S. L. Jacob
No. 7 — Man
At the latter part of the sixth day we come to the culminating point of Creation, and here for the first time we find counsel: “And God said, let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth” (Gen. 1:2626And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. (Genesis 1:26)).
Here in the counsel of God man appears in the image and after the likeness of God, and dominion over all is given not to him but to them, i.e., the kingdom.
The great theme of Scripture from Genesis to Revelation is without doubt the Kingdom. Not that that is its only theme; for there is for instance the revelation of the Father in the Son Himself, and this brings in what is entirely beyond the range even of the far reaching truth of the Kingdom. The revelation of the Father in the Son is the most blessed theme of all; but necessarily Scripture says very little about it; it could only be in the gospels that it is set forth, and practically only in a portion of the Gospel of John. It is the theme for special meditation, but there is no language to set it forth.
The Kingdom, on the other hand, sets forth the ways of God in Christ; these ways are very varied, exhibiting infinite variety in unity. Everything wrong, but everything to be won for God, all enemies overcome, every foe brought low, everything that exalts itself cast down, all rule and authority subjugated by Him who must fill everything, and hand over the kingdom to God, even the Father, that God may be all in all.
If we think of the city, either the heavenly or the earthly, the house, the sanctuary, of Israel, or of the Gentiles, of the angels, or of any other created intelligences, they are all included in the heavenly or earthly aspects of the kingdom. If in an earthly kingdom there is great variety, what must be the variety of God’s kingdom of which Christ is the Creator and Head, the supreme Ruler and He whose impress and character must be seen in the whole?
Surely all this is set forth in parable in this 26th verse, explained by Psalm 8, and further in 1 Corinthians 15: 22-28; Ephesians 1:9, 109Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: 10That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: (Ephesians 1:9‑10); and Hebrews 2:8, 98Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. 9But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. (Hebrews 2:8‑9).
But it is implied that things are wrong and have to be set right, and this is confirmed in verse 28, where it is written: “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion” etc. Now there is no need to subdue what is all right; the loyal subject needs no subjugation, therefore lawlessness is implied; a devastated earth needs replenishing, otherwise where the need? It is not perfection that is implied, but all creation stretching out its hands to the hope God has set before it in Christ.
Here again we must remember that God never begins with that which shall be, with the object of His purpose, but always with something inferior, which serves as a platform for the bringing in of that which shall abide, because it is that, and only that, which He has had before Him from the beginning.
What then does this man in God’s image and likeness really signify? Is it Christ? Well here again, the answer is both yes and no. It is, yes, because no one but Christ can ever fully and absolutely be the man in God’s image and likeness; and it is so explained in the verses we have alluded to in 1 Corinthians, Ephesians and Hebrews. And yet in a sense it is not Christ personally; because in the first place Christ was not made, but begotten; and because there is a male and a female, and the mention of them. Therefore while it is Christ, and must be Christ, it is specially what Scripture speaks of, as “the Christ” (that is, Christ formed in His own) that is in view in this glorious passage; and in truth the Church is this: it is both man and woman (compare 1 Cor. 12:1212For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. (1 Corinthians 12:12), where “Christ” should properly be translated “the Christ”).
It is man, for Christ died to make in Himself “one new man, so making peace” (Eph. 2:1515Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; (Ephesians 2:15)), and the gifts are given “till we all come in the unity of faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4:1313Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: (Ephesians 4:13)).
The Church is also the woman, for is not this the great mystery concerning Christ and the Church? (Eph. 5:25-3225Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 28So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 29For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 30For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. (Ephesians 5:25‑32)). God is therefore still making what is figured in Genesis 1:2727So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. (Genesis 1:27), and how beautiful it must all be I Shall not the saints judge the world? shall they not judge angels? (1 Cor. 6:2, 32Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 3Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? (1 Corinthians 6:2‑3)). Shall they not have power over the nations? (Rev. 2:26, 2726And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: 27And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. (Revelation 2:26‑27)). Shall they not sit upon Christ’s throne? (Rev. 3:2121To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. (Revelation 3:21)). All is the work of Christ, and the glory is all His own, but He associates His own with Himself; and God’s object, having set Christ on high, is to make, by His Holy Spirit, a complete answer in His own people to the Christ He has set in glory. The subjective must be a perfect answer to the objective. Christ, the last Adam, must have no unworthy mate in the Eve whom God is preparing as a helpmeet for Him. All, all will be perfect when the antitype of all the beginning is accomplished; but in the meantime the war is dreadful and the strife very dire, and oftentimes it seems as if the evil would prevail. Thank God this is impossible, for Christ has all in His own hands and He cannot fail. Blessed be His name.
