Continue In Well Doing- Patiently.

 Rom 2:7  To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life

Well doing- doing right-choosing God first, choosing others next, choosing self last. We must patiently continue in this because to do otherwise is to give up on right over wrong. We must patiently continue following God and His way over our own.  Any glory and honor we will find in our ultimate immortality, eternal life. We choose no glory or honor now, just as our Savior chose no glory or honor when He ministered upon earth in the flesh of humanity. No glory and honor now… in the smallest matters to the largest… no glory and honor now. Yet how often we do seek to have glory and honor come our way with the constant praising of our good deeds tiny as they may be. We seek this, we want this, we crave gratitude as our right for doing what we should be doing without any praise at all, and surely without any honor. We crave desperately to be praised, and feel affronted when we go without praise for even the smallest action we may do for another. Our need for constant affirmation of being and doing good things has been perverted, right along with our arrogance. Some need praise, some need no praise because they have the false belief that they are infallibly wonderful all on their own. They shrug off compliments as being beneath them, they give honor and glory to themselves in great quantities. Two extremes, and so many of us seem to live between the two to some degree. Where we are supposed to live is surrendered. We are supposed to live desiring only honor and glory for God! No honor or glory for ourselves- not in any manner, whether in longing for or believing we have all the glory and honor already. God HELP us to live in continuing patience in well doing- that well doing being God's will. Let all glory and honor be given to eternity with the One deserving of all glory and honor, our LORD Jesus Christ!  Please, all through the love of our LORD now and forever, through His mercy and grace, His forgiveness! Amen!

The Faith of Abraham Pt. 1

 After Adam sinned he still lived over 900 years. During those 900 years of Adam's life you can be sure that the Creation truth was taught. God as Creator was known. The fact that man forfeited a life with God for a life with the father of lies, Satan, was known. The truth was told to all successive generations. God as a reality was known. The flood took place 1600 some years after creation. During that time, again, you can know for a fact that the knowledge of God was known. We like to imagine that man was left Godless after they sinned and that's why man became so bad they needed to be destroyed by a flood, that's not the truth. God has never left mankind. The truth is God told man that there was a redemption plan BEFORE they were banned from the Garden of Eden, they had the hope of a future redemption before they left God's presence! You can be sure this was shared intimately with all successive generations. And then after the flood you know the truth of Noah was spoken and shared along with Creation's truth, and Man's Fall truth, and the Promised Redemption truth. These truths were not lost sight of, not at all. Mankind KNEW the truth, and just like you and I, all of mankind has to decide what they'll do with the truth that is available for all to know.  We know most of all mankind chose to disregard the truth and the result was almost complete annihilation, they KNEW the truth and chose to ignore it in favor of their self-serving lusts. After the Flood mankind's descent into self-serving didn't take long. Still today mankind's self-serving reigns supreme. God help us all! We know the TRUTH just as Adam knew the truth, as Noah knew the truth, as Abraham knew the truth… we know the TRUTH. May our faith be that of Abraham, may our faith be helped by our Savior! All through His amazing love! All in His name, the name Jesus Christ, Lord and Savior! Amen!

'CHAPTER IV. STEPS OF THE FAITH OF ABRAHAM

"And Abram believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness." Gen. 15:6.

At first glance it might be thought one of the simplest things imaginable to believe the Lord; indeed, it might seem to be a proposition too monstrous to be entertained for a moment, that any people would not believe God. Nevertheless it is true that firm, unwavering belief in the word of God is very rare in the world.

Ever since Satan instilled a spirit of distrust into the heart of the mother of our race, and led her to question the righteousness of God in defining her duties and her privileges, the human family have constantly manifested that same distrust, have ever developed that same spirit of rebellion against the word and appointments of God. And so deeply is this spirit inwoven into our natures that, while we stand astonished at the fact of this rebelliousness in the race, we ourselves live in the very atmosphere of rebellion, and our hearts are moved and our lives are fashioned by distrust.

When we consider the words of the apostle, that he that believeth not the record that God hath given, hath made him a liar (1 John 5:10), it looks every way just that God should require faith on the part of his creatures. And it seems strange that the self same ones who question the propriety of God's exacting faith in his word, consider it a grievous offense, worthy of all condemnation, for any to charge them with being liars. As if their names and their reputation were more worthy of respect than the name and word of the Most High! But it is suggested that the Creator is so high, so exalted in his majesty and power, that we may well consider it unworthy of him, beneath his dignity, to exact belief and worship of feeble mortals. But his majesty and power, his exalted position as Governor and Judge of all, are the considerations that make it necessary that his creatures should have faith in him, and should worship him. The more exalted the Governor, the more extensive his government, the greater injury is done to the peace and welfare of his citizens if his authority is denied. 

When men refuse to worship God, it is because they desire either to exalt themselves in rebellion, or to transfer their allegiance to some object utterly unworthy of their esteem. 

Whatever may be the motive, its tendency is to anarchy--to the destruction of order and the rights of the people. All that God requires to the maintaining of his own honor and authority is for the

security of justice and the welfare of his creatures. 

