GENESIS 24
Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent; and he took Rebekah and she became his wife, and he loved her
(Gen. 24:67).
One of the most beautiful pictures of marriage is given through the example of Isaac and Rebekah. In this scenario, we have portrayed for us the man choosing a wife for himself in submission to his father, and of the wife agreeing to be united to the man who has chosen her to be his bride. This is a touching picture of the marriage relationship as representing the union of Christ and His church. From all the inhabitants of creation, Christ chose you to love, to bring into His marriage chamber, to lead into the promised land.
When Isaac saw Rebekah arriving in the distance, the Scripture tells us that he took her and loved her. He chose to love her, to bring her to himself, and to cherish her. In the same way, Christ sets His love upon us no matter how sinful, how ugly, how rebellious we have been. He takes the initiative in our redemption, calling us from darkness into light, not on account of anything in ourselves, but because of His grace.
This is represented in marriage in the nature of leaving and cleaving. The husband leaves his father and mother and cleaves to his wife. He takes the initiative. The woman is passive. She does not search the world for a husband, sending out her messengers to call him to her homeland. He goes out and brings her to himself, not under compulsion, but by the gentle call of love that makes his invitation irresistible. He calls her with promises of things to come, of riches in glory, as Abraham sent Rebekah jewelry, foreshadowing the great riches that awaited her if she were to be united with his son.
This is why it is an abomination for the woman to take the initiative in marriage. She does not leave her father and mother, but she is given away when her suitor comes and asks for her hand. This is the picture we have of our union with Christ. We are not the initiators in our redemption. We are called by One who has chosen us; yes, we respond in faith as Rebekah did, but we do not take the initiative. God calls us, and if He has chosen us, we respond in faith. Then we leave behind our former life of sin to travel to the promised land as the bride of Christ.
CORAM DEO
1 Samuel 27–29
Luke 19:1–27
Why is it wrong in the sight of God for a woman to keep her own last name or for the husband to take the wife’s name? How does this practice, which is becoming more common even among Christians, corrupt and undermine the marriage relationship? Why do you think this has become a common practice today?
For further study: Gen. 2:21–25 • Matt. 19:1–10 • Mark 10:1–12
thursday
april