From Darkness To Light
And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was
good: and God divided the light from the darkness - Genesis 1:3-4
The initial aspect of God's newly created world was one of darkness in the presence of the all-pervading waters.
Since "God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all" (I John 1:5), the darkness had to be specially
created (Isaiah 45:7) before God could then call for the light to appear in the darkness.
This would later serve as a striking picture of the entrance of light into the darkness of a soul born in sin.
"For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of
the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (II Corinthians 4:6). The light enters our
soul by His word. "The entrance of thy words giveth light" (Psalm 119:130).
This great theme, contrasting the darkness of the soul without Christ to the glorious light He brings when that
soul receives Him by faith, is found often in Scripture. "[Christ] hath called you out of darkness into His
marvelous light" (I Peter 2:9). "The darkness is past, and the true light now shineth" (I John 2:8).
Jesus even called Himself that true light which divided the light from the darkness. "I am the light of the
world" He claimed; "He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have
the light of life" (John 8:12).
And because we have received the true light, we should henceforth live in the light of His truth. "For ye
were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light" (Ephesians 5:8). "Let
us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light" (Romans 13:12). God's light
is good. In the holy city "there shall be no night there" (Revelation 22:5).
The Lights Of The World
And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to
rule the night: He made the stars also - Genesis 1:16
On the Fourth Day of Creation Week, the Lord Jesus had formed the sun and the moon and all the stars of heaven.
There had been "light" on the first three days, but now there were actual lights! Not only would the
earth and its verdure be a source of beauty and sustenance to man, but even the very heavens would bring joy and
inspiration to him. Furthermore, they would guide his way and keep his time.
But instead of the stars of heaven turning man's thoughts and affections toward his Creator, they had been corrupted
and identified with a host of false gods and goddesses. Furthermore, instead of creating a sense of awe and reverence
for His majesty, they had bolstered the humanistic belief that the earth is insignificant and meaningless in a
vast, evolving cosmos. Perhaps thoughts such as these troubled the mind of the Lord that night as He lay on the
mountain gazing at the lights He had long ago made for the darkness.
When morning came and Day Four of Redemption Week began, He returned to Jerusalem, where many were waiting to hear
Him. He taught in the temple (Luke 21:37,38), but the synoptic gospels do not record His teachings. This lack is
probably supplied in the apparently parenthetical record of His temple teaching as given only in John's Gospel
(12:20-50), because there He twice compared Himself to the lights He had made. "I am come a light into the
world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness." "Yet a little while is the light
with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you" (John 12:46,35). He who was the true
Light must become darkness in order that, in the new world, there would never be night again (Revelation 22:5).
The Stars Also
And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: He made
the stars also - Genesis 1:16
On the fourth day of Creation Week, God made the two lights for day and night, and then-almost like an afterthought-"He
made the stars also." Nothing, of course, is an afterthought with God, but this emphasizes the relative importance
of these parts of His creation. Whether or not the earth is the geographical center of the universe, Earth is the
center of God's interest in the universe. This is where He created man and woman in His own image, and where He
will reign over His creation in the ages to come.
The primary purpose of the stars, as well as the sun and moon, was "to divide the day from the night; and
. . . to be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: and . . . to give light upon the earth" (Genesis
1:14,15). They could not fulfill these functions, of course, if their light could not be seen on the earth, so
we can be sure that these heavenly bodies and their light rays were created-like Adam and Eve-"full-grown,"
in a state of functioning maturity.
All that can be known scientifically about the stars must be determined from their light intensity and spectra.
(Their distances can be measured geometrically only to about 300 light-years.) Any other information-any greater
distances, size, temperature, etc.-must be derived by inference, based on some theory of stellar evolution.
Although the stars all look alike (even through a telescope, they all appear as mere points of light), these calculations
have shown that each one is unique, as revealed long ago in Scripture: "One star differeth from another star
in glory" (I Corinthians 15:41). Those who believe can learn more about them in the ages to come, for "they
that be wise shall shine . . . as the stars for ever and ever" (Daniel 12:3).
In The Image Of God
So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female
created He them - Genesis 1:27
The Lord Jesus Christ "is the image of God" (II Corinthians 4:4), "the brightness of His glory,
and the express image of His person" (Hebrews 1:3), "the image of the invisible God" (Colossians
1:15). Human beings were created "in" God's image. From the beginning we were made to be like Jesus,
God the Son, but we miserably failed.
God the Father did not forsake His purposes, however. In the fullness of time He sent His Son to take on our flesh
so that the believer might "be conformed to the image of His Son" (Romans 8:29), "renewed in knowledge
after the image of Him that created Him" (Colossians 3:10).
Animals do not share this privilege. They were not made to resemble Jesus. Animals have instinct; humans, creativity-like
the Creator! He reasons with His human creatures and wants us to reason back (cf. Isaiah 1:18). Like Jesus, we
also have authority. He calmed the storm; we tame killer whales and whole herds of cattle. Yet, our rebellion against
God shows up in many and varied abuses, but the ingredients are stamped on our beings nevertheless.
The fact that we can worship God and commune with Him in prayer is a tremendous truth. God is tripersonal; each
Person of the Trinity communes with the Other. But God also invites us into His fellowship. Let us be what we were
meant to be. Let us imitate the Lord Jesus Christ-trusting solely in the merits of His cross, commune with the
Father through the Son, and experience the joy of fellowship with the Spirit for all eternity so that "we
all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to
glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord" (II Corinthians 3:18).
Very Good
And God saw every thing that He had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening
and the morning were the sixth day - Genesis 1:31
On several occasions during the Creation Week, God had declared aspects of His creation as "good" (vv.10,12,18,21,25).
But once His crown of creation was in place, the very image of Himself (vv.26,27), He pronounced it all "very
good" and ceased His creative activity (2:13).
Just what does it mean to be "very good" in God's eyes? This term is used elsewhere in the Old Testament
by men and regarding men, but here God Himself, the sinless, ever-living One, declares creation to be just what
He wanted-able to accomplish and fulfill each of His plans and desires for it.
Whatever else may be said about this creation, it, at the very least, must have been without death, being a phenomenon
anathema to Him.
Death is identified as "the last enemy that shall be destroyed" (I Corinthians 15:26). "Death reigned
from Adam to Moses" (Romans 5:14), and "it is appointed unto men once to die" (Hebrews 9:27). Indeed,
"the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now" (Romans 8:22).