Yet so far we are only at the sixth day, and six does not mean perfection, but imperfection. Why is this? Still there is an evening and a morning, telling of future exercise and something that is beyond. Yet God sees everything which He has made, and behold it is very good. Yes, Christ is there, and that which is of Christ is there: it must be very good, though all is not yet subjugated. Moreover, the picture must necessarily fall far short of the reality it pictures, though indeed the picture is very good, for it speaks of God’s ways in Christ, and of Christ Himself.
The Seventh Day
It is always stated in Scripture that God made everything in six days. For instance, it is written, in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day” (Ex. 20:1111For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. (Exodus 20:11)), and so in each mention thereof. But here in chapter 2:2 it says, “And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had made.” Why is this? Creation was completed in the six days, but in order to have a true picture of God’s ways and purpose, the seventh day is required.
Not until all is subjugated to God can He rest, then the day can be blest, then there is no more an evening and a morning, but the morning knows no evening, God has reached His heart’s desire, the day is hallowed, Christ is supreme, His likeness and image all completed, all is subjugated, God is glorified, Christ is exalted, His people shine in His effulgence, the universe resounds with the praises of God. The story is thus told us, God always reveals His purpose before carrying it out. But when creation was being accomplished there was no prophet to speak to about it, therefore the prophetic word had to be written right across the earth, sky and sea, and all portrayed there; but in due time when a prophet was found, God told to him the secret that he might write it down for our learning. And here we see the meaning of the words of the wise man: “The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done; and there is no new thing under the sun. Is there anything whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us” (Eccl. 1:9,109The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. 10Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us. (Ecclesiastes 1:9‑10)). Everything has been thought of by God, all has been embodied in Creation, every idea, every thought has been portrayed there. Man may find out, as he thinks, something new, but lo! it was there before. Man invents nothing, even Satan invents nothing really new. All is there. Who can fight against such a God who knew every device of devil and man, anticipated it, made provision for it, told him all would be overcome and all turned to blessing, and that all would culminate in the rest of God, when God would no longer have to be occupied with overcoming evil, but be able to apply all His blessed activities of love (and nothing is so active as love) in the unspeakable blessing of those whom He has won for Himself.
Who could not believe in such a God: who would not long for the bringing of the First begotten into the world, to accomplish all for God, so that even the Creation may be delivered from the bondage of corruption, into the liberty of the glory of the children of God? Blessed be God, all, all is assured. No wonder it is said, when poor puny man opposes, “He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.” He has set His king on His holy hill of Zion. Faith can say “all is well,” the day of rejoicing for all Creation is at hand.
But what a place have His well-beloved saints of this dispensation — the Church, given to Him by the Father in the day of His rejection — theirs is the special nearness, theirs the peculiar association, theirs the supreme bliss of giving the most intense joy to Him who is Lord, Master, and Bridegroom. The hope is certain, the bliss is unspeakable.
Well may the saints rejoice, and the everlasting song break forth in anticipation of the day of triumph, so near at hand. We have the secret of it all, while the world still abides in darkness.
Conclusion
Thus have we briefly, feebly, imperfectly, sought to set forth a tiny bit of the imperishable record told in the sketch of Creation given us as the purpose of God in this first chapter of God’s book. A wonderful preface indeed, as we think all must see, for however poorly the story is interpreted by us, we doubt not sufficient has been told to make clear that we have indeed in these few pregnant words an epitome of all God’s work during this period of sin till the day when all is set right for God, and He can rest. The story of the whole Creation and of God’s dealings therewith told out, and the history, too, of each individual soul under the blessed hand of God’s love and discipline, that He may bring about the desires of His heart, not only for the whole, but for each individual soul. He is so great that the greatness of the whole work never for a moment stays its progress towards its perfect fulfillment; so great, too, that He can pay as much attention to the perfecting of the individual as if there were nothing else in the universe for Him to do. What a God is ours, and He is our God and Father revealed to us in the Son.
And this is not all, though it is as much as we can learn at one time, and it is what we are set to learn now, thereafter there is infinitely more which will be told. We talk of eternity, God the all wise, speaks of the ages of the ages. Eternity suggests monotony, ages upon ages tell of infinite variety. Not in the seven days can all the glories of Christ be set forth, not in the seven days can all God’s answer to the cross be given. These will require “the age of the ages” and still the story will never be told, for Christ and the cross are infinite. Yet, blessed be God, nothing accomplished will be lost. All the work of God abides, the blessed place of the Church can never be forfeited, but all being perfected will be the platform for the things yet to come.
The seven days being completed, the lesson learned, the contemplated work finished, that lesson book can be closed, of these things and of that time it is said: “They shall perish; but Thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; and as a vesture shall Thou fold them up and they shall be changed: but Thou art the same, and Thy years shall not fail!” (Heb. 1:11, 1211They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; 12And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail. (Hebrews 1:11‑12)).
A new lesson book will then be provided, for creation does not cease to be, only all is changed for the new conditions. There must be a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth will have passed away, and there will be no more sea.
Here we must close, with hearts filled with deep thankfulness, adoration and praise.