There was a time when all the people of the earth had the knowledge of God. From the creation to the flood was one thousand six hundred and fifty-five years;  of this period Adam lived nine hundred and thirty years, and until one hundred and twenty-six years before the birth of Noah. During this time lived Enoch--one of the most godly men that ever dwelt upon the earth, which shows that there were sincere and faithful worshipers of God in that age. Noah lived three hundred and fifty years after the flood, and Shem, his son, lived until Abraham was about one hundred and fifty years old; or, till about seventy-five years after Abraham was called into the land of Canaan. These things show how easily was the knowledge of God, and of the fact of creation, preserved for several thousands of years. Besides this knowledge being transmitted from a father unto his sons' sons, unto many generations, God was continually revealing himself unto his servants by visions, by dreams, by the visits of angels, etc. 

The flood did not come, and the Lord did not confound the language of the people, because of their ignorance. They did not sin ignorantly. These calamities befell them because, as Paul said, "They did not like to retain God in their knowledge," and, "When they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful." Rom. 1:28, 21.

While almost the whole world were turning away from God, Abraham stood as a bright example, a very pattern of faith, reverently listening to every word that God spoke to him. In this respect he has scarcely been equaled in any age. 

But faith is far more than mere consent; more than the easy acceptance of the statement of a fact. It is taking the word of God as an obedient and affectionate child takes the word of a loving father. It is the hearty acquiescence in the word of God, in every action and feeling. Such was the faith of Abraham. It was active and efficient in its operation. "Faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect." James 2:22.

While it is a truth clearly revealed that the blood of Christ cleanses from all unrighteousness, and it alone can cleanse from sin, it must also be true that we are justified by faith alone "for the remission of sins that are past." Rom. 3:24-28. Over past sins our future actions can have no influence. But not so in the formation of Christian character; not so in reference to our final salvation. Faith in the blood of Christ removes sin, and saves from its curse; obedience to the moral rule of right prevents sin. Inasmuch as Jesus came to save his people from their sins (Matt. 1:21), he came to put away sin (Heb. 9:26), it is evident that prevention as well as cure is incorporated into the gospel plan of salvation.'

To be continued…

They WITH Us. From Eden to Eden Pt 6

 Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sara, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Rahab, Gedeon, Barak, Samson, Jephthae, David, Samuel, prophets…

Heb 11:39,40 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

They without us.

They did not receive the promise then.  They will receive the promise, along with us. We will all have a good report through faith, all who receive the promise to come, when our Savior returns for His people. All at once, all at the same time- they WITH us WILL be made perfect, whole in Christ Jesus, this is a promise!

CHAPTER III. THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT

1. The Token. (Circumcision- flesh/heart)

2. The Seed. 

Continuing from yesterday-

3. The Land. 

While the truth concerning the other two points, the seal (token) and the seed, are quite readily, or even generally admitted, it is quite as generally supposed that the gift of the land was a promise of temporary benefit, and that it was fulfilled to the literal descendants of Abraham, the twelve tribes of Israel. On this point it will be necessary to present several considerations, which clearly show that the promise remains to be fulfilled.

1. According to the argument in Hebrews, chapters 3 and 4, the land of Canaan bore the same relation to the true rest that remains to the people of God, that Moses and Joshua bore to Christ. As Christ was the prophet like unto Moses, Deut. 18:15; as he is the true leader of the Israel of God, to cause them to inherit the promise, as Joshua did in type; so the land of Canaan, temporarily possessed by the tribes of Israel, was but a type of the everlasting inheritance

promised to Abraham and to his seed.

2. The promise of the land was not merely to the twelve tribes of Israel; it was to Abraham and his seed. We have seen that the seed to whom the promise was made is Christ; and it is a fact clearly set down in the Bible, that neither Abraham nor his seed, Christ, ever inherited the land that was promised to them. And therefore, if they do not inherit this land in the future, the words of Jehovah will be broken--a thing that cannot be contemplated for a moment. Of this Stephen spoke in his sermon: of Abraham he said that the Lord "gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on; yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child." Acts 7:5. So also it is written in Heb. 11:9: "By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise." 

So entirely was it true that he inherited no part of the land that was promised to him, that the only part of the land to which Abraham ever laid any manner of claim, was a cave and field in Hebron, which he bought from the Canaanites for a place to bury his dead. But this promise stands on record, as the unfailing word of Jehovah.

As with Abraham, so with his seed; Christ spent all his earthly life in the land of promise, yet himself declared that while the foxes had holes, and the birds of the air had nests, the Son of man had not where to lay his head. It is a fact, that after the time of his youthful subjection to his parents, he had no home. The coming of night found him at the homes of his friends in various parts of the country, or in the desert, or in the mountain, or over on the trackless sea. But on earth there was no place to which he could go and say he was at home. Yet he was the seed to whom the promise of the land was made, and the promise still stands in the Scriptures of truth.

