From Eden to Eden.

 Today I'm starting a new study. I will be taking excerpts from this book and sometimes I will write about the things written therein either before or after the excerpts. It is my prayer that our Heavenly Father guides us, that the Holy Spirit opens our understanding to all the truth we need in order to be the servants of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, now and forever. All through the love of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Amen!

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From Eden to Eden-A Historic and Prophetic Study. 

By J. H. Waggoner. 1890

'The reader will NOT find in this book any effort to prove that the Bible is inspired, and that it is the word of God. It is the office of the Scriptures themselves to convince of their own origin and authority. To those who read them REVERENTLY not a word is needed to prove that they are divine; while to those who do not read them, or who read them carelessly and without reverence, NO manner or amount of proof can be given that can cause them to realize their divinity, their importance, or their beauty. To be appreciated, the Bible must be studied with an earnest desire to learn the truth. (Emphasis supplied)

And yet it is our hope that this work will increase the regard of every reader for the sacred Scriptures. In this age of skepticism, when the Bible is so often treated as a book that everyone may criticise, and many think they can improve, the lovers of the word of God will hail with joy and gratitude every effort to exalt its truths, and to lead its readers to cling more closely to the blessed Saviour, who died to open a way of pardon for the rebellious race, and to vindicate the covenant of his Father.

This book contains a brief exposition of some of the most interesting portions of the Scriptures, both historic and prophetic. One object kept constantly in view, has been to point out the unity of the divine plan from the creation; to show that the central idea of all dispensations has been the same, and that the truths revealed in the beginning were the same that have been constantly impressed upon the minds of the people of all ages, and that the object of all revelation, and of all God's dealings with the children of men, has been to restore what was lost in the fall, and to fulfill the original purpose in the creation of the world, and of man.

Although very brief for a work covering, as it does, the entire period of the world's history and the consummation of the plan of redemption, yet the important truths which enter into this plan are so connected in their presentation that the thoughtful reader cannot fail to see the relation of each to the others, and to realize the necessity of each as a part of the whole, brevity being rather a help in this direction than otherwise.

While, in respect to subject matter and methods, it will be found unlike any other book treating on the same subjects, it is hopefully trusted that its scrupulous conformity to, and recognition of, the plain testimony of the Scriptures upon every point, will commend it to the attention and consciences of all who sincerely love the truth.

With the earnest prayer that this book may be a benefit to the reader, and serve to glorify the Creator, Preserver, and Redeemer of man, it is sent forth to the world.

 J. H. W.

Basel, Switzerland, 1889.

INTRODUCTION

In this nineteenth century many books have been produced, with labored and scholarly arguments, to prove that the Bible is the word of God; that it is Heaven's revelation to man. And many have thought it necessary to spend much time in giving instruction concerning its authenticity, the measure of its authority, the degrees of inspiration of its several parts, etc., etc. But the Bible is a practical book; it must speak for itself. It is the word of the Spirit of God, and all the wisdom of man cannot add one whit to its force. Being practical, we should give instruction in it as we would in any other practical study. In teaching arithmetic we do not begin with essays on its study, or with evidences of its exactness and utility; but we begin with its elements, and lead the class through its problems, until they realize for themselves what it is, and what is its importance.

A recent writer in England said that Paley was an able man, as we all know that he was, and that he wrote an excellent book on the evidences of Christianity; but he did not think that Paley's writings were ever the direct means of converting a soul. Whether the statement is true or not, there is reason in this expression. People are not converted by dissertations about the Bible, but by the Bible itself; by its truths, its prophecies, and its promises. It is a significant fact that no Bible writer or teacher ever entered into an argument, to prove that the Scriptures are true. Nothing of that kind is found in the Bible from the apostles or prophets. They stated their propositions or their message, and if the Scriptures sustained them that was the end of the matter. On this subject we have a notable example in the teachings of the Saviour. When the Sadducees thought to perplex him on the subject of the resurrection, he replied: "Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God." Matt. 22:29. The power of God is sufficient to raise the dead, and the Scriptures say he will raise the dead, and that is an end of the controversy. Philosophy and science may cavil and doubt; they have no right to reply when the word of God speaks. 

