We have noted already that from the fourth verse of the
second chapter is a distinct part, and gives us "God in relationship with the
creature He has made." Thus He is now spoken of, not simply as God - Elohim,
but as the Lord God - Jehovah- Elohini.
Jehovah is the name of which
the inspired translation is given in the third of Exodus -"I am:" expanded to
its full significance in the book of Revelation as, "He which is, and which
was, and which is to come." Thus in immutable existence He follows out the
changes of created being, propping up creaturehood with the strength of
eternity. "By Him all things consist." As in relation with a redeemed people -
Israel - how blessed and reassuring this His covenant-name!
But here He
is the "Lord God," not of Israel, but of man, a prophecy and picture of what
shall be when "the tabernacle of God shall be with men." Still there is no
"tabernacle of God" here; the final fact transcends all pictures.
That
we have, however, a picture or type of eternal blessedness in this account that
follows is plain to see. Its central figure, Adam, with his relationship to
Eve, his wife, is so referred to elsewhere. (Rom. v. i4; Eph. v. 31, 32.)
Paradise and the tree of life also meet us in prophecies of the blessedness to
come. (Rev. ii. 7; xxii. 2.) That there should be contrast also in many
respects is not inconsistent with the nature of types, but on the contrary most
consistent. (i Cor. xv. 45 - 48; Phil. ii. 6.) We may therefore in the
beginning of things, contemplate the final end, however much we may find it
true that "we see in part, and prophesy in part."
Man, then, is the
manifest head of the new created scene; and if made in the image and likeness
of God, how plainly is he in the image also of the true man, God’s image.
The dust of the earth, inspired by the breath of the Almighty, might well be
the foreshadow of the union of the divine and human in one blessed Person in
the time to come. The place of headship over all is but the anticipation of the
wider headship of the Son of Man. "Image" and "likeness" of God have
immeasurably fuller meaning in their application to the "last Adam" than to the
first.
Then as to the relationship of the man and woman. It takes
little to see in that "deep sleep" into which Adam was cast the figure of the
deeper and more mysterious sleep of the "last Adam." Out of the man thus
sleeping the woman is derived, as the Church out of Christ’s death, and
which by the creative Spirit is built up as His body, "of His flesh and of His
bones."
This building of the Church being not even yet complete, the
presentation to Himself is of course still future. To that day, however, the
apostle carries us on in thought, at the same time reminding us of the
necessary contrast between the earthly first man and the heavenly second. For
whereas the Lord God brought the woman to the man, "He" - the Second Man -
shall "present unto Himself" the Church, "a glorious Church, not having spot or
wrinkle or any such thing." ‘The margin of Genesis Ii. 22 gives rightly,
for "made He a woman," "builded."
Our eyes are dim to see so far into
the blessedness of that bright future which for eternity we shall then enter on
with Him. Let us rather turn back here to see how distinctly it is noted that
all belongs of right to Him, whose Love must needs share it with His own. Thus,
first of all, before the Bride exists, the creatures are brought to Adam, that.
he may see* what he will call them, and as master of them all he gives them
names. And though the woman in due time shares this sovereignty as we know,
(chap. i. 27, 28.) she yet comes into it by her connection with the man, and
only so.
* "I do not doubt that "to see what he would call them," is that
Adam might see.
How perfect is the harmony of all this! How blessed tc
see the Lord of heaven and earth thus at the very beginning occupied with these
thoughts of His love as to that new creation which was once again to be wrought
out of the ruins of the old! To wisdom such as this the craft of Satan and the
weakness of man could add no afterthought. Against such power no other power
could be aught but as the potter’s clay. Such love combined with all gives
acquiescence and delight that all of power and all of wisdom should be His, and
make resistless the designs and counsels of His heart.
And Eden,
man’s garden of delight! how sweet to know that that which lingers
lovingly yet in the heart as in the traditions of men - which not six thousand
years of sin and misery have been able utterly to banish from the memory - how
sweet to know that that also is but the type of a far more blessed reality,
"the Paradise," not of man only, but "of God" (Rev. ii. 7.)! The little that we
can say of it belongs rather to an exposition of Revelation than of Genesis.
The trees and rivers and precious things of the latter we see but as images of
beauty too little defined. It is to our shame, surely; for even as the fruits
of the tree of life finally await the Ephesian "overcomer " - that is, the man
who, amid the general decay and departure of heart from Christ, holds fast in
the heart the freshness of the first, new-born love - so, who can doubt, a
truer devotedness of heart to Him would give us even now a fuller knowledge, as
well as a richer enjoyment, of what to Him (for it is His) the Paradise of God
will be.
He who has the "keys of death and hell" has also, we may be
sure, and in this sense too, the key of Paradise as well.