Notes on the Book of Genesis.

by Charles Henry Mackintosh.

PREFACE.

To all who love and relish the simple gospel of the grace of G.o.d, I would earnestly recommend the following "Notes on the Book of Genesis."

They are characterized by a deep-toned evangelical spirit. Having had the privilege of reading them in MS., I can speak as one who has found profit therefrom. Man's complete ruin in sin, and G.o.d's perfect remedy in Christ, are fully, clearly, and often strikingly, presented, especially in the earlier chapters.

To Christ's servants in the gospel sound, forcible statements as to what _sin_ is and what _grace_ is, are deeply valuable in the present time, when so much that is merely superficial is abroad.

The gospel of Christ, as perfectly meeting man's nature, condition, and character, is comparatively little known, and less proclaimed. Hence, the numerous doubts, fears, and unsettled questions which fill the hearts and perplex the consciences of many of G.o.d's dear children.

Until the soul is led to see that the entire question of sin and the claims of divine holiness were _all and forever settled_ on the cross, sweet, quiet rest of conscience will be but little known.

Nothing can meet the urgent cry of a troubled conscience but the one perfect sacrifice of Christ; offered _to_ G.o.d _for us_, on the cross.

"For even Christ _our_ pa.s.sover is sacrificed _for us_." There, and there alone it will find a _perfect answer_ to its every claim; because there it will find, through believing, all ground of doubt and fear removed, the whole question of sin eternally settled, every divine requirement fully met, and a solid foundation laid for present, settled peace, in the presence of divine holiness: Christ "delivered for our offences, and raised again for our justification," settles every thing.

The moment we believe the gospel, we are saved, and ought to be divinely happy. "He that believeth on the Son _hath_ everlasting life."

(Rom. iv. v.; John iii.)

We see the greatness of G.o.d's love to the sinner in his judgment of sin in the person of his own dear Son on the cross. There G.o.d, in perfect grace to us, dealt with sin according to his infinite holiness and justice. He went down to the depths of our ruin and all our sin, measured it, judged it, and put it forever away, _root_ and _branch_, by shedding the precious blood of the spotless Victim. "He condemned sin in the flesh;" that is, he there condemned the evil root of sin which is in our flesh,--our carnal nature. But he also "made an end of sins,"--of the actual sins of every believer. Thus, between G.o.d and Christ alone the entire question of sin was gone into, and finally settled on the cross. "Simon Peter said unto him, Lord whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go _thou canst not follow me now_."

Just as Abraham and Isaac were alone on the top of the mountain in the land of Moriah, so were G.o.d and Christ alone, amidst the solemnities and solitudes of Calvary. The only part we had in the cross was, that our _sins_ were there. Jesus _alone_ bore the full weight of their judgment. (Comp. Dan. ix. 24; Rom. viii. 3; 2 Cor. v. 21; Heb. ix. 26, 28.)

Whenever this blessed truth is learnt from G.o.d's own word, and maintained in the soul by faith, through the power of the Holy Ghost, all is peace, joy, and victory. It takes the believer completely away from himself, from his doubts, fears, and questions. And his eye now gazes on ONE who, by his finished work, has laid the foundation of divine and everlasting righteousness, and who is now at the right hand of the Majesty in the highest, as the perfect definition of every true believer. With him, with him alone, the believer's heart is now to be occupied.

Faith is fully a.s.sured that when _G.o.d_ puts away sin, it must be put away entirely; that, when Jesus exclaimed, "IT IS FINISHED," the work was done,--G.o.d was glorified, the sinner saved, the whole power of Satan completely destroyed, and peace established on the most solid basis. Hence, we find, "The G.o.d of _peace_ brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant." He was the G.o.d of _judgment_ at the cross.

He is the G.o.d of _peace_ at the opening grave. Every enemy has been vanquished, and eternal peace proclaimed, through the blood of his cross. "He was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father." He rose "in the power of an endless life," and a.s.sociates every believer with himself, in the power of that life in resurrection. Having been cleansed by his blood, they are accepted in his person. (See Eph. i. 6; Col. ii. 10; 1 John v. 20.)

Jesus, having thus fully accomplished the work that was given him to do, and gone up on high, the Holy Ghost came down as a witness to us that redemption was finished, the believer "perfected forever" and Christ glorified in heaven.

The apostles then began to publish the glad tidings of salvation to the chief of sinners. The subject of their preaching was, "_Jesus and the resurrection_." And all who believed on him as risen and glorified were immediately and eternally saved. "And this is the record that G.o.d hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son: he that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son of G.o.d hath not life." (1 John v. 11, 12.) There is no blessing outside of, or apart from, the PERSON OF CHRIST--THE HEAVENLY MAN; "for in him dwelleth all the fulness of the G.o.dhead bodily." Ever since that time, G.o.d has been placing before the sinner, in connection with _his_ gospel, a risen living Christ, as the ALONE object of faith, and "the end of the law for righteousness to EVERY ONE THAT BELIEVETH." (Rom. X.)