Again, as we, believers in Christ, are the seed of Abraham, to be blessed with faithful Abraham, so says Paul, we are heirs according to the promise. Gal. 3:29. It is not a vain thing to be heirs of Abraham; he had a valuable inheritance by promise to bequeath to his children. Have the saints inherited the promise? No; they have not been superior in privileges to Abraham and to Christ. Jesus said to his disciples: "In the world ye shall have tribulation." John 16:22. And Peter said

to his brethren, that they were strangers and pilgrims. 1 Pet. 2:11. And such they must be if they are partakers in this world with Abraham, the father of the faithful, and with the Lord Jesus Christ their example.

3. Another fact, proving that the possession of the land of Canaan was only typical of the true inheritance, is that Abraham is declared to be the heir of the world. Rom.4:13. He and his sons, heirs with him of the same promise, "confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth." Heb. 11:17. Go where they would, they found themselves homeless; they had no inheritance here, but "died in faith, not having received the promises."

4. And as with Abraham, so with all his seed; they are all heirs of the world. Said Jesus, "Blessed are the meek; for they shall inherit the earth." Matt. 5:5. To inherit is to possess by heirship. The meek can inherit the earth only as being Abraham's seed, and heirs with him of the promise of the land--the earth. Jesus quoted this promise from Ps. 37:11, which contains a double promise, namely: "The meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace." Go to Hebrews 11, and learn whether this has been the lot of the meek in the present world. Ask the martyrs if in this world they delighted themselves in the abundance of peace. Ask them that have lived godly in Christ Jesus whether they have inherited the earth with abundance of peace, or whether they had to suffer persecution. 2 Tim. 3:12. Tell us if Jesus did not speak the truth when he said that his followers should have tribulation in the world. But yet the promise stands, that the meek shall inherit the earth. Admit that the time is coming when Abraham, and Christ, and those who are his by faith, shall have a peaceful inheritance of the earth, and the Scriptures are clear, harmonious, and beautiful. And thus, and only thus, can the promises of God be verified.

5. Another and most decisive fact is, that the inheritance is to be redeemed. Circumcision was given to Abraham as a token, or assurance of the faithfulness of God to fulfill his promise. And thus Paul says of the true circumcision, the seal of the covenant: "After that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest [assurance] of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession." Eph. 1:13, 14. 

Here are recognized, (1) our inheritance; (2) that it has been purchased; (3) that it remains to be redeemed; and (4) that we have the earnest of the Spirit to assure us that we shall certainly

possess that inheritance. 

But from what is it to be redeemed? If our inheritance is just what the Scriptures say it is, namely, the earth, then the question is easily answered. It is to be redeemed from the curse which Satan was instrumental in bringing upon it. But if it is claimed that it is something else, or somewhere else, then we cannot conceive how the question can be answered. And this leads us to notice,--

6. That the misapprehension on this subject arises largely from the error of losing sight of the identity of the work of the seed of the woman, and that of the seed of Abraham; from overlooking the harmony and the unity of the divine plan for the recovery of that which was lost in the fall. "The seed," of Gen. 3:15, is identical with "the seed," of Gen. 12:7. Christ is the one individual referred to in both promises. It is Abraham's seed that shall bruise the head of the serpent; and the seed of the woman shall possess the land. What is said in either case applies also to the other. Now it is written that the Son of God was manifested to destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:8. In order effectually to thwart the designs of the enemy of all righteousness, Christ must reverse every condition, and restore every loss, which resulted from the introduction of sin into Eden. By Satan's deception Adam was robbed of his innocency, by reason of which he transmitted tendencies to his posterity, and brought them under the influence of sinful surroundings. He brought a curse upon his dominion, so that the lovely earth which God pronounced very good, over the creation of which the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy (Job. 38:4-7), was caused to bring forth thorns and thistles and poisonous weeds; and the animals which were made subject to man, have become wild and ferocious, and even man is the enemy of his fellow-man. The earth itself groans beneath the weight of its corruption and its curse, and the angels of Heaven weep over the triumphs of the enemy, temporary though they are. Shall Satan's triumph be forever? If so, then Christ died in vain; then were the promises made in vain.

Let us behold at a glance what was lost, and what must be done for its recovery.

Adam Lost He Left Us The Seed Must

1. His innocence. 1. Sinful. 1. Take away our Sin.

2. His Dominion. 2. Homeless. 2. Restore the Dominion.

3. His Life. 3. Dying. 3. Give us Life.

If there should be a failure in any of these points, then the failure would be complete, for just so far would Satan remain triumphant. But who could entertain the idea that God would suffer his purpose in creating the world to be forever frustrated by Satan? The angel said that Jesus should save his people from their sins (Matt. 1:21); and this, to the glory of his grace he is now accomplishing. And he has promised also to give unto his people eternal life (John 10:28); and this promise we all believe will be fulfilled. And he also said that the meek shall inherit the earth. Matt. 5:5. When all this is accomplished, then all the works of the devil will be destroyed. All that Adam lost will be restored by the seed of the woman; the children of Abraham shall inherit the promise; the inheritance shall be redeemed--that is, the earth shall be made new; the counsel of God shall stand; his purpose will be fulfilled; not a word of the Most High shall fail.

