FAITH AND SPIRITUALITY AS SEEN IN ABRAHAM (6)
[p. 352] FAITH AND SPIRITUALITY AS SEEN IN ABRAHAM (6)
Genesis 24:1-21; Genesis 24:50-67
JT We cannot indeed but be impressed with the richness of the passage; I mean the whole section beginning with chapter 14. It begins with Melchisedec and ends with Isaac and Rebecca.
Ques I was impressed with the word as to the love with which the Lord Jesus was loved being in us. You remarked, I think, that we love Him in some sense as the Father has loved Him, and it raises an enquiry as to verse 21, “That they may be all one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us”. Have you something for us in relation to the oneness of affection evidently involved?
JT It would seem as if the Lord had in mind that there would be some correspondence between the Father and ourselves in this matter. There is much relativeness in distinctions and dignity, and when we come to having to say to divine Persons as in John 17, and our having part with Them, and in what They are going on with, then clearly there must be some special action of God in order to fit us for that place of nearness because we who form the assembly have the greatest place and the nearest place in relation to divine Persons. And so in the last chapter of the Bible it is said that when the Lord announces Himself as the root and offspring of David, the bright and morning star, the Spirit and the bride say, “Come”. That is to say, a divine Person is heard speaking in the same voice, in the same word, with creatures; that is to say, with ourselves, the assembly; the Spirit and the bride say, Come. There is thus to be understood by us a peculiar nearness which belongs to us as of the [p. 353] assembly that ought to affect us profoundly, specially what comes in in the last chapter of the Bible.
Rem I thought perhaps it would lay a foundation in our souls for the consideration of this matter that is now before us, for love is really required to enter into it.
JT Yes. Another thing that comes in immediately into this chapter, Genesis 24, is the service of angels. I mention it just in a preliminary way especially in view of circumstances in these southern parts, industrial circumstances affecting the Lord’s people, calling for suffering. And whether we have in our minds, especially in our prayers, the place that angels have in this sense. They are, in a general sense, said to be ministering spirits sent out for ministry for those who are heirs of salvation, and clearly it would be a relative service, not comparable to the service of the Holy Spirit or the service of the gifts that the Spirit has brought in and gives. But still it is a service that we are dependent on day and night, week in and week out, and the enemy is attacking on those lines, and it is a question therefore whether in our prayers we include the service of angels. Their service can be counted upon, we know. The Lord said He could call on His Father to send angels to Him, and we see throughout the Scriptures from the very outset that they are engaged in service right down to the end.
Ques Is that confirmed by the apostle Paul in Acts 27, when he says, “For an angel of the God, whose I am and whom I serve, stood by me this night, saying, Fear not, Paul”?
JT And he said to his listeners that it would be so, as the angel of God had spoken to him.
Rem “Thou must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has granted to thee all those that sail with thee”, the blessing connected with those who are following the teaching of Paul — and then “I [p. 354] believe God that thus it shall be, as it has been said to me”.
JT It would, I believe, be a matter of great importance if we all laid to heart the peculiar kind of attack to which we are exposed, extending back now for many years, in the industrial world in which many of our brethren are engaged. We heard of it yesterday, and it is just a question now of whether we might not include it in our thoughts, that is the importance of prayer. Not indeed to single out the angels, because we cannot do that, with one or two exceptions. They are not named except as I said in one or two cases, but we know that they are there and in large numbers, and that God has employed them from the very outset, even extending back to the very foundation of the earth when “the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy”.
PL Hezekiah’s prayer in remnant days in relation to Jerusalem was answered by God with the angel of Jehovah smiting 185,000.
JT Quite so. Showing how much can be done in that sense.
DJM We have come to myriads of angels in Hebrews 12. Does that bear on it?
JT Quite so. We have come to that, as if they belong to that to which we have come in the sense of privilege and protection.
JC-S Should we habituate our minds to think along those lines, not merely on special occasions?
JT Quite so. We should habituate our minds so and especially on Monday nights, Monday evenings being devoted to prayer.
PHH Would you specialise a little more as to this matter, just for our help?
