Genesis
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Genesis
has a character of its own; and, as the beginning of the Holy Book, presents to
us all the great elementary principles which find their development in the
history of the relationships of God with man, which is recorded in the
following books. The germ of each of these principles will be found here,
unless we except the law. There was however a law given to Adam in his
innocence; and Hagar, we know, prefigures at least Sinai. There is scarce
anything afterwards accomplished of which the expression is not found in this
book in one form or another. There is found also in it, though the sad history
of man's fall be there, a freshness in the relationship of men with God, which
is scarce met with afterwards in men accustomed to abuse it and to live in a
society full of itself. But whether it be the creation, man and his fall, sin,
the power of Satan, the promises, the call of God, His judgment of the world,
redemption, the covenants, the separation of the people of God, their condition
of strangers on the earth, the resurrection, the establishment of Israel in the
land of Canaan, the blessing of the nations, the seed of promise, the
exaltation of a rejected Lord to the throne of the world, all are found here in
fact or in figure-in figure, now that we have the key, even the church itself.