Science in Christian Perspective

THE PLAN IN THE FIRST CHAPTER OF GENESIS
By R. T. Fulwood

From: JASA, 2, (December1950): 1-33.

General Outline

Is Gen. 1:1: ORIGINAL CREATION, or beginning of the earth's career.
    The duration of this first condition not given.

THE SIX DAYS WORK AND THE REST DAY

(Beginning at verse 3)

First three days:                         Second three days:
MATTER, or Physical Divisions:             MOTION, or Organized Powers:

lat Day: LIGHT                             LIGHTS (organized) 4th Day.

2ad Day: AIR divides WATERS                AIR & WATER LIFE 5th Day.

3rd Day: (a) EARTH APPEARS                 (a) EARTH LIFE 6th bay.  
         (b) VEGETATION                    (b) MAN
 

                            7th Day: COMPLETE HARMONY, or REST



Probably the majority of those who are more or less familiar with the account of creation in the first chapter of Genesis do not suspect the existence of the precise, clearly defined plan which it contains. A long period of study of this chapter has revealed some very interesting features of this plan which it is the writer's purpose to present as clearly as possible, and having thus condensed an much as he was able, he would suggest that the article be read over the second time in order to arrive at a clear understanding of the deep significance of the plan.

The Hebrew equivalent of the word "create", meaning to bring into existence a now thing, is used on three occasions only in the entire chapter, viz:--in the first verse, in verse 21 (Fifth day) and in verse 27 (Sixth day), or at the introduction respectively of Matter, the animate Soul and the human Spirit. On other occasions the word "made" is used, signifying the working with material previously existent.

There is a definite distinction in character between the subjects of the first three*days, which are masses, stationary In relation to their surroundings, representing Matter, and those of the second days which are multitudes of separate units, either organism or comprising organizations but all moving, and representing Motion, or Force. This grouping is a further evidence of method or plan in the chapter.

Another marked feature is the order in which the subjects are presented and the correspondence between the first and fourths second and fifth$ and third and sixth days regarding the nature of the subject treated ("Light" and "Lights".. etc.). By referring to the outline above and reading across the page this will become clear. This is carried out so completely that even the form of a supplementary addition on the third day of the first group is repeated on the third day of the second, the words "And God said,* introducing a new subject, occurring twice on these two days only, appearing but once on each of the other days.

The above features are merely external evidences of careful arrangement but they are doubtless sufficient to show that this account is no haphazard collection of assorted legends as has been claimed.

Seven Hebrew words in the first verse, state the original creation.

"In (the) beginning God created (the) heaven and (the) earth." By omitting the word "the" which does not appear in the Hebrew language me have the same number of words in English. This is an isolated statement, denoting an aoristic point in time: possible ages upon ages prior to all the succeeding portion of the account. "Seven" among the Hebrews, and in its usage throughout the Bible, indicates the completion or "perfection" of the matter in hand and the inference is therefore perhaps fairly warrented that a finished or completed condition of the earth at that time is signified by these seven words. This view is not only warranted by the text but is in perfect analogy with the spiritual doctrine developed later, there is no contradiction of it by any other scriptures and it is in complete accord with the discoveries of science, God is light, and his work perfect from its beginning. He does not create ruins, nor work in darkness$ which condition we find the earth in in the second verse. This condition and method are the work of the Adversary.

The second verse reads: "And the earth was without form and void; "and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of "God moved upon the face of the waters." This would indicate a lapse from its previous complete state, if the above inference is correct, In any event there is no indication as to the duration of this desolate condition. It may have lain thus for long ages. Geology indicates such lapses in its history.

The six days work in restoring the earth to its present condition really begins with the third verse of the chapter, These days are divided by the nature of the subjects, into two groups of three days each, followed by the one day of rest which should have been included in this chapter.