7. This is strongly confirmed by the following impressive fact. All admit that Christ bore the curse for man on the cross; "for it is written, cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree." Gal. 3:13. But it is not so well considered that there was a peculiar significance in his being crowned with thorns by the soldiers. They put a purple robe upon him; and a reed in his hand, thus signifying that he was a king. They also crowned him, but with thorns--the emblem of the curse put upon the earth. The curse was brought by the wile of Satan. And as they smote him with the reed, and drove the thorns into his brow, and the blood ran down his face, that blood drawn by the thorns, the curse of the earth, was the surety of the earth's redemption. God made the world to be inhabited; he gave it to the children of men; and his purpose will not fail, for the children of men shall inherit and possess it forever, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace, when God shall make all things new. Rev. 21:1-5.

From Eden to Eden-A Historic and Prophetic Study. 

By J. H. Waggoner. 1890

From Eden to Eden Pt 5

 

CHAPTER III. THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT

1. The Token. (Circumcision- flesh/heart)

Continued from yesterday…

2. The Seed. 

First we will notice Paul's application of that term.

"Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as  of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ." Gal. 3:16.  ((Now to Abraham and (CHRIST) his seed…))

Some have said that the conclusion of the apostle is far-fetched, not truly in accordance with the letter of the promise. But we think not so. Whatever may be thought of the method of his argument, of his peculiar use of the grammatical number of the term, the conclusion itself is so evident that it scarcely calls for any argument. For a moment consider the similar expression in Gen. 3:15. It is here said that the seed of the woman shall bruise the head of the serpent; and no one stops for a moment to argue that this promise was not said "of many;" all perceive at once that it must be considered as spoken "of one, which is Christ." And likewise when it was said to David, "I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build me an house, and I will establish his throne forever" (1 Chron. 17:11, 12), it is well understood that his seed to whom his throne shall be established forever, is Christ. Compare Luke 1:32, 33. ((Luk 1:32  He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:  Luk 1:33  And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.))

In the promise to both Adam and David, the circumstances imperatively demand that the term "seed" be referred to Christ, and not to their posterity in general. And so also in the case of Abraham. It is just as unreasonable to apply this word here to any but Christ, as in the other cases. 

But we are met with the objection that all the faithful are called Abraham's seed; that he is the father of all them that believe. True, but this gives the term one remove from its first, or first supposed, meaning. Granted that it was for many generations mostly supposed to refer to Abraham's natural descendants only, and that it referred to all of them.

Now it is readily seen that outward circumcision could not serve the purpose for which the seal was given; for, while it was said, "In Isaac shall thy seed be called," Ishmael and his posterity were circumcised, as well as Isaac and his children. The sons of Ishmael made the same boast, that they had Abraham to their father. And Esau, as well as Jacob, descended from Isaac.

The decisive fact on this point is this: Though all true believers are the children of Abraham, they are such ONLY through Christ. "If ye are Christ's then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." Gal. 3:29. If ye are not Christ's, then ye are not Abraham's seed--ye are not heirs. Christ is the true seed to whom the promises were made; he is the only one that can confer heirship; the only one who can constitute us the seed of Abraham. Being so constituted, we are "heirs of God," but only as being "joint heirs with Christ."

Rom. 8:17. We are not natural heirs; we are heirs by adoption. Verse 15. We are brought nigh unto God by the blood of Christ. Eph. 2:13, 16. 

The promises to Abraham belong truly to Christ; he is the heir, and we, being united to him, are Abraham's seed and heirs of God. 

This point is quite beyond dispute. 

From Eden to Eden-A Historic and Prophetic Study.  Part 3

By J. H. Waggoner. 1890

From Eden to Eden Pt 4

From Eden to Eden-A Historic and Prophetic Study.  Part 3

By J. H. Waggoner. 1890

CHAPTER III. THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT

In Genesis 17 we find the promises which God made to the fathers taking the specific form of a covenant, of which circumcision was given as the seal. It was the token or sign whereby his children were to be distinguished from other people as a holy nation. "And the uncircumcised manchild whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant." Gen. 17:14.

Now we have before us the three terms that cover the entire field of the covenant with Abraham; namely, the Land, the Seed, and the Token. We must trace these to their extent or full meaning in order to come to a complete understanding of the covenant. For the benefit of those who have never considered them as having any positive relation to each other in the gospel, we shall take them up in reverse order, examining first those which are to some extent accepted by all Christians.

1. The Token. 

The Lord said to Abraham, "And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you." Gen. 17:11. 

It is generally supposed that the great majority of the people of Israel understood the token of the covenant, circumcision, only in its most literal sense. But that may well be doubted. According to Heb. 4:1, 2, (Heb 4:1  Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. Heb 4:2  For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.) they who fell in the wilderness of Arabia had the gospel preached to them, though there are many who fail to discover wherein they could have understood the gospel. It is clearly revealed that they were taught the spiritual nature of the covenant with Abraham, and the real intent of circumcision. Thus it was said in Deut. 10:16: "Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiff-necked." And again in chapter 30:6, Moses said to them: "And the Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live." And many years after this, the same was spoken by the prophet: "Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem." Jer. 4:4.

