A Journey Through The Old Testament - Elmer Towns

of the patriarchs. When the field was legally purchased, Sarah was the first of four generations to
be buried in the cave of Machpelah.
Abraham experienced the death of Sarah knowing there will be a resurrection day. Some
of the strongest affirmations of a resurrection faith were made by Job, believed to be a
contemporary of Abraham by some writers. When Abraham earlier offered his son as a whole
burnt offering on Moriah, he began to do so knowing God would raise Isaac up from the ashes of
the altar. Yet despite the fact he looked forward to a resurrection day, he was careful to address
the need to bury the dead. Christians today should not attempt to minimize their responsibilities
in facing death by simply affirming their faith in the resurrection.
It took the death of Sarah before Abraham began to possess the land of Canaan.
Similarly, we begin to possess the riches of God by death, the death of Christ. His death was the
means whereby we were reconciled to God and united with Christ so as to be able to claim the
promises of God. All that we receive from God cost Jesus His life.
EIGHTEEN
REBEKAH:
A Bride for the Promised Son
(Genesis 24:1-67)
The final chapter in Abraham’s life of faith is the story of his calling out a Gentile bride
for the promised son. Most commentators agree Genesis 24 is typical and though it records an
actual historical event, it should be interpreted as a type. A type is an earthly picture with a
heavenly meaning. In this chapter, several characters seem to be representative in their role as
types of the Trinity, the church, and the world. Similarities are evident between Abraham and
God the Father. Isaac is elsewhere been established as a type of Christ. The unnamed servant is
generally viewed as a type of the Holy Spirit. Rebekah, the Gentile bride, is seen as a type of the
church, the bride of Christ and her brother Laban is typical of the world from which that church
is called. These types will be examined more closely as they appear in this chapter.
In many respects, the unnamed servant is the key to the progress of this chapter. Though
he is not named, it is generally thought it is Eliezer who is described here. He is specifically
named in the Targum and described here with the expression hammoshel bechal meaning “who
ruled over all” (Gen. 24:2; cf. 15:2). Each large household would have a principle servant of this
nature like Eliezer in Abraham’s household or Joseph in Potiphar’s household (39:4). Later in
Israel’s history, this was an important office in the royal court (1 Kings 4:6; Isa. 22:15). There
are several similarities between this servant and the Holy Spirit.