As the lesson for this week is a review of the whole book of Genesis, it is evident that only a few points can be touched upon. The great point to be kept in mind is the plan that runs through the whole history. This will be spoken of more fully here-after.
The Days of Creation Week
One thing that is worthy of mention in passing is the days of creation week. Several years ago it was thought to be nothing less than rank heresy to deny that these days were any other than literal twenty-four-hour days. Now, however, he who ventures to intimate that they were literal days is looked upon as an ignoramus. Very recently we saw the statement in one of the leading religious journals, that: "No one whose opinion is worth anything believes the old theory."
But for all this, we hold unflinchingly to the fact that the days were literal days. We believe that this is really a vital point, and not a mere matter of opinion. Once admit that these days were long periods, and the way is open for a disbelief in the entire Bible; for if this part of the Bible does not mean what it seems to mean, what warrant have we for thinking that any of the Bible means what it says?
Suppose the days to have been equal to one thousand of our years. Now it is evident that the seventh day of the creation week was of the same nature as the other six. If not, then the case is worse than ever, for there is nothing said by which we can infer that there was any difference. But on the seventh day God rested, and afterwards, because of His rest, He blessed it, and set it apart for man's observance.
"And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had made; and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it He had rested from all His work which God created and made." (Genesis 2:2-3)
"Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shall you labor, and do all your work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord your God: in it you shall not do any work, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, your manservant, nor your maidservant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger that is within your gates: For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it." (Exodus 20:8-11)
How absurd to command man to keep holy a day a thousand years long. It is sometimes urged in favor of the popular view, that: "One day is with the Lord as a thousand years." (2 Peter 3:8)
Exactly so; God is not obliged to have just so much time in which to perform His acts. He could create the world in one day as well as in a thousand years. One would be no more wonderful than the other, for the simple act of creation itself is something that man cannot comprehend. The psalmist says, "By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth. ... For He spoke and it was [done]; He commanded and it stood fast." (Psalm 33:6,9)
This describes the work of creation. God did not speak and set forces in motion that after the lapse of ages would result in the formation of our world; but at His word everything came into existence perfect and good.
As has been said, the works of God are infinite. The mind of man can find ample scope in contemplating them. And it is proper, and pleasing to God, that we should think upon His works, for the psalmist says, "The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein. ... He has made His wonderful works to be remembered." (Psalm 111:2,4)
But if men were constantly engaged in their own affairs, their minds would not be set upon God and His work. In order, therefore, that man might have an uninterrupted period for meditation, God gave him the Sabbath.
The Sabbath
This institution was not an arbitrary affair, given simply for God's pleasure, that He might be remembered, but was given because man needed it. God can exist without us, but we cannot exist without God. The Sabbath was a necessity of man's nature, therefore God made it for him.
"And He said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath." (Mark 2:27)
But it is not for man to use as he may see fit. It is his to use to the glory of God, and only by so doing we can he get the benefit from it. All the commandments are for man. It is absolutely necessary to his happiness that he should refrain from murder, theft, etc. It is in this sense that the Sabbath was made for man. Only by keeping all of God's commandments can men attain to the highest possible state of enjoyment both here and hereafter.
It is not in the province of these brief notes to say anything about the perpetuity of the Sabbath. The natural conclusion of any unbiased person would be that the Sabbath is of perpetual obligation. If it was necessary for man six thousand years ago, it is necessary now. If there was danger of forgetting God then, there is a thousand-fold more danger now.
And it is "the day of the Sabbath" that is to be kept. No other day but the seventh day can be the Sabbath, for upon no other day did God rest and pronounce a blessing, and no other day was sanctified.
It is not true, then, that all days are alike, and that any day will do for a memorial. All days are not alike; for one day in the week has been blessed and sanctified, made holy and set apart from the rest. It is a poor excuse for anyone to say that he can see no difference. God expects us to make a difference between the holy and the profane. Read what He says about it, and the consequences of not doing so, in "her priests have violated my law, and have profaned my holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they showed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them. Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain. And her prophets have daubed them with untempered mortar, seeing vanity, and divining lies unto them, saying, Thus says the Lord God, when the Lord has not spoken. The people of the land have used oppression, and exercised robbery, and have vexed the poor and needy: yea, they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully. And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none. Therefore have I poured out my indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I recompensed upon their heads, says the Lord God." (Ezekiel 22:26-31)
The Resurrection
Not only is the resurrection taught in the New Testament, but it was understood centuries before that book was written. When Abraham was called upon to sacrifice his only son, the one in whose name, it had been said, his seed should be called, there was no natural probability that the promise could ever be fulfilled.
But Abraham, like Paul, knew whom he had believed. The reason for his great faith is found in the fact that he knew that God possessed all power, and was able to raise Jesus from the dead. He had received his son by a miracle, and he knew that God was able to work another. The "friend of God" was not above believing in miracles.
Perhaps if there were more nowadays who held that relation to God a belief in miracles would be more general.--Signs of the Times, January 18, 1883--Notes on the Sabbath-school Lesson for January 27--Genesis 1; 2:1-3.
E.J. Waggoner