God’s conversation with mankind has been the same throughout the ages; the gospel was revealed in the Old Testament through midrash, allegory and Biblical typology.
Thus, we read in the story of Abraham, a figure of the heavenly Father, that he sends his servant, a figure of the Holy Spirit, into another land to find a bride for his son Isaac, a type of Jesus. Abraham’s servant took with him gifts as pledges, for the bride, from the bridegroom she has not yet seen.
This typology is re-enacted in the followers of Christ; the Father send the Holy Spirit into another land, the earth, to find a Bride for His Son. The Spirit takes gifts to the Bride from the Bridegroom she has not seen; gifts of grace; love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. These gifts, being received and worn by the Bride, will make her beautiful in the eyes of her Bridegroom when He comes and beholds her wearing His gifts as her adornments.
But the gifts must be taken hold of and properly applied for the beauty to be evident; the gifts themselves are of no value except that they make of the receiver what the giver desires; it is not the gift, but the giver, that is important.
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