The source of this condition is known as the curse pronounced on all of creation due to man's rebellion against
God (Genesis 3) as had been promised (2:17). Even today "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23), and
since all sin, all must die. Truly, sin has ruined God's original sinless, deathless, "very good" creation.
But the story does not end there. The very Creator who pronounced the awful curse of death as the penalty for sin
has Himself died to pay that penalty and one day will repeal the curse (Revelation 22:3) and abolish death (21:4).
The creation will be returned to its original created intent, and all will once again be "very good."
The Deep Sleep
And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and He took one of his ribs, and closed up
the flesh instead thereof - Genesis 2:21
This is the first of seven occurrences of the unusual term "deep sleep" (Hebrew tardema) in the Old Testament.
In each case, it seems to refer to a special state induced by the Lord Himself, in order to convey an important
revelation to, or through, the person experiencing it.
In Adam's case, God made a bride for him during his deep sleep, from whose seed would be born all the nations of
the earth. "And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made He a woman, and brought her unto the
man" (v.22). The covenant God made with Adam and Eve delegated dominion over the earth to their descendants.
The second deep sleep was that which "fell upon Abram" (Genesis 15:12), when God passed between the sacrificial
animals and established His great covenant with him, promising that from his seed would be born the chosen nation.
"And I will make of thee a great nation" (12:2). The Abrahamic covenant also delegated the central land
of the earth to Isaac's descendants (15:18-21) and promised that "in thee shall all families of the earth
be blessed" (12:3).
But Adam was a type of Christ and Abraham was a type of Christ, and their deep sleeps pre-figured His own deep
sleep of death on the cross. There He became the last Adam and the promised Seed, dying to give life to His great
Bride and living again to establish a holy nation of the redeemed, fulfilling all of God's ancient covenants, and
instituting the eternal New Covenant in His own blood.
When Adam fell into a deep sleep, a bride was born; when Abraham fell into his deep sleep, a nation was born. But
when Christ slept deeply in death, on the cross and in the tomb, death and hell were judged, and a new world was
born.
Christ And Clothing
And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed - Genesis 2:25
The attitude of our first parents to their nakedness changed after the fall. At first there was no shame in nakedness,
but the next chapter of Genesis, reporting their fall into sin, says that "the eyes of them both were opened,
and they knew that they were naked" (v.7). Adam and Eve "hid themselves from the presence of the LORD"
(v.8). The Lord in turn made "coats of skins, and clothed them" (v.21).
Not only did our Lord make provision for clothing, however, but He Himself suffered the indignity of exposure while
hanging on the cross. The soldiers "took His garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part"
(John 19:23). They also took His seamless "coat" (khiton in Greek, the part worn next to the skin) and
gambled for it (vs.23,24). Not only did this fulfill prophecy concerning the Messiah (Psalm 22:18), but Jesus was
even suffering the shame of nakedness so that we might be clothed forever in the robes of His righteousness!
Jesus said, "I counsel thee to buy . . . white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of
thy nakedness do not appear . . ." (Revelation 3:18). In Revelation 7:13,14 we read that "one of the
elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes?" The answer came, "These
are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of
the Lamb."
The Lord Jesus Christ was that Lamb, typified by the animal or animals used to provide covering for Adam and Eve
(Genesis 3:21). The Creator, who sacrificed one or more of His creatures to cover our first parents, sacrificed
Himself to cover us with His love. He is worthy of our love and devotion.
The Name: From The Beginning
Then began men to call upon the name of the LORD - Genesis 4:26
The name of Israel's covenant God, YHWH (or YHVH), comes from the Hebrew verb "hayah," "be,"
or "become."
The third person singular of this verb is "yhyh," "He is." However, in earliest times, Hebrew
"yod" (y) was "vav" (v). We see this in Adam's wife's name, "Chavah," meaning "live."
She is the "mother of all living" (Genesis 3:20). But "live" in modern Hebrew is "chayah."
Thus Chavah (not Chayah) is a very ancient form of the verb "live."
It follows, then, that YHWH's name is also a very ancient form with a "W" (double "V") in Hebrew
signifying that this was His name long before Moses' time. In fact, as we see in our text which deals with the
days before the Flood, believers worshipped ("called upon") the Lord by His name "YHWH"
Another indication the name was known very early is its use in Exodus 6:3. This verse should be a question put
to Moses, "By my name JHWH was I not known to them [the patriarchs]?" There are many places where questions
are asked without using the interrogative pronoun: Genesis 18:12; 27:24, for instance. Jonah 4:11 (in Hebrew) reads
as though the Lord had no concern for Nineveh. As in this case, the tone itself indicates a question (we also do
this in English).
For further confirmation that the patriarchs knew Him by His name JHWH very early, see: Genesis 9:26; 12:7; 14:22;
15:7,8; 18:14; 28:13. The machinations of scholars who insist Israel "discovered" JHWH's name quite late
are unacceptable.
It was YHWH who was the Savior of Israel, and as YHWH He saves sinners today. His name now is "Yeshua"
(YHWH saves).
The Book Of Books
This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made He him
- Genesis 5:1
The Bible (literally, "the book") contains over 200 references to books. This implies, among other things,
God's approval of communication by books. Our text, containing the first mention of the word "book" in
the Bible, indicates that the very first man wrote a book! "Give attendance to reading," Paul recommends
(I Timothy 4:13), especially the Holy Scriptures (II Timothy 3:15-17).
The pattern of first and last mentions of "book" in the Bible is noteworthy, for all refer to divinely
written or divinely inspired books. The first use in the New Testament is in the very first verse-"the book
of the generations of Jesus Christ" (Matthew 1:1). The book of Adam's "generations" is in a special
sense, the Old Testament, the book of the generation of Jesus Christ-the last Adam-is in a similar sense the New
Testament.
The final mention of "book" in the Old Testament is in Malachi 3:16: "A book of remembrance was
written before Him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon His name."
The third-from-last verse of the New Testament contains no less than three references to God's books: "If
any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book
of life, . . . and from the things which are written in this book" (Revelation 22:19).
Note the significant modifiers attached to these six key references: "the book of the generations of Adam,"
"a book of remembrance," "the book of the generation of Jesus Christ," "the book of this
prophecy," "the book of life," and finally, simply "this book!"