Reference to the summary above will show that the entire range of Matters viz:- the Ether, Gases Liquids and Solids, in their ordinary, typical representatives which are Light, Air, Water and Earth, respectively, is comprehended in this first series of days. The supplement at the conclusion of this group is Vegetation, and it is a noteworthy fact that Vegetation is the combination in one organism, or unit of life, of all the physical divisions that have preceded it in these three days, in its chlorophyl, or coloring and assimilating force (Light) its breathing leaves (Air), its sap (Water), and its fibre, or mineral matter (Earth). It thus sum up and completes the subject of Substance, or Matter, and it would even appear that this elementary and purely physicals or material, form of LIFE is the ultimate object for which the various physical form which have preceded it exists and their culmination; for the humbles fragile blade of grass while almost infinitely inferior in appearance to these mighty masses of matter, is superior to them in its nature, having the power of growth and reproduction. And while it lays hold of and uses them all in its internal economy, they combine to serve it externally, also an the Light, or "radiant energy" as we now have it in the sun, by means of the Air causes evaporation of the Water which is carried over the land in clouds, falls in rain and moistens the Earth in order to produce food for the plant. Thus these various divisions converge into the plant as a focus, and having been combined and converted into food for the animate creation through the wonderful transforming power of its minute cells they are expanded again by the process of growth. This is nothing less than the finger of God. "Adaptation to environment," "survival of the fittest," the theory of the transmission of life to this plant from some other by the agency of light, and other suchf1potheses which have been offered to account for the appearance or development of life on the earth, fail to recognize to give any head to the marvelous arrangement of the mighty system which we see in practical operation every day for the perpetuation of life.

The plant being the focus through which inert material is converted into life fittingly occupies the central place in this six days work, at the termination of the third day; and there is a gradual expansion of development in the following three days which confirms the fact of the termination of the third day being a focal point. This win become clearer as the subject is developed.

It is plain that Vegetation completes this first series, or group of days, and this view is further confirmed by the fact that on the succeeding day - the fourth - the account retums to the subject of the first day, - "LIGHT," beginning another series; but it is now in the form of an organized system of "LIGHTS" in their relation to the earth.

"MATTER" having been summed up in this first series of days, and combined in the mystery of life in the plant organism, this subject may be considered as closed, and we are led to expect something beyond Matter in the second series. We find it in

MOTION or FORCE

Force, or Power, per se, is always invisible, but the effect of Power is motion in some form. The inert earth is dependent upon the sun for its enercy and, all the power expressed in motion on the earth is derived from the sun. Therefore, on this fourth day, beginning a new series with "POWER," made visible through motion, as its theme, the scene of operations is transferred from the earth to the heavens, where the source of the earth's energy is located, Hitherto in the account the physical earth has been the theme, but now a new field is entered upon where invisible powers as exhibited by their effects claim our attention. These powers, it is true, are expressed through widely varying visible, physical bodies, but the hidden powers themselves are the true subjects of the second three-day group.

On the Fifth Day the moving soul is created with the power to Love and Hate (higher in quality than the mightiest mechanical power) and with the new power of automatic, or self-directed movement. The Hebrew equivalent for the word "create" (Bara) meaning to bring into being that which did not previously exist (as distinguished from "making" or adjusting, in different relations, previously existent things) is used on three occasions, only, in the entire chapter, as has been stated above, and it is striking that these occasions should be the introduction of the Physical (BODY), the Emotional (SOUL) and the Intellectual (SPIRIT) factors, which comprise everything that is contained in the universe as we know it.

On the Sixth Day the embodied Spirit. Man, is created. Man is the epitome of the universe. As Vegetation, in a supplement to the first three-day series, sums up the several divisions that have preceded it, so Man in a corresponding supplement to the second three-day series sums up and combines in his triune being all that has preceded him in the entire six days. And as the plant has the power to lay hold of the incorporate within its purely physical system the various material, visible elements surrounding it, so Yanj, the invisible although embodied spirit, is able to lay hold of invisible forces, surrounding him, to adapt them to his uses according to invisible laws, chemical and mechanical, and to conceive and create an entirely new combination of matter and force, such as the steam engine, to serve his uses.

The third division, as shown in the summary, is the seventh day which is set apart from the other six.

The first three-day group is static in character: its units or divisions, as a whole, maintain unvarying relations towards each other.

The second group of three-days is dynamic: its myriad variety of forms is in constant motion - and unrest, the animal world pursuing and being pursued: a condition shared by mankind morally.

Following this is the seventh day, characterized as a day of Rest: not extinction. Rest implies life, but life without disturbance, in complete harmony with its environment.

NATURE OF PHENOMENA PRESENTED ON THE SEVERAL DAYS

A brief review of the days will show a logical progression in the order of their subjects, and just the order that we might expect in a material world projected by a Spirit-God, i.e. from spiritual, or unseen, to material forms, as in the first three-days; and from invisible and unrecognized powers to conscious and recognized capacities and faculties as in the second group. The account is extremely brief and condensed, considering the vastness of the subject and apparently merely serves as an introduction to the Career of Man on the earth. But while the phenomena are presented very simply, as they would appear to the untutored human being in all ages, the successive developments and adjustments are entirely logical in their order.

