COME AS A CHILD - LESSON 66 - THE GIRL BEHIND THE VEIL

(Written by Sheila Gail Landgraf)

As she left Rebekah could hear her family chanting the blessing they sent with her:

“Our sister, may you increase to thousands upon thousands; may your offspring possess the cities of their enemies.”

Little did she know or understand that this expression of blessing that proclaimed an entire jurisdiction and dominion over others by her offspring would be fulfilled in the times to come during the days of Joshua, David and Solomon.  This would be their physical fulfillment, but even greater would be the spiritual fulfillment by God who had given the same words to Abraham in a covenant even before Rebekah’s family recited the blessing.  Did they know?  How could they have known?  Yet, it would be Abraham’s principal seed, passed through Rebekah and Isaac and on down through many generations that would destroy Satan and his principalities and powers and overcome the world and make an end to sin and abolish death.  It was through the blood of the offspring from Rebekah and Isaac that God’s people would be delivered out of the hands of all their enemies and made more than conquerors over them through the promised Son, Yeshua. 

All these things that originated at the time of Isaac, as strange as it sounds, hinged upon the actions of this one young woman riding through the desert with the servant of Abraham, headed straight toward a destiny totally unknown to her.  

Do you ever think back over your life and realize you had one moment in time where everything you did or said could have changed history?  It happens, yet we are usually as unaware as this young maid in Eliezer’s caravan.  Of course if Rebekah had said no, God would have made another way for His will to come about.  The point is that God gives us the freedom to chose our destiny and God choses the people who will interact to bring about the destiny of all mankind.  We can follow His plan or go our own way.  Rebekah chose to accept the destiny and the purposes that God had planned for her.    

The young girl who would be Isaac's wife must have truly felt anticipation, perhaps a stirring that she did not understand, as she left on her journey to meet her future husband; but she was quite oblivious to the consequences that God was setting in place with her marriage. 

Rebekah had one familiar face on this journey.  She took her childhood nurse with her as a servant.  You can just imagine their talk as they traveled across the land together, both of them strangers in a strange land.  Funny how the different classes of people and positions become leveled and equal when circumstances erode to the place where there is no one else who is familiar but just the master and the servant.  Such situations usually turn into lifelong friendships and the servant often becomes more cherished by the master than actual family members.  There is often a beautiful and unexplainable bond between two people where one has given up all they know and own simply to make the other feel more comfortable and blessed with no reward in sight for themselves.  Rebekah must have cherished having this dear servant/friend in the new place.     

Isaac had been sojourning in Beer Lahai Roi, in the Negev near the well where Hagar met the angel.  Before arrival there, he had spent the previous three years of his life studying in the school of Shem at Moriah.  His studies had been all that consoled him since his mother’s death; and he still grieved even after all this time.  He had stopped in Beer Lahai Roi after completing school to report his progress to Abraham.  It was then that he learned an arrangement had been made for his marriage and that his bride was on her way to Hebron, where he was to meet her.  

Isaac had been glad to see Abraham who had been living in the area of Beer Lahai Roi since Sarah’s death, as he could not bear to be alone in Hebron after Sarah's death with Isaac away at school.  After a good visit with Abraham in which they probably celebrated the wonderful things Isaac had learned of the mysteries of God  from Shem, Isaac made his way to Hebron.

      

There had been several years packed full of transformation and change in Isaac’s life.  Now; as he approached the trees of Mamre in the land of Hebron, he must have been recalling many memories of his mother, and he went outside to walk through the fields in order to meditate. 

It is here that we once again see how Isaac mirrored Yeshua, who often rose early in the morning and walked through the fields to pray.  One can't help but think of the Hebraic phrase "The King Is In The Field."  It is a phrase often used during the time leading up to the Day of Atonement when people are examining their lives and repenting of their sins before God.  They wish to do this before Rosh Hashanah, and it is said during this time that God is like a great landowner walking through His field that is ready to harvest, stopping to speak to each laborer, making himself available and giving them easy access to his wisdom and love for all in the land. Formalities are dropped and the King and those who serve him are on equal ground and can speak with one another freely and openly.  There is a certain element of mercy and compassion that the people realize in knowing that the King of the land has taken the time to come personally to them.   There is a picture of the King showing great compassion and love to have taken the time to come out to the field of the laborers instead of choosing to stay in the comfort of his throne room.  