And They Died
And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died - Genesis 5:5
Eight times in Genesis 5 the phrase, "and he died," is recorded. Eight astonishing tombstones: Adam (v.5),
Seth (v.8), Enos (v.11), Cainan (v.14), Mahalaleel (v.17), Jared (v.20), Methuselah (v.27), and Lamech (v.31).
These men lived amazingly long lives (six over 900 years), yet they died! Why?
The first reference to death in the Bible is Genesis 2:17: "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil,
thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." Before this, God
had brought forth a great explosion of life in the six days of creation. But to Adam came the ominous warning about
death. It was a clear command that Adam later on deliberately disobeyed (Genesis 3:6). The probable question in
Adam's mind from that point was, "Did God mean what He said?" Eventually Adam died and so did all those
who followed him; and so do we! "The wages of sin" is still death (Romans 6:23).
Death basically means separation. Physical death is the separation of the soul from the body; spiritual death is
the separation of the soul from God; eternal death is the separation of the soul from God eternally. If the Lord
tarries, we all will die physically, but we do not have to die eternally. "The gift of God is eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23). "He that hath the Son hath life" (I John 5:12).
There is one, however, who escaped death in Genesis 5, and that is Enoch. "Enoch walked with God: and he was
not; for God took him" (5:24). He went directly into the presence of God without dying. It would be wonderful
if we, like Enoch, would also be taken up to be with the Lord and bypass having a tombstone like all of those who
have preceded us!
The Judging Spirit Of God
And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be
an hundred and twenty years - Genesis 6:3
This is a difficult verse, but it is bound to be significant, for it contains the first reference in the Bible
to God's judgment. The word for "strive" is almost always elsewhere rendered "judge," or "judgment."
It is used in Deuteronomy 32:36 ("the LORD shall judge His people"). Thus our text seems to be telling
us that, before the Flood, the Holy Spirit was directly dealing with people in judgment because of their increasing
involvement with sin and rebellion against the Lord. God, through the Holy Spirit, was working earnestly in the
antediluvians to enable them, before His written word was available, to discern right and wrong, but their insistent
rebellion would soon lead to such depravity that God would leave them altogether, and send the destroying, cleansing
flood.
In this more enlightened age, with the complete Bible available and the saving work of God's Son now well known,
the Holy Spirit has a new judging ministry: "When He is come," Jesus said, "He will reprove the
world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness,
because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged"
(John 16:8-11).
This time man has been given not 120 years, but almost 2000 years to respond to the convicting judgments of the
Holy Spirit, yet "evil men and seducers . . . wax worse and worse" (II Timothy 3:13). Thus judgment is
imminent once again, and to those who have "done despite unto the Spirit of grace" (Hebrews 10:29), the
next time will not be merely a cleansing flood. "For our God is a consuming fire"
A Father Of Us All
These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God
- Genesis 6:9
How could eight people be the parents of all the ethnic groups we see today? Part of the answer lies in the interpretation
of our study verse. It says Noah was perfect in his generations. The word “perfect” implies entire, complete, or
full. In its immediate sense it probably refers to his righteousness before God—“By faith Noah, being warned of
God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned
the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith” (Hebrews 11:7).
As God looked at the world in Noah’s day, He found Noah to be “complete.” While the primary interpretation focuses
on his moral character, it may also imply he was complete in other aspects of his life, too. If he was “complete”
in a genetic sense, he must have had the array of genes necessary to become an ancestral father of all that are
living today. We now know that organisms with multiple traits can produce unique expressions of these traits in
just a few generations. This would have been enhanced by the institution of the various language groups at Babel
with migrations resulting in the nations we see around the globe.
Let us not forget that Noah was a real person who lived a just life before God. In like manner each of us is to
seek completeness in Noah’s God. “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” (Matthew
5:48). No doubt God knew Noah’s frame and chose him to be a father of us all. We can’t change our inheritance,
but we can perfect our judgment and truth and place our trust in Him (Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalm 18:30).
Atonement
Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch
- Genesis 6:14
It may be surprising to learn that God's instructions to Noah concerning the ark's design contain the first reference
in the Bible to the great doctrine of atonement. The Hebrew word used here for pitch (kaphar) is the same word
translated "atonement" in many other places in the Old Testament.
While the New Testament word "atonement" implies reconciliation, the Old Testament "atonement"
was merely a covering (with many applications). As the pitch was to make the ark watertight, keeping the judgment
waters of the Flood from reaching those inside, so, on the sacrificial altar, "it is the blood that maketh
an atonement for the soul" (Leviticus 17:11), keeping the fires of God's wrath away from the sinner for whom
the sacrifice was substituted and slain. The pitch was a covering for the ark, and the blood was a covering for
the soul, the first assuring physical deliverance; the second, spiritual salvation.
However, not even the shed blood on the altar could really produce salvation. It could assure it through faith
in God's promises on the part of the sinner who offered it, but "the blood of bulls and of goats" could
never "take away sins" (Hebrews 10:4). Both the covering pitch and animal blood were mere symbols of
the substituting death of Jesus Christ, "whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His
blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God"
(Romans 3:25). Through faith in Christ, our sins are "covered" under the blood, forgiven by God and replaced
by His own perfect righteousness, by all of which we become finally and fully reconciled to God.
From Where Did The Water Come?
And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven,
were covered - Genesis 7:19
Lack of an answer to this question led many theologians in the early 1800s to abandon the Biblical doctrine of
the global Flood in favor of uniformitarianism. At the time, scientists were saying that the concept of a young
Earth had been disproved and that since the mountains had been around since before the time of Noah, obviously,
they couldn't have been covered by the flood waters. There is simply not enough water to cover the present mountain
ranges, they said. Theologians responded by proposing a local flood incapable of laying down the fossil-bearing
rock of the world. Even today,
most evangelical theologians, denominations, and seminaries teach this compromise.
The world before the Flood was quite different from the world today. A global water vapor canopy encircled the
earth and contained vast amounts of water vapor (Genesis 1:6-8). Furthermore, the topography was much less pronounced
since all present mountain ranges are made up of sedimentary
rocks or volcanoes attributable to the Flood. Since it didn't rain before the Flood (Genesis 2:5), yet rivers flowed
(v.10), there must have been great subterranean reservoirs of water.
At the proper time, these "fountains of the great deep" (Genesis 7:11) spewed out their contents and
the "windows of heaven were opened" as the canopy was precipitated. The breaking up of those "fountains"
which were on the sea bottom, implies great tsunamis elevating water to an abnormal level
on land. Coupling these mechanisms with the fact that most of the earth (70%) is still covered with water in sufficient
quantity to cover the entire Earth (if it were smoothed out) to a depth of about 7,500 feet, we can conclude that
the Biblical story is, indeed, quite reasonable.
