Christ in Noah (1)

It was Thomas Carlyle who said that "The history of the world is but the biography of great men". Certainly, in the Biblical record, the early history of man is told out in the biography of a few individuals. We have considered Adam, Abel, and Enoch, now we want to take a look at Noah and see how he may illustrate for us the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I want to suggest four titles for this consideration as follows:

1. Noah and Rest
2. Noah and Righteousness
3. Noah and Reputation
4. Noah and Responsibility

Noah and Rest 

The name "Noah" means rest, and, in the closing verses of Genesis 5, we have some explanation given as to why Noah received that name. Lamech called the name of his son Noah "saying 'This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the LORD hath cursed'." (5.29).

So the name Noah was given with the hope that he would give rest from "work and toil" and provide comfort in the midst of a cursed world. This subject of rest is enlarged upon in Genesis Ch 8.

In the New Testament, rest is to be found in the Lord Jesus Christ. Consider:

1. The Rest of the Saviour

The life of the Lord Jesus was certainly not a life of rest and ease. He had no rest as an infant for His life was sought after by Herod! Joseph, under instruction from the angel of the Lord, took his responsibility seriously and fled into Egypt, "and was there until the death of Herod" (Matt 2.15). He had no rest as a servant, for when a would-be disciple said "Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest", the answer of the Lord to him was "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head" (Luke 9.57-58)! It is little wonder we read of His weariness (John 4.6) and of His snatching sleep on the boat (Mark 4.38). 

When did He truly rest? The answer is found in the crucifixion record: "When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost" (John 19.30). The words rendered "bowed His head" refer to a purposeful action of the Saviour, "Not the helpless dropping of the head after death, but the deliberate putting of His head into a position of rest" (W E Vine). 

So the Lord Jesus rested when His work was accomplished, and nothing more needed to be done. Just as God rested when His work of Creation was completed (Genesis 2.2), so the Lord rested when His work of Salvation was fully done (John 19.30).

2. The Rest of the Sinner

It is upon the basis of this work that the Lord offers rest to man. While the Lord did not take rest in His life, He did delight to offer rest. In Matt 11 He made an appeal to individuals: "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (v28).

This rest is the gift of the Lord Jesus and is enjoyed by the sinner who comes trustingly to Christ for salvation.

Perhaps one is labouring, seeking to merit salvation by their own efforts, and they discover that it is Christ who has done all the work necessary for their salvation, He has cried "It is finished" (john 19.30), and they rest there! Perhaps another is heavy laden with a burden of sin and guilt, and they discover that Christ Himself was burdened  at Calvary, when the "LORD ... laid on Him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53.6). Realising that He is able to remove the load, they rest there! For those who know this rest, there is nothing comparable in the world.

If some labouring and burdened sinner should read these lines, my appeal is that you would "Come" to the Saviour. Leave your self-efforts behind, allow Him to lift your burden. He has promised that He will "give you rest".

3. The Rest of the Servant 

The Lord continued in Matt 11, "Take my yoke upon you and learn of me: for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light" (v29-30).

This rest is found in the acceptance, by the believer, of service. When an ox was placed in a yoke, it was in order that his energy be harnessed for the service of another. Thus, to willingly take a "yoke" upon us, is to voluntarily submit to the will of another. The Lord here instructs that we submit to His will, and follow in His way, to "learn of" Him. Thankfully, the Lord not only gives instruction, He is the embodiment of His teaching. The way He wants us to serve is according to His own example: "I am meek and lowly in heart" (v29).

Meekness and lowliness describe the character of the Perfect Servant, and these qualities should be characteristic of every person who seeks to serve God. Such "will find rest unto their souls". This is the "rest that one experiences in the service of Christ when he stops trying to be great" (MacDonald). 

As believers in the Lord Jesus, these verses encourage us to submit our will to His, to follow the example that He has left, to emulate the Perfect Servant, our Lord Jesus Christ.

The rest of salvation is found in appreciating the Work of Christ, and responding to His invitation to come to Him. The rest of service is found in the Will of Christ, when we realise His way is best and follow Him, no matter the cost. For those who do, we will find that His "yoke is easy", it fits well; and His "burden is light", for it is a burden shared by Him.

So, in this cursed earth, there is rest and comfort in Christ. Lamech, the father of Noah, desired rest and comfort in the midst of a world that was grievous to God, and about to be judged (Gen 6.5-7). Thank God, for us, in similar circumstances, there is perfect rest in Christ.

"On Thy pierced and bleeding breast
Thou dost bid the weary rest;
Rest there from the world’s false ways,
Rest there from its vanities.

Rest in pardon and relief,
From the load of guilt and grief,
Rest in Thy redeeming blood,
Rest in perfect peace with God.

Sin-atoning Sacrifice,
Thou art precious in mine eyes;
Thou alone my rest shall be,
Now and through eternity"

(Crowned with thorns upon the Tree; H Grattan Guinness).

Christ in Enoch (2)

Having commenced a brief consideration of Enoch, we noted that his name means "dedicated" and in this he illustrates for us the Lord Jesus who is the only fully dedicated Man who ever lived.