Perhaps Isaac, walking through his fields, was thinking of how much he missed his mother.  Perhaps he was thinking of how old Abraham had looked when he last saw him.  Perhaps he was contemplating the huge responsibility he now shouldered in looking after the multitude of servants, livestock and possessions that Abraham had turned over to him.  In the midst of it all he was most likely lifting up prayers to God the Father, asking for guidance and help, thanking Him for his good fortune and seeking His leadership for the future.  Perhaps and most likely he was praying about his upcoming marriage to a woman he had never met.  What would she be like?   

In the middle of Isaac’s deep thoughts and prayers he looked up to see the caravan approaching.  At the same moment, Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac walking in the field.  She got down from her camel and asked Eliezer “Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?”

“He is my master,” said Eliezer.  Rebekah then took her veil and covered herself. It was a nuptial custom for women about to marry to cover themselves with a veil when they were presented to their future husbands.  Rebekah decided to keep the custom.  The veil symbolized her new un-approachability to others, not only sexually, but as “hekdesh” which was the name for a sanctified object in the temple.  The sacred objects of the tabernacle were “veiled” before being taken up to be carried by the Levites.  At the point of our story, the tabernacle has not even happened yet, but perhaps this is where the idea first started, with Rebekah meeting Isaac.  

The marriage ceremony is likened, in a legal sense, to those sanctified objects of the Temple.  One should from this time forth (after her veiling upon meeting her groom) approach this woman with honor and dignity and nothing that would defile her.  Like the veil of Moses after he had spent time with God on the mountain, of which we will learn more about later; the veil here implies a willingness to be separate and apart from others in order to stay holy.

Rebekah did not usually wear a veil.  Before and after her marriage her face was uncovered.   Why did she suddenly decide to remain true to this custom?

 Contrary to what many have mistakenly believed, except for an unmarried woman meeting her groom to be, women in the time and culture of Isaac walked and went about their days with uncovered faces.  The constant covering of a woman's face is a custom brought about many years later, and is of Muslim origin.  

It is not a Hebraic custom, nor was it the custom of the women in the days of Isaac to keep their faces constantly covered at all times.  As a matter of fact, the women who usually covered their faces all the time in this land (except for brides first meeting their future grooms) were the prostitutes, not the decent women.  This becomes apparent later in the scriptures when we read of Judah and Tamar.  

We also know just from reading the scriptures that Rebekah usually walked with her face free of a veil, (as Sarah did before her) and she simply covered herself as she was to meet Isaac because it was the custom of a bride to cover her face when she was presented to her future groom.  This is a very old custom that has carried over into modern times.  It was also to signify her modesty.  The symbolic modesty of the veil for a bride-to-be teaches an important lesson; that “the glory of the princess is the interior” of the person.

Despite any outward beauty and charm, her inner qualities and characteristics were much more important in the role of a wife.  With the external covering of the veil all attention could be directed to the inner person without distractions.
 

Did Isaac walking in the field and spotting the caravan get a glimpse of Rebekah’s striking beauty from a distance even before this covering of the veil happened?  We do not know.

When we read of Rebekah putting on her veil before she meets Isaac we know she had entered into a moment in her life of decisiveness.  We all have those moments, when our actions show the greatest decisions of our heart.  It was a very significant moment that changed all events that came after and confirmed all events that had happened before that moment.  It happened the first moment that she saw Isaac.  He had been walking through the fields praying.  She saw him deep in prayer.  At that moment Rebekah could have chosen to join in the prayer, to celebrate the blessing that they both had been given.  What did it mean here, that she veiled herself?  Was she shutting herself off from the prayer and the blessing of her future husband?  How should we interpret this veiling?  

At this point in the story it could go one way or the other, so we will continue and find out later what this significant moment and the actions of Rebekah meant for them.  

We have to consider that Isaac had just been to Beer Lahai Roi, the place where one’s eyes are said to be opened.  Isaac was now openly praying in the field.  Yet, his future bride was covering herself and hiding behind a veil.  What did this mean for their future?  What did this mean for the house of Isaac?  What did this mean for the generations of Abraham?    

Did Isaac already know the answers as he approached the caravan coming toward him?  

Would things have turned out differently if Rebekah had forsaken the common tradition and responded openly in her first meeting with Isaac?

 That isn’t what happened, and we will never know the whole truth of this.

 When Isaac arrived and greeted them Eliezer told him the story of how he had found Rebekah among Abraham’s family in the far land.  