JT Well, we have, I suppose, the angels alluded to in the cherubim with the flaming sword keeping the way of the tree of life, in an early chapter of the [p. 355] Bible and then running right down to the very end of the Bible, and especially in Paul’s ministry, and Peter’s ministry too.
GA It would appear that the Lord Himself in some way accepted this service, “an angel appeared to him from heaven strengthening him. And being in conflict he prayed more intently”, Luke 22: 43, 44.
JT Very striking. We associate ourselves with the Lord in that sense as calling for help from God. Although it is not said He called for that help, but He could, He said, have done so. As I was remarking, from the very outset we see the ministration of angels. Are they not all ministering spirits? We do not know how many there are, evidently a great many, they are called myriads. “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out for service ... ?” Sent out, therefore, they are available for us. Mention has been made already of an immense number of persons slain by one angel, and the word in Zechariah is striking, “Jehovah rebuke thee, O Satan! Yea, Jehovah that hath chosen Jerusalem”. Therefore Jerusalem is the object of protection, and of course we shall now come presently to Jerusalem as it is presented in the book of Revelation, the holy city — new Jerusalem.
CFI Does the special service of the angel in verse 7 have to do with the securing of the bride in this chapter? “He will send his angel before thee, that thou mayest take a wife for my son thence”.
JT Quite so. That is the first mention we have in the chapter.
PHH Does it mean in the main that critical positions are covered or may be covered with special angelic care, so that God’s thoughts are not interfered with finally?
JT Well, it is seen in what was said yesterday as to Lot and the attack on Sodom, and all that [p. 356] followed as to Lot, and how it is said that Jehovah left off speaking with Abraham, and went up from him, but later it is said that He went away. I believe that what is in mind in all this, is what God would do in relation to the wickedness of the world, because it was interfering with God’s interests and people. Should we not have that more in mind than hitherto, and count on God’s intervention in wars and such disturbances as are likely to interfere with the testimony, and whether we may not be freer to call on God for His help? Not indeed that we would specify persons, because, as I said, we cannot name many. We have Gabriel and Michael, but we know that there are a great many, and that they are sent out actually in service and are available for our help, and to be called for.
PL “From heaven was the fight; the stars from their courses fought with Sisera”, Judges 5: 20. Is that the way God may throw in unseen forces in crises that arise in the testimony?
JT We can count on God having men, not exactly christians, but men that He can use; many of us here have experienced it in the wars that we have been through. How God has come in from time to time, and how the prayers of the brethren at times became centred in the matter, and God answered our prayers with great results.
Ques He has operated in circles to which we have no access, political and governmental circles. Is that what you have in mind?
JT Yes. We have no access to them, no part in politics; we trust in God, but we know that God has these persons that He can use and they are already in service, they are sent out. All ministering spirits, it says, sent out for service, service to those who are heirs of salvation.
EBMcC He used an angel to liberate Peter and to smite Herod, did He [p. 357] not?
JT Quite so.
Ques Are you free to say a word on the scripture in Exodus, “Behold, I send an Angel before thee”, and “my name is in him”?
JT That is a good scripture. It is found in Exodus 23 and alluded to later in the same sense in chapter 33. The angel was entrusted with the bringing of Israel into the land, and he was to be feared, for God’s name was in him. In Timothy they are seen as connected with God’s service and activities.
DJM In the crisis in Exodus 14:19 the angel of God moved from before the camp to behind the camp in view of protection from the Egyptians pursuing them.
JT Quite so.
GA What would be in mind in the angels of God ascending and descending in Genesis 28? Would it bring into view their activities and movements in relation to what you have been bringing before us, as though there is constancy in the matter? It is not an isolated movement but a concentrated movement, ascending and descending for the service.
JT There is a similar allusion in John 1: 51. “And he says to him, Verily, verily, I say to you, Henceforth ye shall see the heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of man”. It is, I think, an allusion to the passage in Genesis, but it is very touching that the Son of man is in mind, and it is undoubtedly looking on to a later date when such protection will be needed among the saints. The same protection is needed now amongst the saints in view of the peculiar industrial situation that has arisen on the earth, especially in Europe with its outgoings, and what a weapon we have in prayer, appealing to God especially to come in and deliver us, so that the [p. 358] testimony may not be bound up or hampered by this attack that is so manifest, especially in these southern regions.