Looking in some more detail at the record of Enoch we discover that he is mentioned in the Bible in Genesis 5, Luke 3, Hebrews 11, and Jude.

In Genesis 5.21-24 we read that Enoch "lived sixty and five years and begat Methuselah: and Enoch walked with God ... and he was not; for God took him". In Luke 3, Enoch is mentioned in the genealogy of the Lord Jesus. Hebrews 11.5 records "By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God". And, finally, in Jude v14 we read that " Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied ...".

Enoch was Different

Throughout Genesis 5, it is repeatedly stated that a person "lived" so many years, and then "he died". While the record of Enoch begins with the expression "Enoch lived sixty and five years" (5.21) there is a sudden and suggestive change in the next verse. There it states "And Enoch walked with God" (v22) and this is repeated "Enoch walked with God" (v24).

What marked Enoch out as different was his life. He walked in communion with God, he lived life in  companionship with God. This of necessity meant that he lived in conformity to God's character.

To whatever degree this was true in the life of Enoch, it was much more true in the life of the Lord Jesus. As to communion with God the Lord's ear was ever opened to hear "as the instructed" (Isaiah 50.4). He was also confident that the Father's ear was ever opened to Him, "And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always ..." (John 11.41-42).   

The prophet Amos wrote "Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" (Amos 3.3) and the reason for the closeness in communion, and the perfect companionship of the Father and the Son, is that they are ever, eternally, and perfectly in agreement. There could never be so much as the suggestion of any moral difference between the will of God and the will of Christ for this would be to suggest that the will of one or the other was less than perfect!

Enoch was Delightful 

Hebrews 11 records that Enoch "pleased God". This was a result of his trust in God, for "without faith it is impossible to please Him" (Heb 11.5-6).

And what of the delight that the Son of God gave to the Father? At His baptism, the heavens were rent apart, and the word of the Father was heard "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matt 3.17). The Lord Himself, speaking with the insight of deity, states "I do always those things that please Him" (John 8.29).

Never was the Lord more delightful to the Father than when He hung in shame upon the Cross. There He "hath given Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour" (Eph 5.2). The sweet savour of the devotion of Christ, fully manifested in His whole-hearted offering of Himself to God at Calvary, was tremendously pleasing to God. May we enter into God's assessment of His Son!

Enoch was Delivered

A contrast that marks Enoch out from all others in this chapter of death is that he "was not; for God took him" (Gen 5.24). The writer to the Hebrews expands, stating that Enoch was "translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him" (Heb 11.5). 

Enoch was a dependent, distinct, delightful, dedicated man, and God, in grace, delivered him from death, taking him immediately into His presence. And Enoch is the prototype, for the promise of 1 Corinthians 15.51 is that "we shall not all sleep [i.e. die]". For all Christians there is a hope that we shall not see death. The "Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout", and for those who are "alive and remain" we will be "caught up ... to meet the Lord in the air" (1 Thess 4.16-17).

The Lord Jesus possessed all of these commendable features in perfect measure, added to which He was the sinless Son of God, but He was not delivered! Oh the mighty wonder of this! Jesus, the perfectly sinless, fully consecrated, impeccably holy, completely delightful, Son of God - died! The reason for this has been discussed in previous posts (see here). May we just be thankful that He did die! For, if Christ had not died then there would be no hope of salvation, no hope of forgiveness, and no hope of heaven for us.

"Jesus death upon the tree
Means eternal life to me
Means that grace o'er sin had sway
Means that love has had it's way

Yes Jesus loves me,
He died upon the tree". 

Christ in Enoch (1)

In our last post we noted that Genesis 5 is the chapter of death. And yet, within the confines of this chapter we read of a man who did not die. There are only two such persons in the Old Testament, Enoch and Elijah, and both are most instructive.

We intend to see in the life of Enoch the following truths:

1. Enoch was Dedicated
2. Enoch was Different
3. Enoch was Delightful
4. Enoch was Delivered

In this post we will consider the fact that:

Enoch was Dedicated

The name "Enoch" means dedicated, and we want to see in him an illustration of the Lord Jesus Christ in His dedication to God.

There are two men named Enoch in the book of Genesis. In Ch 4 we read of the son of Cain who is called Enoch (4.17-18). This Enoch represents dedication also, but not to God. He was, as representative of all Cain's posterity, dedicated to the world, and his own self-promotion. In Ch 5 however, the Enoch whom we are considering was certainly dedicated to God, in this way he is a delightful reminder of the dedication and devotion of Christ.

Unrestricted dedication, and unfettered devotion, consecration, and commitment, was seen in every step of the Saviour. When asked by a scribe "Which is the first commandment of all?" He answered "The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment..." (Mark 12.28-30). 

This commandment, while being the divine requirement, was only ever obeyed fully in the life of the perfect Man, the "man approved of God" (Acts 2.22), our Lord Jesus Christ.  To "love" in the way intended in the command involves placing priority upon the will of God, and fulfilling every desire of God. Only "Jesus, the Son of God" did this. He was dedicated:

Volitionally: "all thy heart". The "heart" in scripture is often considered the seat of the will, the core of the whole person. This necessarily precedes all other aspects of dedication. If my will is not aligned to God's will, if I cannot say "Not my will but thine be done" (Luke 22.42), I am not dedicated to God. 

