Teachings – The Order of Creation

THE ORDER OF CREATION

UNFOLDING ONE

WHERE WE ARE

Where are we? At the beginning of time and Charles Haddon Spurgeon’s book, The Teachings of Nature in the Kingdom of Grace. We are at a place where time neither began nor will ever end. Let’s just say that we are looking into God’s inner sanctuary where Jehovah inhabits infinity. (Isaiah 57:15) Otherwise, time, itself, is a matter of creation. At this point, however, I don’t think that God gave that brass pendulum a push to start the ticking of the clock, so to speak. No doubt, in God’s omniscience and preordination the ever-wound celestial clock stood by ready for Jehovah’s push.  

 THE ORDER OF CREATION
UNFOLDING ONE

As you listen to Pastor’s discourse, he begins by saying, ‘Observe the method of creation.’ He then launches into the probability that our world was fitted-up and destroyed, re-fitted, and destroyed again, many times that is ‘… before the last arranging of it.’ I found it curious that Pastor would think that God would go through a number of ‘trial creation scenarios’ before settling on what we know and see. I wondered whether he thought about that re-fitting sequence in response to Darwin’s Theory of Evolution, which was published in 1859. Pastor was concerned about the impact that Darwin’s theory could have on the church. Possibly, he expressed this ‘fitting up and destruction scenario’ as a defense against the ‘evolution theory.’ Regardless, this was the first time that I heard of a ‘trial scenario series’ affecting creation. Anyway, from there, Pastor wrote about the Tohu and Bohu (Hebrew words for disorder and confusion) – meaning, chaos, which existed in space before the Lord created the heavens and the earth for the human race.

Now, after he mentioned the Tohu/Bohu – he pivots to discuss the nature of fallen man and how the ‘then’ creation of the heavens and earth alludes to the grace of God in the working of salvation in men. Specifically, he says,

“So it is in the new creation. (Underscore added) When the Lord creates us, He borrows nothing from the old man, but makes all things new. He does not repair and add a new wing to the old house of our depraved nature, but He builds a new temple for His own praise.”

Then, he next likens Adam and the state of all fallen men to an existence without form, empty. Indeed, that

“… darkness is upon the face of our heart, and His word comes to us, saying ‘Light be,’ and there is light, and ere long life and every precious thing.”

Whoa. I didn’t see Pastor alluding to Adam’s fallen condition as likened to what preexisted God’s creation of the heavens and the earth. That is, a life lived in darkness of heart. Then, Pastor continues – 

‘The first heaven and earth must pass away or there cannot be a new heaven and earth.’

Indeed, Pastor’s allusion between the passing away of the old and the creation of the new heaven and earth (Revelation 20), reminds me of what Jesus said to Nicodemus. Jesus told Nicodemus that he must be ‘born again.’ Then, Pastor wrote about the sinner and how the sinner is to be saved. In that, he provides the analogy. ‘…Light be, and there is light… ‘ In that, God graciously illumines the heart, mind, and soul of the elect through the power of the Holy Spirit. Of course, Pastor does not stop there. He continues – 

‘When the withering wind of the Spirit moves over the carnal mind, it reveals the death of the flesh in all respects, especially in the matter of power towards that which is good.’

In sum, in this first unfolding, Pastor opens where we expect – Genesis 1:1, but then he immediately pivots to discuss the fallen nature of man (without getting into Adam), and he tells us what men must happen. The old man and old creation must pass away for the new man and new heaven and earth to be ushered in. Curious beginning indeed.    

THOUGHT GOING FORWARD

As you listened to the audio, I’m sure that you will pick up on things that I did not cover above in quotations. That’s the way it should be as the Holy Spirit works in each of us. Father will apply to your heart what He wills you to hear. However, please feel free to share your thoughts.   

So, with that said, how best shall we go forward? Well, since Pastor alluded to our fallen condition, and becoming a new creature, I’ll offer what Jesus said to Nicodemus in Matthew 18: 2,3 – 

“And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” 

IN TRIBUTE TO SPURGEON’S LOVE OF SHORT RHYMES

With the eyes of a child.. 
I look and ask to gain
An insight of the world around –
a world I need explained.