GENESIS 23 AND 24
GENESIS 23 AND 24
Chapter 23 is interesting as setting before us, in the death of Sarah, the disappearance of Israel, and this makes room for the introduction of the church, seen in Rebekah. The following is the order in which the truth appears here: chapter 22 is Christ risen; chapter 23 presents the death and burial of Israel; and in chapter 24 the church is called out. Then the marriage of Abraham with Keturah (chapter 25) would point to the resumption of the link with Israel,
[p. 294] after the church, in its own unique nature and calling, has come into view.
As to Israel historically, it is regarded as dead, as having rejected Christ, and faith buries it. Abraham is to be regarded in these chapters as representing faith in its historical course, that is, as following God’s movements. Faith bows to God’s judgment, however much the affections of the person who has it may suffer. The purchase of the burying ground is very interesting. The land was Abraham’s by promise; but he establishes his title to a small section of it, not to live upon it, but as a place in which to preserve his dead. Sarah is placed there in view of resurrection. Burial in this sense is an act of faith. God had made Himself known to Abraham as the Almighty, and the burial of Sarah had this in view; hers is the first burial recorded in Scripture. The land was not promised to Abraham as a burying ground; it was to be a sphere of life, but title to the field of Ephron was made good by purchase, and so it should be intact until the time of the resurrection. The idea of burial by those who had faith seems to have had in view the light in which God revealed Himself to Abraham. In Genesis burial is prominent after this. But burial also involves the putting out of sight of that upon which God has brought in death. As to Israel, Romans 9 to 11 sets forth truth analogous to what we find here. Israel had been cut off, but should be reinstated, and the Gentiles set aside. Israel, as set up again in relationship with God on the earth, will be as “life from the dead”. God will bring them up out of their graves and place them in the land of Israel, Ezekiel 37. It is an immense thing to maintain in our souls constantly an apprehension of the God of resurrection. We are inclined to dwell upon the doctrine of it, rather than its practical import. It is beautiful to see that if Abraham was to offer up [p. 295] Isaac, he accounted that God was able to raise him up. Death having passed upon all men, faith lays hold upon God in His righteousness and power. These two great attributes of God are unfolded in Genesis. Speaking to the Sadducees in regard to the resurrection, the Lord said, “Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God”. Matthew 22:29. He is the God of Abraham, of Isaac and of Jacob. The patriarchs live in spirit today, but the Lord is dealing with resurrection. “They are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection”. Luke 20:36. The Lord took the ground of the power of God, “who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were”, Romans 4:17. In Ephesians 1:19,20 we have, “the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead”.
The light of the resurrection being known in the soul, the believer moves accordingly: if a loved object passes away in death, we lay the body carefully away in the grave; that is our part — God will take it out of the grave. We should connect those who have fallen asleep with the sphere of life, not with the sphere of death.
The apostle Paul, in a sense, buried Israel in the end of Acts: he turned definitely away from them. Instead of Israel, Christ now has the church. Isaac was comforted by Rebekah after his mother’s death. Isaac is the heavenly man, and so he must not have a Canaanitish wife; his bride must be in every way suitable to him. The history of Isaac is unique. What is said of him and his activities points to the present position of Christ. He must open the wells, open the springs of refreshment, which the enemy had stopped up. It is a question of the gift of the Spirit, but it is characteristic and continuous work at the present time.
[p. 296] Rebekah, as a type, represents the church as of the lineage of Christ; as formed by the Spirit we are derived from Him. We are wholly of a heavenly stock, and no other elements are admissible in the bride of the heavenly Man. “Both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one”, Hebrews 2:11. “As is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly”, 1 Corinthians 15:48. What strikes you as to Rebekah is, that in every way she is suitable to Isaac. It has reference to the great dignity of the position of the saints viewed as the brethren of Christ. We shall never yield true church affection for Christ until the truth set forth in Rebekah is understood. No other family in the circle of blessing can be said to be Christ’s body, save the church. The character of the Head comes out in the body, and you must have a heavenly company to express a heavenly man. It is a wonderful thought that there is a race of men who are “of”, or “out of”, heaven; and yet they are the fruit of the death of Christ, but this latter is set forth in Eve, not Rebekah.