God Remembers
And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the ark: and God made
a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters assuaged - Genesis 8:1
This verse contains the first mention of the beautiful word "remember" in the Bible, and it tells us
that God remembers! During the awful cataclysm of the Flood, the most devastating event thus far in the history
of the world, God still remembered the faithful obedience of Noah, and He even remembered
every living thing!
We may forget many things, but God remembers: "For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of
love, which ye have shewed toward His name" (Hebrews 6:10). Nor does He ever forget a promise. The first mention
of "remember" in the New Testament is the Spirit-inspired testimony of
Zacharias: "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for He hath visited and redeemed His people . . . to remember
His holy covenant; The oath which He sware to our father Abraham" (Luke 1:68,72,73). That promise had been
made 2000 years before, but God remembered.
God even remembers the sparrows: "not one of them is forgotten before God" (Luke 12:6). And He certainly
remembers His own children: "For He knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust" (Psalm 103:14).
Even after the children of Israel had gone deeply into idolatry He could still say, "I remember thee, the
kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness" (Jeremiah
2:2).
God remembers the evil as well as the good, of course. The one thing He chooses not to remember is the sinful past
of those who have come to Christ for forgiveness. "And their sins and their iniquities will I remember no
more" (Hebrews 10:17).
Mount Ararat And The Resurrection
And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat - Genesis
8:4
The story of Noah’s preservation through the awful Flood has been recognized by all Bible students as a beautiful
picture of the resurrection. It was, of course, a true story which actually happened the way the Bible describes,
but is also a beautiful analogy.
The Flood was sent as a judgment upon the sinful world of Noah’s day (Genesis 6:5–7,11–13,17). The “wages of sin”
(Romans 6:23) has always been death. But God provided a way of salvation (i.e. the Ark which Noah built) to those
eight souls who believed Noah and his family (Genesis 6:8,9,14–16, 18–22).
Although the analogy is not perfect, it does beautifully illustrate the fact that the punishment for sin is still
death, and that God has provided a perfect way of salvation to those who believe in His Son Jesus Christ and in
His death on the cross.
In that light, it is interesting to note the date in our text which has great significance. The calendar was changed
by God at the time of the Passover, another beautiful prefigure of Christ’s work. The seventh month became the
first month (Exodus 12:2), and the Passover was to be observed on the fourteenth day of that month (v.6) each year
following. “Christ our passover” (I Corinthians 5:7) was sacrificed for us on that day (John 19:14) and rose again
the third day, the seventeenth day of the first (formerly the seventh) month.
This was the anniversary of the landing of Noah’s Ark on the mountains of Ararat, providing its inhabitants new
life following judgment of the world and its destruction because of sin. What a blessed picture of our new resurrection
life based on Christ’s death for our sins.
Rest Only In Christ
But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark,
for the waters were on the face of the whole earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in
unto him into the ark - Genesis 8:9
Unlike the raven, which Noah had sent out first, the dove could not live on the carrion floating on the flood waters.
After nine months cooped up in the ark, she had reveled in her freedom when Noah first released her from the window
of the ark. Unaware of the outside perils while safe with Noah, she flew gaily off into the open spaces beyond,
just like many a professing Christian, eager to cast off the constraints of his or her parental religion. "And
I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest. Lo, then would I wander far
off, and remain in the wilderness" (Psalm 55:6,7).
But the dove could find no rest away from Noah, whose very name means "rest!" His father, Lamech, by
prophetic inspiration, had called his name Noah, saying, "This same shall comfort us concerning our work and
toil of our hands, because of the ground which the LORD hath cursed" (Genesis 5:29). So she finally returned,
finding rest once again in Noah's outstretched hands.
Just so, the Lord Jesus, in His greater ark of secure salvation, is waiting at its open window, with arms outstretched,
inviting all those weary of the doomed world outside to return to Him. "Come unto me, all ye that labour and
are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart:
and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light" (Matthew 11:28-30). Christ's
message to the weary wanderer is: "I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, . . . return
unto me; for I have redeemed thee" (Isaiah 44:22).
Filling The Earth
And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth - Genesis
9:1
This was the first command given by God to mankind in the new world after the Flood. Actually, it simply renewed
the first command given to Adam and Eve in the primeval world. "And God blessed them, and God said unto them,
Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth . . ." (Genesis 1:28). The Old English word "replenish"
means simply "fill," and the same is true of the Hebrew word (mala), from which it is translated. In
fact, of its 220 occurrences, the King James translators rendered it "replenish" only seven times. Almost
always, they translated it by "fill," or the equivalent.
Thus, God's first command to men and women was to multiply until the earth was filled. Despite our latter-day concerns
about exploding populations, this goal is far from accomplishment today. "Filling," of course, would
imply filling only to the optimum capacity for productive human stewardship of the earth under God.
The pre-Flood earth was filled in only 1656 years, but it was "filled with violence through them," and
God finally had to "destroy them with the earth" (Genesis 6:13)
In spite of man's failures, the Lord has given a gracious promise: "And the LORD said, . . . as truly as I
live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD" (Numbers 14:20,21). This will not be man's
doing, however. When Christ returns in power and great glory as the destroying Stone, then "the stone that
smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth" (Daniel 2:35). The New Earth will finally
be filled with an innumerable multitude of the redeemed (Revelation 7:9), and "the earth shall be filled with
the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea" (Habakkuk 2:14).
God Sets A Bow
I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the
earth. {14} And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud:
{15} And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the
waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. {16} And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look
upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is
upon the earth - Genesis 9:13-16
The origin of the rainbow, according to the Australian aborigines is this: The Rainbow stole two wives from the
Bat. This made the Bat angry. He waited until the Rainbow was asleep and attacked him with a spear. The Rainbow
roared with pain and the blood ran down his side. The Bat took back his wives while the Rainbow rolled into a creek
and sank. He lives there now and sometimes when it rains he rises from the creek and arches his bloodstained body
across the sky.
How utterly different, how infinitely superior, is the biblical account of the rainbow as the sign of God's Care.
God's wonderful mercy and grace is displayed by His creation and speaks of His covenant to rescue man from sin.