Ist Day-LIGHT: On this day light is brought in on the face of the deep, where, as stated in the second verse, darkness had been. Contrary to the popular notion it is not stated that light was created on this day; after its use in the first verse the word "create" does not appear again until the fifth day is reached. The light appears here without a visible source, and it is light, per se, apart from its source or its effects, that is the subject here.

Light is the most ethereal or spiritual of all the phenomena recognizable by our senses. We are cognizant of its presence or absence but its nature has not yet been satisfactorily analyzed. Light and Heat are classed together under the general term of "Radiant Energy." and the chief characteristic of light is radiation in an directions, It is thus pre-eminently a centre of influence; it reveals true conditions wherever it appears, and it is the visible indication of the presence of energy.

2nd Day-4IR: The "firmament." or expanse, is the elastic sphere of air, some forty miles in thickness, which envelopes the earth. (See the fifth day, where fowls fly in the "open firmament of heaven.")

The air is the great means, or medium, (a) of communication: while creating no sound itself, it is the means of communicating all sounds, particularly speech, by which we communicate our thoughts. (b) It is also the means, or method, of life of every organism, plant or animal, on the earth. (c) It is the means of producing vegetation by distributing moisture over the earth in the clouds.

Thus the Air is characteristically the great agent, means or servant.

3rd Day- (a) EARTH- On the first part of the third day no new feature is introduced.. but there is a new adjustment of the earth and waters, the dry land being raised above the waters, which had theretofore buried it beneath them.

The solid earth is inert and stable. Acted upon, but not active and thus characteristically an "Effect" as distinguished from the former features.

The principles of Cause, Means and Effect are thus represented in their due order in these first three days.

3rd Day- (b) VEGETATION: Vegetation is the e1ementar7 form of organismp or life, wherein different parts contribute harmoniously to form a living whole or unit; and as noted above it is either composed of, or represents in its economy, the three forms of matterj, viz.- gases, liquids, and solids, and the hypothetical ether.

Reviewing the series briefly we find a

UNIFORM PROGRESSION FROM SPIRITUAL TO MATERIAL FORMS

Before the six days work was begun the watery waste, shrouded in darkness, lay before the Creator.

Then light, the most ethereal, spiritual element recognizable by the senses, is brought in upon it.

Then the Air, or typical gas, invisible but having density, divides the waters above from those beneath, the latter, of course,9 being those enclosed within the air sphere.

Then the Waters, or typical liquid, with still greater density, are gathered together and given their place in the scheme.

Then the Earth, proper, or dry 1~and, the most solid, stable and dense of all these forms of matter, is resurrected, as it were, from beneath the waters.

Finally the Plant, the combination of these forms in an organism, springs up out of the earth.

Note the orderly progression from the non-material yet visible, to the most solid material. Beginning with the visible representation of power, which is nearest in character to the Creator ("God is Light") who is a Spirit, and descending through gradually denser forms to a solid body.

The ingressive development is also noteworthy: The light is seen upon, or outside of the watery -waste; then the air sphere enters and divides the maters; then the waters beneath the air sphere in their turn are parted and the solid ground is brought up from beneath them. Finally, out of the inert land itself, thus resurrected from burial, the Plant, or living organism appears: Life springs out of that which was dead and buried. The Plant continues as the type of resurrection life in nature drawing its nourishment from that which is dead and decayed, giving it a new, living body and transforming it into wholesome food for higher types of life, Again: it flourishes through the summer, dies, apparently, in the winter, and rises again in new life in the spring. It appears here on the third day, which is the day or resurrection throughout the Bible (Hosea 6:2; Luke 24:7; Rev. 11:11, etc.) That it is a symbol of resurrection life is confirmed by the Great Teacher himself in John 12s24: "Except a corn of wheat f411 into the ground and die it abideth alone; but if it die it bringeth forth much fruit." He applies this to his own death in the 32,nd and 33d verses of the same chapter. And a very beautiful symbol it is of resurrection life: leaving the earth behind, as it grows, it rises toward the light from heaven which it reflects, partially, in the varied color of its leaves and flowers and fruits, as the Christian partially,.. and imperfectly reflects some features of the moral glories which together give us some idea of the great white light of the character of God,

4th DRY-LIGHTS: On this day the present existing relations between the earth and the heavenly bodies are established. The earth bears its own witness of a glacial period, showing that these relations have not always continued just as we find them today. And if the six days work of the chapter be a resurrection of life, and of conditions which permit of life which have become extinct in a desolate, dead and buried earth, and we believe the record shows it is then the restoration of light and heat to it by the sun at this time is in complete accord with the remainder of the account, it is not stated that either the sun, moon, or stars were created at this time. On the other hand.. given a Creator, in the beginning , he must have absolute power to effect changes in that which he has made when and how he will, and cannot even be fettered by the "laws of nature" without making him inferior to those laws. Such a Creator is unthinkable. laws are incapable of changing their operation.* are without volition or consciousness and are thus inferior even to mankind, and a God who is incapable of suspending or changing his laws at will is no God.