Emotionally: "all thy soul". The "soul" in scripture often refers to the seat of the emotions. If the will is first submitted to God, the emotions will soon follow - not vice-versa. The feelings of the Lord Jesus were always in complete alignment with that of His God: He hated what God hated and loved what God loved.

Intellectually: "all thy mind". The "mind" refers to the intellect. So, as the boy of 12, the Lord Jesus was to be found in the temple, with the doctors "both hearing them, and asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers" (Luke 2.46-47). While it is true that the Lord Jesus was omniscient (being God, He could not be anything else), yet in Luke's Gospel He is presented to us as the perfect Man, and thus His knowledge here is that which was learned when with open ear, in the presence of His God he was taught as "the instructed" One (Isaiah 50.4 JND). 

Physically: "all thy strength". This refers to the physical energy expended in patient, devoted service. The Gospel of Mark stresses this. He "came not to be ministered unto, but to minister" (Mark 10.45), and His strength was used ever in the pursuance of the will of God, and in accomplishing the work of His God. Consider the delightful view of the Saviour in John 4 "being wearied with his journey, [He] sat thus on the well..." (John 4.6). 

He has left us "an example that ye should follow His steps" (1 Peter 2.21), and incorporated in this example is His dedication to the will of God. What about our will, our emotions, our intellect, and our physical strength? Is it all for God? May it be so!

Our next post will be a continued consideration of Enoch who is marked out as different from others, and delightful to God, and delivered from death. All of this, either by comparison or contrast, illumines for us the perfect life of the Saviour.

A perfect path of purest grace,

Unblemished and complete,

Was Thine, Thou spotless Nazarite,

Pure, even to the feet.

Thy stainless life, Thy lovely walk,

In every aspect true,

From the defilement all around,

No taint of evil drew.

No broken service, Lord was Thine,

No change was in Thy way;

Unsullied in Thy holiness,

Thy strength knew no decay.

The vow was on Thee—Thou didst come,

To yield Thyself to death;

And consecration marked Thy path,

And spoke in every breath.

Morning by morning Thou didst wake,

Amidst this poisoned air;

Yet no contagion touched Thy soul,

No sin disturbed Thy prayer.

Thus, Lord we love to trace Thy course,

To mark where Thou hast trod,

And follow Thee with loving eye,

Up to the throne of God.

(Wylie Macleod)

Christ and the Wages of Sin

Reading Genesis 5 is like walking through a graveyard looking at the headstones. The chapter gives very little narrative about the persons it names, but the repeated refrain of the chapter (recorded 8 times) is "and he died" (5.5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 27, 31).

In contrast to this common experience is the record of Enoch who "walked with God: and he was not, for God took him" (5.24). The name Enoch means "dedicated".

From Genesis 5, we want to view Christ in the following ways:

1. Christ in His Death
2. Christ in His Dedication

This post will concentrate on:

Christ in His Death

In the early chapters of Genesis, death is considered from a variety of standpoints. In Ch 2 it is the certain result of sin; in Ch 3 it is God's method to provide a covering for the sinner; in Ch 4 it is both the acceptable means of approach to God, and the measure of the depravity of man; in Ch 5 (as we shall see) it is the (almost) universal experience of humanity.

Death takes on various emphases in Scripture, depending upon the context. There is spiritual death "dead in trespasses and sins" (Eph 2.1), there is physical death "It is appointed unto men once to die" (Heb 9.27), and there is eternal death "And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death" (Rev 20.14). The core meaning of "death" is separation. In spiritual death, the person is separated from the life of God in time; in physical death the person is separated from the present sphere of life in this world; in eternal death the person is separated from God eternally and irrecoverably. 

In Genesis 2, the prohibition given by God to Adam was "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" (2.17). The death in view here was first spiritual death, Adam upon sinning, was immediately "alienated from the life of God" (Eph 4.18), and this in turn would lead to his physical death.

The certainty of death as a result of sin is stressed, "thou shalt surely die" (2.17). However, in Ch 3, in the temptation of Eve, the serpent responded by denying this fact "Ye shall not surely die" (3.4). The devil's deception was that disobedience is not dangerous, that sin has no consequences.

Ch 5 is the confirmation that it is God who was truthful! While Adam died spiritually in the very act of disobedience, he also died physically some time later, and this fact cannot be denied. The New Testament states that "by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned" (Rom 5.12). This is a universal reality. "It is appointed unto men once to die" (Heb 9.27), "in Adam all die" (1 Cor 15.27).

Physical death is the universal experience of humanity and is the direct result of sin. While not original to the human condition as created by God, the disobedience of Adam has brought physical death upon all his posterity. There is an unbreakable link between sin and death.

There was however One Person who was born into this world without the inherited sin of the human family. He was not linked with Adam, being virgin-born "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God" (Luke 1.35 ESV). Neither did He commit any sin in His life. The eyes of the apostle Peter saw many actions of the Lord Jesus, and his ears heard many words, yet he confirms that He "did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth" (1 Peter 2.22). 