It is an everlasting covenant for God even displays the bow in heaven. Beloved, how God loves you today.
(Rev 4:3) "And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round
about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald."
Signs Of The Everlasting Covenants
And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting
covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth - Genesis 9:16
The first mention of the key word, "covenant," is in Genesis 6:18 where God promised to establish a covenant
with Noah after the flood. This everlasting covenant was made with all the earth's future populations and is still
in effect, symbolized continually by the beautiful rainbow arching through the sky after a rain.
God also made an everlasting covenant with Abraham and Isaac. "And I will establish my covenant between me
and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to
thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger,
all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God" (Genesis 17:7,8). This time,
the symbol of God's everlasting covenant between them and their descendents, the people of Israel, was that of
circumcision, "a token of the covenant betwixt me and you" (Genesis 17:11).
There is still another everlasting covenant-this one with all the redeemed of all the ages. "I will make an
everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in
their hearts, that they shall not depart from me" (Jeremiah 32:40). God has made this "new covenant"
applicable to all the saved, and this time, the sign of the covenant is nothing less than the precious blood of
Christ, shed on our behalf. "Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great
shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do
His will" (Hebrews 13:20,21).
Altar Building
And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar
unto the LORD, who appeared unto him - Genesis 12:7
This is the first reference to Abraham building an altar in Scripture. Building an altar and making sacrifice to
God denotes total dependence and reliance on Him. It implies saying no to self and yes to God-in effect presenting
one's self in submission to God as a sinner, trusting Him for gracious handling of one's sin, and discounting one's
value apart from His work. Building altars became a habit with godly Abraham, the "Friend of God" (James
2:23), and he practiced it many times during his life (see also Genesis 12:8; 13:4; 13:18).
We can surmise that at an early age, Abraham's son, Isaac, was taught this same practice. It doesn't seem that
Isaac misunderstood or debated the situation, even when he himself was identified as the sacrifice to be slaughtered
(Genesis 22:9). He fully trusted and worshiped the same God, and evidently agreed with Abraham's obedient act.
Later, Isaac, himself, practiced altar-building at least once on his own (Genesis 26:25).
Compare Abraham and his family to Lot and his family. Nowhere in Scripture does it say that Lot built an altar
and recognized God as worthy of worship. No doubt as a direct result, Lot's wife, sons, and daughters totally rejected
these ideas, preferring the sinful practices and mentality of Sodom. Lot was a true believer (II Peter 2:7,8),
but his lifestyle and lack of "altar-building" rubbed off on his family, to the detriment of himself
and the people of God ever since.
Here is the question: Do we want to be Christians who ignore proper worship and total submission to God and have
families who do likewise? We don't build physical altars today, but we do need daily times of family prayer.
Faith
And he believed in the LORD; and He counted it to him for righteousness - Genesis 15:6
It may come as a surprise to some that both Old and New Testament believers are justified only by faith. In fact,
four New Testament epistles base their arguments on justification by faith on two Old Testament passages, each
quoted three times, but with each one emphasizing a different aspect.
In our text, we see that Abraham was declared righteous because of his faith (i.e., belief, same word). This verse
is quoted in Romans 4:3 in the midst of a formal argument on the just nature of God and the fact that we are "justified
freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:24). Here the emphasis is on
counted. In Galatians 3:6, the word believed is emphasized, couched in the book dedicated to contrasting works
and faith. "They which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham" (Galatians 3:9). The book of James
was written to encourage believers to good works as evidence of their faith, and our text, quoted in James 2:23
emphasizes righteousness. "Faith without works is dead" (James 2:26).
The other Old Testament passage dealing with faith, which is also quoted three times in the New Testament, reads
"The just shall live by his faith" (Habakkuk 2:4). When used in Romans 1:17, just prior to the description
of the evil lifestyles of the wicked (vs.18-32), the emphasis seems to be on the word just. In Galatians 3:11,
as noted above, the word faith is stressed. But in Hebrews 10:38, the author teaches that those who have been declared
righteous by God live eternally by faith, and will be able to cope with persecution (vs.34-37).
Thus, the Old Testament doctrine that we are saved by faith in the work of God to solve our sin problem applies
to every area of our lives and being, including our past sin, our present holy life and work, and our future eternal
life.
Beer-Lahai-Roi
Wherefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered - Genesis 16:14
This unusual name for a well means "well of the living one who sees me." The chapter deals with Hagar
when she fled from Sarai's presence (v.6). The "angel of the LORD," like a shepherd, found Hagar by a
well in the wilderness (v.7). This is the first explicit reference in Scripture to Jehovah's messenger-the "angel
of the LORD."
The whole scene is not unlike another one in the New Testament when the Great Shepherd encountered another woman
at a different well (John 4). Like Jesus, the "angel" in Genesis 16 is somehow both God and distinct
from God. We see that He is God from verses 10 and 13. In the first reference, the "angel," speaking
for Himself, said, "I will multiply thy seed exceedingly." Only God can multiply seed (cf. Genesis 22:17).
The one speaking to Hagar was none other than the LORD (Jehovah) Himself.
Correspondingly, Jesus claimed divine prerogatives. In the Old Testament, Jehovah God is "the fountain of
living waters" (Jeremiah 2:13; 17:13), but Jesus in John 4 claimed to be the source of living waters (vv.10,14).
He could say this because He was and is Jehovah God, the Son.
He is also the one referred to in the naming of the well. He lives. Speaking of Jesus, the apostle John wrote,
"And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. And He laid His right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear
not; I am the first and the last: I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen;
and have the keys of hell and of death" (Revelation 1:17,18).
Jesus, then, is the living one who sees, finds wandering sheep, and hears. May we obey Him as did Hagar, believe
Him as did the woman at the other well, and bow before Him as did John.
God's Everlasting Covenants
And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting
covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee - Genesis 17:7
The phrase "everlasting covenant" (or "perpetual covenant") is used no less than 16 times in
the Old Testament plus once in the New Testament. It always refers to a covenant promise of God to man, made in
grace, for only He can make an everlasting promise.
The first everlasting covenant was made with Noah (Genesis 9:16), a promise never to send a worldwide Flood again,
sealed with the sign of the rainbow.
The second is recorded in our text and was God's promise to Abraham and his descendants. The promise was to give
them "the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession" (Genesis 17:8), and the seal was to be the rite
of circumcision.
