My Dear Young Friends

 •  6 min. read  •  grade level: 6
 
Your answers to my question of last month prove from God’s Word, as I desired they might, the important truth that the only true God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost created us and all things.
God the Father.
Eph. 4:66One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. (Ephesians 4:6), One God and Father of all. Rev. 4:1111Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. (Revelation 4:11). Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honor, and power; for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are, and were created. Gen. 5:1, 2; 9:61This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him; 2Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created. (Genesis 5:1‑2)
6Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man. (Genesis 9:6); 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); Deut. 32:6,156Do ye thus requite the Lord, O foolish people and unwise? is not he thy father that hath bought thee? hath he not made thee, and established thee? (Deuteronomy 32:6)
15But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation. (Deuteronomy 32:15); Neh. 9:66Thou, even thou, art Lord alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee. (Nehemiah 9:6); Job 10:9; 38:4-79Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as the clay; and wilt thou bring me into dust again? (Job 10:9)
4Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. 5Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? 6Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; 7When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? (Job 38:4‑7); Psa. 8:3; 24:1, 2; 89:12; 95:5, 6; 96:5; 100:3; 109:24; 119:73; 121:2; 136:5; 146:5, 6; 148:5; 149:23When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; (Psalm 8:3)
1<<A Psalm of David.>> The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. 2For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods. (Psalm 24:1‑2)
12The north and the south thou hast created them: Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy name. (Psalm 89:12)
5The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land. 6O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker. (Psalm 95:5‑6)
5For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the Lord made the heavens. (Psalm 96:5)
3Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. (Psalm 100:3)
24My knees are weak through fasting; and my flesh faileth of fatness. (Psalm 109:24)
73JOD. Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments. (Psalm 119:73)
2My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. (Psalm 121:2)
5To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever. (Psalm 136:5)
5Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God: 6Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever: (Psalm 146:5‑6)
5Let them praise the name of the Lord: for he commanded, and they were created. (Psalm 148:5)
2Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. (Psalm 149:2); Prov. 3:19; 8:26-2919The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens. (Proverbs 3:19)
26While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. 27When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth: 28When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep: 29When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth: (Proverbs 8:26‑29); Eccl. 12:11Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them; (Ecclesiastes 12:1); Isa. 37:16; 40:28; 42:5; 44:24; 45:7, 12, 18; 48:13; 51:1316O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made heaven and earth. (Isaiah 37:16)
28Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. (Isaiah 40:28)
5Thus saith God the Lord, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein: (Isaiah 42:5)
24Thus saith the Lord, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the Lord that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself; (Isaiah 44:24)
7I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things. (Isaiah 45:7)
12I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded. (Isaiah 45:12)
18For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord; and there is none else. (Isaiah 45:18)
13Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together. (Isaiah 48:13)
13And forgettest the Lord thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor? (Isaiah 51:13); Jer. 10:1212He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion. (Jeremiah 10:12); Zech. 12:11The burden of the word of the Lord for Israel, saith the Lord, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him. (Zechariah 12:1); Mal. 2:10, 1510Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers? (Malachi 2:10)
15And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth. (Malachi 2:15); Matt. 19:44And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, (Matthew 19:4); Mark 10:6; 13:196But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. (Mark 10:6)
19For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be. (Mark 13:19); Acts 14:15; 17:2415And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein: (Acts 14:15)
24God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; (Acts 17:24); Rom. 1:20; 11:3620For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: (Romans 1:20)
36For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen. (Romans 11:36); 1 Cor. 8:66But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. (1 Corinthians 8:6); Heb. 2:1010For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. (Hebrews 2:10); Rev. 10:6; 14:76And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer: (Revelation 10:6)
7Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. (Revelation 14:7).
