圣经启示，神永远的目的是要藉着一个团体的身体彰显祂自己，并且这目的是凭着神的生命而达到的。我们要进入创世记的深处，必须看见这两件事。在创世记一章二十六节我们看见，人是照着神的形像造的。这里的人不是单个的人，乃是团体的人。可以说，能彰显神形像的乃是人类，就是团体的身体。在创世记二章我们看见，为着达成神的目的，我们必须有生命树所表征神的生命。这两章有两个重要的辞－形像和生命。形像启示神永远的目的，生命揭示神达成祂目的的作法。
创世记全书只有五十章，涵括了二千三百年，就是人类历史的前二十三个世纪。创世记若是历史的记载，就需要数百章来论到这期间的事。仅仅五十章就涵括这么长的期间，证明创世记不是历史的记载。创世记表面看是历史的记载，事实上却是显示神永远的目的，并凭着生命达成这目的的作法。那些与神的目的并这目的凭着生命而达成无关的，都不记载在本书内。
创世记二十一至二十四章，涵括了四十年（创二五20），题到五件主要的事：以撒的出生，以撒的长大，以撒的献上，撒拉的死和埋葬，并以撒的婚姻。这段记载虽然简短，却非常有意义。在这里我们看见正确的出生和正确的长大。这种出生和长大产生了燔祭，使神满足。在二十一章的出生和长大以后，有二十二章的燔祭。然后，就如我们所看见的，二十三章有撒拉的死，以及对她的埋葬详细的记载。接着，在二十四章我们看见一个美妙的婚姻。但本章不仅仅是婚姻的记载，乃是具有生命深刻意义的故事。
照着多数基督徒一般的领会，本章主要的点是以撒豫表基督是新郎，利百加豫表教会是新妇。但这不是主要的点。首要的点乃是与主在一里实际的生活，以达成神的目的。神有一个目的，而达成祂目的的作法是凭着生命。我们若要明自创世记二十四章，必须应用这两个管治的点。为甚么创世记二十四章这样记载以撒的婚姻？要答覆这问题。我们必须读前三章。创世记二十一章十二节说，“从以撒生的，才要称为你的后裔。”神呼召亚伯拉罕有一个目的。为着达成这目的，神应许赐给亚伯拉罕美地，以及承受那地的后裔。神永远的目的是要人团体的彰显祂自己。要得着这团体的彰显，神必须得着一班子民。这班子民就是亚伯拉罕的后裔。不仅如此，要得着这班子民团体的彰显神，也需要地。那么，创世记二十四章的婚姻有何目的？以撒的婚姻完全是为着达成神永远的目的。没有婚姻，以撒怎能生出后裔？这单身汉若要得着后裔，以达成神永远的目的，他就必须结婚。亚伯拉罕在二十二章受了试验以后，神说，“论福，我必赐大福给你，论子孙，我必叫你的子孙多起来，如同天上的星，海边的沙，你子孙必得着仇敌的城门。并且地上万国都必因你的后裔得福。”（创二二17-18）。在这里也有为着达成神目的的后裔。因此，以撒的婚姻不是寻常的，也不仅仅是为着他的人生，乃是为着达成神永远的目的。
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Isaac’s Marriage (1) – Gen. 24:3
The Bible reveals that God’s eternal purpose is to express Himself through a corporate body, and this purpose is attained by means of God’s life. If we would enter into the depths of Genesis, we must see these two things. In Genesis 1:26 we see that man was made in God’s image. The man here is not an individual man, but a corporate man. We may say that what can express God’s image is mankind, that is, the corporate body. In Genesis 2 we see that, for the fulfillment of God’s purpose, we must have the life of God symbolized by the tree of life. In these two chapters, there are two important words — image and life. Image reveals God’s eternal purpose; life unveils the way for God to fulfill His purpose.
The whole book of Genesis has only fifty chapters, covering twenty-three hundred years, that is, the first twenty-three centuries of human history. If Genesis were a record of history, hundreds of chapters would be needed to cover the events of this period. That only fifty chapters cover such a long period proves that Genesis is not a record of history. Seemingly Genesis is a record of history, but actually, it displays God’s eternal purpose and the way to fulfill this purpose by life. Those things which are not related to God’s purpose and the fulfillment of this purpose by life are not recorded in this book.
Genesis 21 through 24 covers forty years (Gen. 25:20) and mentions five main things: the birth of Isaac, the growth of Isaac, the offering of Isaac, the death and burial of Sarah and the marriage of Isaac. Although this record is brief, it is very significant. Here we see a proper birth and a proper growth. This birth and growth produced a burnt offering to satisfy God. After the birth and growth in chapter 21, there is the burnt offering in chapter 22. Then, as we have seen, in chapter 23 there is the detailed record of Sarah’s death and burial. Following this, in chapter 24, we see a wonderful marriage. But this chapter is not merely a record of a marriage; it is a story with deep significance in life.
According to the common understanding of most Christians, the main point of this chapter is that Isaac typifies Christ as the Bridegroom and Rebekah typifies the church as the bride. But this is not the main point. The primary point is the practical living in oneness with the Lord for the fulfillment of God’s purpose. God has a purpose, and the way to fulfill His purpose is by life. If we would understand Genesis 24, we must apply these two governing points. Why does Genesis 24 record Isaac’s marriage in this way? To answer this question, we must read the previous three chapters. Genesis 21:12 says, “for through Isaac your descendants shall be called.” God’s calling of Abraham had a purpose. For the fulfillment of this purpose, God promised to give Abraham the good land and the seed to inherit that land. God’s eternal purpose is to express Himself corporately. To have this corporate expression, God must have a group of people. This person is the seed of Abraham. Furthermore, to have this people to express God corporately, there is the need of the land. Then, what is the purpose of the marriage in Genesis 24? Isaac’s marriage was wholly for the fulfillment of God’s eternal purpose. Without a marriage, how could Isaac bring forth the seed? If this single man was to have the seed for the fulfillment of God’s eternal purpose, he had to marry. After Abraham underwent the test in chapter 22, God said, “indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which h is on the seashore and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies. In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen. 22:17-18). Here we have the seed for the fulfillment of God’s purpose. Therefore, Isaac’s marriage was not ordinary, nor was it merely for his human life; it was for the fulfillment of God’s eternal purpose.