JC-S Do you suggest that the devil is acting through the industrial position in this way, in getting at the testimony?
JT That is what I noticed, and I refer to what came before us yesterday as to a certain part, and whether in that part and elsewhere we are taking into account what God has with which to meet such conditions, and whether we are availing ourselves of it.
Ques Have you in mind perhaps a little more specific prayer? I noticed in Ezra it speaks of seeking from God “a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance ... And we fasted, and besought our God for this; and he was entreated of us”. Would that encourage us more?
JT Quite so.
PL In Elisha’s day we get the thought of beholding the mountain, “Jehovah opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw; and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha”. Is it the vessel of light so exposed that is specially protected?
JT A very good illustration of it. Our brethren are bound to suffer, and the question is, whether we are equal to the suffering, because if we are and take it on there will be greater blessing and greater light too furnished for us.
SHB Would it help us also to take up the exhortation as to thanksgiving for all men as well as prayer for all men?
JT Very good. It is a question of men, all men.
WSS When it says, “that thou mayest take a wife for my son thence”, would it suggest that apart from this angelic service the work of the Spirit would not be successful in securing a wife?
JT [p. 359] Although it is not an angel that is commissioned at all, it is a servant of Abraham that is commissioned, undoubtedly typical of the Spirit of God Himself. So that the service is of the very highest order.
WSS I was thinking of the servant as typical of the Spirit, but that the sending of the angel before him would, in that way, make way for him.
JT The angel would lend his service happily, as he would lend it too later in taking Israel out of Egypt into the land.
PHH Is it a kind of heavenly accessory service?
JT It is just accessory, but it is a real service, a service that none others are fitted for. I mean to say the brethren cannot interfere politically, but the angels can. They have means of doing it.
CK Is that why it is mentioned here in connection with the fact that Jehovah the God of the heavens had taken Abraham out of his father’s house?
JT Quite so.
Rem In Matthew 28 it speaks of one angel and says, “For fear of him the guards trembled and became as dead men. And the angel answering said to the women, Fear not ye”. The same angel causes dead men amongst the enemies but brings the support of heaven to those who are in the testimony.
JT Quite so. Then another thing that might be added in this connection is the peculiar circumstances in Abraham’s house and among his servants, how all is fitted for this great matter, for there is nothing that need be forced. Everything is there that is suitable in Abraham even externally, and so we have “and Abraham was old, and advanced in age; and Jehovah had blessed Abraham in all things. And Abraham said to his servant, the eldest of his house, who ruled over all that he had”, and so forth. That is, Abraham’s circumstances are such as to [p. 360] render him available in an external sense for such an important matter, as is now before us; that is to say the securing of the assembly. We take the brethren generally, there is considerable need, of course, and it is intended that there should be, and the need amongst them only brings out love that exists; at the same time, the brethren generally, in a circumstantial way are cared for by God. It is not His intent to make us rich or distinguished by anything of that kind, but it is His intent to show that He is caring for us, and that circumstances are available for our benefit. So that we have what is needed. Abraham had all that was needed, he was blessed in every way. As I said before, “Jehovah had blessed Abraham in all things”. Well these things were necessary for this great matter, and now they are put into effect. And so we get in verse 10 “And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed”; that is to say, he had plenty, so that the servant can take them according to what he thinks should be taken, ten camels.
CCC Is this to impress us with the thought of the Father’s affections moving in this matter? It is the movement of a father in relation to his son.
JT Just so. It shows too how the circumstances of a brother and his family may be such as to enable him to afford love’s way, afford love’s service and activities. So that the brethren here have moved in love, and they are not restrained in any way, they are ready to use hospitality to invite their brethren, and God is pleased with all that.
PHH Do you mean it is all to be used to promote this great assembly matter?
