Notes

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Dec 29, 1909

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 36, No. 50.

We begin again with the year the interesting journey through the great highways and byways of the Word of God. We may not expect to see all its beauties, smell of the fragrance of all its beautiful flowers, gather of all its delicious fruit, or quaff the word of life from all its varied streams and branches. We have not time for that; but we can gather more than sufficient for each day’s need, and add to the store of wealth which we have already garnered.

We will begin, of course, with the “book of beginnings,” Genesis—for that is what the word “Genesis” means. This book was written, without question, as all the traditions state, by “Moses the man of God.” There may have been documents previous to this. There are some things in the book which would seem to show that there were records written before; but this has naught to do with its inspiration. We have the testimony of Paul and others that the Holy Scriptures were divinely inspired, or “God-breathed.”

The book has been severely dealt with by the higher critics; but the damage is all on their part, and on the part of the souls who have followed them. The book has not suffered. It still stands. Every new discovery in archeology seems to confirm it, and we have the testimony of our Lord Himself to its veracity.

The first chapter deals with the creation and making of this earth, bringing it into the form in which it existed at the close of the week’s record, recorded in the chapter. All the steps in which this was brought about are logical, and all of them consistent with an infinite, personal God who was laying the foundation for an inheritance of His children for future ages. While “days” many times is used in a figurative sense in the Bible, there is no reason why we should give it other than the literal sense in the first chapter of Genesis. In fact, the fourth commandment—Ex. 20:8-11—and other scriptures which refer to the creation, demand that it should be given this sense and no other. The first chapter also marks the beginning and the close of the day at sunset.

The great topic of the second chapter is the creation of the first pair in particular. The first chapter is general; the second chapter from verse

4 onward deals in particulars. The first three verses of the second chapter reveal the making of the Sabbath, and show us on what great facts God founded it. In this second chapter are brought out two great institutions which antedated sin, and which are great conservative factors in the preservation of the race and the perpetuation of godliness: the Sabbath, the sign of the Creator; and marriage, the bond of the home.

Chapters 3 and 4 give us the story of the fall, the promise of the Seed, the difference between the characters of Cain and Abel, and the descendants of Cain, showing us that men were skilled in the arts and crafts of metal-working at that early date, as well as in music.

Chapter 5 is the genealogical record of the great heads of families in the direct line of Seth before the Flood.

The story of the universal Deluge, traditions of which are found among tribes and nations all over the world, is recorded in chapters 6 to 8.

The genealogy of the sons of Noah, and the scattering of his descendants throughout the earth, are given in chapter 10; man’s futile attempt to reach heaven, and the beginning of Babylon—confusion—are revealed in chapter 11.

Chapters 12 to 27 tell the wonderful story of the father of the faithful to the second generation following. There are two things to which we would call the attention of our readers: first, God’s care for the Seed which He had promised, and the demand of the revelation concerning it; and secondly, His providential dealing with His children. He does not always say at the time the sin is committed, that it will be punished, or that evil consequences will follow it; but we need only to follow the career of those who committed the sin, to find sooner or later that they surely reap its fruitage.