When the eye is kept on this heavenly Christ, all is light, joy, and peace; but if it be turned in on self, and occupied with what it _finds_ there, and what it _feels_, or with any thing whatever that may come between the heart and Christ, all will be darkness, uncertainty, and unhappiness in the soul. Oh, how blessedly simple is the gospel of the grace of G.o.d!

The burden of its message to the _lost sinner_ is, "Come, for all things are now ready;" the question of sin is not raised,--"_Grace reigns_ through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord." Christ, having perfectly satisfied G.o.d about sin, the only question now between G.o.d and your heart is this: _Are you perfectly satisfied with his Christ as the alone portion of your soul?_ This is the one grand question of the gospel. Christ has settled every other to the glory of G.o.d; and now the Father is going to "make a marriage for his Son,"--to honor, exalt, and glorify him. Is your heart in full harmony with G.o.d's on this point? Work is not required at your hands; strength is not needed; fruit is not demanded. G.o.d has provided every thing, and prepared every thing. It is all grace,--the pure grace of G.o.d. "Only believe;" "Come, for all things are now ready." The marriage-supper; the wedding-garment, royal honors, the Father's presence, fulness of joy, and pleasures for evermore--all are ready,--ready now--"ready to be revealed." Dear reader, are you ready?

Oh, solemn question! Are you ready? Have you believed the message? Have you embraced the Son? Are you ready to "Crown him Lord of all?" The table is spread, the house is filling fast: "yet there is room."

Already you have heard the midnight cry, "Behold the bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him," "and they that were READY went in _with him_ to the marriage, AND THE DOOR WAS SHUT." "Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not." (Matt.

xxii., xxv.; Luke xii., xiv.)

But I must now refer my reader to the "Notes" themselves, where he will find this most blessed subject fully, frequently, and pointedly stated, and many other subjects of deep practical importance; such as the distinctive position and perfect unity of the Church of G.o.d; real saintship; practical discipleship; sonship; &c., &c.

With the exception of the four gospels, I suppose there is no book in the Bible more deeply interesting than the Book of Genesis. It comes to us with all the freshness of G.o.d's first book to his people. The contents are varied, highly instructive, and most precious to the student of G.o.d's entire book.

These "Notes" are again laid at the Master's feet in earnest prayer that he would take them up and send them forth under the stamp of his own divine approval. Amen.

A.M.

_London._

PREFATORY NOTE TO THE FOURTH EDITION.

I cannot suffer this Fourth Edition to go forth without an expression of heartfelt thankfulness to the Lord for his goodness in making use of such a feeble instrumentality for the profit of souls and the spread of his own simple truth.

It is an unspeakable privilege to be permitted in any small degree to minister to the souls of those who are so precious to Christ. "Lovest thou me?... Feed my sheep." Such were the touching words of the departing Shepherd; and, a.s.suredly, when they fall powerfully upon the heart, they must rouse all the energies of one's moral being to carry out, in every possible way, the gracious desire breathed therein. To gather and to feed the lambs and sheep of the flock of Christ are the most exalted services in which any one can be engaged. Not a single honest effort put forth for the achievement of such n.o.ble ends will be forgotten in that day "when the Chief Shepherd shall appear."

May G.o.d the Holy Ghost fill the heart, anoint the lips, and consecrate the pen of every servant of Christ, so that streams of pure and living truth may flow in every direction for the refreshment of all those who are on their way to glory.

C.H.M.

_Dublin, May, 1861._

NOTES

ON

THE BOOK OF GENESIS.

CHAPTER I.

There is something peculiarly striking in the manner in which the Holy Ghost opens this sublime book. He introduces us, at once, to G.o.d, in the essential fulness of his being, and the solitariness of his acting.

All prefatory matter is omitted. It is to G.o.d we are brought. We hear him, as it were, breaking earth's silence, and shining in upon earth's darkness, for the purpose of developing a sphere in which he might display his eternal power and G.o.dhead.

There is nothing here on which idle curiosity may feed,--nothing on which the poor human mind may speculate. There is the sublimity and reality of DIVINE TRUTH, in its moral power to act on the heart, and on the understanding. It could never come within the range of the Spirit of G.o.d to gratify idle curiosity by the presentation of curious theories. Geologists may explore the bowels of the earth, and draw forth from thence materials from which to add to, and, in some instances, to contradict, the Divine record. They may speculate upon fossil remains; but the disciple hangs, with sacred delight, over the page of inspiration. He reads, believes, and worships. In this spirit may we pursue our study of the profound book which now lies open before us. May we know what it is to "inquire in the temple." May our investigations of the precious contents of holy scripture be ever prosecuted in the true spirit of worship.

"In the beginning, G.o.d created the heavens and the earth." The first sentence in the divine canon sets us in the presence of him who is the infinite source of all true blessedness. There is no elaborate argument in proof of the existence of G.o.d. The Holy Ghost could not enter upon any thing of the kind. G.o.d reveals himself. He makes himself known by his works. "The heavens declare the glory of G.o.d; and the firmament showeth his handy-work." "All thy works shall praise thee, O Lord."

"Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord G.o.d Almighty." None but an infidel or an atheist would seek an argument in proof of the Being of One who, by the word of his mouth, called worlds into existence, and declared himself the All-wise, the Almighty, and the everlasting G.o.d.

Who but "G.o.d" could "create" any thing. "Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath _created_ these things, that bringeth out their host by number; he calleth them all by names, by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth." (Is. xl. 26.) "The G.o.ds of the heathen are idols, but the Lord made the heavens." In the Book of Job (chap. x.x.xviii.-xli.) we have an appeal of the very grandest description, on the part of Jehovah himself, to the work of creation, as an unanswerable argument in proof of his infinite superiority; and this appeal, while it sets before the understanding the most vivid and convincing demonstration of G.o.d's omnipotence, touches the heart, also, by its amazing condescension. The majesty and the love, the power and the tenderness, are all divine.

"And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep." Here was, in good truth, a scene in which G.o.d alone could act. Man, in the pride of his heart, has since proved himself but too ready to interfere with G.o.d in other and far higher spheres of action; but, in the scene before us, man had no place until, indeed, he became, like all the rest, the subject of creative power. G.o.d was alone in creation. He looked forth from his eternal dwelling-place of light upon the wild waste, and there beheld the sphere in which his wondrous plans and counsels were yet to be unfolded and brought out--where the Second Person of the Eternal Trinity was yet to live, and labor, and testify, and bleed, and die, in order to display, in the view of wondering worlds, the glorious perfections of the G.o.dhead. All was darkness and chaos; but G.o.d is the G.o.d of light and order. "G.o.d is light, and in him is no darkness at all." Darkness and confusion cannot live in his presence, whether we look at it in a physical, moral, intellectual, or spiritual point of view.

"The Spirit of G.o.d moved upon the face of the waters." He sat brooding over the scene of his future operations. A dark scene, truly; and one in which there was ample room for the G.o.d of light and life to act. He alone could enlighten the darkness, cause life to spring up, subst.i.tute order for chaos, open an expanse between the waters, where life might display itself without fear of death. These were operations worthy of G.o.d.

"G.o.d said, Let there be light: and there was light." How simple! And yet how G.o.dlike! "He spake, and it was done. He commanded, and it stood fast." Infidelity may ask, "How? where? when?" The answer is, "By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of G.o.d, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear." (Heb.

xi. 3.) This satisfies the teachable spirit. Philosophy may smile contemptuously at this, and p.r.o.nounce it rude ignorance, or blind credulity, suitable enough for an age of semi-barbarism, but quite unworthy of men living in an enlightened age of the world's history, when the museum and the telescope have put us in possession of facts of which the inspired penman knew nothing. What wisdom! What learning!

Yea, rather, what folly! What nonsense! What total inability to grasp the scope and design of sacred scripture! It, a.s.suredly, is not G.o.d's object to make us astronomers or geologists; or to occupy us with details which the microscope or the telescope lays before every school-boy. His object is to lead us into his presence, as worshippers, with hearts and understandings taught and duly governed by his Holy Word. But this would never do for the so-called philosopher, who, despising what he terms the vulgar and narrow-minded prejudices of the devout disciple of the Word, boldly seizes his telescope, and therewith scans the distant heavens, or travels into the deep recesses of earth in search of strata, formations and fossils,--all of which, according to his account, greatly improve, if they do not flatly contradict, the inspired narrative.

With such "oppositions of science falsely so called," we have nothing to do. We believe that all true discoveries, whether "in the heavens above, in the earth beneath, or in the waters under the earth," will harmonize with that which is written in the word of G.o.d; and if they do not thus harmonize, they are perfectly contemptible in the judgment of every true lover of scripture. This gives great rest to the heart in a day like the present, so productive of learned speculations and high-sounding theories, which, alas! in too many instances, savor of rationalism and positive infidelity. It is most needful to have the heart thoroughly established as to the fulness, the authority, the completeness, the majesty, the plenary inspiration of the sacred volume. This will be found to be the only effectual safeguard against the rationalism of Germany and the superst.i.tion of Rome. Accurate acquaintance with, and profound subjection to, the Word, are the great _desiderata_ of the present moment. May the Lord, in his great grace, abundantly increase in our midst both the one and the other.

"And G.o.d saw the light, that it was good: and G.o.d divided the light from the darkness. And G.o.d called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night." Here we have the two great symbols so largely employed throughout the Word. The presence of light makes the day; the absence thereof makes the night. Thus it is in the history of souls. There are "the sons of light" and "the sons of darkness." This is a most marked and solemn distinction. All upon whom the light of Life has shone,--all who have been effectually visited by the Day-spring from on high,--all who have received the light of the knowledge of the glory of G.o.d in the face of Jesus Christ,--all such, whoever and wherever they may be, belong to the first cla.s.s, are "the sons of light, and the sons of the day."