All right, let's take our Bibles
and turn back to Genesis 24. Genesis 24. I tell you, the blessing of the
Lord to answer His people is truly a comforting thought that
God would remember. Rebecca's come out. She's part
of the family of Abraham. And the scripture says, Genesis
24 and verse 16, and the damsel was very fair to look upon. That's the first thing the Spirit
of God revealed concerning Rebekah. It doesn't say that she was fair
to look upon. It says that she was very fair
to look upon. And let me tell you the beauty
of one little word, very. That word means exceedingly,
abundantly, greatly. Muchness. And I looked at three
or four different concordances and dictionaries
to make sure I got that word right.
She was very fair. And every one of them made this
reference. It says the word vary is from
a word in the Hebrew, number 181, I remember the number every
time I look, number 181, it was there. It says that that word
vary is from this word that means a fire brand. Like a poker that stirs the fire. And even her name, Rebecca, looked
up the meaning of her name. Here's what it means. Captivating. To ensnare. It said that this
woman that walked up, she was a captivating, beautiful woman. But let me ask you this. Is that
not the way that the Lord Jesus Christ describes His bride? And His thoughts and attitude
toward her? Listen to what in Song of Solomon,
chapter 4, verse 7, here's what the Lord Jesus says about His
bride. Thou art all fair. My love, there's no spot in thee. That is, there's no part of you
that is not in my eyes beautiful. There's no part of you that has
a single defect. Not one. How? How can that be? when the Lord Jesus Christ beholds
us, His bride, in Himself, having made her holy and without
spot and without blemish, He has borne her guilt in His own
body, Her guilt was made to be His
guilt, not that He ever sinned. I always want to qualify that.
You know that, but I'm going to say it anyway. He knew no
sin, but He took all of her sin in Himself. And when He went
to the cross, He was dying for that which He made to be His
own. He was made to be the guiltiness. All of the sin of all of His
people, for all history, He bore in His own body and made that
guilt to be His. That's His guilt. He bore it. I will take her debt. How much
debt, men? It's your wife run up and it's
not your debt. That's your debt. You say, oh
no, she ran that up. Well, try to see if that flies
whenever they come make you pay. And you gladly bear it. You gladly. He bore her debt. And not only
did he bear her debt, robed her in his righteousness. in His
obedience. Now let me ask you this, how
much spot is there in the obedience of Christ? This is my beloved
son in whom I'm well pleased. Her name means captivating. The Lord says concerning His
bride, Thou song Solomon 419 has ravished my heart. I look
at you and I am heartless. You have stolen my heart. My heart is coupled with yours. That's the way a man ought to
look at his wife. I am ravished by you. I am heartless. I have no heart but for you. Thou has ravished my heart, my
sister. My spouse, thou hast ravished
my heart with one of thine eyes, one look from you, with one look,
one eye of faith." He said, you just steal my heart. When you
trust me, when you look at me, I think to myself, Lord, I want
to look at you like that. I want to. The Lord says you
do. I think, Lord, as you say I do,
I do. I want to know that. He said you
will. You will. Eye hath not seen, ear hath not
heard, neither hath entered into the heart of man those things
that God has prepared for those that love Him. Oh, but when we
see Him, see Him as He is, we're going to be like Him. Rebecca
was said to be very fair to look upon. But that was a fairness,
humanly speaking. What did she do to make herself
beautiful? It doesn't say she was all made
up. It says she was very fair. She was fair. It wasn't by her
own cunning or ability, but concerning the bride. What has the bride
of Christ done to beautify herself? Nothing. How did she get that
way? He made her that way. He made
her. Only as she has eternally been
found in the Lord Jesus Christ, the One who has everlastingly
stood for her. He said, I, covenant, I'll wash
her white. in my own blood, and robe her
in my spotless righteousness, I'll make her beautiful." Listen
to this, Psalm 149, verse 4. For the Lord taketh pleasure
in His people. He will beautify the meek with
salvation. Truly. A chosen, redeemed, regenerated
sinner. One everlastingly loved by the
thrice holy God is said to be a beautiful treasure of God's
mercy and compassion. I'm looking this morning at some
beautiful people. Oh, but I tell you the way the
Lord sees His people. He said, you know, I look at
you and He said, you steal my heart. Ezekiel 16, 14, And thy renown
went forth among the heathen for thy beauty. For it was perfect
through my comeliness which I put upon thee, saith the Lord. I
think how the world looks at God's people. The Lord said they
hate you. They hate you. They don't love
you. They hate you. But for Him, He said, you're
beautiful in my sight. And not only was she fair to
