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The "veil" plays a big part in the imagery of II Cor. 3: and 4: Like the rising light
in Gen. 1: 3, Israel's light shall dispel the gross darkness that has engulfed the nations
(Isa. 60: 1, 2), and both in this passage, in II Cor. 4: 6, and Isa. 11: 9 "The earth shall be
full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea", it is evident that that
"light" symbolizes knowledge, and prepares us to find in the midst of the garden not only
the tree of life, but the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. These matters, however,
are anticipatory of future studies, and the parallel of Israel with the six days' creation will
be better seen when we reach the Scriptures that speak of their call and destiny. In the
present study we must confine ourselves to the consideration of the fact that here, in
calling into existence the creation of the six days, we meet the first of a series of
"fullnesses" that carry the purpose of the age on to their glorious goal. When we traverse
the gap formed by the entry of sin and death, and reach in the book of the Revelation,
the other extreme of this present creation, we find that, instead of natural light as in
Gen. 1: 3, "The Lamb is the light thereof", "The Lord God giveth them light", and we
read further that the heavenly city "had no need of the sun, neither of the moon". Instead
of the stars which are spoken of in Gen. 1: 16, we have the Lord holding "the seven stars
in His right hand", and He himself set forth as "the bright and morning Star". These are
indications that "the former things" are about to pass away. Perhaps the most suggestive
item in the six days' creation, apart from man who was made in the image of God, is the
provision of the "firmament".
"And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide
the waters from the waters . . . . . and God called the firmament Heaven" (Gen. 1: 6-8).
The first fact that emerges from this passage, whatever for the moment the word
"firmament" may prove to mean, is that this firmament that was "called" heaven must be
distinguished from that one which was created "in the beginning". Here is something
peculiar to the present temporary creation, and destined to pass away at the time of the
end. The margin of the A.V. draws attention to the fact that the Hebrew word raqia
translated "firmament" means literally an "expansion". Raqa, the verb is used by
Jeremiah to speak of "silver spread into plates" (Jer. 10: 9). Job speaks of Him "which
alone spreadeth out the heavens" (Job 9: 8), and who "stretcheth out the north over the
empty place" (tohu, `without form' of Gen. 1: 2) (Job 26: 7). The stretched out heavens
are likened to a tent or tabernacle.
"That stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell
in" (Isa. 40: 22).
"He that created the heavens, and stretched them out" (Isa. 42: 5).
"That stretched forth the heavens alone" (Isa. 44: 24; 51: 13; Zech. 12: 1).
Not only is the firmament spoken of in language that reminds of the Tabernacle, there
is a reference in Job that suggests that the earth too is looked upon as the ground upon
which this tabernacle in the sky rests.
"Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened?" (Job 38: 6).
At first sight there may not appear anything in this passage to link it with the
Tabernacle, but when it known that the same word which is translated "foundations" is