Here was a sinless Man. Free from a sinful nature, pure from all sinful practice, positively holy and good: the perfect, impeccable Son of God! Yet He died. 

Why did Christ die? If sin and death are so inseparably linked, then the reason for the death of Christ must be sin also! However, He "did no sin" (1 Peter 2.22), and "in Him is no sin" (1 John 3.5). The reason that Christ died is the very core of the marvellous message of the Gospel! Summarised by the apostle Paul, the Gospel message is that "Christ died for our sins" (1 Cor 15.3). 

In Genesis 5 all the men listed were linked with Adam. Some experienced death, and one escaped death. However, the Lord Jesus Christ was not linked with Adam, death therefore had no claim upon Him. His was the voluntary death of:

1. The Divine Son: "No man taketh [my life] from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again" (John 10.18)
2. The Obedient Servant: "Who, being in the form of God ... took upon him the form of a servant ... humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" (Philippian 2.6-8).
3. The Dependant Man: "I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother's belly ... and thou hast brought me into the dust of death" (Psalm 22.10, 15).
4. The Loving Saviour: "Christ died for our sins ... was buried ... rose again the third day ... was seen" (1 Corinthians 15.3-5).

So, relating the death of Christ to the early chapters of Genesis, we learn that Christ died: (a) To deal with the results of sin. (b) To provide a covering for the sinner. (c) To become the one means of approach to God. (d) To witness to the guilt and depravity of man. (e) To provide salvation for the human family.

"He died that we might be forgiven;
He died to do us good;
That we might go at last to heaven,
Cleansed by His precious blood!"

Christ in Abel (3)

Christ is the Shepherd, and Christ is the Sacrifice - this much we have learned from the life of Abel so far. What can we learn from his death? It is the first incidence of violent death in the Bible, and serves to illustrate much concerning the death of Christ. 

The Slaughter 

"Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?" He said, "I do not know; am I my brother's keeper?" And the LORD said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying to me from the ground. And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand" (Gen 4.8-11 ESV).

1. The Brother of Abel

Cain was religious, we learn that from the fact that he "offered" alongside Abel. But his religion consisted of the works of his hands, presented to God, with the intention that he would be accepted on that basis.

In the  New Testament, however, we learn much about Cain's true character and conduct. He "was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous" (1 John 3.12). 

So, Cain had a veneer of external religion, and yet within he was corrupt. This cannot help but turn our mind to the society in which the Lord Jesus lived. The Lord was the most gracious of men, but he denounced some in His day in the strongest possible terms: "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity" (Matt 23.27-28). 

Cain's true character was manifested in his treatment of Abel. He "slew his brother", and the reason was that his own "works were evil, and his brother's righteous" (1 John 3.12). 

External religion does not remove internal corruption, and the true character of the religious leaders in the days of the Lord was likewise manifested in their attitude to Him. The Lord stated "If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin" (John 15.22). The idea is that, the life of the Lord Jesus among the people, and the subsequent rejection of Him by the religious leaders, exposed their true character. They no longer had a covering for the corruption of their heart. They "hated me" He could say "without a cause" (John 15.15).

Peter faced the nation with their guilt when calling them to repentance: "Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs ... ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain" (Acts 2.22-23) "The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go. But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses" (Acts 3.13-15). 

Down through the centuries false religion and religious hypocrisy have unitedly  caused rivers of blood to flow! This began with the slaughter of Abel, and reached it zenith in the crucifixion of the Son of God. It continues to this day. 

2. The Blood of Abel 

The "blood" of Abel is mentioned twice in Genesis 4, and three times in the New Testament. 

According to Gen 4, the blood of Abel "crieth unto" God from the ground, for judgment. The Lord Jesus picks up this lesson in his teaching in Matthew 23, as He warned the leaders of Israel of coming judgment: "Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation" (Matt 23.34-36). 

Thus, linked with the "blood of righteous Abel" is a cry that calls to God to judge the criminal, it is a cry for justice. It is a call to punish those who have committed the crime, and have shed that blood.

However, when we come to Hebrews 12 we read that the blood of Christ "speaketh better things than that of Abel" (Heb 12.24). The meaning is that, the shed blood of the Lord Jesus also cries, but not for punishment! His blood cries for pardon for those who trust Him. 

The blood of our Lord Jesus Christ does not demand that justice BE satisfied, it rather declares that justice HAS BEEN satisfied. It is this fact that enables God to be "just, and the justifier of him which believeth on Jesus" (Rom 3.26). Grace can flow out to all, because God's justice has been satisfied.

In our meditations we have viewed Christ in Abel's shepherding, sacrifice, and slaughter! May our hearts rejoice that His blood avails for all who trust Him. God's justice is forever satisfied, and, as the hymn puts it:

"Grace is flowing like a river

Millions there have been supplied;

Still it flows, as fresh as ever

From the Saviour's wounded side!

None need perish, All may live, 
For Christ has died" 

Christ in Abel (2)

In our last post we considered Abel's shepherding and reminded ourselves of the "good shepherd", our Lord Jesus Christ.

Today I would like to consider Abel's sacrifice, and see how it is a preview of the sacrifice of Christ.