look upon, this is what scripture says, she was very fair to look
upon, a virgin. Neither had any man known her. The scripture sets forth that
she was a virgin. And that word virgin there, it
actually means, it can mean one of two things. A virgin as we
know a virgin be, and it means maiden. which is what the word
means here. She was a maiden. Neither had
any man known her. John Gill said this, she was
not only reckoned to be so as being an unmarried maid. She
would be esteemed to be so. She's a maid, a married maid. But she was so in reality. That is, she was pure without
a man's physical knowledge of her. But now again, is this not
the picture of the bride of Christ? This is Christ's bride. Hold
your place right there and turn to Ephesians 5. Ephesians chapter
5. Ephesians 5, 25. Ephesians 5,
25. Husbands, love your wives. even as Christ also loved the
church and gave Himself for it, that He might sanctify and cleanse
it with the washing of water by the Word, that He might present
it to Himself, a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or
any such thing, but that it should be holy, And without blemish,
so ought men to love their wives as their own body. He that loveth
his wife loveth himself. So here's a picture, here's a
type of her that she's pure. I'm talking about the bride of
Christ. She's pure, glorious. full of honor and splendor and
beauty, no stain, no defect, no impurity, no wrinkle, no deformity. In ourselves, born in Adam, we
were corrupted by sin, stained, polluted, And being given to
the Lord Jesus Christ in electing grace, He, the scripture says
in Ephesians 5, He gave Himself a sacrifice. She owed a debt. I owed a debt.
You owed a debt. We owed a debt to the Law of
God. And He made atonement, He made
satisfaction before God. There's no charge. There's no
charge to God's elect. There's therefore Romans 8.1,
there's therefore now. There's no condemnation to them
that be in Christ Jesus. Why? Christ bore the debt. Yeah, but what about when I sin
this afternoon, tomorrow? He bore the debt. Yeah, but that's
sin's future. They were all future when He
bore the debt. He shed His blood for His people that He might
cleanse them from every spot, every stain of their pollution.
There is no stain of pollution in God's elect. Yeah, but I was
born in Adam. I'm not talking about you that
was born in Adam. I'm talking about what was created
in Christ Jesus in regenerating grace when God made a new man.
There's two men in a believer. Two men. Old man and new man. And we fight. We fight. My old man don't like my new
man. My new man resists the old man. The scripture declares that the
Lord Jesus Christ, he loved his bride. Husband, love your wife
as Christ loved the church. Gave himself, washed her by the
washing of water by the word. Listen to Hebrews 10.22, let
us draw near. with a true heart, a full assurance
of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and
our bodies washed with pure water." Now, what is that pure water? Pure water, of which a believer
is washed. Is it H2O? Pure water, H2O. Hold your place there. Turn to
1 Peter 3. 1 Peter 3. I'm going to show
you what this new This pure water is 1 Peter 3. 1 Peter 3, verse
18. For Christ, 1 Peter 3, verse
18, also has suffered once. For Christ hath once suffered
for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God,
being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit."
Let me tell you what that just said. When the Lord Jesus Christ
came into this world, God Almighty, God Himself, took upon Himself
the form of sinful flesh, the form of sinful flesh. He knew
no sin. He was made flesh. So he had
a divine nature that he's always had, always. And a human nature. He had a divine and a human nature.
Now that scripture right there at the latter part says he was
put to death in the flesh. He died. How did he die? He was human. He was a man. The God-man. He was put to death. But where it says, but quickened
by the Spirit, now I know that all three of the persons of the
Godhead, Father, Son, Spirit, in union, one God, one God. I can't explain it because I
don't understand it. One God, three persons, one God. But when it says that He was
quickened by the Spirit, He's talking about His Spirit. His
spirit as the divine God. He had told the Jews, He said,
I have power to lay down my life. I have power to take it again.
That's power. When you can lay down your life
and take it back. That's power. He raised Himself. The Father raised Him and the
Spirit of God raised Him. But He's one God. He said it was quickened by the
Spirit, by which also he went and preached unto the spirits
in prison, which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering
of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing,
wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. The like
figure, whereunto even baptism, doth also now save us. not the
putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of
a good conscience toward God by the resurrection of Jesus
Christ, who has gone into heaven and is on the right hand of God,
angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto Him."
