14. (a) By whom was Rebekah accompanied? (b) What kind of journey did they face?

¹⁴ Rebekah had company on her journey. As the account explains: “Rebekah and her lady attendants rose and they went riding on the camels.” (Genesis 24:61) So the camel train set out on a dangerous journey of more than 500 miles [800 km] through foreign territory. “The average speed of laden camels,” states the book The Living World of Animals, “is about 2.5 m[iles] p[er] h[our] [4 km/​hr].” If Abraham’s camels went at that speed for eight hours a day, it would have taken over 25 days to reach their destination in the Negeb.

15. (a) What fine example do we see in Eliezer, Rebekah, and her attendants? (b) What does the account foreshadow?

¹⁵ Eliezer, Rebekah, and her lady attendants trusted fully in Jehovah’s direction, a fine example for Christians today! (Proverbs 3:5, 6) In addition, the account is a faith-strengthening prophetic drama. As we have seen, Abraham typifies Jehovah God, who offered up his beloved Son, the Greater Isaac, so that sinful men might gain everlasting life. (John 3:16) The preparation for Isaac’s marriage came some time after he had been spared from death on the altar of sacrifice. It was prophetic of the preparation for the heavenly marriage, which preparation began in earnest after Jesus’ resurrection.

16. (a) How, fittingly, does Abraham’s servant picture God’s holy spirit? (b) What question may be asked respecting the spirit and the bride?

¹⁶ Eliezer’s name means “My God Is Helper.” In name and deed, he fittingly pictures the holy spirit of the Greater Abraham, Jehovah God, which He sent to this distant land, our earth, to select a suitable bride for the Greater Isaac, Jesus Christ. (John 14:26; 15:26) The bride class is “the congregation,” made up of disciples of Jesus who have been begotten by holy spirit as spiritual sons of God. (Ephesians 5:25-27; Romans 8:15-17) Just as Rebekah received expensive gifts, so the initial members of the Christian congregation on the day of Pentecost 33 C.E. received miraculous gifts in proof of their divine calling. (Acts 2:1-4) Like Rebekah, they have willingly forsaken all worldly and fleshly relationships in order eventually to be united with their heavenly Bridegroom. From the time individual members of the bride class are called until their death, they must guard their spiritual virginity while journeying through Satan’s dangerous, seductive world. (John 15:18, 19; 2 Corinthians 11:3; James 4:4) Filled with holy spirit, the bride class faithfully invites others to partake of Jehovah’s provisions for salvation. (Revelation 22:17) Do you follow her example by also responding to the spirit’s direction?

17. (a) What do the ten camels picture? (b) What should be our attitude toward the Bible and toward Bible-based publications prepared by the bride class? (Acts 17:11)

¹⁷ The bride class highly values what is pictured by the ten camels. The number ten is used in the Bible to denote perfection or completeness as related to things on earth. The ten camels may be compared to the complete and perfect Word of God, by means of which the bride class receives spiritual sustenance and spiritual gifts. (John 17:17; Ephesians 1:13, 14; 1 John 2:5) Commenting on Rebekah’s watering of the camels, The Watchtower of November 1, 1948, made this application to the bride class: “They lovingly consider the Word of God which bears much of his spirit to them. They take an interest in his written Word, serving it and freshening it up by attending upon it and displaying a sincere concern for its message and purpose, seeking to believe it.” As an example of this, the remnant of the bride class has lovingly made available to millions the fresh, up-to-date New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. Whether this fine translation is available in your language or not, do you show appreciation by regularly examining the Bible along with study aids provided by the bride class?​—2 Timothy 3:16.

The Lamb’s Marriage Draws Near

18. Why do Rebekah’s attendants fittingly picture companions of the bride today?

¹⁸ In these last days of Satan’s world, the remnant of the bride class has been joined by “a great crowd,” comparable to Rebekah’s “lady attendants.” As in the case of Rebekah, these far outnumber the numerically complete bride class of 144,000. They are the “great crowd” of Jesus Christ’s “other sheep.” (Revelation 7:4, 9; John 10:16) As loyal attendants of the bride, they must also keep free from contamination by Satan’s wicked world. They too must respond to the leadings of Jehovah’s spirit and his Word as it is explained to them by the bride class. But their reward is different. If they endure in loyal support of Christ’s bride, they will survive the end of Satan’s world and have the wonderful opportunity of living forever in an earthly paradise.​—Revelation 21:3, 4.