The Sacrifice

Abel "brought of the firstlings of his flock, and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering" (Gen 4.4)

Abel brought an offering to God which was acceptable to Him, and accepted by Him. On the other hand, "unto Cain and to his offering, [God] had not respect" (Gen 4.5). What made the difference? Why was Abel's offering acceptable, and Cain's unacceptable? Consider two facts:

1. Abel offered what God Demanded

The writer to the Hebrews confirms that it was "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain ..." (Heb 11.4).

Faith in scripture is a believing response to a God's self-revelation. It is trust in God's word. Thus Abel, in his offering, acted in response to a prior revelation of God.

It seems evident that Adam and Eve would have rehearsed in the ears of their family the events of Eden. They would have instructed Cain and Abel that disobedience is punishable by death (Gen 2.17) and that the sinner requires a substitutionary sacrifice (Gen 3.21). Abel responded to these truths trustingly - he believed God, and his offering manifested the faith that he had.

Abel sacrificed his little lamb, acknowledging God's demand that his sin be punished, and appreciating that an innocent substitute could, and would (in symbol) bear that punishment for him!

Is this not the faith that brings acceptance with God still? A person who acknowledges that they are sinful and worthy only of divine judgment, and accepts the sacrifice of Christ as sufficient payment for their sins, is accepted with God. Upon trusting Christ as their Saviour, they take Christ as their Substitute, and are thereby safe from judgment.

On the other hand, Cain ignored God's word. He did not accept that his sin was punishable by death, and he therefore did not see the need for a substitutionary sacrifice! He reasoned that what he produced would be sufficient for God to accept him. Sadly there are many who think the same today, and they will suffer the same dreadful disappointment as Cain.

It would be healthy for all of us to ask ourselves the question "Why should God allow me into heaven?". If my answer to that question is "Because of what I have done", then I am like Cain, and God will not accept me. If, however my answer is "Because of what Christ has done for me", then I am like Abel and God will accept me because my faith rests in Christ and His sacrifice alone.

2. Abel offered what God Deserved

It is also worthy of note that Abel offered "the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof". This describes the best of the animals at Abel's disposal. Abel came as a worshipper, and he offered the best to God.

In bringing the best, Abel was bringing (in symbol) what God deserves from His creatures, but never gets. Here was recognition on Abel's part, not only of God's righteous requirements in respect of sin, but also of God's glorious person.

Praise God, in the death of His Son at Calvary, God received what He demanded for man - a sufficient substitutionary sacrifice, full payment in respect of sin. However, he also received what He desired from man - complete whole-hearted devotion to Himself.

Ultimately there was only One sacrifice acceptable to God. Every Old Testament sacrifice looked forward to the "offering of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all" (Hebrews 10.10). And every Christian looks back with joy to the fact that "this man ... offered one sacrifice for sins forever" (Heb 10.12). This once-for-all sacrifice has been offered and accepted!

May we rejoice that the one who is the "good Shepherd" (John 10.11) is also the "Lamb of God" (John 1.29)! And for all those who trust Him alone, there is security: both in His shepherd care, and in His substitutionary sacrifice.

Christ in Abel (1)

Genesis Ch 4 tells the story of the first family. It is a sad story of disobedience, deception, death, and discipline. Cain and Abel were the first brothers, but their relationship is certainly not the template to follow! Cain was "of that wicked one, and slew his brother" (1 John 3.12). 

However, alongside the hatred and murder, the rebellion and judgment of Cain, the character of Abel shines brightly, and we cannot help but see that he illustrates some of the features of the Lord Jesus Christ. We will consider three subjects as follows:

1. Abel's Shepherding

2. Abel's Sacrifice

3. Abel's Slaughter 

In this post, the first of these will be considered. 

Abel's Shepherding 

Abel was a shepherd, a "keeper of sheep" (Gen 4.2). This occupation was shared by many of the great Old Testament worthies: Abraham, Joseph, Moses, and David to name but a few. 

The shepherd must guide his sheep, guard his sheep and graze his sheep. Abel directed his sheep according what was best for them, he protected them in what had become a hostile environment, and he provided the necessary diet for them.

The title "shepherd" is lifted to sublime heights by King David who wrote the well known words of Psalm 23: "The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want". In that Psalm he shows how he was guided by the LORD, "He leadeth me beside still waters ... He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake"; guarded by the LORD, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me"; and how he grazed upon the LORD's provision, "He maketh me to lie down in green pastures ...He restoreth my soul ... Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies: thou anointest my head with oil, my cup runneth over". With such care and attention lavished upon him by the LORD, David concludes "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever" (Psalm 23.1-6)

In the New Testament, this Shepherd is revealed to be none other than the Lord Jesus Himself! While, as we noted, many Old Testament saints were shepherds, the One for whom the title "good shepherd" was reserved was the Lord Jesus. In John Ch 10 He states, "I am the good shepherd, the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep" (v11) and, "I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine" (v14).  

Being the good shepherd, the Lord demonstrated sacrificial love for His sheep, being willing to give His life for them (v11). He also has intimate knowledge of His sheep, and they know Him (v14).

