Subsequently the earth was subjected to chaos. Then God during the six days brought order out of confusion, brought light out of darkness, and ordered and established. His creation according to His divine wisdom. The last act of the Creator-God was the creation of the man and the woman—Adam and Eve. “But God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness... So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them" (Gen. 1:26, 2726And 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. 27So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. (Genesis 1:26‑27)). What a finish to the vast creation! “And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good” (Get. 1:31). All was finished, settled, ordered, and pronounced," very good.”
The Creator rests from His creation toil, and all speak forth His wisdom and glory as such.
But, alas! that rest was destined to be disturbed. Man, the responsible head of the creation, departed from his creature place (A dependence and obedience. He listened to the foul insinuations of Satan, the father of lies, sinned and fell, and with him the creation over which he was put as head to have dominion. God's rest is disturbed; pestilence has blighted all; creation has fallen; God been dishonored; His claims ignored; Satan acknowledged; and the sad result—man driven from the Garden of Eden, and from the presence of God. What ruin! what misery! God dishonored and Satan triumphant. What a reversal! Man, the willing captive of the enemy of God—a fallen, guilty being. It makes one weep. O sin, how great thy devastating power! God's fair creation blighted by thee, and man, the fairest of all, fallen beneath thy hand.
But is it thus fixed forever? Must sin's dominion and Satan's triumph last forever?
Must God's goodness be despised, His claims ignored, His creature an outcast be forever?
Must God's rest be disturbed, no more to be restored, and must the glorious Creator be turned out evermore from His own creation?
Blessed be His name; No! This scene, once so, glorious, pronounced "very good," now fallen and under the power of Satan, shall be the witness: first, of the awful consequences of man's departure from God, that in seeking to exalt himself he was abased; second, of man's utter helplessness to save himself from the ruin, the sad consequence of his own sin; third, of the glorious triumphs of divine "grace reigning through righteousness unto eternal life, by Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom. 5:2121That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 5:21)).
But for this latter another work must be accomplished. Man's utter ruin, has been demonstrated; for 1500 years the law proved him impotent, as the man at the pool of Bethesda. Who now can accomplish a work which shall glorify. God about sin, satisfy His divine justice, establish the claims of His broken law, vanquish Satan, accomplish redemption for man, secure for him salvation, and rid forever God's creation of the' stain and pollution sin has brought into it? What being can do this? Shall we Search the ranks of fallen man? Alas! “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God," and are thereby incapacitated for anything but to exhibit the sad results of sin. Shall we mount up to the shining courts of heaven, and search the ranks, of heaven's angelic armies.? 'Not one can be found equal to the task. Powerful they are, but not infinite; therefore unable to meet infinite claims. Must we give it up? Is all forever lost— irretrievably lost? Must Satan triumph forever, his dark dominion have no end, and man, made in the image of God, be shut out from God forever? To say yes would be a deep cup of sorrow indeed; but triumphantly we can say, No.
A work was to be accomplished indeed, a work beyond the power of man or angel; but, blessed be God, One has come forward and accomplished it. And that One was the Son of God. God as well as man: as God infinite, as man capable of dying. This Jesus did on the cross, and infinite are the merits of His atoning death. He through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God. Death was met and overcome; Satan assailed Rita, but was eternally vanquished; sins were laid on Him (the spotless Lamb of God), and atoning for sin God's wrath and judgment were endured, and the deep dark cup drained; the bitter hidings of God's face was experienced; the Holy Sufferer was left alone, absolutely alone; and thus finished the work by which God was to be glorified, Satan vanquished, and man saved. Was it all accomplished? Glory be to God, yes! Listen to the expiring Saviour: “When Jesus, therefore, had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost" (John 19:3030When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. (John 19:30))
Hallelujah "It is finished!" Not finishing, or will be finished, but perfectly, righteously, and gloriously finished forever. Well may the soul of the saved sinner sing Hallelujah!
If he did not, the angels would put him to shame. They sang when creation's toil was over, and the mighty Creator rested—a rest which was disturbed—and should not sinners, saved from hell, sing because of redemption's toil being finished, all gloriously finished forever; the rest of which is never to be broken in upon or disturbed? Surely they should.
Let the world stamp them as madmen, but let them sing of the triumphs of Jesus, and the finishing of redemption's toils,' and the eternal rest of God. Worthy subjects of their song.
God has set His stamp of approbation on the work of Jesus. He has raised Him from the dead. And amidst the praise of heaven set Him at His own right hand in glory. The empty grave, the occupied throne, but declare God's satisfaction in the finished work of the cross.
Now the gospel of God's grace sounds forth the blessed tidings of "It is finished!" The precious news is carried to every continent and wafted to every clime. "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature,” is the divine commission, founded upon those imperishable words, "It is finished!" How blessed!—"every creature." There is no difference as to sin, "for all have sinned;" and there are no exceptions in the gospel, it is to “every creature." God's heart contemplates every creature. “Look unto me, and "be ye saved all the ends of the earth." The wave of blessing rolls on until all the ends of the earth are swept by it. Ah, yes; and souls from every quarter under heaven can testify to the blessedness and miring power of those words: "It is finished.”
Reader, are you saved? It is to “every creature "the gospel is to be preached;" all the ends of the earth” are invited to receive the benefit—a present and eternal salvation— of those glorious words, "It is finished.”
God is satisfied with that work, will you be?
The gospel proclaims salvation to you, will you accept it? God is willing and able to save you, will you be saved? But, remember, God cannot save in any other way, neither can you be saved in any other way, than by Him who uttered those memorable words: “It is finished!”
E. A.