yeshua’s crucifixion on the altar of the cross. But note the conclusion of this incident in verse 19. There we see that Abraham returns to his young men with no mention made of Isaac being with him. Where was Isaac? Obviously, he was accompanying his father, however the Scriptures fail to mention this. Interestingly, according to Jewish folklore, Isaac was actually killed, but that he was later resurrected. This further strengthens the assertion we have made that the Akeidah was a prophetic picture of the substitutionary death and resurrection of Yeshua at the cross. If Isaac was an antetype of Yeshua, then logically, Abraham would be a type of Elohim the Father. So for illustrative purposes, let’s assume that Isaac’s absence is a picture of Yeshua’s crucifixion and, thus following this scenario, when does Isaac (or Yeshua) next appear on the scene? A wonderful story is about to unfold from the pages of the Bible as we answer this question!

Genesis 24:1, After the death of Sarah, Abraham’s first order of business is to find a wife for Isaac. Similarly, after Yeshua was resurrected from the dead he returned to heaven where his Father began to prepare a spiritual bride for him, which are the saints of redeemed Israel (read 2 Cor 11:2; Rev 19:7–9).

Genesis 24:2ff, Who did Abraham employ to procure for his son a bride? It was Elizar (or Eliezar), his eldest and most trusted servant. In Hebrew, Eliezar means “El (God) is my helper.” Who is the Chief Servant, if you will, of the Father in heaven who is presently searching for and preparing a bride for Yeshua his Son? It is the Set-Apart (Holy) Spirit of Elohim who the Scriptures call the Comforter or Helper (John 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7).

Genesis 24:10, Elizar went to Babylon to find a bride for Isaac. In the last days, where is YHVH calling his people out of in order to prepare them to be the bride of Yeshua? (See Rev 18:2, 4.) 

Genesis 24:14ff, Elizar puts Rebekah to the test to determine her suitability as a wife for Isaac. Presently, the Father is testing the saints to determine their suitability as a wife for Yeshua. Not all redeemed believers will be the wife of Yeshua. There are levels of rewards in Elohim’s kingdom. Some will be the least in his kingdom and some will be the greatest (Matt 5:19), and not all the virgins were allowed into the wedding supper — only those who had prepared themselves spiritually (Matt 25:1–13).

Genesis 24:16, Although Rebekah lived in Babylon, she was a virgin (Heb. betulah). She hadn’t fornicated with any other man. Similarly, the Father is looking for a virgin bride for Yeshua who, though in the world, is not of the world (John 17:11, 14) — who has not spiritually fornicated with the world. (See 2 Cor 11:2; Eph 5:27.)

Genesis 24:16, Rebekah is found at a well drawing water. This a picture of the end-time bride of Yeshua who will be found drawing water from the spiritual wells of salvation or Yeshua (Isa 12:3). From Yeshua she will be filling her vessels or lives with the Torah (the Word of Elohim) and the Spirit of Elohim (John 4:23–24). Not only that, Elizar had ten camels (Gen 24:10) that Rebekah watered (verse 19), which is likely a picture of the ten lost and scattered tribes of Israel, who are the luke warmers, the foolish virgins, and the least in the kingdom who still haven’t come out of Babylon/Christians (see Rev 12:17; 14:12). Rebekkah feeding, or watering/discipling Christians who need to come out of spiritual Babylonian religious systems (Rev 18:4). Malachi prophesied that in the end times just before the second coming (Mal 4:1–3) the people of YHVH would be returning to the Torah and turning their hearts back to the spiritual fathers of their faith (Mal 4:4–6).

Genesis 24:16ff, Rebekah demonstrated a humble, modest, hard-working and submissive spirit. This is the type of demeanor Yeshua is looking for in his spiritual bride.

Genesis 24:22, Elizar gives gifts (mohar) to Rebekah as a down payment or “earnest money” showing the seriousness of Abaham’s offer to Rebekah. Similarly, Yeshua promised to send his Set-Apart Spirit to his disciples as a down payment or earnest of his future intentions to marry them (2 Cor 1:22; 2 Cor 5:5; Eph 1:14). Furthermore, Elizar gives Rebekah a finger and an ear ring. The Bible indicates in several places that the servants of YHVH are to remember his ways — the Torah — in all that they do and think as if it were a mark on their head and hands (Exod 13:9, 16; Deut 11:18). In Revelation 22:4, we read that YHVH will write his name on the foreheads of his people in the New Jerusalem. Of course, those who serve the devil will have his counterfeit mark of possession on their heads and hands as well (Rev 14:9).

Next, we will examine Rebekah’s journey to the Promised Land and how that prophetically speaks of Yeshua’s second coming and his marriage to the saints of redeemed Israel. Stay tuned.

 

 

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