The Son's Bride Chosen

How much we see echoes of our Lord Jesus in the life of Isaac! Both promised sons, both delivered up to death, both received back from the grave, both given all by their fathers!

Add to those, this: as Abraham arranged a wife for Isaac, so God the Father gave the Church as the bride unto His Son the Lord Jesus!

Abraham's servant went to find and introduce a wife to Isaac. He did not know who she might be, but he believed Abraham who promised that the Angel of the Lord would go before him. So too the Holy Ghost prepares the hearts of the Lord's people to make them ready to come to Him!

Abraham's servant could not show Isaac to Rebekah. He could only describe his character and great wealth. So too we preach Christ and His Gospel to the lost, not knowing who will believe, and able only to present Him through His Word and not in person.

Eliezer adopted a sign of charity and good works, so that God could show him who the proper bride would be. Rebekah was not chosen because of her good works - rather, the Lord wrought her good works to reveal who He had chosen for Isaac.

Our Lord Jesus told us that His people would be known by their love and kindness to one another. We aren't chosen for anything we do, but rather, God works in us to do His good pleasure!

Rebekah was a beautiful virgin bride for Isaac. God's people must be faithful only to Christ, rejecting all other Christs and all other Gospels.

But most importantly, the beauty of Christ's bride is all of His work and none of our own! In ourselves, we were unlovely and defiled, but Christ has washed and cleansed us by His blood. He has bestowed on us His perfect beauty and righteousness forever!