So here's what he just said. He said in verse 18, Jesus Christ,
as the Redeemer of His people, suffered. The just for the unjust,
put to death in His human body, The scripture says raised from
the dead by his divine nature, by his eternal spirit. He raised
himself. He said now by his spirit that
he raised himself. That was in verse 19 of 1 Peter
there. By that same spirit, by which
He preached by His Spirit. How did He preach? Well, He gave
an example. He was talking about Noah. He
said, through Noah, He preached to those that heard but refused
to come and get in the ark, which was a type of Christ. But then
in verse 20 it says that the long-suffering of God, there
was a time when it was time. And God put Noah and his family
into the ark and he shut the door. And the scripture says that the
earth opened up and water came out and the heavens never rained
before. It rained for the first time.
And when God opened the heavens and the earth and water destroyed
everything. It wasn't in the Ark. That Ark was a picture and type
of being found in Christ. But the Scripture reveals that's
a picture and type of what, when we baptize, when we baptize,
the Scripture reveals this is what we're picturing. This is
what it is. That Ark was covered. That Ark
was covered top to bottom. with water. It was top to bottom. It was filled. And it was baptized
in that water. And look what it says in verse
21. I'll go back. If you're not still
there, that's fine. 1 Peter 3.21. It says that the like figure
were into even baptism. He's talking about baptism when
we baptize a believer. Someone comes and they say, listen,
I want to confess the Lord in baptism. I believe the Lord saved
me. I believe the Lord saved me.
And I want to confess Him in baptism. What are we confessing? Alright,
here's what he's talking about. He says, "...the like figure,
whereunto even baptism doth also now save us." But then the Spirit
of God qualified this, so we'll not misunderstand what he's saying.
What saved us? The H20? Is that what saved us? The Spirit of God wrote this
in there, "...not the putting away of the filth of the old
nature." The flesh. He said, I'm not talking about
putting away the filth. I'm not talking about being washed
from your sins by the H20. Not, not the putting away of
the filth of the flesh. But the answer of a good conscience
toward God. Here's what the Spirit of God
was saying. It said, the Ark was a picture
and type of baptism. Covered. water above, like a
person that's baptized. But when we're baptized, it's
a picture of our union. It's a confession, an outward
confession of our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and our union
with Him. That when He died, we died. When
He went in the ground and was buried, we were buried. And when
we come out of that water, it's a picture of the resurrection
that we're being baptized. We're saying, when He died, we
died. When He came out, we came out.
And it's not the water, the Spirit of God. It's not the putting
away. That water, that H2O doesn't put away any guilt. It's not
the water that puts away the guilt of the flesh. That puts
away sin. But it's who is being represented. It's the blood of Christ. It's
who baptism represents. That boat, that ark, the scripture
says it was baptized. Water up, water down. But who
was Noah and his family in? Being in the ark, they were in
that which typified Christ Himself. Let me ask you something. Who
is saving you? Is it a what or a who? It's Christ
Himself. His blood puts away the guilt
of the flesh. Let me tell you what this pure...
You're washed by pure water. You're washed by pure water.
I'll tell you what, the Lord Jesus Christ answered it. Revelation 1, 4 and 5, John to
the seven churches which are in Asia. Grace be unto you and
peace from him which is and which was and which is to come and
from the seven spirits which are before his throne and from
Jesus Christ who is the faithful witness and the first begotten
of the dead and the prince of the kings of the earth unto him
that loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood." What
can wash away our sins? What can wash away? The Scripture
says nothing but the blood of Christ. That's it. Nothing. Nothing
else. So the honor and the integrity
of Rebecca was beautiful, beautifully pictured of the purity of Christ's
bride. That holy city, that new Jerusalem
coming down from heaven. And the scripture says back in
Genesis 24, I'll hurry. The scripture says the latter
part of verse 16, she went down to the well and filled her pitcher
and came up. She went down to the well and
filled her pitcher and came up. Man, Neil, that'll preach. That's
just three points right there, you know. Humanly speaking, humanly
speaking, now remember, we hadn't looked at one bit of this, you
know, considering it, we do consider it, it all happened, it did happen,
historically. But isn't it beautiful to see
a picture of Christ in it? I mean, again, what I say, what's
in it for me? Tell me what the Lord's done
for me. Humanly speaking, you know, she went down, Well, she
didn't tarry in her responsibility. She was diligent in her duty.