In examining the teachings of the Scriptures, we would that the mind of every reader might be free from bias on one point of great importance. The idea has obtained to a considerable extent, that the different dispensations are separated by such impassable barriers that nothing can come over from one to another. And, connected with this is the obvious error that the worship in former dispensations was, comparatively at least, destitute of spirituality in both its rules and its methods; that they who lived in the dispensations preceding the present were bound in chains of legality, nearly if not quite deprived of the liberty of the children of God, which we so largely enjoy. And further, it is quite largely supposed that, before the time of the making of the covenant with the children of Israel at Sinai, there was great darkness and ignorance concerning God and his purpose toward man, as to what was required, and what were the riches of his grace.

It seems strange that such ideas should so largely obtain, when it needs but little study and reflection to convince any one that there are certain fundamental and material truths which are common to all dispensations. It needs not very much study of the Scriptures to be able to perceive that God revealed himself to man by his Spirit, by his angels, by dreams and by visions, in all ages. If we carefully trace those important truths which reveal the mysteries of godliness, which connect all dispensations into one harmonious whole, through the revelations of both the Old and New Testaments, there is little difficulty in understanding God's revelation of himself to man. In this way we may readily learn his purpose in the creation of the earth. 

In regard to the inspiration of the Scriptures, it is evident that a revelation from God must be perfect, whenever and to whomsoever made. The words revealed to Adam, to Enoch, to Noah, were as truly the words of the ever-living God, as were the things spoken to Nicodemus or to Paul. The Holy Scriptures which Timothy knew from a child, were all given by inspiration of God; and in regard to inspiration we agree with Prof. Gaussen: "A word is from God, or it is not from God. If it be from God, it is not so after two different fashions." Inspiration is altogether a miracle, and is therefore beyond the comprehension of man--beyond the possibility of an explanation. "He who can explain a miracle can work a miracle." It is not the place of man to judge the word of God, but to reverently listen and obey. 

If any have doubts about the ancients having the true spirit of worship, let them read the eleventh chapter of the letter to the Hebrews. It is enough that the patriarchs, the prophets, and the host of holy ones of old, are set before us as examples of the power of faith; as a "cloud of witnesses" to the certainty of God's promises; to the sustaining power of his grace through faith. That their faith was evangelical--that it took hold of the blessings of the gospel of Christ,--is proved by the fact that they endured afflictions, "not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection." Heb. 11:35. It is enough that Abraham is presented as "the father of all them that believe" (Rom. 4:11); that it is declared to us that "they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham;" and that if we are Christ's, then are we heirs to the promises made to Abraham. Gal. 3:9, 29. It is enough that we, in these days, are exhorted to walk in the steps of that faith that our father Abraham had. Rom. 4:12. 

Again, the book of Psalms is the devotional part of the Bible. It has ever been a wonder to the pious, to the tried and tempted, to the rejoicing saints, that in the Psalms there is something exactly suited to every phase of Christian experience. There is indignation for offenses against the holiness of God, earnest confession, unrivaled penitence, thanksgiving for mercies, and triumphing in the hope of final salvation. How ardent the love, how rich the experience of the authors. May every reader, and the writer, of this, be able to say with a writer of the Psalms: "I will walk at liberty, for I seek thy precepts." Ps. 119:45.

Chapter I. "In The Beginning." 

Chapter II. The Promise Of God To The Fathers 

Chapter III. The Abrahamic Covenant

Chapter IV. Steps Of The Faith Of Abraham

Chapter V. The Covenant With Israel

Chapter VI. An Important Question Settled

Chapter VII. The Kingdom And The King

Chapter VIII. The Time Of Setting Up The Kingdom

Chapter IX. Heirs Of The Kingdom

Chapter X. "Another Little Horn."

Chapter XI. The Beast With Seven Heads And Ten Horns

Chapter XII. The Thousand Two Hundred And Threescore Days

Chapter XIII. The Beast With Two Horns

Chapter XIV. The Hour Of Judgment

Chapter XV. Babylon Is Fallen

Chapter XVI. The Commandments And The Faith 

Chapter XVII The Seal And The Mark

Chapter XVIII. Signs Of The Second Coming Of Christ 

Chapter XIX. The Resurrection Of The Dead 

Chapter XX. Restoration Of The First Dominion

To be continued…