Many of the "everlasting covenant" promises have to do with Israel. Some were stated unconditionally,
but others were "broken" because of rebellion against God's covenant terms. One of the latter was the
covenant of the Sabbath. "Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath . . . for a perpetual covenant.
It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and
on the seventh day He rested, and was refreshed" (Exodus 31:16,17).
The last reference is the most important of all: "Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our
Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect in
every good work to do His will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ; to
whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen" (Hebrews 13:20,21).
The Family: Central In God's Plan
For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the
LORD, to do justice and judgment - Genesis 18:19
A "family" is a father, mother, children, grandchildren-our text (also Deuteronomy 4:9; 6:2; Psalm 48:5-7).
It is the place to practice obedience!
God began with a man and woman and told them to have children (Genesis 1:27,28). When the world became filled with
wickedness, He saved one family and told them again to "be fruitful and multiply" (6:8,18; 9:7). When
men once more rebelled against Him, He led one family-Abraham's-out to "live in tents" in order to preserve
them (12:1-3; Hebrews 11:9). Later, the Promised Land was taken by families-Numbers 33:54.
When God came to Earth, He was born into a family. What's more-the God who created the whole universe was submissive
to His parents! (Luke 2:51).
Families spread the Good News, along with single people: I Corinthians 9:5. Church leaders were family men: I Timothy
3:4,5. They taught their own children: Ephesians 6:4; II Timothy 1:5; 3:15. When Jesus said, "leave your family,
and follow me" (as in Matthew 10:37,38 and Luke 14:26,27), it was for salvation, not for service. Christian
workers are not to put their ministry before their family (I Timothy 3:2,4; Titus 1:6). Their ministry begins with
their family!
The church is treated as a family: John 1:12; I Corinthians 4:14,15; etc. They met in homes: Acts 2:46; 5:42; Romans
16:5,14,15; etc. We are "brothers" and "sisters."
Finally, to make clear the supreme importance of the family in our lives, remember that at the end of all history
the Lamb will marry His bride (the church). And this "family" will live forever (Ephesians 5:21-33; Revelation
19:7-9)!
The Righteous Judge
That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should
be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? - Genesis 18:25
People often make erroneous judgments. Even those who are officially appointed or elected to judge others are sometimes
mistaken, and so we have a whole system of appeals courts. Yet even the Supreme Court, composed as it is of fallible
human beings, often seems to be wrong. But, as Abraham recognized long ago while interceding for the people in
Sodom, we can be confident that the Judge of all the earth will do right!
He not only can judge our actions in relation to His revealed will but can also discern thoughts and motives and,
therefore, "judge the secrets of men" (Romans 2:16), and He will do so in absolute rightness. Furthermore,
"He will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance
unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead" (Acts 17:31). "The Father judgeth no man, but
hath committed all judgment unto the Son: . . . and my judgment is just," asserted the Lord Jesus (John 5:22,30).
To those who reject or ignore His redeeming love, relying insteadon their own worth, "there remaineth no more
sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the
adversaries" (Hebrews 10:26,27).
To those who have been redeemed through saving faith in Christ, there will, indeed, be a Judgment Day, but it will
be for dispensing of rewards for faithful service rather than for salvation, and this also will be done righteously.
"Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give
me at that day" (II Timothy 4:8).
Magnified Mercy
Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed
unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die - Genesis 19:19
This rather presumptuous plea of Lot to the angels who had spared his life when they called down fire from heaven
to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah is noteworthy because it contains the first reference in the Bible to the mercy of
God. Lot was a believer and a righteous man, but carnal in attitude and greedy in motivation. Yet God not only
showed grace in His dealings with Lot, but even magnified mercy!
As appropriate for the principle of first mention in Scripture, this first reference to "mercy" lays
the foundation for the dominant theme of the doctrine of mercy throughout Scripture. The key is that God's mercy
can only be described properly in superlatives, and this fact is noted repeatedly throughout Scripture.
"The mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear Him," said David (Psalm
103:17). "For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him"
(Psalm 103:11). His mercy, therefore, is both eternal and infinite. Nothing could ever be more "magnified"
than this!
No wonder, therefore, that Paul says He is "rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us"
(Ephesians 2:4), and Peter tells us that "His abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope"
(I Peter 1:3).
It is only "according to His mercy He saved us" (Titus 3:5), surely "not [because of any] works
of righteousness which we have done." Therefore, with David, we can say: "Surely goodness and mercy shall
follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever" (Psalm 23:6).
Remember Lot's Wife
Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven. . . . But his
wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt - Genesis 19:24,26
In this passage we see, memorialized for all time, the tragic fate of Lot's wife. What events led up to this awful
moment? Although Lot and his family followed uncle Abram on his pilgrimage from the fertile crescent region called
Ur (Genesis 11), it soon became apparent that their priorities were very different. When Abraham offered Lot the
choice of where to live, he selfishly chose the best lands for himself (Genesis 13:10,11).
First Lot "pitched his tent towards Sodom" (v.12) and then moved into the wicked city. Perhaps the rationale
for such compromise was opportunities for the children, more social interaction, or greater security and prosperity.
But in Genesis 14 an invading army brings calamity. Ignoring this warning, the family returns to Sodom. When the
angels bring news of Sodom's imminent judgment, Lot is unable to convince his married children to leave (Genesis
19:14). Small wonder that Mrs. Lot disobediently looked back where her dear children and cherished possessions
were going up in flames.
Christ recalled this event when discussing His return: "Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did
eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom
it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son
of man is revealed" (Luke 17:28-30). Our focus should not be upon the attractions of this world (like Lot's
family) but upon that city whose founder and maker is God (like Abraham's family). The Lord follows up this prophecy
with a poignant instruction: "Remember Lot's wife" (Luke 17:32).
The Greatest Love
And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and
offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of - Genesis 22:2
There are many types of love in the world-romantic love, marital love, erotic love, brotherly love, maternal love,
patriotic love, family love, and love for all kinds of things-pets, food, money, sports, and on and on. But what
is the greatest love?
Love is probably the greatest word of the Bible and, by the principle of first mention of important Biblical words,
the first time the word "love" occurs should be a key to its use all through the Bible. Rather surprisingly,
love is first encountered here in our text, speaking of the love of a father for his son, of Abraham for Isaac,
the son of promise. Furthermore, the father is being told by the very God who made the promise to offer his beloved
son as a sacrifice!
