Isaac was forty years old when his father, Abraham, sent out his trusted servant to take a wife for him from among his brother’s family, who dwelt in Haran (Genesis 24:4; 25:20). It seems that most of Abraham’s ancestors were married and had their firstborn after they had turned thirty years of age (cp. Genesis 11:12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22; cp verse-24). Therefore, it was time for Abraham to arrange a marriage for Isaac, as well, and he sent his trusted servant to the East, to the city of Haran, where his brother’s family lived (Genesis 24:10).
Abraham’s servant arrived at the city of Haran, and he caused his camels to kneel before a spring just outside the city walls. It was the time, when the women of the city would come in the cool of the evening to draw fresh water for their families (Genesis 24:10-11). At that time the servant prayed to the Lord, asking him to be kind to his master, Abraham, by giving him a sign that he had prospered his journey. He prayed that the woman, he asked to give him a drink of water, would volunteer to draw water for his camels as well, and that it would be the Lord’s way of pointing out that this woman was to become Isaac’s wife (Genesis 24:12-14).
While Abraham’s servant was still praying that prayer, Rebekah, the granddaughter of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, came to draw water from the well (Genesis 24:15-16). Immediately, the servant ran to her and asked for a drink of water. Rebekah gave him the water he needed and told him, she would draw water for his camels, as well, until they were satisfied (Genesis 24:17-20).
The man continued to watch her and wondered, if this was the answer to his prayer, so, after he had given her some jewelry for her kindness, he asked her who her father was, and if there was room at his home for lodgers and the caring for his animals (Genesis 24:21-23). When she identified herself as Abraham’s relative and that her father would give him shelter and provide for his animals, as well (Genesis 24:24-25), the servant rejoiced in that the Lord had, indeed, prospered his journey and showed kindness to his master Abraham, Nahor’s brother (Genesis 24:26-27).
Immediately, Rebekah ran and told her family all that had happened at the well (Genesis 24:28). Although this is the literal story-line of the events that occurred at the well, there is a deeper meaning to it all, and the deeper sense points to the Gospel. In the New Covenant text, God sends out his servant, the preacher, who calls out a bride for the Son of God. Abraham in the story represents God (Genesis 24:4; cp. Matthew 22:2), and he sends the unnamed servant, the preacher of the Gospel (Romans 1:1; Titus 1:1), to draw the Church out of the world as a bride for Christ (2Corinthians 11:2; Colossians 1:28; Ephesians 5:27). Moreover, just as the unnamed servant gave gifts to Rebekah, the preacher of the Gospel distributes gifts from God to the Church (Romans 1:11; cp. Acts 8:17; 19:6; 1Timothy 4:14). Indeed, all that the servant had belonged to Abraham, just as all, the preacher of the Gospel offers the believer, belongs to God. Yet, the servant/preacher has authority over all that is his lord’s/Lord’s (Genesis 24:2).
Finally, just as the unnamed servant presented Rebekah, a chaste virgin, to his master, Isaac (Genesis 24:16, 65-67), so, too, the preacher of the Gospel is charged with presenting the Church, the Bride of Christ, to her husband as a chaste virgin in the Lord (2Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:27; Colossians 1:28). Thus, as Rebekah is a type of the Church (Genesis 24:53, 58-61; Matthew 25:1; 1Peter 1:8), so Isaac is a type of Christ, who comes out to meet her (Genesis 24:63-66; Matthew 25:1, 5-6).
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