Les Feldick teaches that Genesis 24 illustrates the Holy Spirit's work by picturing Abraham's servant being sent to a far country to call out a bride for Isaac.
In Les's interpretation, Abraham pictures God the Father, Isaac pictures the Son, and the servant pictures the Holy Spirit. The bride brought back is the body of Christ, called out primarily from the Gentiles.
Genesis 24:4 — This records Abraham's command to his servant to go to Abraham's country and kindred to take a wife for Isaac, which is the basis of the illustration Les develops.
In Genesis 24, Abraham commissions his servant to travel to Abraham's own country and kindred to obtain a wife for his son Isaac. Abraham makes it clear that Isaac's wife must not come from the daughters of the Canaanites; the servant is sent to a far country to find the bride. The account follows the servant as he goes, finds Rebekah, and brings her back to become Isaac's wife. The passage itself records the historical event without interpreting it as a picture of the Holy Spirit. The spiritual application comes from later New Testament teaching that the Old Testament was written for believers' instruction (Romans 15:4).
Les Feldick consistently uses Genesis 24 as an illustration of the Holy Spirit's present work. He describes the story as Abraham the father sending his servant into a far country to obtain a bride for Isaac. Les makes the correlation that this is a beautiful illustration of God the Father sending the Holy Spirit out among the Gentiles to gather a bride for His Son, and he identifies that bride as the body of Christ. Les is careful to frame the calling as 'primarily the Gentile, not exclusively' — the servant goes to Abraham's original kinfolk, and Les later points out that Isaac actually marries a Gentile from Syria, which he sees as a picture of Christ calling out the Gentile bride. He also explains that he uses Romans 15:4 as the basis for drawing these Old Testament illustrations, since things written aforetime were written for our learning.
Les Feldick draws the parallel consistently: Abraham the father sends his servant into a far country to get a bride for his son Isaac. Les likens that servant to the Holy Spirit, whom God the Father has sent into the world to call out a bride for His Son. That bride is the body of Christ.
Les notes that the servant went to Abraham's original kinfolk in Syria, and Isaac actually marries a Gentile. He applies this to the present age by saying the Holy Spirit is working primarily among the Gentiles — not exclusively, since some Jews are being saved — to form the bride of Christ.
Les opens the study by reading Romans 15:4, where Paul says whatever things were written aforetime were written for our learning. He uses that as the reason to study Genesis 24 and then jump into the New Testament to follow the Holy Spirit's present-day calling out of the bride.
Old Testament Written for Our Learning
Les reads the Genesis 24 story through Romans 15:4, explaining that Old Testament accounts were written for our learning as background for New Testament doctrine.
The Servant as a Picture of the Holy Spirit
Les explicitly likens Abraham's servant going to a far country for Isaac's bride to the Holy Spirit being sent to call out the bride of Christ, primarily from the Gentiles.
The Bride Is the Body of Christ
Les says the Genesis 24 parallel shows God the Father sending the Holy Spirit into the world to call out the body of Christ as the bride for His Son.
Why Paul Went to Arabia: The Revelation of Grace
Welcome to Through the Bible with Les Feldick, a 30-minute walk through the Scriptures, teaching in-depth Bible truths that change people's lives. Now, here's your host, Les Feldick. Okay, good to see everybody again tonight, and we'll just pick right up where we left off in Galatians. But for those of you watching on television, we haven't forgotten about Genesis.
Why the Apostles Stayed in Jerusalem: Israel vs. The Church
Welcome to Through the Bible with Les Feldick, a 30-minute walk through the Scriptures, teaching in-depth Bible truths that change people's lives. Now, here's your host, Les Feldick. And once again, we'll turn right into Psalms chapter 2, where we left off.
Isaac's Bride Not From Canaan
Les reminds us that Abraham had been told Isaac's wife was not to be a citizen of Canaan, which is why the servant went to a far country.
Isaac Marries a Gentile Bride
Les points out that Isaac married a Gentile from Syria, and he uses that as a picture of Christ calling out the Gentile bride.
The Father Sends the Holy Spirit for the Son
Les summarizes the Genesis 24 illustration: God the Father sent the Holy Spirit to call out a bride for His Son, which is why he moved into the New Testament.
Genesis 24:4: And thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac.
This command launches the servant's mission to obtain a bride for Isaac, the account Les uses as his illustration of the Holy Spirit's work.
Romans 15:4: For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
Les cites this verse to explain why studying the Old Testament account in Genesis 24 is relevant for New Testament understanding.
Les Feldick teaches that Genesis 24 is a beautiful illustration of the Holy Spirit's present work. Abraham sends his servant to a far country to get a bride for Isaac, and Les parallels that with God the Father sending the Holy Spirit to call out a bride for Christ. That bride is the body of Christ.
Les treats the servant as a picture rather than a direct identification. He says, 'We likened the servant to the work of the Holy Spirit' (Clip 1). The key point is the parallel between the servant's mission and the Spirit's calling of a bride for Christ.
Les says the Holy Spirit is working 'primarily the Gentile, not exclusively' and notes that some Jews are being saved. So the bride is primarily Gentile, but Jewish believers are not excluded.
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