One, she wasn't given to slothfulness or gossip. She was accustomed. She was accountable. She was
accountable. Again, the beautiful picture
of the bride of Christ, the one whose price is far above rubies. But as a picture of the bride
of Christ, let me tell you what's in it for God's elect. She went
down to the well. Isn't it marvelous to think that
by the grace of God that He would abase us before the fountain
of life Himself? She went down to the well. She
went down to the well. She just brought low in humility
and submissiveness and filled her pitcher. Oh, with that living
water that the Lord Jesus Christ said, if you knew, you know,
I'll give you living water. She went down. Ah, He filled
her. He gave it to her, eternal life,
the giver of life. And she came up, she came up,
lifted her up in the newness of life, lifted from the depth
of captivity of sin. Oh, the beauty of what the Lord
graciously does for His people. And then back in Genesis 24,
and the servant ran to meet her. He said, let me, I pray thee,
drink a little of thy water out of your pitcher. Oh, we're just
struck with the way that Rebecca was approached. Let me ask you
something. Who initiated this meeting? Was it Rebecca? Did she go over
to the servant of Abraham and say, y'all need something to
drink? Y'all need me to give something to your camels? No. And the servant ran to meet her.
Whenever God is pleased, Let me tell you what's going to happen.
He's going to get his people under the sound of this gospel
right here. Gospel of free grace. Sovereign
grace. Gives all the honor, glory, and
praise to Christ. And then he's going to put his
people under that gospel and they're going to hear the preaching
of the gospel and the Spirit of God is going to teach them
something. He's going to come to them. Just like that servant came to
meet her. He approached her. Scripture
here gives no indication. An indication that she took notice
of the servant. She didn't say anything. He, as a picture of the Spirit
of God, spoke and she reacted according to the good pleasure
and will of God. Almighty God is directing her
voice right there. He's telling her what God Almighty
is speaking. Just like the high priest. Was
it Caiaphas? Neil that spoke. He said, you
know, it's expedient that one die for the people, that all
the people. Caiaphas, he was just a wicked high priest. He
said, this he spake under the spirit of God's direction, prophesying. He didn't know what he was saying.
This woman right here, the servant ran to meet her. He said, let
me, I pray thee, drink a little water. And she said, Drink, my Lord. And she hasted
and let down her pitcher upon her hand and gave him drink. And when she had done giving
him drink, she said, I will draw water for thy camels also until
they have done drinking. Now, wasn't that amazing? I guess
he was just lucky. Just lucky. She decided to say
that. Ain't no luck. Spirit of God spoke to that woman.
He said, this is what you're going to say. You say this. And
she spoke. You know, Almighty God does as
he will in the armies of heaven and among the inhabitants of
the earth. And she just happened to be one of the inhabitants
of the earth. And he spoke and she did. And God's will and providence
directed His words and her answer. And then in verse 21, And the
man wondering at her held his peace to wit whether the Lord
had made his journey prosperous or not. She was made willing. Willing to answer. Willing to
give him some water. Willing to give those camels
some water in the day of God's power. And that's what God's
people do. In the day of God's power, they
come to Christ. That they had no desire whatsoever
before to do. I don't want to come to Him. I'm not interested in Him. When
God gives a man or woman a new heart, I tell you what, there's
a change. And it's evident. God does something. Abraham's servant, in closing,
he wondered. That's what it says. The man
wondering at her held his peace. He just didn't say anything.
Here she was now, she was giving him something to drink and he
just watching her. She's giving those camels something to drink.
But let me ask you this. Do we not do what this servant
did? Do we not find ourselves asking
the Lord's direction? And when He's pleased to grant
it, as He's pleased to grant it, do we not often wonder at
the miracle we're beholding? Let me tell you, the most pitiful
thing for me is to ask the Lord something, and then the Lord
do it. And then I'm thinking, wow, isn't
that a shame? Isn't that pitiful? Why would
I doubt? He said He's not going to withhold
any good thing from me. And if He didn't give it to me,
it was because it wasn't for my good. It wasn't for His glory. If He didn't get it, I didn't
need it. He wisely waited upon the Lord patiently, silently,
inquiring within Himself to see whether or not this truly was
God's will. But we walk by faith. But I'm
going to tell you this, lastly. Faith is never so absolutely
perfect in the sense as to prevent the occurrence of doubts. Lord,
I believe. Help thou mine unbelief. This servant, he sat there and
watched. She was doing everything that
seemed to be right. But how often have we beheld
things that appeared at first be the Lord's will, and then
it wasn't. He just waited on God. I pray that the Lord bless
these words to our heart and give us a heart of understanding
and joy. Take these words and cause us
to rejoice in that which He's done for us, for Christ's sake.
Amen.