God the Son
God the Spirit
Our relationship to God springs from this truth; so that our only happiness consists in knowing, loving, and living to God. The subject that is to engage our attention this month, is the happy and blessed state of our first parents as created by God, before they fell from Him through not obeying His Word. Gen. 2:3-253And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made. 4These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens, 5And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground. 6But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground. 7And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. 8And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. 10And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads. 11The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold; 12And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone. 13And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia. 14And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates. 15And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. 16And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17But 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. 18And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. 19And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. 20And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him. 21And 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; 22And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. 23And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. 24Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. 25And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. (Genesis 2:3‑25) gives us the beautiful picture of man enjoying the favor and blessing of his Creator. The name of God is changed in this chapter. It is the covenant name, by which God was related to His chosen people Israel, Jehovah Elohim, translated in our Bibles LORD God. It was the test of the faith of His people Israel, to confess to the idolatrous nations of the world that Jehovah was the one only true and living God, the Maker of heaven and earth; even as it now is the test of Christian faith to confess that Jesus Christ is the Son of God (1 John 4:1515Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. (1 John 4:15)), and that His atoning death is the only means of a sinner’s justification before God. Gal. 13Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, 4Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: 5To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 6I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. 10For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. 11But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. 12For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. 13For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: 14And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. 15But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, 16To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: 17Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus. 18Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days. 19But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother. 20Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not. 21Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia; 22And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judea which were in Christ: 23But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed. 24And they glorified God in me. 1Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also. (Galatians 1:3‑2:1) chap.
You will mark that when every letter in the word LORD is printed in your Bibles, in capitals, it always stands for Jehovah. He is the God of every creature, down to a blade of grass, but He is the Lord God of His people. In the fifth verse we are taught that God created “every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew.” Every moving creature in the waters that had life (or a living soul, margin), and every fowl of the air, and every beast of the field, came into being at God’s word. Man, too, was formed by the Lord God of the dust of the ground, but man received his soul direct from God; not simply by His word, like the animals, but by the Lord God breathing into his nostrils the breath of life. Directly a beast dies his soul perishes, but when man dies his spirit returns unto God, who gave it. Eccl. 12:77Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it. (Ecclesiastes 12:7).
Now let us look at God’s love to man in planting for him so beautiful a garden, and filling it for him with every delight. The same goodness of God provided for each of my young readers before they were born. There was a mother to love you, food to nourish you, and clothes to cover you, all ready and awaiting your birth. Have you ever thanked God for His goodness to you? The blessed Saviour recalled God’s care for Him in His infancy, when He was dying on the bitter cross. Let us read His words in Psa. 22:99But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother's breasts. (Psalm 22:9), “Thou didst make me hope (or, as margin, Thou keptest me in safety), upon my mother’s breasts.” Adam never was a babe; God created him a strong man, in all the vigor and beauty of manhood; but the Son of God stooped to be born a babe, of a poor virgin, wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger. How touching it is to hear Him, when dying in pain and weakness on the cross, recalling God’s upholding Him from His birth.
The meaning of Eden is pleasure. God planted this beautiful garden, and thought of everything to make Adam happy. There were trees, pleasant to the sight, on every side, laden with fruits of excellent flavor; and throughout the garden flowed a beautiful river, which kept everything watered and fertile. Adam had only to dress and keep the garden, for labor and toil were unknown; and, as the spring of all happiness to man is his obedience to, and communion with, his gracious Maker, the Lord God gave Adam one command to bind him to Himself, and make His word and will to Adam supreme in that scene of innocence and delight. Adam had everything to serve his pleasure, and in the midst of the garden grew the tree of life for his use and blessing. The test of his faith in God’s goodness, and of his obedience to God’s word was simply not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and God added the solemn warning against disobedience, “In the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die.” As long as he believed in the wisdom and goodness of his Maker, Adam could have had no desire for the forbidden fruit. It was enough for faith to know that the Lord God had told him not to eat thereof.
After thus caring for Adam’s pleasure, God still thought of His creature’s increased happiness. “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make an help meet for him,” were the words of God’s loving interest in man. And the Lord God brought all the creatures to Adam, each beautiful after its kind, and Adam named them according to the different orders of their creation, “but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.” He was above them all, and exercised dominion over them, but he could not make companions of any of them. We delight to see children kind to dumb creatures, but we should think badly of the boy or girl, who had no friend to love and make a companion of, but a bird or a dog. It is not good that one of us should be alone. To live without doing kindnesses to others and being useful in our families or among our friends will surely end in the sin of selfishness, which is one of the ugliest idols that an unconverted child can make his god.
The Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and from one of his ribs He made Eve, and presented her to him, and Adam beheld his help meet—bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh—perfectly suited to be his companion in his place of dominion and enjoyment.
I hope, dear children, I shall find from your answers, that in this beautiful story of Paradise you will see types and patterns of better things, and of brighter glories, and of deeper joys than were known to Adam and Eve in that short though lovely dawn of man’s history, ere sin had entered and spoiled all.
Your affectionate friend, UNCLE R.