If a friend handed to us a ponderous volume consisting of sixty six books written by between thirty and forty persons, and at different times extending over _fifteen hundred years, and said, Notwithstanding all their differences there is a remarkable unity throughout, should we not be astonished? As a matter of fact, there is no such book as the Bible in this respect; nor could there be, unless all the writings it contained had been under the guidance of one mind, and its communications throughout given by the one Spirit.
One thing which would be likely to strike some, persons in considering the principle of unity in a book, would be to compare the end with the beginning, and see if there were any connection as to similarity or contrast. In the Bible it is written, "Known unto God are all His works, from the beginning of the world." Acts 15:1818Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world. (Acts 15:18). Let us turn and examine a few scriptures as to this.
The first words we find in the Bible are, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth" (Gen. 1:11In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)), and as a matter of fact, much of the Bible is about God's heavenly and earthly people; also as to things in connection with the present heaven and earth; and in the end of the Book we read of "a new heaven and a new earth." (Rev. 21:11And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. (Revelation 21:1).)
In the beginning of the Book it is said, "Let there be light: and there was light"; afterward we are told that Christ is "the light of the world"; and in the end of the Book we read that "the Lamb is the light thereof."
In the beginning, we read of a tree of life in the garden of Eden, from which man was afterward excluded through his sin; in the end we find "the tree of life" with its many fruits, and are taught that the faithful will eat of "the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God." (Gen. 2:99And 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. (Genesis 2:9); Rev. 2:7; 22:27He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. (Revelation 2:7)
2In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. (Revelation 22:2).)
In Gen. 2 we see the first man (figure of Him that was to come) and his helpmeet, of whom he could say, "This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh"; and in Rev. 21 we have presented to us "the bride, the Lamb's wife... Having the glory of God," of whom it had been said that He "nourisheth and cherisheth it," and that "we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones." (Rev. 21:9, 119And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. (Revelation 21:9)
11Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; (Revelation 21:11); Eph. 5:29, 3029For 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. (Ephesians 5:29‑30).)
In the earthly paradise man was in dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air, and over every creeping thing; and the name he gave to every living creature, that was the name thereof; but toward the end of the Book the Lord Jesus, the last Adam, will bring this groaning creation into the liberty of the glory of the children of God, and have His rightful place as "Lord of all," having subdued all things unto Himself (Gen. 1:28; 2:1928And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. (Genesis 1:28)
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. (Genesis 2:19); Psalm 8; Phil. 2:10, 11; 3:2110That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:10‑11)
21Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. (Philippians 3:21)).
In the beginning we have Satan tempting, then sin, and the curse; and in the end we see Satan in the lake of fire, sin taken away, righteousness dwelling, and no more curse. In the beginning, sorrow and death; in the end, "no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." (Gen. 3; Rev. 20:1010And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. (Revelation 20:10); 2 Pet. 3:1313Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. (2 Peter 3:13); 1 John 3:55And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. (1 John 3:5); Rev. 21:1-41And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. (Revelation 21:1‑4).)
Surely then we find a remarkable unity of thought in the be ginning and ending of the Bible, though the contrasts are most striking, because the Son of God had come meanwhile to accomplish redemption, destroy the works of the devil, take away sins, make good the promises, vindicate God in all His ways, honor Him in perfect obedience as man, and glorify Him in clearing us from all iniquity, and bring us to God to share the inheritance with Him who is heir of all things.
Another mark of unity is found in the truth it sets forth throughout. If early in the Old Testament it is said of man that "every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually," it is said in the New Testament that "the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." (Gen. 6:55And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. (Genesis 6:5); Rom. 8:77Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. (Romans 8:7).) If a prophet in olden time said, "All flesh is as grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:... the grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand forever"; an apostle, seven hundred years after, writes the same, only adding to "the word of the Lord endureth forever," "And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you." (Isa. 40:66The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field: (Isaiah 40:6).8;1 Pet. 1:24, 2524For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: 25But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. (1 Peter 1:24‑25).) If the psalmist exclaimed, "Forever, O LORD, Thy word is settled in heaven," our Lord said, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away." (Psalm 119:8989LAMED. For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven. (Psalm 119:89); Matt. 24:3535Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. (Matthew 24:35).) If the testimony of a prophet was, "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the LORD of hosts," an apostle informs us that "the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God." (Zech. 4:66Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts. (Zechariah 4:6); 1 Cor. 2:1111For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. (1 Corinthians 2:11).) If Moses was inspired to write, "It is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul," we read in Hebrews that "without shedding of blood is no remission." (Lev. 17:1111For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. (Leviticus 17:11); Heb. 9:2222And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. (Hebrews 9:22).) If an Old Testament writer warned the people not to "add unto the word" which he commanded them, "neither shall ye diminish aught from it," the ancient writings are not closed without enforcing the exhortation by saying, "Add thou not unto His words, lest He reprove thee, and thou be found a liar"; nor can the canon of Scripture be concluded without the last of Revelation giving us the most solemn warning concerning it. (Deut. 4:22Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you. (Deuteronomy 4:2); Prov. 30:66Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar. (Proverbs 30:6); Rev. 22: 18, 19.)...
It is important to observe the unity of thought pervading all Scripture as to man's utter ruin and incurably bad condition, calling for nothing less than being born anew. If early in Scripture we are told that "every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually," many hundreds of years after, another prophet declared that "the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked"; while hundreds of years later our Lord said, "From within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts," etc., and He did not name anything good in it. Later on an apostle declared that "The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be" (Rom. 8:77Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. (Romans 8:7)); so that as to man's moral condition in God's sight, ever since the fall, the testimony throughout has been that "there is none righteous, no not one." The giving of the law, instead of helping or improving those who accepted the yoke, only caused the offense to abound, and gave "the knowledge of sin." Happy are they who so know the Lord Jesus Christ as their life and peace as to be not under the law and vainly hoping to reach God by doings and efforts, but as brought to God in Christ, and through His precious blood can bow in adoring praise and thanksgiving to Him for the accomplished work of eternal redemption.
The bright line which runs from Genesis to Revelation, and gives the whole Book a unity which nothing else could, is its testimony to the infinite glory of the Person of the Son, the eternal efficacy of His one sacrifice for sin, His moral worth and excellency beyond all thought, the glorious offices on our account He now sustains, as well as His glories yet to be revealed when He comes with clouds, and His saints accompany Him, to put down all that is contrary to God, and fulfill all the promises to Israel, and much more, which assure us of the verity of our Savior's words when speaking of the "Scriptures," "They are they which testify of Me." John 5:3939Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. (John 5:39).