Truly blessed are those who can say honestly, as David did in Psalm 23.1, "The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want". To own Jesus as Lord, and to trust Him as Saviour, is to be assured of His shepherd care through life. Is He your Shepherd? If so, you can trust Him for the plan of your life, you can rest in His protection, and delight in His provision. He has promised that every one of His sheep are eternally secure in His hand (John 10.27-30)

 

"The King of Love my Shepherd is,

Whose goodness faileth never;

I nothing lack if I am His,

And He is mine forever."

(Henry W Baker. 1821-77)

Christ in the Fall (4)

In our previous posts on Genesis 3, we have traced out the Lord Jesus as contrasted with Adam and Eve, as calling to Adam and Eve, and as conquering for Adam and Eve. Today, we see Him typified in the covering provided by the LORD God for Adam and Eve. 

The Covering 

The immediate result of the fall was that "the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked" (v7). 

From the moment when they became conscious of "good and evil" in the broadest moral sense, they knew that nakedness was unsuitable for the presence of God. A covering was required, "and they sowed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons" (v7). 

This covering showed some awareness of need, but did not properly assess God's righteousness. It did not cover them as God intended them to be covered. God intervened and "Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them" (v21).

Thinly veiled under historical detail is a symbolic meaning which is expanded upon through Scripture. 

The Covering of Works

Adam and Eve were exposed before God, and they knew it. So "all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do" (Heb 4.13). With the backdrop of their disobedience, they were conscious that they were unfit for His presence. 

Thus they endeavoured to solve the problem by the application of initiative, ingenuity, and industry. They "sowed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons" (v7). However, even with this covering they were aware that they remained unfit for God's presence, for when they "heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day ... Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden". 

All of their efforts did not give peace to the conscience or assurance of acceptance. Is this not, in embryo, the problem of man-centred religion which has been perpetuated down through the centuries?  Adam and his wife must learn that nothing of man, no work or endeavour, will satisfy God's demands, or give peace to the troubled conscience. 

The Covering of Grace

However, on the principle of grace alone, another covering was soon provided. Consider:

The Source: This covering was provided by God Himself! "Unto Adam ... did the LORD God make coats of skin, and clothed them". This is most important because it was God before whom they were exposed, and His covering would meet His own requirements! It was not man's ingenuity, but God's idea. It was God's plan and not mans. 

The Sacrifice: The fact that "coats of skin" were used is the first record of the sacrifice of an animal. God had previously stated that sin would bring death (Gen 2.17), and here the death of an innocent victim, for the purpose of making the man acceptable before God, clearly indicates the inflexible character of God's righteousness. 

The Symbolism: Once again, the spiritual import of these historical details is evident. The covering required for acceptance with God is provided by God, and obtained through sacrifice. At the very dawn of humanity's existence God provided an object lesson on His intended means of salvation. 

The Son of God, sent by the Father, would come to provide salvation for the world (John 3.17). To do so He must die, suffering the punishment for our sins, dying the death we deserve. His life would voluntarily be given. He would offer "one sacrifice for sins" (Heb 10.12). More than that, His personal acceptance before God would become the acceptance of those who trust Him. "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him" (2 Corinthians 5.21). Upon believing, a person is placed "in Christ", and therefore declared righteous, treated as righteous, and accepted with the same acceptance that is Christ's before God! 

"Behold a spotless Victim dies,

My surety on the tree;

The Lamb of God, the Sacrifice,

He gave Himself for me"

(Anonymous)

"So dear, so very dear to God,

More dear I cannot be;

The love wherewith He loves the Son;

Such is His love for me!"

(Catesby Paget).

Christ in the Fall (3)

In our previous two posts we noted that Genesis 3 presents the Lord to our view in at least four aspects. He is:

1. The Contrast

2. The Caller

3. The Conqueror

4. The Covering

We have considered Him as the Contrast to Adam and Eve, and as the Caller of Adam and Eve already. Now we view Him as:

The Conqueror

The first direct prophecy of the coming of the Saviour is given in this passage. Sin has barely entered the world, and God in grace announces the Proto-evangelium*. During His judicial statement concerning the serpent, He declares: "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel" (v15). 

This is a promise of victory for the "Seed" of the woman. The poetic justice of this is evident. The devil used a woman (Eve) to influence the first man, Adam, to bring sin into the world, and to gain a "victory" for himself.  God will use another woman (Mary) to bring into this world the "second Man, the Lord from heaven" to put away sin, and to gain the ultimate victory over the devil. 

Notice the promise of continual warfare and opposition between the Serpent and the Woman, and between their offspring. Notice also that it is the woman's seed. This is enlarged upon in the prophecy of Isaiah 7.14 "Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel". 

The eternal God became flesh, by means of the virgin birth, for the purpose of defeating the greatest foe of man and God. "Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery" (Heb 2.14-15 ESV).  

At Calvary the death-blow was struck. Just as David cut off the head of Goliath with his own sword, so the Lord Jesus destroyed satan with his own formidable weapon - death. 

"And now, the mighty deed is done

On the Cross!

The battle fought, the victory won

On the Cross!

To heaven He turns victorious eyes,

'Tis finished now, the Conqueror cries,

Then bows His sacred head and dies

On the Cross."