"Light" as a subject was introduced on the first day, where it appears without a physical source, indicating that Light, per se, apart from its source or effects, was the subject there. In the description of this Fourth Day the effects or relations of the "Lights" toward the earth are dwelt upon at length, and the heavenly bodies themselves are passed over with slight mention. The "Lights" rule over the earth in that it is dependent upon them for light, heat, power and guidance  and its changes of season and "times" are determined by its constantly varying attitude towards them. The relations between these heavenly bodies and the earth, the components of a vast complex organization, more accurate than the finest mechanism, are not maintained, an are the relations of matter in the plant organism of the preceding day, by visible, physical contact, but by great, invisible, counteracting Forces* And from this day forward, in the account, while differing physical forms are presented, it is their invisible forces, powers or being which are the subject, these being far higher and more important than the mere material through which these powers find expression.

On the Fourth Day Notion..or change of location, which is visible manifestation of power in action, is introduced. Tremendous in its sweep through space but on the other hand entirely involuntary, and impelled and controlled by blind, external force. Hence-4t is inferior in character to the almost infinitely more limited but self-impelled and directed motion of the animals which appear on the succeeding day.

5th Day--AIR AND WATER LIFE: On this day fish and fowl are created. Here we find an organism - not a mere mass of matter - in motion which is voluntar7 and self-controlled, the forces that move the body being lodged within it,$ and the controlling force denominated the "living soul." The method of motion of the birds and fishes$ which swim in the air and water as the planets in space, is a complete contrast to the circular, orbital mode, in one direction only,$ without resistance of the preceding day# being produced by a reciprocal, or forward and reverse movement of wings or fins, and progress being made by opposing force from within to resistance from without in the air and water. In its physical structure the animal is usually bilateral or "paired" in almost an its parts or organs, many species mate or live In pairs, and birds and fishes characteristically among animals migrate or move to and fro in large masses at certain seasons, as impelled by a common instinct. In its physical structure and movements of the number "2" appears to be stamped on the animal, and this appears as well in its souls or emotional qualities 

The invisible soul of the animal is in communication with the visible creation by five channels of perception, or sensation: with the light by the eyes; with the air by the ears and nose, and with the earth and its vegetation by touch and the mouth. The animal soul manifests through these channels, two great conflicting qualities, broadly speaking, which comprehend all lesser ones, vJ%:-- Love and Hate, or Attraction and Repulsion. And as love is constructive and uniting in all its degrees of manifestation and hate is destructive and disintegrating, conversely, these opposed qualities show the animal to be a concrete representation of Force and Resistance# or Positive and Negative influence, or in other words a visible expression in an organism of duality, conflict and opposition.

6th Day-(a) EARTH LIFE: As remarked before, this Sixth Day, or third of the second group, is divided into two parts like the third day of the first group. On the first part of this day the land animals or four-footed beasts are made. There is, of course, no radical difference in nature between these and those previously created. They are a new adjustment, adapted to land travel with their four feet as the birds and fishes with their wings and fins are to the air and water, respectively. The method of progress on the surface of the ground is more limited than that of the birds and fishes, and it is among the land animals that man has found these which are readily subject to him and which he keeps in flocks and herds for his service.

Note the remarkable parallel between this new adjustment and nothing more, on the first half of this day and the same feature on the first half of the third day, regarding the earth and water. (See 9rd Day - (a) EARTM).

6th Day-(b) MAN: The creation of Man. apart from the animals and as superior to them, is the prominent feature of this day, and is emphasized by the two parts into 'which it is divided. The word "Create" occurs in this connection for the third time, as noted above, showing that this being is a new and higher order. There is no radical difference between the body of man and that of the animal. The animals also exhibit soul qualities, or emotions, very similar to those of man; but the animal soul is incapable of conceiving, or being influenced by, an- object or purpose outside of the range of its five organs of sensation, or consciousness of visible surroundings. We can conceive of no mere animal voluntarily going to the stake to be burned for the sake of allegiance to an invisible being who has never been visible to it. Such things have been done by the embodied spirit, Man. Spiritual realities are invisible, and the invisible spirit alone can apprehend them. The man was created independent; not bound by the law of instinct as the animals, although he shares its operation to some extent with them. He is able to make new laws for himself, governing his own conduct and that of others, and even to modify the operation of physical laws by opposing one to another. The invisible spirit of man manifests itself thus in its perception of and active relation to the invisible realm of force and law,

Vegetation at the close of the first series of days is the organizer of physical forms, but mankind at the close of the second series dominates and organizes invisible forces, according to invisible laws, producing visible effects according to his will. The human spirit thus dominates its surroundings and by ruling and controlling them shows itself to be 11firstt' or supreme, as the animal soul~, by its continuous conflict,9 manifests its position to be "second."