These scriptures show that the true intent of the ordinance was revealed to Israel; and no doubt all the faithful, devoted ones among them, all who searched to know the ways of God, well understood the subject, even as they saw the sacrifice of the Messiah in the daily offerings upon their altars; just as we see the body and blood of the Saviour in the Lord's supper. No one can doubt that Abraham understood the true nature of the covenant then made, and we are informed that he received circumcision as a seal of righteousness. But in process of time, as traditions supplanted the word of God, and the fear of God was taught by the precept of men, Isa. 29:13, it is likely that they largely lost sight of the spirituality of the covenant, and regarded circumcision only in its outward sense.

The covenant that God made with Abraham has never been disannulled. It is the covenant of salvation from the effects of the fall. And, therefore, it is the plan for carrying out the promise made to Adam, that the seed of the woman should bruise the head of the serpent. He who does not see this relation of the Abrahamic covenant to the original promise of Gen. 3:15, reads it amiss. 

The token of that covenant remains, the true circumcision according to what God revealed to the children of Israel. The external has passed entirely away, as Paul said to the Romans: "Neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh; . . . circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter." Rom. 2:28, 29. In Rom. 4:11, circumcision is called both a sign and a seal. Therefore in Eph. 1:13, the apostle says: "Ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise." Also in Eph. 4:30, he said: "Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." And as it was said to Abraham, the uncircumcised shall be cut off from among his people, even so now. "If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." Rom. 8:9. He has not the true token or seal of the covenant; he shall be cut off. An outward seal was given only to the males, but that distinction is put away with the passing away of the external. The true seal is applied to all, for "there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." Gal. 3:28. That this part of the covenant with Abraham remains, in the sense in which it was spoken of by Moses and Jeremiah, no one denies. And the same may be said of the next point.

To be continued… 

Salvation's Eternity- From Eden to Eden Pt 3

 No genie God.

Promises. God did NOT promise us easy, or all the answers.

Stop right now with all this nonsense about God wouldn't allow this if He were really God. Your God would not allow evil. Your God would not allow sin. Your God would not allow innocent babies to die, or helpless animals be tortured. Just stop. Seriously. People have taken the Word of God and ripped pieces from it to support themselves and what they have decided they want to believe. If they want a feel good religion, they get it, if they want a strict no-nonsense religion, they get it. If they want a do as you please religion, they find that too. If they no longer want to obey, hey, they'll find that in there for their purposes. I'm telling you that you can find whatever you want and God will let you because He won't force His truth on anyone at all. 

Do you want a genie God? You won't find that here, but you may want that, and the Devil will set you up to desire a genie God by telling you that if you pray He'll listen and answer. Then when you pray and the answer you get isn't what you want, you lose faith in that genie God. You pray a million prayers without a single one being answered as you please, and finally you start believing the genie God isn't real. You know what? You're right. The genie God never existed! 

God has given us promises, many of them, and the promise that is the culmination of ALL those promises is salvation through our Savior, Jesus Christ! No other promise you might take from the word of God stands without the salvation promise. Any prayer you pray must be the salvation prayer where you comprehend that your life here is temporary to eternity. All the pain, heartache, anguish, horrors of life are not going to disappear with our prayers or they'd be long gone, wouldn't they? What is supposed to disappear is our lack of faith as we are to grab hold of God's promise for our future in eternity, and endure the agonies of this current life. Should God answer a particular prayer, for a particular thing, in the way we desire- Praise Him! But that isn't why we should pray, or what we should expect when we pray. Rather we should pray, and expect that God's will above all is done in the light of eternity and eternity's promise! Eternity's promise is life in love, pure love where evil is non-existent in all its many forms. Love - which God is, which Jesus is, which the Holy Spirit is- eternity. Prayer- is the faith of the ultimate - eternity. We pray here, captive to our existence in a world of evil, knowing our prayers is answered with God in eternity. Our temporary life could be filled with one tragedy after another and God still reigns when we comprehend salvation's eternity. God help us all! In the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, now and forever! Amen!!!!!!!

*

From Eden to Eden-A Historic and Prophetic Study.  Part 3

By J. H. Waggoner. 1890

*******

'CHAPTER II. THE PROMISE OF GOD TO THE FATHERS

When Adam transgressed the law of his Creator, he was driven out from the garden in which the Lord had placed him, and deprived of access to the tree of life. This was the carrying out of the sentence, that he should return to the dust from which he was taken. In this we see that Adam left no hope to his posterity; their only hope is in the help offered through the seed of promise. But the record in the third chapter of Genesis is so very brief that from it alone we could form no definite idea of the method of carrying out the divine plan of restoration. But we are not therefore left in the dark, in the book of Genesis, as to that plan. In the New Testament we are directed to certain promises made of God to the fathers, as the foundation of our hope. But not one of these promises is original in the New Testament. It only directed to them as they already existed. Thus Paul spoke before Agrippa: "And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers." Acts 26:6. And thus again he wrote to the Hebrews:--

"And we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence unto the full assurance of hope unto the end; that ye he not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he aware by himself, saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. And so after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. For men verily swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise

the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath; that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us; which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus." Heb. 6:11-19. 