(Joseph Hoskins) 

We enjoy the benefits of a victory already won, we reap the spoils of a battle already fought. May God enable us to take sides with the Mighty Conqueror, and to sing His praises! 

*Proto-evangelium: i.e the first messianic prophecy in the Old Testament, the first glimmer of the divine purpose in respect of the Gospel

Christ in the Fall (2)

In our previous post we noted that Genesis 3 presents the Lord to our view in at least four aspects. He is:

1. The Contrast

2. The Caller

3. The Conqueror

4. The Covering

Having already considered Him as the great Contrast with Adam and Eve, we now see Him as:

The Caller 

After the temptation and fall of Adam and Eve, "they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the Garden in the cool of the day ... And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, "Where art thou?"." (v8-9)

Undoubtedly the "LORD God walking" is a pre-incarnate appearance of the Son of God. He made man for fellowship, and now He comes down to Eden. Between His Creation of Man in Ch 2, and His Call to Man in Ch 3, sin has "entered into the world" (Rom 5.12). 

He calls "Where are you?" (v9 ESV). It was not, of course, that He was unaware of Adam's sin. It was not that He was ignorant which tree Adam and Eve were cowering behind. His call to Adam was to expose Adam to Himself. It was a call of grace. Adam must face the fact that he was not where he was before, he was separated from God, shamed before God, and under sentence from God. Yet now, in wonderful grace, he was sought out by God.  

The Caller was the Son of God. He had stooped to the garden, He was seeking the guilty, He was showing grace! How this reminds us of His incarnation. He who was the Son of God stooped to become the Son of Mary. He who was Holy, and the object of angelic praise, "came into the world to save sinners" (1 Timothy 1.15). He who was the Lord of glory showed unfathomable grace: "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you by His poverty might become rich" (2 Corinthians 8.9 ESV). He had come to "seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19.10), and this required His sacrificial death upon the Cross. 

May we who were guilty, condemned, separated, and hiding from God, never forget His grace in seeking for us:

"O the love that sought me,

O the blood that bought me,

O the grace that brought me to the fold!

Wondrous grace that brought me to the fold." 

Christ in the Fall (1)

Genesis 3 is known as the chapter of the Fall. Eve was deceived, Adam was disobedient, and "by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin" (Rom 5.12). It is a chapter of calamity, of shame, suffering and separation. 

And yet, even in this chapter of rebellion and judgment, the Lord can easily be traced. He is seen here in a variety of ways:

1. As the Contrast

2. As the Caller

3. As the Conqueror

4. As the Covering 

Over the next couple of blog posts we will consider different views of Christ in Genesis 3. Notice first, He is:

The Contrast

Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden, surrounded with every blessing from God, with plenty of food to satisy their hunger, and with every evidence of God's goodness to them hanging from the branches of every tree. By way of contrast, the temptation of the Lord Jesus occured in the wilderness, during a time of severe hunger, while He was surrounded by wild beasts. 

"Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, He was afterwards an hungred" (Matt 4.1-2).  

However, Eve was decieved and Adam was disobedient. God's command was clear, but they did not rest upon it and obey it. Thus both failed! How different was the Lord Jesus! He rested in God's Word, saying after each of the tempter's darts was hurled at Him "It is written ...". He was perfectly attuned to God's Will, perfectly obedient to God's Word, and thus He was the victor in the trial. His victory in the trial was accomplished in such a way that ot could be an example for all believers to follow. 

"There was, of men, but One who never failed,

In every circumstance He faced, prevailed;

Our blessed, glorious Lord.

How was it then He won the day in trial?

How did He so defeat a raging devil?

By resting in God's Word"

What is my attitude to God's Word? Do I rest upon it's clear statements and promises? Do I obey it's commands? The safest place for the Christian is the place of obedience to God's Word. May we cultivate this character of obedience and submission, following the example of Christ. 

Christ and His Bride

In Genesis 1 "God created man" and "male and female created He them" (v27). In Genesis 2, the Man and Woman are mentioned, and distinguished (v23). I would like to consider the relationship between man and woman, or more specifically, husband and wife, and draw some brief lessons about Christ and the Church. 

"And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him...And 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; And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.  And 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" (Gen 2.18, 21-22)

Notice: 

The Woman for the Man

It was God who saw that it was "not good that the man should be alone" and thus promised "I will make him an help meet for him". 

The woman was intended to be man's companion and complement. In Ephesians 1.22-23 we read that God has "put all things under [Christ's] feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fulness of Him that fills all in all". The word "fulness" here can have the idea of completing and filling up. 

Thus, the Church, consisting of every believer of the present age who has trusted alone in Christ for salvation, is the Bride of Christ. We are "for" Him and are intended to be His companions, enjoying His company and fellowship.  "Christ is the head of the Church ..." (Eph 5.23), as such He has authority, and we should acknowledge this by obeying His Word. 

The Woman of the Man

"And 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; And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman". 

The woman was the product of man. Adam, having been put to sleep by God, produced by the power of God, his own bride, Eve. 

So Christ has produced His Bride, at the expense of His wounded side! He "hath loved us, and hath given Himself for us ..." (Eph 5.2). He "loved the church, and gave Himself for it ... " (Eph 5.25). 