In spite of Rebekah’s lack of openness and her desire to hide her face from him, Isaac loved her.  He loved her very much.  He felt assured that she was the one that God had intended for him to marry.

Isaac married Rebekah and brought her into the tent of Sarah.  He loved Rebekah very much and Rebekah filled the empty place that had been in his heart ever since his mother had died.  All of the miracles that had left the tent upon Sarah's death returned when Rebekah married Isaac.

Sarah’s tent once again was covered by the glorious cloud.  When Rebekah lit the candles to welcome the Sabbath they did not go out for the next seven days, until she lit new ones to welcome the Sabbath again, and they gave constant light to all who entered her tent.  Rebekah’s dough was plentiful and it never ran out, no matter how much bread she baked.  

The land of Mamre was filled once more with the sound of a woman’s laughter  and the voice of a woman's song.  Sarah’s soul must have smiled as it rested in the cave at Machpelah which was near to the tents of Abraham at Hebron.

  New life had come to the family of Abraham and there was once again hope of all the blessings that God had promised. 

COME AS A CHILD - LESSON 65 - I WILL GO

(Written by Sheila Gail Landgraf)

As Abraham waited with Isaac back in the land of Canaan, his faithful servant Eliezer continued his work in a far country, seeking a perfect bride for Isaac.  He had met the beautiful Rebekah at the well and would have dinner with her family that night.  He would reveal his identity and his purpose to everyone there first, then try to woo and win Rebekah in order to bring her back to Abraham’s house where Isaac would be waiting to claim his bride.

The time had come and supper was prepared.  Eliezer went into a room where a feast had been laid out before him.  He was offered the best chair at the table and offered the best wine.  It was all very pleasant and tempting, but Eliezer knew he could not participate in this meal any further until he explained exactly who he was and why he was there.  He must tell his story in order for them to understand his mission.  It is very similar to the Passover meal when we reach the portion of the meal and come to the telling of the story.  There is much to be understood before the meal can continue.  The details must be laid out for everyone to hear.  The story must be told.

The position of Eliezer here reminds us of Jesus in the Passover observance with his disciples at The Last Supper.  In this service we get to the third cup and remember that Jesus said to His disciples that he would not partake of the third cup, the cup of redemption and the cup of a new covenant, until He could do so with them in the coming Kingdom of God.  It was customary in the wooing of a bride for a cup of wine to be set before her by the advocate of the groom.  If she drank the wine, her answer was "yes."  If she did not there would be no marriage.  If her answer was yes on this occasion, she would drink another cup with the groom to toast their marriage on their wedding day.  The groom did not drink until that time.  

There will be a marriage supper in heaven one day.  Until then, the bride of Christ will drink the cup of communion that signifies redemption and her covenant with her groom.  

Eliezer could not allow Rebekah to come to the table and drink the wine unless she knew his true mission!  He told them he was the servant of Abraham.  That little bit of information alone would have been enough to keep the dinner conversation going all night long, but Eliezer had more.  He explained that Abraham had been very, very prosperous in the far away land and he explained that Abraham was very old now and would not be with them much longer.  Knowing this, Abraham had deeded all he owned to his son, Isaac, who had been born to Abraham from his wife Sarah when she was too old to have a child.  Isaac had grown into a fine young man and Abraham had turned everything he had over to Isaac. 

Eliezer went on to tell them that Abraham had expressed his desire for Isaac to have a bride from the land of his own people.  Abraham had asked Eliezer to go and find this bride.  Eliezer explained his prayer to God when he arrived at the well for a young girl to come and offer him water and also offer to water his camels.  When Rebekah came along and did exactly that, Eliezer knew she was the one that God had intended for Isaac.  When Rebekah had explained that she was the granddaughter of Abraham’s brother, Eliezer knew for sure. 

There is deep hidden symbolism in this story that represents The Marriage Supper of The Lamb and The Bride of Christ.  The dinner where Eliezer asks the family for Rebekah to be Isaac's bride is symbolic of The Marriage Supper of the Lamb that will happen in heaven one day.  The meeting of Rebekah at the well is symbolic of how The Holy Spirit of God finds the Bride of Christ by the well of water from which you will never thirst again, the spring of  the water of everlasting life supplied by God's Holy Spirit.    We know Jesus used the same words in greeting the Samaritan woman at the well at a later time in history when he asked her "Please give me a drink of water from your jar. " Jesus was offering her a whole new life, just as Eliezer was offering Rebekah.  That woman was one of the first to be claimed for The Kingdom of God from all of the lost and wondering sheep of Israel, much like Rebekah, a long lost relative, is being claimed as a bride for Isaac in this story.  