From the New Testament (see Hebrews 11:17,18), we know that this entire scene is a remarkable type of the heavenly
Father and His willingness to offer His own beloved Son in sacrifice for the sin of the world. This tells us that
the love of this human father for his human son is an earthly picture of the great eternal love of the Father in
heaven for His only begotten Son.
And that means that this love of God the Father for God the Son is the ultimate source of all love, for that love
was being exercised before the world began. When Jesus prayed to His Father the night before His sacrificial death,
He confirmed this great truth; "for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world," He prayed (John
17:24). Indeed, "God is love" (I John 4:8), and the eternal love within the triune Godhead is the fountainhead
of all true human love here on Earth.
Both Together
And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand,
and a knife; and they went both of them together - Genesis 22:6
The familiar story of Abraham's willingness to offer up Isaac his son, in obedience to God's command, is rightly
cited as a prime example of Abraham's great faith. It is also a testimony to the remarkable faith of Isaac, for
it is recorded twice in Genesis 22 that "they went both of them together" (see also v.8).
This emphasis on the fellowship of both father and son in this tremendous act of obedient faith is surely given
by divine inspiration, for our edification.
Isaac was a grown young man at this time, not a little boy. Isaac soon understood what was happening, yet he willingly
carried the wood himself and then submitted to being bound on the altar of sacrifice. Abraham fully intended to
slay his son (and Isaac to allow himself to be slain), for they understood this to be God's word. Actually, however,
God had commanded Abraham only to "offer him there for a burnt offering" (v.2) and, when he did that,
God stayed his hand, and provided a ram as a substitute for his son.
The New Testament, of course, makes it clear (see Galatians 3:16; Hebrews 11:17-19) that this was a beautiful type
of the mutual love-gift of the heavenly Father and His beloved Son, providing salvation for all who would receive
it by faith. They went both together, to the cross!
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son" (John 3:16). "The life which I
now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me" (Galatians
2:20). The Father loved the Son before the world began (John 17:24), but they both loved us so much that they both
went to the place of sacrifice, together, for us!
The Lord Will Provide
And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it
shall be seen - Genesis 22:14
Abraham had just passed the most severe of tests. He had been willing to offer up his beloved son Isaac as a sacrifice
to the Lord. He must have wondered why God had asked him to slay the son of promise, through whom many descendants
were promised, but he didn't refuse or even question God. He was convinced that "God was able to raise him
[Isaac] up, even from the dead" (Hebrews 11:19). Yet he must have been greatly relieved when God stopped him
from slaying his son, and thankful indeed when he found that God had already provided a ram to be used as "a
burnt offering in the stead of his son" (Genesis 22:13).
While journeying to the place of sacrifice, Abraham had said that "God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt
offering" (v.8). Appropriately, after the incident, Abraham named the mountain Jehovah [the LORD] Jireh [will
provide].
In Hebrew there is not a specific verb form to designate the future tense, and so the word Jireh could easily be
translated "is providing." Actually, where the Lord's provision is concerned, the tense makes little
difference. The Creator of time (Genesis 1:1) stands outside of time. We may sometimes be frustrated and disturbed
because we see only the present, and we don't even see that very clearly. But God sees and answers in the proper
time, perhaps later than we have asked, or perhaps, as in Abraham's case, beforehand, providing the ram already
caught in the thicket.
How often have we received an answer to prayer, only to realize that events had been set in motion long before
we had prayed? We should be aware of and thankful for God's anticipation of our needs. "And it shall come
to pass, that before they call, I will answer" (Isaiah 65:24).
In The Way
And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of His mercy and
His truth: I being in the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master's brethren - Genesis 24:27
The remarkable, providential leading of Abraham's servant to the maiden who was to be the bride of Isaac has been
a source of inspiration to every generation of believers.
One very important principle can be gleaned from this wonderful journey: Before the Lord could lead the servant
to the object of his quest, he had to start out on his way. "Being in the way, the LORD led me," he testified.
Abraham himself knew this by experience: "By faith Abraham, when he was called . . . obeyed; and he went out,
not knowing whither he went" (Hebrews 11:8). God first led him from Ur to Haran, thence to Bethel in the land
of Canaan, on to Mamre, and finally, to Beersheba. He had no certain home, but because he was "in the way,"
the Lord assured him that "in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed" (Genesis 22:18).
Consider also the Apostle Paul, who carried the saving gospel of Christ to the Gentiles. He did not, however, dawdle
around waiting for this call. "After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit
suffered them not. . . . And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed
him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us" (Acts 16:7,9).
The principle is this: Those who truly desire to be called to some special field of service should first be doing
what they can where they are. Then the Lord will re-direct them, if it is His will. "Thine ears shall hear
a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to
the left" (Isaiah 30:21). When we are actively "in the way," then the Lord can lead us.
His Truth
And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of His mercy and
His truth: I being in the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master's brethren - Genesis 24:27
This verse contains the heart-warming prayer of Abraham's servant when he realized God had led him to the home
of Isaac's future bride. It also contains the first mention in the Bible of the word "truth." Illustrating
the principle of first mention, it is significant that the truth of which it speaks is the truth of God. Scientists
and educators today profess to be searching for truth, and many religions and philosophies profess to have the
truth, but all true truth is of God! To look for it anywhere else is to be "ever learning, and never able
to come to the knowledge of the truth" (II Timothy 3:7).
Similarly, the first mention of "truth" in the New Testament is Matthew 14:33: "Then they that were
in the ship came and worshiped Him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God." Truth is found in God the
Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit. "When He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all
truth" (John 16:13).
The holy Scriptures are made up of truth. "Sanctify them through thy truth," prayed the Lord Jesus, "thy
Word is truth" (John 17:17). "Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth"
(Psalm 119:142).
On the other hand, everything that is false (that is, contrary to the triune God and/or His inerrant Word) must
have its ultimate source in the enemy of truth, Satan, "which deceiveth the whole world" (Revelation
12:9), "for he is a liar, and the father of it" (John 8:44).
The Lord's "mercy is everlasting; and His truth endureth to all generations" (Psalm 100:5), but "all
liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death"
(Revelation 21:8).
The Camels Are Coming
And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the
camels were coming - Genesis 24:63
At first glance, this might seem a strange text verse; but it is actually the climax of a beautiful drama that
unfolds in this chapter. This story begins as Abraham calls his eldest servant (no doubt the steward, Eliezer,
mentioned in Genesis 15:2) to give him a command: find a wife for Isaac. The servant saddled up camels and departed
towards Mesopotamia, Abraham's ancestral home.
