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(Heb. 9: 4). Consequently had Moses chosen, he could have avoided the Egyptian word
which had such moving associations with himself, and have used the word aron for both
the Ark in Gen. 6: and the coffin in Gen. 50:, the pitch, the slime and the embalming
alike being used as preservatives. The two portions of Genesis therefore end on the same
note:
From Adam to Noah
- The Ark. Preserving seed.
From Abraham to Joseph
- The coffin. Preserving seed.
The life of Joseph teems with interest, and it is morally certain that had any of us
been entrusted with the task of selecting one event or feature of Joseph's life that should
take its place in the list of faith, we would scarcely have selected the one that we find in
Heb. 11::
"By faith Joseph, when he died."
When he DIED, yet all his life that life teemed with incidents.
"By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departure of the children of
Israel: and gave commandment concerning his BONES" (Heb. 11: 22).
One of the first principles therefore of the oracles of God is that the Bible is primarily
concerned with REDEMPTION, other important themes, such as creation itself, are not
introduced for their own sakes, but as subsidiary items to the main theme.
No.3.
Creation and the Purpose of the Ages.
pp. 64 - 67
Most students of Scripture are aware of the many items that occur in the book of
Genesis, and which find their sequel and balance in the book of Revelation. The
recognition of this fact is not merely the recognition of some sort of literary construction
or pattern, but the acknowledgment of the presence, the pursuit and the attainment of a
purpose. Anything that brings to the believer the assurance that there is a purpose
underlying the welter and confusion of human history is of itself a Gospel, or good news,
for there is nothing so disheartening as the feeling that all is in vain, that we are traveling
nowhere in particular, that we have neither chart, compass, nor destiny. Therefore, in
spite of the fact that these corresponding features have been set out before in these pages,
we must do it again so that all without exception, shall be in possession of these
liberating details.
In subsequent studies we shall bring forward the evidences necessary to show that the
condition of things indicated by "without form and void" in Gen. 1: 2 was a condition
into which the primary creation fell, but for the moment we take this interpretation for
granted in order to set out before the eye the general plan of the Bible, with particular