As the word of God is the sole foundation of all true faith, so is the promise of God the sole foundation of a good hope. According to the texts quoted from the New Testament, our hope rests on the promises made unto the fathers, but especially to Abraham, the chief of the fathers to whom the promises were made. Therefore if we desire to understand the unfolding of the divine plan for the recovery of a fallen race, we must go to the covenant that God made with Abraham.

In regard to these promises, we must come in contact with the three errors noticed in the introduction. To prepare the minds of the readers to appreciate the evidence of the scriptures which we shall now examine, we call attention to what will be found, fully disproving the erroneous ideas concerning the differences of dispensations, which have so largely obtained. 

1. To the fathers were fully revealed the divine purposes; to them were given the promises which underlie the divine plan of restoration. It was by such means that Abraham saw the day of Christ, and rejoiced in it. John 8:56; Gal. 3:8, 9. Joh 8:56  Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. Gal 3:8  And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto  Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. Gal 3:9  So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. 

2. The writers of the New Testament clearly and continually teach that Abraham is the father of all who hold the faith of the gospel; that to him were given the promises on which rests our hope; and this, of itself, is sufficient proof that the several dispensations are not independent of each other, but there are essential truths coming down to us through them all, which are common to them all.

3. We are not to infer, because the Saviour did not appear in their days, but did appear in the beginning of this dispensation, therefore their faith was deficient in the elements of spirituality and faith in Christ, and that they did not enjoy the freedom which faith alone can bring. In Hebrews 11, we have a list of most remarkable instances of faith, set before us as examples, from Abel to the prophets, all before the advent of Christ. If it be said that they had to typify Christ in their sacrifices, but did not see him; we reply, that we do not see him, but he is continually represented to us in ordinances. If it be said that they lacked the certainty in their faith that we possess, because Christ has now come, of which we have so good historic evidence; we reply, that thereby their faith is proved to have been purer and stronger than ours. They gave greater evidence of genuine faith than is given in this age, as they had not so much historic evidence to rest upon as we have. They rested only upon the word of God. Our faith is more like that of Thomas, who believed because he saw; but the Lord most highly commended the faith of those who believed without seeing.

As for the genuine spirit of piety, it was abundantly shown in the experience of the fathers and prophets. As was said, the book of Psalms is the devotional part of the whole Bible.

Let us now examine the promises to the fathers, upon which, according to the Scriptures, our hope rests. In Genesis 12 we read:-- 

"Now the Lord said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee; and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing; and I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee; and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed." Verses 1-3. Obedient to this call, he went into the land of Canaan, directed by the Lord, "not knowing whither he went" (Heb. 11:8), and came to Sichem in the plain of Moreh. And the Lord said, "Unto thy seed will I give this land." Gen. 12:7. These promises embrace the following points: 1. The Lord would make of him a great nation. 2. In him all the families of the earth should be blessed. 3. The land should be given to his seed. In some form the same promises were often renewed. And the three points noted embrace all that the promises to Abraham contained. Chapter 13 says the Lord appeared to him again and said:-- 

"Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art, northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward; for all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed forever. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth; so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it: for I will give it unto thee." Verses 14-17. 

Chapter 14 contains one most interesting fact, namely, that Abram paid tithes to Melchizedek, priest of the Most High God. How Abram came to understand the duty to pay tithes, or how he came to understand the character of Melchizedek, or in what light he held him, we are not informed. The writer of the book of Hebrews presents Melchizedek as the highest type of the Messiah, and no doubt Abram looked upon him in that light--as representing the seed of the woman who was to bruise the head of the serpent. In him, by faith, he saw the work of the Son of God, and he honored him accordingly.

Chapter 15 contains Abram's complaint that he had no heir, and the assurance from the Lord that he should have a son. He was instructed to prepare an offering of a heifer, a she goat, and a ram, a turtle dove, and a young pigeon. It is worthy of remark that these were samples of the beasts and birds that were required or accepted when the law of sacrifices was given to Abraham's descendants. This also shows that not only the purpose and the plan, but the unfolding and the fulfillment of that plan, were carried in one unbroken chain

through all dispensations. Abram, having pleaded with the Lord to accept Ishmael as his heir, was assured that he should have a son of Sarah, and he should call his name Isaac,

and he should be his heir, and the promises made to him should be fulfilled in Isaac.

"And he said unto him, I am the Lord that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it." "In that same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates." Gen. 15:7, 18. In every renewal of the promises, whether to Abraham, to Isaac, or to Jacob, the gift of the land always held a prominent place. In chapter 17 we learn that his name was changed from Abram to Abraham. The change was to indicate the enlargement of his blessing to the people. Other points in this chapter will be noticed hereafter.

In chapter 22 is the account of the trial of Abraham's faith in the offering of Isaac. It was not merely the trial of his faith in the goodness and mercy of God in requiring such a sacrifice, or the trial of his fatherly feelings for a son whom he loved so dearly; it was a trial of his faith in the fulfillment of the promise that Isaac should be his heir--that in Isaac should his seed be called. But Abraham's faith stood even this test, and he was therefore called the friend of God. We will quote a few more passages to show the prominence of certain points in the promises; to show in what light these promises were held by the fathers to whom they were given, and that the reader may have all the evidence before him. When Abraham sent his servant to take a wife for Isaac, he said to him:--

"The Lord God of Heaven, which took me from my father's house, and from the land of my kindred, and which spake unto me, and that sware unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land; he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shall take a wife unto my son from thence. Gen. 24:7. This servant was also a believer in God, and in the efficacy of prayer, as we learn from the record of his journey.