JT That is what I was thinking. The whole array of things here that Abraham is the centre of is all put into motion with great intelligence. Everything is done rightly, and therefore we can see the sphere in which love is active, and love’s ways [p. 361] shown, and we are in that sphere. That is where God has put us.
ET John having something like that in mind wrote to Gaius, saying, “that in all things thou shouldest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospers”. He speaks about having wrought, “whatever thou mayest have wrought towards the brethren”.
JT A very good example, and the elect lady too. John’s epistles work out all this of which we are speaking. So the elect lady and her children were governed by the truth, and were cared for by God in a circumstantial way.
Ques Does this all make for definiteness? I notice the servant speaks in verse 14 of one who was appointed for Isaac. If we are over-burdened circumstantially, and not conscious of a little help from God in such matters, distraction is likely to ensue, whereas, as moving on this line I wondered whether confidence was begotten and definiteness comes into view. So the servant speaks not of anybody, but of one who was appointed for Isaac, as though divine arrangement was entering into the matter.
JT Yes. Of course that takes us on to a higher level. That leads us on to a more spiritual level when we come to what was appointed for Isaac, which would mean the assembly.
Ques I wondered whether we are being set free for that.
JT Just so. Hence whether our circumstances are eased for us so that we should be free.
AM Are we to be acquainted with the Spirit in various ways? There are several suggestions of the Spirit, the well, the water, the camels, as well as the servant.
JT I think the whole area of operations here contemplates the Spirit in more phases than one. The Spirit is here in such power, and in such ways [p. 362] that you may find Him in different settings at different times, but His presence is always assured, and more particularly when it is a question of securing something for Christ, securing the assembly.
RRT His presence is always assured, you say, Would verse 13 bear on that? “Behold, I stand here by the well of water”. The Spirit here takes up a position similar to what we had in relation to the three men standing by in Genesis 18.
JT Just so. He is standing where He can be usable, so that He can secure what He is aiming at.
AED The servant runs to meet her, according to verse 17. Is that what marks the Spirit’s ministry, the energy of the present moment?
JT Quite so. And then of course we must come down to Rebecca herself and begin to enquire among us as to what is going on in this way, as to whether there is anything that is comparable, and progressive, in the service of God. We have the word, “always abounding in the work of the Lord”, that is, of course, a word that ought to apply to everyone professedly in the service. So that there are those who are ready to do what is needed to be done, and to do it well. I think that is the point that comes out here, that what Rebecca does is done well and liberally and willingly because it was a big undertaking for a young woman to furnish water for these camels.
RAH Is it noticeable in regard to Rebecca that she “came out”?
JT Yes. Verse 15 says, “And it came to pass before he had ended speaking, that behold, Rebecca came out”. And then we are told about her, who she is. We have her identification. “Who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother”, that is to say she is identified as the proper person to be in marital relation typically with Christ. She is of [p. 363] His kindred.
WS Is her name important, meaning captivating?
JT Quite so.
PHH Have you in mind that what Rebecca does is a practical service?
JT Well, I think it is to bring out what the assembly is in the place of need, not only where it may be, but where it is. She is there ready to be used in a large way.
Rem There is nothing niggardly about the assembly’s provision, once she puts her hand to it.
JT Quite so.
JC-S She is equal to the occasion.
JT I think what you say is good. There is nothing niggardly or small about her. And then if we are entertaining we are to be liberal and free in it. It is a great matter because we are enjoined in the epistle to the Hebrews not to be forgetful of hospitality. The point for us now, therefore, is to see how she qualifies because it is a question of coming up to the spiritual level of her relation with Isaac, and correspondingly what the saints may be in relation to Christ, that they are of His kindred.
EB I was going to ask in that connection whether Rebecca at this point suggests the thought of assembly personnel, because we have spoken about not being niggardly in entertaining. We have had considerable concern as to whether the assembly entertains, but that the persons do who comprise it. Are you speaking about Rebecca as typical of assembly personnel at the moment?
JT Well, it would be the material. She represents those who form the assembly, I would say. The matter of entertaining is now of great importance in this city, so many are being entertained and need it, and I am sure that those of us who are being entertained can testify to the liberality of the hospitality, which is a great testimony to God [p. 364] too.
