King's Business - 1911-08

primitive, the more detailed and less strong as a type it will be found to be. We are now considering the first human-type of Christ found in Scripture. "GOD SAID." In Genesis 1:26 we read, " A n d God said, Let Us make m a n ." What divine prescience and wisdom are revealed in those two words—"God s a i d ." The words are more remarkable than appears on the surface. They must have sorely puzzled the pious scribe in Old Testament times. The words occur nine times in the first account of creation in Genesis 1, We are told that a Hebrew scribe was accustomed to wipe his pen every time he wrote down the most blessed and most awful word we know—God. How sorely puzzled he must have been to have found the word in the plural—not in the singular, which means one, nor the dual, which means two, but in the plural, which means three or more in the Hebrew language. And this followed by the verb said in the singular. A plural noun governing a singular verb. And yet such was the scribe's reverence for" the Scriptures that not a jot, the smallest let- ter in the Hebrew language, or a tittle, its smallest sign, would he alter. And here was an error in grammar apparently nine times repeated in the early verses of Genesis. The plural noun governing a singular verb shows that the word God is a PLU- RAL UNITY, if one may so describe it. It is obvious that the Trinity—God the Father, the Son" and the Holy Ghost—is here indicated. Three Persons—one God; and thus acting. " A n d God said, Let Us make-man in Our Image, after Our L I KENE S S ." Here we get two ways indicated in which Adam is ' ' the figure of Him that was to come,'' viz, IMAGE and LIKENESS, the former referring to what is representative, the latter to moral similitude, IMAGE. Adam represented God in the fair scene of the first creation. How quickly he dis- graced himself as in some sort the visible representation of God in this world. How quickly he tell, dragging after him in his ruin the unborn race, and affecting the loWer creation, which " g r o a n e th and travaileth together in pain until now.'' How one turns instinctively and in re- lief to the Christ, the Image of the invis- ible God. He has more than glorified God as the second Man out of heaven in the

scene where the first man had so signally failed. How good it is that we know Him as worthy of fullest confidence. He is the quickening spirit. He is the last Adara. To Him is committed all judgment as the Son of Man. In His pierced hands lies all blessing for this world. And we looli forward with joyful anticipation to the time when He will probably take His plac 3 in this world as God's Image. LIKENESS. Man is like a battered and well worn coin. You can see the king's head upon the coin. It bears his image. The coin represents him as the guarantee of va ne in currency. But the image is also the king's likeness. But alas! When we look at man how well nigh obliterated the like- ness of God has become. The image re- mains; the likeness has almost ceased. The image and likeness should go to- gether. But in Adam's fall the likeness.to God was greatly marred. What is man in the flesh like now? Ravening beasts, un- clean birds. Such similes are found in Scripture. Again, we turn with joy of heart to the Christ of God. How fully He bore the moral features of God. He made God known, revealed Him fully. On earth the Father could say, ' ' Th is is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.'' Matt. 3:17. In heaven all the glory of God is seen in His blessed face. HEADSHIP. In Genesis 2 a new name for God is in- troduced—LOED GOD—Jehovah Elohim. Jehovah (God in relation to man in a cov- enant of blessing.) Elohim (God in plural unity.) Headship involves life and nature. Hence it is the LORD God who is promin- ent in Genesis 2, preparing for the race, who should be in association with their Head. And seeing that Adam is " t h e figure of Him that was to come,'' of Christ who was to be the Head in new creation, we examine with deep interest the narra- tive before us. First of all, and showing what was first in God's mind, if not first in point of time, we read: " A n d the Lord God said, it is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for h i m ." Gen. 2:18. Then every living creature is brought

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