Shabbat Midrash (Teaching) Outlines

• In last week’s portion, Vayera, we saw how the relationship between Avraham and Yitzchak (Isaac) foreshadowed the relationship between the Heavenly Father and Yeshua.
• We also saw how Yitzchak’s plight up the mountain carrying the wood on his back was symbolic of Yeshua’s sacrifice on the cross.
• In this week’s portion we will see how Avraham’s servant, Eliezar, is a type and shadow of the Ruach HaChodesh (Holy Spirit) as he seeks a bride for Yitzchak (Son of Promise) (Yeshua).

• Can you imagine the relief and joy that Avraham felt when he heard the voice of the malach (angel) instructing him to put the knife down. His only son, Yitzchak, was spared!
• We do not see Yitzchak again until his bride is revealed; the Son of Promise returns to the tent (tabernacle) and awaits her selection based on the qualifications set forth by Avraham (Heavenly Father).
• Avraham’s emotional high is short-lived. While still on Mt. Moriah he hears of the death of Sarah, his wife. She had lived to be 127 years old, the matriarch of the Hebrew people. The sages tell us that when she heard of Yitzchak’s binding and his imminent sacrifice, it was just too much for her to bear.
• After his period of grieving, Avraham purchases a place for Sarah’s burial from Efron the Hittite. He chose the field of Machpelah near Mamre (at Hebron) because it was Sarah’s favorite spot. There was a cave there known as the “Cave of Couples”. Adam and Eve were buried there. Soon Avraham would join Sarah there and then Isaac and Rebecca.

• Yitzchak was 37 years old when Sarah died. Avraham is not getting any younger himself and it was the duty of a Jewish father to provide a bride for his son. Remember from last week, we said that it was the duty of the father to see to the rite of circumcision. By doing this, the father made sure that the seed produced passed through the mark of the covenant.
• Avraham chose his eldest and most trusted servant, Eliezar, for the delicate task of finding a bride for Yitzchak
• Avraham had Eliezar swear by an oath not to choose a bride from among the Canaanites, but from his own relatives, specifically his brother Nahor.
• The oath was performed by placing the hand under the thigh of the one you are making the oath to. The thigh is in close proximity to the reproductive organs and represents the seed of that person. If the oath is broken or violated, then the issued children from that seed would avenge the act of disloyalty.
• So, what was it about the Canaanites that made joining them in a covenant so distasteful to Avraham?

1) All Canaanites are descendents of Ham. Ham shamed his father, Noach, which brought the curse upon Canaan, Ham’s son.

2) When Efron the Hittite brokered the deal with Avraham for the land to bury Sarah, he was more interested in making money that in helping people (the love of money is the root of all evil).

3) In Leviticus 18:24-30, scripture tells us how the Canaanites defiled the land through sexual abominations and sacrificing their children for the sake of their own lusts.

4) The Canaanite kings took on names like Adonai Tzedek, which means ‘Lord of Righteousness’. This was to make them sound like G-d’s people, but their behavior proved otherwise.

• Eliezar gathers 10 camels from the herd of his master and loads them with precious gifts for the prospective bride and her family. He sets out on a 500 mile journey to Aram Haharaim (Mesopotamia).
• Miraculously, Eliezar arrives by evening at the town of Nahor, just as the women from the town came to draw water.
• Eliezar thanks Yahweh for a safe journey and prays for a bride for Yitzchak. He prays specifically that the right choice for his master’s son would say, “Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink (Genesis 24:14).
• Even before he had finished praying, Rebekah (Rivka) came out with her water pitcher on her shoulder. The scripture tells us that she was “fair in appearance.”
• Eliezar approached her and asked for a drink. Rivka not only lowered her pitcher and gave Eliezar a drink, but also offered to water his camels. Eliezar must have been astonished that he was successful on the first encounter! Each camel could consume about 30 gallons of water, so we are talking about 300 gallons that Rivka would have to draw.
• Even though Eliezar must have been really excited at Rivka’s response, he exercises caution until he checks out her family lineage and her desirable traits.
• Eliezar stood by and watched Rivka draw all that water for his camels and checked out her attitude. He concluded that she offered this service from her heart with no motive for reward for her hard work.
• We need to do a self-exam on ourselves in the area of servanthood. Do we give unselfishly to others in our family, neighborhood, or even with perfect strangers?
• Rivka’s evangelism was in her act of hospitality and service which was part of her everyday life. Her testimony was a huge witness that elevated her to a whole new life.
• We should apply this principle to our study of G-d’s Word as it says in II Timothy 2:15, “Do your best to present yourself to Yahweh as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the Word of Truth.”