Reviewing this second series we find that it sets forth the visible effects, in action, of successively higher

POWERS: FROM BLIND ACTIVITY TO CONSCIOUS PERCEPTION

1. On the first day of this series (4th) day the source of all mechanical power on the earth is shown and we see the effects of its action.. in combination with the invisible power of Gravitation, in the regularly recurring changes of seasons, day and night and months and years on the earths resulting from the motion communicated to it. Unconscious, unresisting obedience to external power may be said to characterize this action, or mode of motion of the earth.

2. On the second day (5th) an emotional powers the "living soul" is presented: a being conscious of tangible, visible objects, by the senses, but of nothing intangible or invisible; expressing opposed qualities of Love and Hate towards other beings; having the faculty of self-directed movement by the exertion of force from within upon outward resistance, motion and progress being thus produced by conflict; a method far higher than that exhibited on the preceding day, i.e. by blind force from without overcoming inertia.

3o On the third of ' these days (6ths second part) a spiritual power, Man, is created in the image of the creator ("God is a Spirit"). Here is a being conscious of himself as an invisible, individual "Ego"; perceiving invisible forces and laws surrounding h ims and even apprehending the Creator himself; capable of controlling and-guiding his own and otherts actions, and of manipulating material and subjecting it to the action of invisible forces and laws to produce such effects as he chooses. This dominant, conscious force is the opposite extreme from the mechanical motion seen on the first of these days.

Finally it will be noted that the gradation is perfect: Automatics unconscious motion in subjection to external forces followed by internal and external conflict, and this succeeded by conscious control or supremacy over forces and material. As in the first series of days the development was from what makes visible, or the light itself, toward material density and visibility, so in this series of successive powers the development is from unconscious activity.. through consciousness of visible surroundings, to consciousness of invisible powers, and thus of the invisible Power - the Creator - God. The first series is objective development; the second, subjective development, and the purpose is the same in both series. viz: - The revelation of the invisible Creator in his material universe and to his created being. Man, in whom the material is united with the spiritual.

In mankind the highest power on earth - Intellect - is united with the highest type of physical organism.

These six days of work are followed by a Sevenths designated as a day of Rest,o which is a day without an evening. It has a beginning but no ending. The temporal is thus united with the eternal, and on this day, which extends out into infinity, God rests. It is numbered as an earthly day, but it is "sanctified" or set apart from all the others and nothing is created or made in it. But why should the Creator, the source of all power, rest? And why does the infinite God mark out an earthly day on which to rest? It is a "7th" and thus be inference a "perfect" one and it goes beyond his six days creative work which culminates in Man. If we turn to later Scriptures they tell us of one who answers to this descriptions in whom the temporal is united with the eternal in a perfect being who is called "Emmanuel" or "God with us," and we are told in Colossians 2:16,17, that Christ is the body of which this sevenths, or sabbath day is the prefiguring shadow; who was not created (as nothing was created on this seventh day) but of whom it was said "in the fullness of time God sent forth his son, made of a woman" (Gal. 4:4); and again "Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me" (Heb. 10:5); and again "therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God' (Luke 1:35); in whom the Creator found rests as stated in John 102-34, "1 saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and it abode upon him;" and "Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining -- this is the Son of God;" who was separated from other men, - "holy, harmless, undefiled and separate from sinners" (Heb. 7:26)s as this seventh day is set apart from the other days. In whom we find rest, as well as the Creators as in Matt. 11:28, "1 will give You rest-" Concerning whom it is said "For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell; and having made peace by the blood of his cross by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him I say, whether they be things in earth or things in heaven." (Col. 1:20) So that complete harmony and rest in God's creation are to be found eventually in Him.

The foregoing exposition of the phenomena in this chapter does not however, set forth the principal underlying theme, which, as elsewhere throughout the Bible, is spiritual truth. if we fail to consider this we shall miss entirely the Creator's thought in giving us this record.

SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE OF GENESIS I IN THE LIGHT OF LATER SCRIPTURES

As in the microcosm - Man, the material portion of his being serves to give outward expression to his invisibles spiritual nature, so in the great universe, or microcosms the material but serves to reflect the spiritual of which it is the visible shadow. The Spirit God is infinitely superior to his material, created universes and to Him the material, vast as it may bej, is but as shadow compared with the spiritual reality. Hence the prominence given to spiritual themes as compared with material in the scriptures. The creation of the material world occupies but one chapter: the spiritual history of mankind requires volumes. These volumes are divided into two sets of books known as the "Old Testament" and "New Testament-, The old Testament is bounded by an earthly horizon and-is devoted to the Creator's dealings with his earthly peoples the Hebrews, or natural descendants of Abraham, as the children of the first Adam. But the New Testament begins with the Kingdom of Heaven" and its theme is the Second Adam, the "Lord from heaven" (I Cor. 15:45-47) and his heavenly peoples the church s which is a new, spiritual body not mentioned at all in the Old Testament. The spiritual realities and powers set forth in the New Testament are not visible to the natural eye except by their effects, but are revealed only to the spirit by faith.

The analogy between the foregoing contrasted dispensations and the contrasted groups of days, on the first set of which different visible, physical divisions are set forth, while in the second three days hidden powers only as manifested by their effects are seen is obvious. And this is no mere arbitrary arrangement but is due to the inherent anct inevitable unity and harmony of Truth, whether expressed in the physical or spiritual realms so that we should expect to find the same order of procedure in both.

In God's revelation of himself we find Him distinguished as three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit* The Father, or first person of the trinity is revealed as the originators source of life, "first cause" or power. In lot John we read "God is light." Light in the material world is the manifestation of power in action and is a radiant source of influence whose presence reveals the truth of conditions and the correspondence of the properties of light, as shown in the first day of our chapter, with the revelation of God as Father is obvious. Furthermore, the effect of light on this first day is to dispel the darkness which surrounded the chaotic earths and the revelation of God has the same effect on man, morally, as shown by 2 Cor. 4:3-6 "God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."

The Son, or second person, is the dependent, obedient one, limited and controlled by 'he will of the Father; the one who does not act from himself.. but serves, carrying out the Father's will, and "took upon him the form of a servant." He is the Mediator or means of communication between God and man (I Tim. 2:15); He is called the "Word" (or means of communication - message); "the Word made flesh" (John 1:1,2); the "obedient servant" (Phil. 2:6-8) and the sustainer of all things (Heb. 1:3 and Col. 1:17). The analogy between the natural characteristics of the Air, on the second day, and these spiritual ones of the Second person is apparent. The air is a sphere.. thus expressing limitation; it is that of which words are formed, which are the means of communication; it is the mighty servant, carrying the life-giving moisture from the oceans over the land; and finally it is the means of sustaining life in every breathing, living thing.

The air sphere being introduced into the waters has the effect of dividing them, sustaining the portion of them which is raised up and purifying it of its salt, so that it descends on the earth as rain, giving life to the vegetation and running water to mankind, for his uses; the remaining portion being left in its original condition. So Christ, introduced into this moral scene$ divides mankind at once into two parties, well illustrated by the two thieves on the crosses beside him. Both were equally guilty, but one acknowledged him as Lord and is with him today in Paradise, raised up and purified, according to his promise.. the other reviles and despises him, and is - where? So, also, in each individual soul the entrance of Christ by faith at once produces conflict of desires, the old, dead nature to continue in sin and the new, or Christ nature desiring to be free from it, as shown in Romans 7-

The Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, pervades the material and works through it but remains ever invisible and his presence and activity are manifested whether in the material or spiritual realm, only by the transformations he effects in the subjects of his work. The third person of the Trinity is always spoken of as effecting resurrection, as in Romans 8:11; 1 Pet- 3:18. He is the great Organizer (I Cor. 12:11-13); the producer of fruit (Gal. 5:22). The resurrection of the dry land from beneath the waters on the third day and plant or living organism springing up from it "whose seed is in itself," producing fruit, manifesting by its growth the mysterious,$ hidden life force within it and transforming dead and decayed material into beautiful, living forms, together present a perfect analogy with the work of the Spirit in the Spiritual realm.

Thus the Father is the source of Truth and Life, the Son or 'Word" declares the Father, or is the means whereby His character is made known to man, objectively3, and the Holy Spirit works in the hearts of men subjectively to make the message effective and productive.

