The effect of divine Power. 6: 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. Ep. 5: 5 This ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. of Jude 11 Wo unto them! for they have gone in the way Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. [See 733.] CREATION. 139. Creation, the effect of divine power. Gen. 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. Neh. 9: 6 Thou, even thou, art LORD alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all. Ps. 33: 6 By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. 9 For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast. Is. 42: 5 Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein. Jn. 1: 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. 14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us. Ep. 3:9 God, who created all things by Jesus Christ. Col. 1: 16 By him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him. Heb. 3: 4 Every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God. Rev. 4: 11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honor, and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. 140. How long was God in creating the world? Gen. 2: 1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2 And on the seventh day God ended Use of the Stars - his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. 4 These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens. Ex. 20: 11 In six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them is. 141. Use of the heavenly bodies, or, astronomic divinity. Gen. 1: 14 God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven, to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years. 15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. 16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. 17 And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, 18 And to rule over the day, and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. Jer. 31: 35 Thus saith the LORD, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The LORD of hosts is his name. 142. The works of creation indicate wisdom. Ps. 19: 1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handy-work. 2 Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge. 104: 24 O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all the earth is full of thy riches. Pr. 3: 19 The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens. 20 By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew. Jer. 10: 12 He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion. [See 222.] 143. Power of sinful customs. CUSTOM. Jer. 10: 2 Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. 3 For the customs of the people are vain.-13: 23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin, Death by Sin-all must die-time of appointed. or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil. Rom. 7: 19 The good that I would, I do not; but the evil which I would not, that I do. 20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 21 I find then a law, that when I would do good, evil is present with me. 23 But I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? [See 166, 507.] DEATH. 144. Death, the consequence of sin. Rom. 5: 12 As by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. 17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace, and of the gift of righteousness, shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ. 145. All men must die. Gen. 3: 19 Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. Job 16: 22 When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return. 30: 23 I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living. Ps. 89: 48 What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Ec. 8: 8 There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit: neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it. Zech. 1: 5 Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live for ever? Heb. 9: 27 It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment. 146. The time of our death appointed. Job 7: 1 Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of a hireling?—14: 5 Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months is with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass; 6 Turn from him, that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as a hireling, his day. 14 All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come. God's Agency in-Soon approaches. 147. God giveth and taketh away human life. Dt. 32: 39 See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive: I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand. 1 S. 2: 6 The Lord killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. Ps. 68: 20 Unto God the Lord belong the issues from death. Dan. 5: 23 The God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified. [See 3.] 148. Shortness and vanity of life. Gen 47: 9 Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been. 1 Ch. 29: 15 We are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding. Job 8: 9 (We are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow.)—9: 25 My days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good. 26 They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hasteth to the prey. - 14: 1 Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. 2 He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not. Ps. 39: 5 Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity.—90: 10 The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labor and sorrow for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.-103: 15 As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. 16 For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more. - 144: 4 Man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth away. Is. 40: 6 The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field: 7 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.- 64: 6 We all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. Jam. 4: 14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. Often sudden Closes intercourse with earth-In old age. 1 Pet. 1: 24 All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away. [See 726-7.] 149. Death often sudden and unexpected. 1 S. 20: 3 There is but a step between me and death. Ps. 102: 23 He weakened my strength in the way, he shortened my days. 24 I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days. Ec. 9: 12 Man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them. [See 385.] 150. Death closes intercourse with earth. Job 7: 8 The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more. 9 As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more. 10 He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more. 14: 7 There is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease. 8 Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground; 9 Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant. 10 But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he? 11 As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up: 12 So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep. 19 Thou destroyest the hope of man. 20 Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth: thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away. 21 His sons come to honor, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them. Lk. 16: 27 He said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: 28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. 29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. 151. A late death, or old age desirable. Gen. 15: 15 Thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace: thou shalt be buried in a good old age. Ps. 91: 16 With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation. - 102: 24 I said, O my God, take me not away |