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not inherit heavenly places nor enjoy spiritual blessings, for we are told specifically that
he was not created `spiritual' but `natural' or soul-ical and earthy. There must have been
an all sufficient reason for this extraordinary action of the Most High, and to the wisdom
of this we bow, whether we understand it or not. There are, however, one or two
considerations that may illuminate this reason and purpose which we will now state.
Man differs from the angels, in more ways than one.
(1)
He is `lower'. This we learn from Psa. 8: and Heb. 2:
(2)
He is `flesh' and not spirit, and is of the earth earthy.
In these two particulars, man is seen at a disadvantage. But there are other things to
be said of him.
(3)
The angels are apparently independent creations. No angels stands in relation to
another as parent or child.
(4)
The specific purpose for the creation of man `male and female' is that parenthood,
childbirth and family relationships should be instituted.
(5)
It is clearly indicated that angels do not marry, and that difference of sex among them
is unknown.
It seems therefore that God would do a new thing. He created a man through whom
"the seed" should come, and by the process of generation, all the seed should be `one' in
a sense that no group or company of spirits could ever be. This new movement had its
dangers, which we might tabulate thus:
(1)
If the choice of the seed was in any way occasioned by the fall of Satan and his angels, there
was the possibility that man would be the object attack.
(2)
If the production and preservation of a `seed' be the supreme reason for the creation of man,
then an attack must be expected upon that seed by Satan.
(3)
Moreover, if all the seed are "In Adam", it becomes a possibility that with Adam's fall and
disobedience all the seed would be involved.
(4)
This we know to be the case; the attack took place in the garden of Eden and the immediate
consequence was the consciousness of nakedness which implies the consciousness of sex.
The first pronouncement of the Lord to Eve was to do with `seed' and `child bearing'.
(5)
The first child born is named Cain, he turned out to be a murderer like his `father', and is said in
the N.T. to have been `of that wicked one', even as some who were `of Israel' were said to
be of their father the devil.
These things must be given more detailed attention--we are but approaching this
mighty theme here. It seems evident that at the creation of Adam, he became the
repository of the true seed, even as it is taken for granted that Levi was in the loins of
Abraham long before Levi was born (Heb. 7: 9, 10). It has been the custom of teachers
and writers to speak of "The seed of the woman" as though there were a verse in Gen. 3:
that used the term. What is actually said is:
"I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it
shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel" (Gen. 3: 15).
It must be admitted that this verse is never appealed to in the N.T. when speaking of
the Virgin birth, but we would safeguard our testimony at once by saying that we