• Rivka was obviously accustomed to drawing from the well of “living water.” This well represented the Living Word. Wells are pictures of salvation and grace. It was a source of strength and life to her and she offered this life giving source to others…with no conditions attached…it was a free gift! Rebecca was brought up to delight in her service and do it with joy and obedience. There in lies the heart of Torah and the heart of Rebecca.
• The 10 camels represent the Word of Yahweh; the Torah summed up by the 10 Commandments. The camels also represent the 10 tribes of Israel who had assimilated into the nations being called back to life into the Living Word of Torah
• The Word of G-d takes the servant of G-d to the Bride and the Word of G-d will bring the Bride to her Bridegroom.
• Only after all the camels had finished drinking did Eliezar reveal his true mission and identity. He first placed gifts on Rivka; a golden nose ring and two gold bracelets.
• With these gifts, Eliezar represented the Ruach HaChodesh (Holy Spirit). When we come and surrender and commit our lives to Yahweh and He becomes the Master of our lives, He bestows upon us Gifts of the Spirit
• The two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels, one for each arm, represent the two houses of Israel that will come from the seed of Avraham. The ten shekels represent the ten tribes returning, not lost, but returning to Torah. The two bracelets also represent the two stone tablets inscribed by the finger of G-d, which will later be inscribed on the heart of the Bride of the Messiah.
• Eliezar asks, “Whose daughter are you?” Rebecca reveals her identity to Eliezar and confirms that she is the granddaughter of Milcha and Nahor and her father is Bethuel, relatives of Avraham. Eliezar breathes another sigh of relief!
• Eliezar asks permission to stay the night. He explains his mission to Rivka’s family and distributes gifts. Afterwards, Rivka’s father and brother give permission for her to go with Elizer.
• The next morning Eliezar is ready to leave. Rivka’s parents ask her if she will go and she says “yes”. The journey ahead is through the wilderness and by faith she puts her life in Eliezar’s care. The Bride of Yeshua (Rivka) must be willing to trust the Ruach HaChodesh (Eliezar) to bring her through the wilderness in order to meet the Bridegroom (Yeshua).

• We have not seen Yitzchak since he became a “living sacrifice” on Mount Moriah. Three years have passed and he has been preparing a place for his bride. In John 14:2, Yeshua said, “In my Father’s house are many dwellings; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” In Matthew 23:29 Yeshua said, “For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, “Baruch ha ba B’shem Adonai” (Blessed is he who comes in the name of Yahweh).
• We find Yitzchak in the field one evening meditating and as he looked up, he saw camels approaching. Rebecca also looked up and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel and asked Eliezar, “Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?” He replied, “He is my master.” Rebecca took her veil and covered herself.
• Isaac, the bridegroom, is the one who will remove Rebecca’s veil. Our Bridegroom, Yeshua removed the veil at the Temple when He died. The veil was rent from top to bottom by the power of the shedding of His blood! Yeshua will also be the one who will remove the veil from the hearts of His Bride when the Bride draws close to the Bridegroom.
• I urge all of you to make yourself ready by keeping the Word of G-d in your heart, walking faithfully in His ways, and being obedient to His instructions (Torah)!

posted by Chris Phillips, Congregational Leader  # 11/25/2005