Returning, for a moment, to the second verse of the chapter, the earth is there seen in a state of complete ruin and desolation: darkness covers the face of the deep and the waters have submerged the earth, so that there is no place for life to exist. This is also a graphic picture of the spiritual condition of man away from God. How two new elements from above are introduced: -the light from heaven dispels the darkness and the air, or earth-heavens, divides the waters, raising up a part of them and turning that 'water which had been death and a burial shroud to the earth into the means of life upon it by the rain-bearing clouds. On the third day the land is raised from beneath the waters and then the two life-giving elements from above are united by the agency of the third, the invisible life force with the two resurrected and readjusted ones from beneath (i.e, the purified waters and the earth) in one living organism - the Plant. This is the doctrine of resurrection life in symbol: The Holy Spirit, the great Organizer, unites the spiritually dead mortal with God himself in a new and living spiritual creation, "and this life is in His Son.." Christ came as a Hebrew, at the close of their dispensation and in fulfillment of the promise to Abraham that in his "Seed" should all nations be blessed (Gal- 3:16). He grew up as a tender plant (Isa. 53:2) the humble herb of the field, and as the corn of wheat must fall into the ground and die in order to bring forth fruit, so His death is the source of all spiritual life for men, through His resurrection. Death is the food of life throughout nature, and every morsel of animal flesh we eat symbolizes that death is necessary in order that we may have life. God teaches in His word that death was necessary to His Son that we might have spiritual life with Him. So nature's book is~ teaching us also, every day, a direct contradiction of the theory, built on hypotheses and not facts, of the "Ascent of Man." For we do not see the evolution, or transmutation, of one species into another going on about us in nature, but on the contrary in its four great kingdoms, the Mineral, Vegetable, Animal and Human we see a wonderful process of DEATH AND RESURRECTION going on constantly, wherein the higher form of life reaches down, as it were, and takes the lower up into itself, the lower dying out of its existence as a lower form and being incorporated with the higher in a new life, with a new identity. Thus-

The Vegetable takes up the Mineral;
The Animal takes up the Vegetable;
The Human takes up the Animal and Vegetable--

and there is me step higher, which we find in 2 Cor. 5:17: "Therefore if any man be in Christ Jesus he is a new creature (or 'creation')." In other words--

God takes up the Human in new, or resurrection, life.

The doctrine of the Book and the doctrine of nature agree. Who made both?

Plant life from the dead and buried earth, or the meeting point of life and death on the earth, at the close of the third day, is immediately succeeded by the shining forth of the Sun in the heavens on the fourth. So Christ - "being found in fashion as a man, humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name" Phil. 2:8,9. Having ascended to heaven, after His resurrection, He shines forth from there as the world's spiritual light. On earth it was the lowliest of the low, like the wheat which is not a lofty tree.. but a lowly herb, yet produces the principal sustenance of mankind, but now in heaven He has all power in heaven and on earth, is the "Prince of the kings of the earth" and his countenance is as the sun shineth in his strength". Rev. 1:5,16. So on this fourth day the earth's light and source of power is seen as a physical body from which the light emanates, and the earth's relationship with this body is defined as a subject one. The earth revolves around the sun as its centre and is bound to it by an invisible force. Here the Christian's relationship to the risen Christ is set forth. Having received new, resurrection life he is bound to Christ, the "Sun of righteousness" (Mal. 4:2) by a spiritual bond which cannot be broken, although he may turn away at times and become cold,; yet the life has not departed as that in the earth is not lost during its - winter's sleep. This relationship involves change, or vicissitudes.. on the earth - cold and heat, day and night, etc., just as obedience to Christ involves trial to the Christian in this world. But as the vast storehouse of physical energy derived from the sun is available for man, and only needs the application by him of the proper means to render it useful, so spiritual energy is made just as free to the Christian by obedience and prayer.

As the animals on the fifth day make progress by opposing the force within to the resistance from without, and each has its own peculiar way of getting its food and manifesting activity, so the Christian rejoices in the power of this new life but finds resistance to it in all the world around him, including his own old nature, and that the only way to make progress, spiritually, is in the exercise of his new power against the resistance. He finds food for his new life in the Word of God, but this is not laid out for him in a convenient set of formulas which will can for no effort for their understanding. It requires the exercise of his-new powers to get this food (just as all animals must exercise their powers to get theirs) and he becomes vigorous, spiritually, in proportion as he digests this food and exercises his "own proper gift" spiritually. He is called upon to live a life of love and service, building up himself and his fellows, or in other words live a Positive life of faith, hope, and love, but on the other hand he may give way to hate and selfishness, destroying or tearing down himself and his fellows in a Negative course of doubt, synicism and egotism and his course will determine the measure of his eternal benefit or lose.

