No doubt the chief outward points in which Rebecca typifies the church are her having been brought from out of the Gentiles to be the bride of Isaac, after his (figurative) resurrection; and her being brought into Sarah's tent after the death of the latter: but the chief moral point is that she believed without seeing. The Son of God wooed the “daughter of Zion” in a different way: He came in bodily presence, though in a manner disguised, to her place of abode, like the Sultan Aliris to Delhi, though not similarly successful. But it is the distinguishing characteristic of the church that she is won to espousal by faith in a message from her absent wooer: hence the highest blessing and closest affection is bestowed upon her. To Thomas (who represents the Jewish remnant) the Lord says, “Because thou hast seen Me thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed.” Zechariah says of the Jews that they shall repent when they look on Him Whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for Him as one mourneth for an only son. They shall say, “What are these wounds in Thine hands?” But it is different with us, of whom Peter says, “Whom not having seen ye love: in Whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing” No wonder he calls it “precious faith,” this God-given power to believe in the absent One Whom the world rejects.
When Galileo with his first rude telescope discovered the moons of Jupiter, all the world laughed at his statement except Kepler, who wrote to tell him that he believed his word. Galileo's reply was a pathetic expression of deep gratitude and affection. And we are justified in believing that He, Who has revealed to an unbelieving world the mysteries of the circling orbs of the deeper and more impenetrable heavens, has, and will manifest, a full appreciation of the trust reposed in Him by those who “have not seen and yet have believed.” Even an impostor could be keenly alive to the claim that exceptional and isolated trust had on him. “Now am I not better than Khadijah: she was old and had lost her looks “: said the young and brilliant Ahesha to Mahomet; “You love me better than you did her?” “No,” replied he, “she believed in me when none else would believe. In the whole world I had but one friend, and she was that."
Though the bride of Psa. 45 may not represent the church definitely, yet we find some important principles relating to her—as well as to the Jewish people. She is seen at her Lord's right hand, the place of honor: she is in “gold of Ophir” (5:9); that is in divine righteousness, the work of God entirely, as virgin gold is. She is also “all glorious within; her clothing is of wrought gold” (5:13); that is the work of the Spirit and its ultimate effects “within” the heart, and without in respect of the “clothing” or eternal character. But there is something besides this glorious investiture. It is a subject of great happiness that she shall be made worthy of Christ by being invested with the righteousness of God, and within and without adorned with the graces of the Spirit, but, by the transcendent favor of the Father, she is brought in “raiment of needlework;” that is to say, her own good works “cannot be hid." When “His wife hath made herself ready” it shall be “to her granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white, for the fine linen is the righteousnesses (plural) of the saints."
There is a place then for personal righteousness, good works: it is not in the justification of the sinner, that is all of God; as God makes the gold and puts it down in the ground, and the only part man has in its production is to stoop and take it thence, so we have to accept forgiveness and life, as a free gift: there is also that spiritual adornment which should be the characteristics of the bride, partly divine and partly of human ministry, “wrought gold “; but beside these there should be in Christian life a perpetual preparation of personal good actions, as an elaborate embroidery in which to appear at the Great Marriage. Even this, however, is inevitably sullied by earthly contacts, and therefore we read, not only that the saved are themselves washed “in His own blood,” but also that they wash their robes and make “them white in the blood of the Lamb."
So that in every respect she is primarily and ultimately dependent on the Lord Jesus Christ for all qualifications for His presence: she will be worthy, but it is Christ Who makes her so, whether by His own personal work, or that of the Father or the Holy Ghost, or by human agency for His sake. As for her she has no dower to bring him: the kings of the earth shall bring gifts; she only brings herself filled with imperfection, but He, by a glorious transformation of “heavenly alchemy” makes her worthy of the high and glorious destiny which His love designs. In the old time, when all Socratians came bringing him gifts, Aeschines said, “I have nothing to give thee; I give thee myself.” “Do so,” said Socrates, “and I will give thee back thyself better than I received thee!”
We do indeed feel gratitude for that which He has done for us, but we do not sufficiently consider what He is doing in us. “I found Rome brick and leave it marble,” said Augustus; and that was the drowning glory of his humanly illustrious life.