CHH Would it imply that the activities are really in the mind of the Spirit? What she does here is in keeping with the mind of the servant.
JT Quite so. She is material for the assembly, but the servant here is typical of the Spirit undoubtedly, and so what would come out is the work of the Spirit in those who, like Rebecca, are intended to form the assembly.
CHH Have you in mind that even material things required in caring for the needs of the saints, are really in the mind of the Spirit, and are furthering the testimony in relation to all that God has in mind?
JT Yes. Many a time we prove it. These large meetings have now become prevalent, and God is in them, and I am sure He would continue them. It is a question, therefore, for sisters as well as brothers, how they are to be continued and maintained, but we must not forget that we must deal with the spiritual side in order to reach the thoughts that are before us.
PHH Is it significant that when this has been done and the water drawn the man brings in the ornamentation? “And it came to pass when the camels had drunk enough, that the man took a gold ring ... and two bracelets”. Does this ministering in a spiritual way give an opening for spiritual adornment?
JT It goes with what we are saying. The spiritual side, of course, must come before us definitely before we finish, the mere externals are only accessory. We have to come now to the thought of Rebecca. She is seen at the end of chapter 22 definitely; she is seen by herself. She is brought out in the chapter, “Bethuel begot Rebecca”. She is outstanding here, as if we are to get a view of her in the type, so as to have her in our minds, and when we come to the book of Revelation, it is very remarkable [p. 365] that the heavenly city, the bride in the closing chapters, is seen by herself, and the question is whether we are accustomed to take account of her by herself.
PL Would the first reference in Genesis 22 treat of her constitutionally, so to speak, in relation to her lineage, and here we have what you have referred to elsewhere, as substantiality?
JT Quite so. And what I am saying especially is a matter of being able to see or take account of the assembly by herself. She is seen, for instance, in Revelation 19 as the bride, the Lamb’s wife. She is given to be clothed in fine linen bright and pure, for the fine linen is the righteousnesses of the saints. That is to say, she is seen by herself in those who compose her.
Ques Do you mean that the assembly is to be regarded as an entity?
JT Quite so, as an entity. A creature entity to be taken account of by all of us, because in the book of Revelation the Lord says of Philadelphia, “I make them ... who say that they are Jews, and are not, but lie; behold, I will cause that they shall come and shall do homage before thy feet, and shall know that I have loved thee”. That is to say she is known to be loved by Christ. She is seen by herself, but she is known to be loved by Christ.
AJG Have you in mind that it is not only a question of having the abstract thought of the assembly before us, but that there is to be sufficient expression of it among the saints, as a result of the work of God, for us to see it concretely?
JT That is what I thought exactly. The book of Revelation affords us views of the assembly, and if we go by the word “captivated” of which we are reminded, what is presented is very touching. Is there that amongst us that is captivating, that is to say, that tends to hold persons [p. 366] for blessing?
PHH The bride, the Lamb’s wife, would be captivating!
JT She is captivating. The words mean that she is captivating to Him anyway.
Ques Does the Song of Songs in the ardent language employed prove that? Christ typically is held by the affections of the assembly.
JT Yes.
PL “The king is fettered by thy ringlets”?
JT Just so. I do not wish to be unduly pressing one side, but it seems to be a matter that is to be before us, that she is to be viewed by herself, what she is in herself.
Rem She is said to have “made herself ready”.
JT Very good.
J C. Is what you say seen in verse 16 which says “And the maiden was very fair in countenance; a virgin, and no man had known her”? Then it goes on to say what she does and what she is.
JT Just so. See what she is and what she undertook. How readily she undertook a great service; that is to say, she is not small at all in her thoughts when the service is proposed to her. She went down to the well and filled her pitcher and came up. “And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, sip a little water out of thy pitcher. And she said, Drink, my lord! And she hasted and let down her pitcher on her hand, and gave him to drink. And when she had given him enough to drink, she said, I will draw water for thy camels also, until they have drunk enough. 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. And the man was astonished at her, remaining silent, to know whether Jehovah had made his journey prosperous or not”. I think that is a remarkable statement. The man was astonished at [p. 367] her.
