父的计画
首先，有父的计画，以弗所三章十一节说，“在我们的主基督耶稣里，所立的永远定旨。”定旨是现代辞汇计画的古代说法。我们说到神的计画，就是指神的定旨。在已过的永远里，神定了一个计画，就是要为基督得着教会（弗三8-11）。神的计画不是仅仅要得着一班罪人，也不是仅仅要得着一班蒙救赎的人，这样的观念太低浅了。神的计画乃是要为祂儿子得着一个新妇。
我们一再听到基督来要拯救罪人，但你曾否听到一篇信息，告诉你基督来要得着新妇？约翰三章二十九节说，“娶新妇的，就是新郎。”在四福音里，主耶稣告诉门徒说，祂就是新郎（太九15）。祂来不仅要拯救罪人，还要得着新妇。我们仍然是罪人么？不，我们是新妇！赞美主，我们不再是罪人－我们是新妇！基督来不仅要作我们的救主和救赎主，也要作新郎。神并没有计画要拯救一班可怜的罪人，把他们都带到天上。神乃是计画要选取一部分人类，使他们成为祂爱子的配偶。最终在新天新地里，没有一班可怜的罪人，却有新妇，就是新耶路撒冷，羔羊的妻。
基督的配偶必须来自基督的族类
我们已经看过，父神计画要从人类中为祂儿子得着一个新妇。豫表父的亚伯拉罕，嘱咐他那豫表圣灵的仆人，不要从迦南的女子，乃要从亚伯拉罕的亲族中，为他儿子娶一个妻子（创二四4，7）。在豫表里，这指明基督的配偶必须来自基督的族类；不是来自天使，也不是来自别的受造之物。既然基督成为肉体，成了人，人类就成了祂的族类。不要一直认为人类是那么可怜。人类并不可怜，因为人类是基督的族类，是神所亲爱所宝贵的。神只能从人类中为祂儿子得着配偶。因此，我们都必须以身为人类的一分子为荣，并且说，“赞美主，我是人！感谢祂把我造成人，而不是造成天使。”
在创世记二章我们看见，神把各样活物带到亚当面前，给他命名。亚当说，“这是狗，这是猫，这是猴子，这是驴。”他看遍了那些活物，在它们中间找不到他的配偶。于是神使他沉睡，取下他的一条肋骨，建造成一个女人，作他的配偶（创二21-22）。所以亚当和夏娃属于同样的族类。这指明基督的配偶必须来自基督的族类，就是人类。我们都被造成人类，并且都已经重生。只有人类够资格作基督的配偶。
每日一问：为什么亚伯拉罕嘱咐老仆人不可为儿子娶迦南女子，必须从亲族中选妻？请描述亚伯拉罕为儿子预备婚娶的细节，这如何预表父神的计画？
请享受诗歌 (点击诗歌名）
Isaac’s Marriage – The Father’s Plan – Gen. 24:3-4
First, there is the Father’s plan. Ephesians 3:11 speaks of “the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord.” “Purpose” is an ancient term for the modern word “plan”. When we speak of God’s plan, we are referring to God’s purpose. In the past eternity, God determined a plan, which is to obtain the church for Christ (Eph. 3:8-11). God’s plan is not merely to obtain a group of sinners, nor is it merely to obtain a group of redeemed people; such a concept is too shallow. God’s plan is to obtain a bride for His Son.
We hear again and again that Christ came to save sinners, but have you ever heard a message telling you that Christ came to obtain a bride? John 3:29 says, “He who has the bride is the bridegroom.” In the Gospels, the Lord Jesus told the disciples that He is the bridegroom (Matt. 9:15). He came not only to save sinners but also to obtain a bride. Are we still sinners? No, we are the bride! Praise the Lord, we are no longer sinners—we are the bride! Christ came not only to be our Savior and Redeemer but also to be our bridegroom. God did not plan to save a group of miserable sinners and bring them all to heaven. God planned to select a portion of humanity to make them the counterpart of His beloved Son. Ultimately, in the new heaven and new earth, there will be no group of miserable sinners, but there will be the bride—New Jerusalem, the wife of the Lamb.
Christ’s Counterpart Must Come from Christ’s Kind
We have seen that God the Father planned to obtain a bride for His Son from among the human race. Abraham, who typifies the Father, charged his servant, who typifies the Spirit, not to take a wife for his son from among the daughters of the Canaanites, but from among his own kindred (Gen. 24:4, 7). In typology, this indicates that Christ’s counterpart must come from Christ’s kind; it cannot come from the angels or from any other created being. Since Christ became flesh and became a man, humanity has become His kind. Do not keep thinking that humanity is so miserable. Humanity is not miserable, because humanity is the kind of Christ, and it is precious and dear to God. God can only obtain a counterpart for His Son from among humanity. Therefore, we must all be proud to be a member of the human race and say, “Praise the Lord, I am a man! Thank Him for making me a man, not an angel.”
In Genesis 2, we see God bringing various living creatures to Adam to name them. Adam said, “This is a dog, this is a cat, this is a monkey, this is a donkey.” He looked at all those living creatures and could not find his counterpart among them. So God caused a deep sleep to fall upon him, took one of his ribs, and built it into a woman to be his counterpart (Gen. 2:21-22). Thus, Adam and Eve belonged to the same kind. This indicates that Christ’s counterpart must come from Christ’s kind, which is humanity. We were all created as human beings and have all been regenerated. Only humanity is qualified to be the counterpart of Christ.
Daily Q: Why did Abraham charge his old servant not to take a wife for his son from the Canaanites, but instead to choose one from among his own kindred? Please describe the details of how Abraham prepared for his son’s marriage, and how this typifies the Father God’s plan.