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Galatians 4:26 But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. Then Isaac brought her (Rebecca) into the tent of Sarah his mother and took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her. (Genesis 24:67. It is said that in seeking a wife a man looks for another mother. Today, our stubborn demand for individuality makes potential wives want to distinguish and define themselves against their husband’s mothers. A man will often refer to his mother’s cooking as the best. New wives who haven’t sat learning at the feet of an older Mom feel they can’t compete and this often creates deep issues within families. In the ancient world, a betrothed woman would spend her betrothal time until marriage learning about the things that please her husband. She would learn from his parents and others who knew him well. She would learn to prepare the food he likes, wear clothes and do her hair in the manner that he liked, as well as behave in the way that he liked. Today the mentality is more of, ‘if you love me, you take me as I am’. There is no respect for continuity, traditions, or culture and in the end, grand-children live in a different world than that of their grand-parents. This creates fragmented families. That’s why it is hard for old people; they feel everything they taught their children is gone and as a result they feel useless! Sarah was the matriarch. Whole traditions of hospitality, care, wisdom and even of the prophetic gift have developed around her. She was a tough act to follow; that’s why Eliezer’s mission of finding Isaac a wife was so crucial. Though coming from the idolatrous culture of Babylon, she had to have the right spirit and endorse the traditions of Sarah, and she did. Isaac wanted, Isaac needed her to enter into his mother’s tent, continue in the godly traditions of his Mom. Things would have been different if she would have said, ‘Look, I am not living in your mother’s tent; can’t you give me my own tent; I am my own person after all, I left my parents house for you so you take me as I am …etc …etc…’. Jewish prophetic eschatology compares Sarah to Jerusalem. After her second captivity, Sarah birthed Isaac. After the binding of Isaac, Sarah dies which the text narration follows with Isaac’s marriage to Rebecca, after a long time. This order of event is not coincidental. Classic Judaism always looked upon Isaac as foreshadow picture of the coming Messiah. Like Isaac, Yeshua had a miraculous birth and was sacrificed on the altar; the sacking and consequent dying of Jerusalem follows under the Roman Empire. A long time after, the text tells us, Yeshua will return to marry His bride. Even now today, like Eliezer (meaning: my God is my help) of old did, the Holy Spirit, roams in the earth in search of the bride who will enter ‘Jerusalem/Sarah’s tent’ and continue in the Jewish traditions of His Mom; the bride where the Sabbath’ candle burns continually and where the ‘dough’ is blessed. May we spend our time in preparation to please our Messiah, learning from the Torah all the things that please Him.
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