HH Would not the gift of the servant to her of the ring and the bracelets be on account of her personal worth? I thought her own personal comeliness and attractiveness is something like the pearl in Matthew 13.
JT Quite so. She is not alone in this, in this lavish giving, for it is said in verse 53 “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”. That is to say the whole position is lavish in wealth, but the wealth that love can use. It is a love matter, but it is not restricted to Rebecca, there are others mentioned, as I said. He gave all these articles, so that there is a spirit of liberality in giving; that is to say, giving in the power of love acting, for this is the sphere of love’s activities. It is not mere philanthropy, it is love that is acting, and you cannot find it anywhere in the universe, now, except in the assembly.
GA Would that be indicated in the fact that she ran on two separate occasions, as having, perhaps, learned that from the Spirit typically as taking on the urgency of affection?
JT Just so. No doubt she is, as you might say, absorbing things. She is becoming like the man, really, and thus in time, becoming like herself. She is the real entity that is in mind to be secured.
JWH Would you say a word about the astonishment in connection with that?
JT It is a remarkable thing that it should be said of one who represents a divine Person, and it corresponds with the Lord Himself. It says in Luke 7 that He wondered at certain things that a certain man had said.
JWH Is the astonishment on the part of one who is typical of a divine Person to impress us with [p. 368] the thought of mystery relating to Christ and the assembly, this having union in mind?
JT Quite so. But let us now think of the idea of mystery, because we must not let it go, now that you have brought it up, because the mystery covers Christ and the assembly.
Ques Does Paul open the door for very great expectations when he says “above all which we ask or think” in Ephesians 3: 20? Would that open a wide field of expectation, that this wonderment might really be apprehended by us, that God may do something much greater than we have anticipated?
JT Quite so, and who represents it more forcibly than Abraham’s servant here, how he wondered at things, and yet he had come out for them, but they go beyond his expectations?
AED Is that in the light of the excellence of the quality in the vessel?
JT Just so; the excellence of the quality, and the efficiency, and skill, and power of the service.
JC-S Remaining silent would indicate how greatly he was affected by what he saw.
JT Yes. Look at what is here, divine Persons, you might say, in wonderment of what has come about, and having pleasure in Their own work, and its results.
AM Does her right speaking on several occasions enter into this too — there is comeliness of speech with her?
JT Quite. Everything is in keeping, that is what strikes you in this whole passage. There is no discrepancy except perhaps in Laban, but in general there is no discrepancy at all. In moving on with the Spirit of God at the present time we shall not be impressed with discrepancies, we shall be impressed with the fulness and blessedness and liberality that God has furnished for us, because we are [p. 369] coming near the end of things, and God is going to give us a good finish, I would say.
PHH Do you think we have reached that spirit of things now, when the servant says, “Do not hinder me, seeing Jehovah has prospered my way: send me away, and I will go to my master”?
JT And yet he is silent; the servant is awaiting his opportunity to say what he had to say, not doing anything, not saying anything, not eating until he says what his mission is. He has one thing before him, and that is a great matter in the service, to have one thing before us. “One thing I do”, Paul said. I think we should proceed from verse 50 now, what we get with Laban and Bethuel and then the thing proceeds, Laban and Bethuel are able to say that “the thing proceeds from Jehovah: we cannot speak to thee bad or good. Behold, Rebecca is before thee”. That is to say, Laban and Bethuel have full confidence in Rebecca, that she is fit for the situation. She will fill it out suitably, and so, “we cannot speak to thee bad or good. Behold, Rebecca is before thee: take her, and go away; and let her be wife of thy master’s son, as Jehovah has said”. That is very fine. These two men are responsible in the matter, and they are looking on, and they have full confidence in what is being done, that Rebecca is equal to what is being sought, ready to meet it, and so there she is. “Rebecca is before thee: take her, and go away”. So that she is to be regarded in this light in this passage.
JTS I was thinking of what was remarked earlier as to the importance of viewing the assembly by itself. I wondered if we should have a word as to the import of what it says in verse 64 that “she sprang off the camel”.
