Sivut kuvina
PDF
ePub

really or apparently at variance. Thus, the reconciliation of Abraham and Ahimelech, and of Jacob and Laban, was recognized in this manner.

SECTION II.

OF THE COVENANT OF GOD AS REVEALD TO OUR FIRST PARENTS.

THE first express mention of the covenant of God is found in the history of Noah. When it was announced to that patriarch that the world should be destroyed by a flood of waters, God said to him, "But with thee will I establish my covenant, and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee," Gen. vi. 18. Now, these words proceed on the principle, that the covenant of God had already been revealed to mankind, and was previously known and valued by Noah, and that the promise of establishing it with him was a token of the faithfulness of Heaven. But the only intimation of this covenant is to be found in the first promise of mercy through the seed of the woman, and in the institution of sacrifice, as connected with it. The thing conveyed by it is a blessing to sinners, and a blessing suited to their state. Now, this blessing can only be conveyed through the promised seed, and therefore, the promise of it must be involved in that of the

Saviour. We accordingly find, that soon after the first revelation of mercy to our trembling parents in Eden, the offended Judge himself clothed them with the skins of animals, which appear to have been slain as sacrifices. This is confirmed by the following considerations:-The flesh of animals made no part of human sustenance till after the flood, and, therefore, they could not be slain for food; and as the animals were as yet but few, and other means of clothing could easily have been had, they cannot have been slain merely to furnish raiment. It is not to be supposed that Adam would have presumed to kill any of the creatures of God without his permission; nor is it reasonable to think that God should have required him to do so, merely to be supplied with a covering, when this could have been had from the hair and wool; for as the flesh of the animals was not yet allowed for food, this must have been an unnecessary waste of the creatures. The only rational conclusion then, is, that the animals with. whose skins our first parents were clothed, had been slain for sacrifice. And when we consider, that God himself is said to have furnished the clothing, there can be no doubt that the beasts in question had been slain for this end by divine direction. Indeed, we cannot conceive on what principle Adam would, at that time, have thought of depriving any creature of life; and still less that he would do this with a view to the expiation of sin against God, without a special order on the subject. The reason of man by no means suggests, that the way to propitiate the Creator is to destroy his creatures.

Indeed, nothing is more unaccountable, on any principle of natural reason, than the practice of sacrificing the latter to gain the favour of the former. But when we consider that the first promise obviously taught Adam-that deliverance from the fearful result of his fall was to be effected by a suffering Deliverer-what more natural than that, as a symbol and a memorial of this fact, animal sacrifices should be appointed? Is not this conclusion confirmed by the appointment of the Sabbath as a memorial of creation, of the rainbow, as a sign of the promise made to Noah, and of circumcision, as a token and seal of the covenant with Abraham.

A

The garments with which our first parents were clothed, appear, then, to have been designed as an emblem of the covering which should be provided for sinners through the sacrifice of Christ. covering from the penalty of the law was provided when "the just suffered for the unjust." In accordance with this, we find that in Scripture nakedness is often employed to denote a sense of guilt, helplessness, and danger. Thus, when the Israelites had made and worshipped the golden calf at Horeb, it is said: "Moses saw that the people were naked, for Aaron had made them naked to their shame before their enemies," Exodus xxxii. 25. And whatever reference this had to their having stripped themselves of their golden ornaments, for the purpose of making the calf, it chiefly refers to their having forfeited the favour of God, and to their being reduced to the most helpless and wretched state, and abandoned by God in the midst

of their foes. It was in token of this, that an order was given that they should put off the rest of their ornaments, chap. xxxiii. 5, 6. Besides, this order, and likewise the liberal offerings which they afterwards made to the sanctuary, must prove that they could not literally have been despoiled of the whole of their jewels, chap. xxxv. 21—29. The meaning of the expression in question is similar to that of the following:-" For the Lord brought Judah low, because of Ahaz, king of Israel; for he made Judah naked, and transgressed sore against the Lord;" in which is signified the forlorn and defenceless situation of the kingdom, 2 Chron. xxviii. 19. We also find that the condition of Israel, when the Lord took them under his special care, is compared to that of a naked and helpless infant, and the Divine protection is thus expressed:-" I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness," Ezek. xvi. 7, 8. The same general idea is expressed, when it is said, "Behold I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments, lest they walk naked, and they see his shame," Rev. xvi. 15. The church, exulting in the blessedness which results from a change of state and of character, exclaims, "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels," Isaiah lxi. 10. Sinners are admonished to come to the Saviour "for white raiment, that they may be clothed,"

Rev. iii. 18; and the redeemed in Heaven, when freed from all tribulation, are represented as clothed with white robes, Rev. vii. 9.

66

These passages show that the term nakedness is employed to signify the exposed and helpless condition of sinners, as well as their circumstances of shame and contempt; and that their deliverance and blessedness are signified by their being properly clothed. We accordingly find that Adam connected the dread of God with his sense of nakedness. And it was chiefly with a view to their appearing before Him, that our first parents covered themselves as they did. In their minds, shame and terror were connected. And as the coverings which they attempted to make for themselves proved utterly insufficient, so God, by clothing them with the skins. of animals offered in sacrifice, significantly taught them, that, while they could not cover themselves with their works," a perfect covering should be provided by means of an expiatory offering, Isaiah lix. 6. And there is something very impressive in the thought, that the first recorded instance of Ideath was an emblem of that death which should conquer him that introduced mortality. Solemn, indeed, must have been the feelings of Adam when he reared an altar, and took for himself and for his partner the first sacrificial victim, and putting his hands on the head of the burnt-offering, that it might be accepted for them, slew it, and sprinkled its blood upon the altar. The faith of Adam in the promise of mercy, and his understanding of the plan of redemption through a future Deliverer, would

« EdellinenJatka »