In verses 12-14 we find Eliezer praying for God's direction to the appropriate lady. "And it came to pass,
before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out. . . ." He followed her to her father's house
and related the purpose of his visit (v.15). Verses 58 and 59 confirm God's blessing on this campaign: "And
they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go."
The last act of this drama is their coming home. What immense anticipation must have been in the hearts of Isaac
and Rebekah as those camels came over the horizon! By God's providential direction, they knew the relationship
was His will. "And the servant told Isaac all things that he had done. And Isaac brought her into his mother
Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her" (vv.66,67).
More than a romantic story, these events portray the evangelistic task of every believer. Like Eliezer, we have
been given a command by the Father to find a bride for His Son. As we seek to obey the Great Commission, we must
pray for God's direction to the appropriate individuals who are prepared for a relationship with Christ. Lastly,
we must point them to the wonderful groom and rejoice to see them fall in love with Him.
Abraham Obeyed Only Jehovah's Laws
Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws - Genesis 26:5
Those who believe the Bible should have some concept from whence the Bible came and when. It did not come from
pagan sources, nor was it transmitted orally. Genesis was unquestionably written earlier than all other pagan epics
and myths. The writer(s) of Genesis did not borrow from these sources, although Genesis may reflect some of their
content as Scripture writers opposed what they taught! If there was any borrowing, it was from Genesis.
Abraham had written laws of Jehovah which he kept. Our text says he kept Jehovah's charge (mishmar), commandments
(mitsvot), statutes (chuqqim), and laws (torah). The word chuqqim comes from a root meaning "to engrave,"
and thus describes written rules of conduct. The torah from Moses' time certainly was written law. Thus, it likely
included codes of conduct transmitted from earlier writings. It follows, then, that the charges and commandments
were also written early.
The point is, Abraham was not following some other culture's laws and statutes: Although a few ancient law codes
existed, Abraham was not following any of these. They were Jehovah's own statutes, and thus were unique documents-the
very word of God.
Abraham came from a country where the knowledge of writing was common and from an important city. It was natural
that he carried records and genealogies with him from the banks of the Euphrates to the land of Canaan. "Abraham
gave all that he had unto Isaac" (Genesis 25:5). Probably these priceless records were among his possessions.
If so, Jacob carried them into Egypt to form the basis of Genesis 1-11 as written by Moses. This can only increase
our confidence in and obedience to the inspired word of God.
Who Is Worthy?
I (i.e. Jacob) am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast showed unto
thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands - Genesis 32:10
Scripture records statements of others who have felt their own unworthiness in the presence of God. John the Baptist
told the crowd at the Jordan: "He that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to
bear" (Matthew 3:11). The Roman centurion said to Jesus: "I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under
my roof" (Matthew 8:8). These were men who saw Jesus as the Son of God and themselves as they truly were before
Him.
We can never be worthy of the One who is worthy of all "glory and honour and power," for He is the Creator
of all things, and He has "redeemed us to God by (His) blood" (Revelation 4:11; 5:9). However, Jesus
chooses to call us "worthy," if we confess His name before men. "Whosoever, therefore shall confess
me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. . . . He that loveth father or mother
more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me" (Matthew
10:32,37). "They shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed
in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before
my Father, and before His angels" (Revelation 3:4,5).
The saint has been found "worthy" to have his name confessed before the Father, not because of an actual
"work" of confessing his Savior before men, but because the heart attitude of he who confesses the Savior
is a heart of faith that leads to salvation. "For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with
the mouth confession is made unto salvation" (Romans 10:10).
The Marvel Of Design
And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth: and
the men marvelled one at another - Genesis 43:33
When creationists calculate the extremely low probability of the chance origin of life, many evolutionists scoff
at the calculation, alleging that any one arrangement of the components of a simple, living molecule is just as
likely as any other arrangement, so it is no great marvel that the components fell into this particular arrangement.
This is a puerile argument, of course, quite unworthy of the intelligent scientists who use it. There are at best
only a few arrangements that will contain the organized information necessary for reproduction, compared to "zillions"
of arrangements with no information at all.
This fact is beautifully illustrated in our text. Why should Joseph's brothers "marvel" when they were
seated in chronological order of birth by a host who (presumably) was entirely unaware of that order?
The reason why they marveled was because there are almost 40 million different ways (calculated by multiplying
all the numbers, one through eleven, together) in which the eleven brothers could have been seated! It seemingly
couldn't happen by chance.
Maybe an evolutionist would not "marvel" that this unique seating arrangement happened by chance, since
he somehow believes that far more intricately organized arrangements than this happened by chance to produce our
universe and its array of complex systems. Anyone else, however, would immediately have realized this, and so the
brothers of Joseph "marvelled one at another." So also, when we behold the wonders of design in the creation,
we should "lift up (our) eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things" (Isaiah 40:26).
The Angel Of Redemption
The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my
fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth - Genesis 48:16
In this verse is the first use in the Bible of the beautiful word "redeem" (Hebrew goel). Its basic meaning
is "buy back"-that is, to avenge and restore one who has been wronged, or to set free one who has been
enslaved. The right and duty of redemption, in Biblical times, was commonly understood to belong to the next of
kin, and the word is the usual Hebrew word for "kinsman."
In this use of this word, Jacob noted that his redeemer had been the mighty Angel of the Lord-the one who had been
his only kinsman (after all, his parents were powerless to help him and his brother and uncle were his enemies).
Jacob had learned that the God of His fathers was the only one able and willing to deliver him from all evil, and
therefore he could also call on Him to deliver and bless his seed.
Job also could speak of Him: "I know that my redeemer liveth" (Job 19:25). So could David: "O LORD,
my strength, and my redeemer" (Psalm 19:14). Isaiah wrote frequently of Him. For example: "Thou, O LORD,
art our father, our redeemer: thy name is from everlasting" (Isaiah 63:16).
Jacob's "Angel" of redemption was none other than the second Person of the Godhead, before He became
incarnate as Son of Man, in the person of Jesus Christ. He is now, indeed, our brother, our kinsman, for He was
"made like unto His brethren" (Hebrews 2:17) and then paid the awful price to deliver us from sin's bondage,
thereby obtaining "eternal redemption for us" (Hebrews 9:12). "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were
not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, . . . but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a
lamb without blemish and without spot" (I Peter 1:18,19).