JT That has a beautiful place, as we shall see. It is a question of the power of spring in Rebecca; after the long journey of the wilderness, she is now [p. 370] ready to spring, as it says. We might look at the group of things that are mentioned in that connection. First it says, “Rebecca arose, and her maids”, verse 61, “and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man. And the servant took Rebecca, and went away”. He had reached his object and he went away. “And Isaac had just returned from Beer-lahai-roi; for he was dwelling in the south country. And Isaac had gone out to meditate in the fields toward the beginning of the evening. And he lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, camels were coming”. I just point out that what occupies Isaac is the camels, not Rebecca. And then it says, “Rebecca lifted up her eyes and saw Isaac, and she sprang off the camel”. That is her part. That is to say she has the power of spring, which is a great matter in these spiritual affairs. She has the power to spring off the camel. “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”. Now that is another thing to be noticed. The change from Abraham to Isaac, that Isaac is the master now, which we have to understand as to how Christ comes in, as a divine Person, into such a place. That Isaac is now spoken of as the master, and then it says “she took the veil, and covered herself”. That is another thing, suitable and comely, pointing to the covering of the head according to 1 Corinthians, and then again it says “the servant told Isaac all things that he had done”, so that the whole position is set out clearly, and we are given an account of things, and everything, as I said before, is without discrepancy, except perhaps with Laban and the others in the house.
ENJ Is it significant that the report is made to Isaac and not to Abraham, “the servant told Isaac all things that he had done”?
JT That is what I was thinking. Abraham is now lost to view. It is a question of Isaac being the master, which would, of course, point to Christ in some sense in which we apprehend Him in relation to the assembly.
JC-S Does it point to His supremacy?
JT It does; and then he is a man of leisure, he is not occupied with work, that is not the idea. It is a question of leisure.
CAI In this connection is it to be noticed that she refers to the servant as lord, “Drink, my lord!” and then receives the word from him, “That is my master!”? I wondered whether in addressing the servant as “my lord”, she would be reverential towards the Holy Spirit typically, and now receives from him an indication of the supremacy of Isaac; that is, of Christ?
JT Just so. The Spirit leads the way in that. The Lord says, “He shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you”. He makes much of Christ.
Ques So that in the marital setting, would you say that it is Christ personally before us?
JT Quite so, but what have you in mind in saying that?
Rem I was just thinking of the place He has secured as the Man in the heart of the woman. But the divine conception arose with the Father, as you have been pointing out, Abraham was the source of all this.
JT Yes, and then the servant is so skilled and wise, he is the eldest of Abraham’s house, he knows what to do and everything comes under his guidance.
EBMcC Where does the Lord come from on Lord’s day morning? Does He come from heaven or is He here as in Matthew, or as we have it here?
JT You are distinguishing and, of course, that helps us. Matthew would say He is here all the time. But then we know from other scriptures that [p. 372] He is in heaven too, He has gone into heaven, angels and authorities and powers being made subject to Him and, therefore, He can come out of heaven and does come out of heaven, as it says, “He is as a bridegroom going forth from his chamber; he rejoiceth as a strong man to run the race”. That is a picture of Christ Himself, and opens up much to us as to the activities of Christ at the present time towards the assembly and the service of God.
PHH Rebecca addresses the servant here a good many times, but you would not bring the addressing of the Spirit by us, I suppose, into formal assembly service, would you?
JT By the addressing of the Spirit do you mean that we speak to Him?
PHH Yes.
JT Well, He keeps out of sight, I would say; although in the book of the Acts, He is very active in Himself in authority, which is something to be noted. He says for instance to Peter in Acts 10, “I have sent them”. Peter was to go, because the Spirit said to him, “Go with them, nothing doubting, because I have sent them”, and then again in chapter 13 He is seen as sending Paul and Barnabas, “Separate me now Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them”; so that there is a definite action of the Spirit in authority in those cases, and it is well to keep that in mind too. At the same time He keeps Himself out of sight, as in Colossians for instance, where you get very little of the Spirit acting of Himself, but still He does act of Himself.