In chapter 26 we find the promise renewed to Isaac. There was a famine in the land, and Isaac went to Gerar, and thought to go down into Egypt. But the Lord said unto him:--

"Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of. Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and I will bless thee; for unto thee, and to thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father; and I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and I will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws." Gen. 26:2-5. And when Isaac sent Jacob to his mother's kindred, because he would not have him take a wife of the daughters of the land, he said:--

"And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people; and give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham." Gen. 28:3,4.

As Jacob went on his way toward Haran, he lay down at night in a certain place to sleep, and he dreamed, and in his dream he saw a ladder. "And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac; the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; and thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth; and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south; and in thee and thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of." Gen. 28:13-15.

After Jacob's long sojourn in the East, he returned to Canaan, and he came to Luz, or Bethel, where the Lord had appeared to him in his dream, and there he built an altar. And again the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him:--

"I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins; and the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I  ive the land." Gen. 35:11, 12.

And yet again when Jacob blessed the two sons of Joseph, he said:--

"God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me, and said unto me Behold, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a multitude of people; and will give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession." Gen. 48:3, 4.

These are the promises which God made unto the fathers; and upon examination they will be found to contain the gospel in all its fullness. They are the foundation of the hope set before us,--sure and steadfast, because they rest upon the promise and the oath of the everlasting God.

In Beginning Was the Word- From Eden to Eden Pt 2

 Why do we insist that nothing came from nothing?

How can we know the intricacies of our very existence and still insist they came to be by pure chance? Why for many thousands of years did mankind live in stagnation of thought? We didn't simply come into existence at a gradual pace from some primordial ooze with our lifestyles ever progressing. We have enough known history to realize our advancements in technology were not logical at all. There was no logical progression to them. Just as today we advance in fits and starts not at a steady, even pace. Mankind as a whole is made up of millions of people and out of those millions the majority simply do not have brains geared towards advancement.  Can you- without any help from anyone, or anything- comprehend the way to harness electricity for our use? I know I sure can't. I'd be hard-pressed to understand even if I were given all sorts of knowledge from others.  That's just one tiny example. There are people whose minds did comprehend, and there are still people whose minds comprehend the way to advance, but it is NOT something that is progressive. We didn't evolve with everyone being equally equipped with comprehension. There is no one progression forward from ooze to man today. To hold-fast to a belief that we were NOT created but a mere twist of happenstance is foolhardy, yet many are determined to NOT believe they have a Creator. To hold that belief means being accountable to the Creator. And when we ignore, or violently oppose that accountability, there are consequences. To believe that we are merely here and now, and eventually we are gone, is a hopeless stance. To believe that we live in such a painful world and there is nothing more beyond this sort of living where very little makes sense is too bizarre. Why live without hope for an eternal world free of all evil? Why? Unless you wish to commit evil, and have a love for evil, there is no reason not to hope for a world without evil. Believing in a world without evil, a world promised to us by our Savior, does NOT interfere with your life at all whatsoever unless you enjoy evil. Who decides what is evil and what isn't? Our Creator hasn't left us in the dark to that truth. 

In beginning was the Word.  

'In Genesis 1:1 it reads in the Hebrew — "In beginning, created Gods the heavens and the earth" — no article, just "in beginning." Likewise in the Gospel of John, it reads (in the Greek text) "In beginning was the Word." If "the" had been used in either verse there would have been no eternity. '

From Eden to Eden-A Historic and Prophetic Study.  Part II

By J. H. Waggoner. 1890

*******

'CHAPTER I. "IN THE BEGINNING."

There is but one source from which we can obtain correct information concerning the origin of the earth and its inhabitants. Thus it is written: "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear." Heb. 11:2. And we learn that faith comes by hearing the word of God. Rom. 10:17.

Science and philosophers have their acknowledged spheres, but they cannot reach to such a subject as this. Revelation alone can instruct us here. "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Gen. 1:1. This is the rational and consistent view of the origin of things. It is thus that "the heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handiwork." Ps. 19:1.

Concerning the creation of this world, we read in Isa. 45:18, that the Lord "created it not in vain; he formed it to be inhabited." 

Accordingly, when the earth was completed, when it was fitted for the abode of man, and nature, animate and inanimate, was all prepared for his comfort and pleasure, God said to his Son (compare John 1:1-3; Col. 1:13-17; Heb. 1:1, 2.): 

 ((Joh 1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 

Joh 1:2  The same was in the beginning with God. 

Joh 1:3  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 

*

Col 1:13  Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 

Col 1:14  In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: 

Col 1:15  Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 

Col 1:16  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 

Col 1:17  And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. 

