WE may look at Genesis as presenting to us what we may call both the title page and the table of contents of the whole Bible.
The title is found in the first verse—"the heaven and the earth"—and the distinction between things "heavenly" and "earthly" is kept up all through Scripture. The tower of Babel was man's wicked effort to unite the two. This was pride and confusion. It displeased God, and judgment followed. The same character of wickedness, in. a spiritual sense, is now being acted over again in the mystery of Babylon the Great, but it will be overtaken by judgment. In the eternal state there will be "a new heaven and a new earth," as, before that, millennial times will have celestial" and "terrestrial" glories, and heavenly and earthly saints. Heaven and earth are connected with creation, redemption, and glory.
The contents of the Bible are found remarkably clustered together in the book of Genesis. Like the other scriptures, this book also, either plainly or in type, sets Christ before' us. Jesus said, "The Scriptures testify of me. "We therefore find Christ here as Creator, Redeemer, Head and Ruler over all, having all things in subjection to Himself; for we are told that Adam was" a figure of Him that was to come. "Christ is here seen in death in Adam's deep sleep, in the woman's Seed bruised, in Isaac on the altar, and in Joseph in the pit and dungeon. We see Him in resurrection, particularly in Isaac received again out of death in a. figure, and in Joseph's being delivered out of the pit and dungeon prior to his taking his place in Egypt's glory. Further, we are reminded of the Lord coming for His saints to meet Him in the air, by Isaac being not brought before us after he had been offered on the altar, until He comes out at eventide to meet His beloved bride, and take her unto Himself; and we see Jesus in manifested glory in Joseph's reigning over all the land, with his Gentile bride by his side, his brethren forgiven, restored, and blessed, while all Egypt cries before him," Bow the knee." (Chapter 41) Nor can we fail to see Him in Melchizedek as the blessing Priest, who will bring forth the bread and wine to refresh His people, after all their conflicts here are over. (Chapter 14)
In this marvelous book we have first creation in its varied details set before us, pregnant with instruction and comfort. The third day is twice pronounced by God to be "good." Then we have redemption by blood as the alone ground of approach to God, as taught by Abel's sacrifice. Man's evil ways, and God's dealings in grace and in judgment, are largely brought out We have man pronounced to be thoroughly evil (chap. 6.), and justification or righteousness reckoned only in the way of faith. (Chapter 15:6.) The pilgrim character of the man of faith (Abram), content with a tent and an altar, his devotedness and intimacy with the counsels of God, are contrasted with the deep failure of the one who "lifted up his eyes" (Lot), and walked accordingly—his consequent worldliness, misery, and at last compelled to escape for his life from that which God's judgments were overtaking. Here we find too some notice of Satan's ways as a liar, deceiver, and murderer. One apostle tells us that Satan "beguiled Eve," and "deceived" her, and another apostle informs us that Cain, who slew his brother, "was of that wicked one." Nor are the snares laid by Rebecca for Jacob, by Potiphar's wife for Joseph, and by Tamar for Judah without their solemn significance. We find in Genesis also the origin of the world, as a great system reared by fallen man and Satan to gratify lust, and to seek happiness outside the presence of God, in the city which Cain built. The two forms of human wickedness, corruption, and violence, are found here (chap. 6:11), as also the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. (Chapter 3:6.) And yet more. The "dispensations," as they are called, are also more or less referred to in this first book of Scripture. First, we have man in innocence. Secondly, man fallen, and "without law," yet accountable to God as having some knowledge of good and evil—a period or dispensation which Scripture speaks of as extending from Adam to Moses. Wei may call it therefore a time of "conscience." Thirdly, we have an earthly people—the children of Israel—having peculiar promises and blessings, the only people on earth specially owned of God, but whose ruin an apostasy is briefly shadowed forth in their hatred to Joseph, the beloved son, casting him into a pit, and seeking to cover over their iniquity with a lie. This would correspond with the period, or dispensation of law, extending from Moses to the death of Christ. Fourthly, we have the church— a heavenly people, the Bride of the Lamb—illustrated in the wife which Abraham's servant sought in the far country for Isaac, who had ere this gone through death and resurrection in a figure, whom he meets at the close of her pilgrimage, and receives unto himself. This corresponds to the period marked from the descent of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost to the corning of the Lord for His saints. Fifthly, we have millennial times clearly referred to, whether we look at Eve sharing with Adam his honor and glory in Eden (chap. 2), or the reign of Joseph before his restored and happy brethren, with his Gentile bride sharing his glory (chap. 41), or the promise to Abram that in him all, the families of the earth would be blessed (chap. 12), or in the ways of the true Melchizedek, Priest of the Most High God, possessor of heaven and earth. (Chapter 14) Sixthly, though the eternal state of a new heaven and a new earth is less plainly marked, still we do get the old world cleared of evil by the righteous judgment of God, and a new earth associated with blessing following, which may faintly set forth the new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness that will succeed the judgment of God by fire. We also see the Lord deigning to become Abraham's guest (chap. 18), which may hint at this eternal state of blessedness, when the tabernacle of God will be with men, and Ile will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God. Himself shall be with them, and be their God, (Rev. 21:3.)