It would have been fun to have been in the room to watch the changes of the expressions on all of their faces as Eliezer revealed his story, gave his true identity, and explained the whole truth of his mission.  They all must have been astounded at his words; especially Rebekah.  Do you think it is possible that she had been praying for such a thing to happen?  Like all young girls she might have been seeking the will of God for her life and asking Him to provide a very special husband intended just for her.  We do not know any of these specifics, all we know is that Eliezer revealed his identity and laid out the story just as it transpired and they all were probably very silent for awhile as they pondered these facts with sincere amazement.

With all of the truth out now; Eliezer got right down to business!  His very words were: “Now then, if you will deal loyally and truly with my master, tell me; and if not, tell me; that I may turn to the right hand or to the left.  In modern day terms this might sound like:  “So give me your answer right away so that I can either take her back with me for Isaac, or go on searching for the right bride in another place.”  

Again, we see a shadow and type in Eliezer of The Good Shepherd.  He is going out as far as necessary, hunting, searching, trying to find that long lost lamb.  When he finds the little lamb that belongs to his master, he wants to quickly bring her home in order to return her to the fold where she belongs.

Eliezer had done his job, he had located the bride.  Just as God woos us with The Holy Spirit and gives us the invitation to be a part of the Kingdom; He also gives us free will.  We, like Rebekah, have a choice.  We can accept or reject the offer.  That one piece of the puzzle is always up to the individual with the invitation.  The rest of this story was up to Rebekah and her family, but Eliezer was not a man to waste time and he was ready to move on!

It isn't discussed, but by now you have to realize that night at dinner that Rebekah drank the cup.  She said "yes" through her actions and deeds without even having to say the words out loud.  When dinner was over Eliezer knew the answer from Rebekah's heart.  

After the lengthy explanation of all that had happened, it did not take Laban and Bethuel and Rebekah's Mother long to answer either.  They had the authority to speak for Rebekah.  They said “This thing comes from the LORD, we cannot speak to you bad or good.  Behold, Rebekah is before you, take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master’s son, as the LORD has spoken.”

Can’t you just hear Rebekah’s heart pounding? One minute she is a simple village girl going about her daily tasks, and the next moment she is going to live in a foreign land and be the wife to a man that she had never even met.

At that point Eliezer and his men enjoyed the luscious feast spread before them.  They had a good nights sleep in a comfortable bed and rose the next morning refreshed and ready to go on their way.  Eliezer thanked Rebekah’s family for their hospitality and asked them to send him on his way back to his master.  The family was a bit reluctant to let Rebekah go so soon.  They tried to reason with Eliezer.  “Let the maiden remain with us a while, at least ten days, after that she may go.”  Eliezer did not give in to this but said he needed to be on his way and about his master’s business.  He felt it was the LORD’s will for him to return right away.  So they called Rebekah and asked her if she was willing to go right away.  

Rebekah’s answer was “I will go.”

Any time God calls us to something, there must be a complete surrender of our will to His.  Rebekah gave the perfect answer for this situation in her life.  It was not an easy choice that she was asked to make.  Her life was instantly changing, never to be the same again.  All her life she had been sheltered and cared for by a loving family, now she was being asked to go immediately to an unknown place to live as the wife of an unknown man.  All she knew of this man was what had been told to her by his father's servant.  It was as if Rebekah was being asked to grow up and leave her childhood behind in one day, in one hour, in one moment of time.  She had decided and she would go.

Here it becomes obvious that Rebekah’s heart was in the same place as Abraham’s when God told him to go to an unknown land and trust Him with the details.  She and Abraham were kindred spirits in these decisions.  Both of their reactions were the same.

  

Rebekah had already committed her heart to this purpose.  She was ready to go.  She said goodbye to the only family that she had ever known and took her seat in the caravan of the servant of her future husband's father.  They left with many camels that carried all the gifts specifically designated to be hers (although some other gifts were also given to her family); gifts from a groom she had not yet met.  

Can you imagine the thoughts in her head as they trod through the desert and headed toward her new home?  I'm sure the biggest question that Rebekah pondered over and over on the journey was the same as any young girl about to be married.

She must have wondered all the way; 

What will HE be like?