The Woman unto the Man

He "brought her unto the man". Having been put to sleep, Adam was awakened to see the fruit of that sleep, his bride. So Christ will one day have presented to Himself His bride. He is going to present to Himself "a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing but ... holy and without blemish" (Eph 5.27). What a wonder for those who are saved. One day we will be face to face with the One who loved us and died for us. 

In the past, Christ died to purchase and produce His bride. In the future, He intends to present us to Himself. In the present He requires our fidelity to Him in His absence. He will soon come 'and receive us unto Himself, that where He is, there we shall be also' (see John 14). 

Christ - Perfect Man (Gen 2)

Much has been made of the two records of Creation (Genesis 1 & 2). Suffice to say here that they are complementary, rather than contradictory accounts. 

Note the following distinct aspects of mans constitution and position in these chapters:

Ch 1: His Dominion. Ch 2: His Dependence.

Ch 1: His Honour. Ch 2: His Humility. 

Ch 1: A Sovereign. Ch 2: A Servant.

Ch 1: Made in the image of God. Ch 2: Formed of the dust of the ground.

In Ch 2.7 we read that "the Lord God formed man from the dust of the earth, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul". Here the man is Dust. He is Dependent upon God. He is Distinct from the rest of creation (as signified by the divine breath). 

Is Christ to be found here? Notice:

Man is Dust. This speaks of his physical, material construction. It stresses the humility of man. When we consider the Son of God, we learn that "as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same" (Heb 2.14). This is a marvel to our souls! The creator God "became flesh and dwelt among us" (John 1.14). 

Man is Dependent. How true this was of the Saviour! Prophetically, in Psalm 22 we are introduced forcibly to this fact "Yet you are he who took me from the womb; you made me trust you at my mother's breasts. On you was I cast from my birth, and from my mother's womb you have been my God" (v9-10 ESV). The eternally independent, self-sufficient One, became dependent man in this world. This can be traced in his prayer-life recorded in the Gospels.

Man is Distinct. When man was created, he was distinguished from the rest of the creatures by the divine breath. He is superior, unique, distinct, with a special glory. How much more is this true of Jesus, the Son of God? 

He is distinct, having entered our world, not by special creation, nor by natural generation, but by incarnation. While a real man, He is not a mere man! 

"Verily God, yet become truly human;

Lower than angels, to die in our stead.

How hast thou, long-promised seed of the woman,

Trod on the serpent and bruised his head". 

He is distinct as the only person intrinsically, perfectly, and impeccably holy. Thus, both in dominion and dependence, both in honour and humility, both as sovereign and servant, He is the Perfect Man!  

Christ - Perfect Man (Gen 1)

The 6th day of the Creation narrative includes God's words "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion ..." (Gen 1.26). 

This section reveals many truths about man as God intended him to be. He was to be God's Representative (image), he was to be God's Revealer (likeness). He was to Rule for God (have dominion). He had Responsibility to be "fruitful, and multiply" (1.28). 

These features of the 'ideal' man are seen perfectly in "the man Christ Jesus". 

As the Representative, He is the "image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation". 

The term "firstborn" refers to His rank, not His origin. He is ranked above Creation as being it's Creator (see Col 1.15-16). He represented God in His creation work. 

As the Revealer of God, the scriptures confirm that "no one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him" (John 1.18 NKJV). To see Him was to see the Father (John 14.9).

As the Ruler for God, we "see not yet all things put under him, but we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour" (Heb 2.9) and the assurance of God's Word is that "He must reign until He has put all enemies under His feet" (1 Corinthians 15.25). 

What about his Responsibility? Has He been fruitful for God? 

As to natural posterity, Isaiah records "who shall declare His generation? for He was cut off out of the land of the living" (Isaiah 53.8), but as to His spiritual progeny "He shall see His seed ... He shall see of the travail of His soul and shall be satisfied" (Isaiah 53.10-11). 

The fruitfulness of the Lord will be seen in a filled heaven. The "travail of His soul" was His suffering for our sins upon the Cross.

The human family has failed in most of these responsibilities, but One Man has been what God intended. He is "Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God" (Acts 2.22). 

Christ as Creator

The opening verse of Gods Word states that "God created the heavens and the earth" (Gen 1.1). 

In the New Testament, this creative act is linked with the Son of God. "All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made" (John 1.3).  We take a telescope and view the immensity of creation - "All things were made by Him". We take a microscope and view the intricacy of creation - "without Him was not even one thing made, that was made". 

The apostle Paul agrees. "For [in] Him were all things created ... all things were created [through] Him and for Him" (Col 1.16). Here the Son of God is viewed as the Architect ("in Him"), as the Agent ("through Him"), and as the Aim ("for Him") of creation. 

So, the Creator is the Christ, the Son of God. May we bow and worship Him. 

Christ in all the Scriptures

This blog is intended for the glory of God and the magnification of His Son Jesus Christ.

The goal is to expound "in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself" (Luke 24.27). Blog posts should be frequent but not daily.

My prayer is that, as Christians, our hearts will "burn within us" as we consider Christ in all the Scriptures.

May the Lord be pleased to use this for His own eternal glory.

David