*

Heb 1:1  God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 

Heb 1:2  Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds))

*

"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." Gen. 1:26. Man was created upright. Eccl. 7:29. He was possessed of rational capacities, of moral powers; but he must yet have an opportunity to develop a moral character. Powers and capacities may be conferred, but character can be formed only by the free action of moral agents. Unfortunately for Adam and for his race, he did not stand the trial; he fell from the gracious position in which he was placed by his Creator, and lost his dominion, for he lost his life.

God created the earth to be inhabited, but not by a sinful race, as we learn from his dealing with Adam after his fall. Sin could not be in the purpose of God; it was contrary to his nature. And it could not have an abiding-place in his creation without marring his purpose. 

As the Saviour said of the sowing of the tares: "An enemy hath done this." Matt. 13:28. And now, that God's purpose has apparently been frustrated, three ways present themselves, one of which must be pursued: (1) Relinquish his purpose to have the earth inhabited; (2) let Adam die, according to the penalty pronounced, and create a new race; or, (3) devise a plan for his restoration and redemption. 

The first would have been directly contrary to the object for which the earth was made; a complete relinquishment of the divine purpose. The second would have accomplished the object of creation, but it would have been contrary to the action of God in the gift already conferred. The gift was to man and to his posterity. The use of the plural noun in Gen. 1:26 proves this: "Let us make man . . . let them have dominion." And with this agree the words of Ps. 115:16, as follows: "The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord's; but the earth hath he given to the children of men." And either of these ways, if adopted, would have been a surrender unto the being by whom sin was introduced into Paradise. The third was the only way in which God could maintain his honor, and carry out his original purpose. 

Man at the first was placed on probation; and therefore sin was possible, but by no means necessary. For if the necessity had been placed upon man to sin, his action would have had no character. To permit sin for a season, for the formation of the character of his creatures, finally bringing all to the test of the judgment, is perfectly consistent with the attributes and purpose of God. But to originate sin, or to perpetuate it, and give it an eternal habitation within the bounds of his government, would forever tarnish the glory of the Creator.

We must consider that God's love for the man that he had created was very great, and this would lead him to save man, if possible, from the ruin which he had brought upon himself. This was manifested in the wonderful plan that was devised for his redemption, and is shown in the constant long-suffering exercised toward the children of men.

The serpent beguiled the woman; she was deceived by his falsehood. Gen. 3:1-6, 17; 1 Tim. 2:14; Rev. 20:2; John 8:44. 

 ((Gen 3:1  Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? 

Gen 3:2  And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 

Gen 3:3  But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. 

Gen 3:4  And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 

Gen 3:5  For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. 

Gen 3:6  And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

Gen 3:17  And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life

1Ti 2:14  And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. 

Rev 20:2  And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years

Joh 8:44  Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.))

She was first in the fall, and her name was mentioned in the recovery. It was the seed of the woman, whose heel should be bruised by the serpent, and should bruise the serpent's head. This denoted that the serpent should wound the seed of the woman, and that he should receive a crushing, fatal wound in return. And it should be noticed, that this promise of the triumph of the seed of the woman was given before the sentence was pronounced upon Adam, thus placing him under a new probation, and, by this reprieve, permitting the race to be multiplied so that the work of redemption could be carried out in harmony with the purpose originally contemplated.

The book of Genesis, especially in the first chapters, is a very brief record of events. We cannot learn from them just how far Adam and his immediate descendants were instructed in the way of salvation; but we are led to conclude that they were well instructed, for angels continued to converse with them, and God revealed himself to them by his Spirit, as he did afterwards also to his prophets. Abel offered the same sacrifice that was required of God's people in all their services in after years. The New Testament says he offered by faith; he believed in the plan of redemption as revealed to Adam, and offered a sacrifice that proved that his faith embraced the offering of the Lamb of God. Enoch walked with God with such faithfulness and purity of life, that God translated him, making him a notable example to all generations of the righteousness of faith. But the record is so brief that we are left to draw conclusions from other scriptures--just, it is true, because inevitable--as to what was revealed to him, and what he obeyed, to develop a holy character. Noah also offered sacrifices of the same nature, which showed his faith in the plan for the redemption of man. We know that God spoke directly to Noah, and through him warned the world of their great wickedness, and of the calamity which their sin was bringing upon them. The assumption that in the beginning man was weak and ignorant--especially ignorant of the great moral truths which have been revealed in later ages--is an assumption without any basis, and cannot be correct. Man's relations to his Creator, as a moral agent, were created with him. In his fall we are all involved. To Adam was revealed the one only plan of salvation that was ever devised in heaven, through the seed of the woman--the Saviour of mankind. That the race is now in a fallen, degenerate state is abundantly revealed in the Scriptures. Paul says that the nations now wrapped in the deepest darkness, given to the most foolish idolatry, and addicted to the vilest practices, have been given over to this sad state because "they did not like to retain God in their knowledge." Rom. 1:18-28. 

It must be noticed that the word "seed," in Gen. 3:15, does not refer to the posterity of the woman in general, but to some particular individual of her race. It was not true that her posterity in general was able to overcome the serpent, and to give him a deadly wound. That can only be effected by some one who, while he is indeed the seed of the woman, must differ very materially from the posterity of the woman in general.

To be continued…