CFI Some reference has been made to what is said in Numbers 21 in relation to the well, “Sing ye unto it”.
HH I wanted to ask if it was thought that we should pray to the Holy Spirit.
JT I would not say that.
DJM [p. 373] You made some reference to singing to the well, and that the Spirit should have some part in our worship.
JT Quite so. That is the truth.
CAI The Spirit should be recognised as having His part in the economy.
JT Quite so.
JC-S You really could not have the service without the Spirit in reality, could you?
JT Quite so. He is here, He is sent forth from heaven to witness for Christ, and to be the power of our testimony too, but then He is here as a divine Person having authority to send out ministers. Now to proceed, I think the position of Rebecca is certainly worthy of perhaps a little more attention. In the verses alluded to, “Rebecca arose, and her maids, and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man”. I would call attention to the fact that the maids are mentioned, that being a feminine thought. That is the increase of femininity, which is important in this connection. The feminine idea is there, whatever we may say about it, and then “the servant took Rebecca, and went away. And Isaac had just returned from Beer-lahai-roi; for he was dwelling in the south country. 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”. It is important to notice, that he saw the camels first; it does not say he saw Rebecca first, he saw the camels first, and then it says, “Rebecca lifted up her eyes”, and so forth, but the fact that he saw the camels first is of prime importance to my mind, because it is a question of what the brethren are being carried by, what power we are using in the service of God, whether it is really the Spirit of God. I would like to notice especially what Isaac saw, and why it is mentioned. It says “he lifted up his eyes and saw,
and behold, camels were coming”. Why does it not say Rebecca?
Ques Do you mean that as the Lord Jesus looks on our assembly activities, He should see that we are employing the power of the camel, spiritual power in all that is done?
JT It is what is divinely furnished to carry us through, that is the idea and where are we in regard of these things. How are we going through to Christ, what power are we using?
Ques Is there a reference to the responsible history of those who compose the assembly in the mention of ten camels? Does it mean that there is ample power furnished for every department of responsible history?
JT Good, but I would like a little more stress on what Isaac saw.
Ques Would it be the Spirit coming into His place after a long history of hidden service for the delight of Christ?
JT Very good. What Isaac saw was that camels were coming. It does not mention Rebecca. That is to say, the Lord is thus occupied for the moment with what power we are using, what we have been carried by.
JC-S You are thinking of the service of God particularly when you raise the question as to what we are using, we might only be using our minds instead of the power of the Spirit?
JT Quite so, a very needed matter to consider.
JW Would that verse in Ephesians help, “We have both access by one Spirit to the Father”?
JT Just so. That is the power for getting to the Father, but now we are speaking of what the Lord sees, by what power we are being carried. If you will look at a passage in 2 Corinthians 6 I think there are about 37 references to what Paul used, what he is going on with, and I think we will [p. 375] get some idea of what Christianity really means in a practical way.
FW Is it the suggestion of the importance of the truth known in the power of the Spirit?
JT Quite so. It is a question of the power of the Spirit, as you say, but then allusion has been made to our minds, and our affections, and the like. Well, we must use our minds, and we must use our affections, but then we may misuse our minds, and the type in Rebecca has been forced and carried by our minds, whereas it is really not the full thought. We need more than our minds, we need affections, but we do need our minds and when we come to the Lord’s supper the first thought really is the mind. With the mind we are ready to gather up and take on what is to be used for the moment in the service of God.
Ques May I ask to what you refer in Paul using these things in 2 Corinthians?
JT In chapter 6 verse 3, “Giving no manner of offence in anything, that the ministry be not blamed; but in everything commending ourselves as God’s ministers, in much endurance, in afflictions, in necessities, in straits, in stripes, in prisons, in riots, in labours, in watchings, in fastings, in pureness, in knowledge, in longsuffering, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in love unfeigned, in the word of truth, in the power of God; through the arms of righteousness on the right hand and left, through glory and dishonour, through evil report and good report: as deceivers, and true; as unknown, and well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as disciplined, and not put to death; as grieved, but always rejoicing; as poor, but enriching many; as having nothing, and possessing all things”. That is what I consider real power used in the service of God.