As the land animals, presented on the sixth day2 are divided into "Cattle, the beast of the earth and creeping things," so men may submit themselves to their Lord for His discipline and training in His service, like the "cattle," or domestic animals (and are proportionately useful in the general scheme of things as they do so); or they may run wild, taking their own imperious way, like the "beast of the earth," leaving destruction and misery in their train, or they may simply grovel and wallow in earthiness like the "creeping thing."

On the second part of this day the Lord of the whole creation is seen as a man, but associated with him is a companion who was taken from his side during his deep sleep (Gen. 2:21-25), just as "the church of God which was purchased by his own blood* (Acts 20:28) is the result of His death and is referred to as His bride, sharing in all he has. (Eph. 5t23-33; Rev. 21:9-17~.

Finally there is Rest in all the work fully and well accomplished on the one perfect day, the seventh, referred to already as the one in which the temporal and eternal are united, as they are united in Christ in whom all God's purposes are to be consummated (Eph. 1:10; Col. 1:20).

There is also an historical outline contained in the chapter - ("Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world" Acts 15:18) - which has not been touched upon, as it would prolong this paper unduly to take it up now, but doubtless sufficient internal evidence has been developed of a logical, orderly progression of idea, corresponding with the development of spiritual life as set forth in later scriptures, to show that the Holy Spirit of God is the author of the whole book, according to its claim.

It has long since been remarked that the order of development shown by the researches-of geology corresponds with the order shown in this chapter, viz: - that the earth was once a watery waste, later so3idified and that vegetable life appeared first, followed by fish and bird life (in the order named, then the quadruped and finally man. Also the simple processes of nature which we see in operation around us every day teach us the principal of new, or resurrection$ life, on a higher plan, after death, which is in perfect harmony with the teaching of the Bible throughout. Therefore, this view has the advantage over the theory of evolution that it rests on present-day facts "which may be observed and verified as often as we like," and is not based on hypotheses and deductions, as the theory of evolution notoriously is. Furthermore, those who hold the view which agrees with the Bible teaching are not obliged to retire behind a curtain of many millions of years, like the spiritualist into his dark cabinet, "their wonders to perform," but can point to present-day processes of nature in confirmation of their faith. Finally, if nature set out on her career by a gradual process of developing lower into higher forms of life, at what point did she reverse the process, so that what we observe taking place every day, at present.. is the exact contrary of this method: i.e. we see lower becoming higher forms by being lifted up by the higher, losing their former identity in the
process, and being translated, as it were into a new form of life. In other words
they are raised by power from above, and all power on the earth is from above. The
rain from heaven which sustains life on the eart0h was raised by power from above in
the sun. The heat value in coal, oil, and wood was all derived originally from the sun, or in other words from above. Furthermore, man is able to control, within certain limits# and very rarely to modify the forms and habits of the animal and vegetable kingdoms beneath him, although if he withdraws his controlling guardianship they very quickly revert to their original type. But their showing themselves to be plastic to a limited extent in the hands of a higher power, in accordance with the law which me see in operation everywhere, proves exactly the contrary of their being able to raise themselves. Yet Mr. Darwin, in his "Origin of Species" devotes the first half of his book to citing what everyone knows, and has known from very ancient times, of the possibilities of breeding to modify species "only-so long, however, as man, the higher power, retains his control" as a basis for his argument in the latter half of his book that the species have been able to modify themselves along the same lines, or in other words, to raise themselves to a higher plane by power from beneath, or within themselves. Nature's laws do not contradict themselves after this fashion.

"Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum:"

If man has come up from an indefinite past of millions of years, slowly advancing and developing, then he is bound, for an equally indefinite future and has no positive knowledge of any authority to which he is responsible for his actions beyond the light of his own reason, As a matter of fact, this logical result of that position is now being taught in the principal universities as the only binding code of morals. If this be true, then the Bible is a collection of the most colossal falsehoods that could be imagined, for it makes the most definite and precise statements regarding man's past and his future, as well as his responsibility to his Creator-God, and claims the authority of the eternal God for these statements. It is time for the learned gentlemen who have been patronizing the Bible as a good book, and at the same time flatly denying its statements, to take their stand either with it or against it. One cannot consistently hold to evolution and the Bible at the same time, for there is nothing equivocal about its statements.

The teaching of evolution is shown to produce lawlessness, so far as any fixed standard of righteousness is concerned, and there is no doubt that the rising tide of lawlessness and crime witnessed in recent years is largely due to the discrediting of the Bible by its false friends, and the consequent loss of respect for its authority as the revelation of God, which in turn removes the restraint which it formerly exercised over the actions of men.