基督娶教会的豫表
在创世记二十四章，我们看见一个豫表基督娶教会的婚姻。在新约里我们找不到一节说，这婚姻是基督娶教会的豫表。然而，新约清楚的启示，亚伯拉罕的儿子以撒，豫表基督是亚伯拉罕独一的后裔（加三16）。基于以撒是基督的豫表这事实，可以推断，以撒的婚姻豫表基督的婚姻。
创世记二十四章有四个主要人物：父亲、儿子、仆人和新妇。这是很有意义的。当我们来到新约，就看见三一神共同作工，要为子得着一个新妇。新约的主题是甚么？新约的主题乃是三一神－父、子、灵－共同作工，要为子得着新妇。父定计画，灵完成父的计画，子享受父所计画并灵所完成的。新妇是谁？新妇是一部分的人类，他们与子结合，成为祂的配偶。马太二十八章十九节说到父、子、灵。我们在行传和书信中看见，灵如何照着父的计画作工，要为子得着新妇。我们在新约的末了启示录中，看见了新妇。启示录十九章七节说，“羔羊婚娶的时候到了，新妇也自己豫备好了。”最终，整个新耶路撒冷这个城妇，要成为新妇（启二一2，9-10）。“城妇”这样的辞听起来很奇特，但用起来并没有甚么不对，因为新耶路撒冷是女性，是羔羊的妻，是神儿子的配偶。整本新约就是记载三一神共同作工，要得着一部分人类，成为子的新妇，配偶。
儿子的婚娶
儿子以撒没有作甚么。这指明一切都是父所计画，灵所完成的；子所作的不过是接受新妇。以撒在黄昏时迎娶利百加（创二四63-64）。这含示基督的婚娶要在这世代的末了。在这世代结束时，基督要来迎娶祂的新妇。以撒领利百加进他母亲撒拉的帐棚，并且爱她（创二四67）。我们看过，撒拉豫表恩典。因此，这意思是基督不仅要在爱里，也要在恩典里迎见我们。
本章的结语是：“以撒自从他母亲不在了，这才得了安慰。”我若是作者，我会说，利百加经过长途跋涉，这才得了安慰。但圣经并不这样说。不要考虑你的安慰，你的满足；相反的，要考虑基督的安慰，基督的满足。基督若没有安慰和满足，我们也不能有任何安慰和满足。我们的满足在于祂的满足。我们的安慰就是祂的安慰，祂的满足就是我们的满足。基督现今在等候得着安慰。祂甚么时候才会得着安慰？乃是在祂婚娶的日子。那日子必要来到。
每日一问：如何看出以撒的婚姻是基督娶教会的预表？如何看出以及用新约圣经印证。为什么结尾强调的是“以撒得了安慰”，而不是利百加得了安慰？
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Isaac’s Marriage – A Type of Christ’s Marriage to the Church –Gen. 24:63
In Genesis 24, we see a marriage that is a type of Christ’s marriage to the church. We cannot find a verse in the New Testament that says this marriage is a type of Christ’s marriage to the church. However, the New Testament clearly reveals that Isaac, the son of Abraham, is a type of Christ as the unique seed of Abraham (Gal. 3:16). Based on the fact that Isaac is a type of Christ, we can infer that Isaac’s marriage is a type of Christ’s marriage.
There are four main characters in Genesis 24: the father, the son, the servant and the bride. This is very significant. When we come to the New Testament, we see the Triune God working together to obtain a bride for the Son. What is the subject of the New Testament? The subject of the New Testament is the Triune God — the Father, the Son, and the Spirit –working together to obtain a bride for the Son. The Father determines the plan, the Spirit accomplishes the Father’s plan, and the Son enjoys what the Father has planned and the Spirit has accomplished. Who is the bride? The bride is a part of the human race who is joined to the Son to become His counterpart. Matthew 28:19 speaks of the Father, the Son and the Spirit. In the Acts and the Epistles, we see how the Spirit works according to the Father’s plan to obtain a bride for the Son. At the end of the New Testament, in the book of Revelation, we see the bride. Revelation 19:7 says, “The marriage of the Lamb has come and His wife has made herself ready.” Ultimately, the entire city, New Jerusalem, will become the bride (Rev. 21:2, 9-10). The term “the city-wife” sounds very strange, but there is nothing wrong with using it because New Jerusalem is female; it is the wife of the Lamb, the counterpart of God’s Son. The entire New Testament is a record of the Triune God working together to obtain a part of humanity to become the bride, the counterpart, of the Son.
The Son’s Marriage
The son, Isaac, did nothing. This indicates that everything was planned by the Father and accomplished by the Spirit; the Son simply received the bride. Isaac married Rebekah at dusk (Gen. 24:63-64). This implies that the marriage of Christ will take place at the end of this age. At the end of this age, Christ will come to marry His bride. Isaac brought Rebekah into the tent of his mother, Sarah, and loved her (Gen. 24:67). We have seen that Sarah typifies grace. Therefore, this means that Christ will meet us not only in love but also in grace.
The conclusion of this chapter is: “…thus Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.” If I were the author, I would say that Rebekah had traveled a long distance, and she was the one who was comforted. But the Bible does not say that. Do not consider your comfort or your satisfaction; on the contrary, consider Christ’s comfort and Christ’s satisfaction. If Christ does not have comfort and satisfaction, we cannot have any comfort or satisfaction either. Our satisfaction lies in His satisfaction. Our comfort is His comfort, and His satisfaction is our satisfaction. Christ is currently waiting to be comforted. When will He be comforted? It will be on the day of His marriage. That day will surely come.
Daily Q: How can we see that Isaac’s marriage is a type of Christ’s marriage to the church? How can we see this, and how can we confirm it using the New Testament? Why does the conclusion emphasize that “Isaac was comforted” rather than Rebekah being comforted?