The Harp of God Part 3

[34]G.o.d then created Eve to be a helpmate or companion to Adam. (Genesis 2:21-25) If Adam and Eve had been obedient to Jehovah at all times, there would have been no sickness, sorrow, nor death amongst the human race.

[35]In the Scriptures Jesus, the Logos, is designated as "the bright and morning star". (Revelation 22:16) He at all times was and is the joy and delight of the heavenly Father, Jehovah. A star is used to symbolize a heavenly creature. The morning star is the most honored one in all the divine realm, Jehovah alone excepted. Other heavenly creatures are designated as stars.

[36]Many times you have heard the question asked, Who made the devil, Satan, the evil one? The correct answer is, He was not always the devil or Satan. He was created a perfect and beautiful creature. He was also designated a star of heaven. His original name was Lucifer. The prophet Ezekiel says of him that he was "the anointed cherub that covereth", which seems to indicate that he had authority over some others.

Continuing, the prophet records: "Thou wast upon the holy mountain of G.o.d; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.

Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee." (Ezekiel 28:14,15) He is described as a beautiful creature. Thus the Prophet speaks of him: "Thou hast been in Eden the garden of G.o.d; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmans.h.i.+p of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created".--Ezekiel 28:13.

[37]Other angelic hosts in heaven are designated the sons of G.o.d. When G.o.d created the earth, laying its foundations as a habitation for man, when he created these beautiful earthly creatures upon the earth, these two great stars of heaven sang together a song of gladness, and the angelic sons of G.o.d shouted for joy. (Job 38: 4-7) It appears that at that time all the creatures of Jehovah were in harmony with him and obedient to him, and of course they would watch the creation develop; and when the highest earthly creatures were made, perfect man and perfect woman, endowed with the attributes of wisdom, justice, love, and power, made in the image and likeness of Jehovah, there was great joy in heaven. Hence the occasion for the song and shouting by the heavenly hosts.

[38]In the unfolding of the divine plan, therefore, we see that creation is the first part and is properly designated as the first string upon the harp of G.o.d. "G.o.d is light, and in him is no darkness at all." (1 John 1:5) All the works of Jehovah are perfect. (Deuteronomy 32:4) Hence we must conclude that all the creatures of Jehovah were in the light, were creatures of light, all happy, all joyful. And when the perfect man and perfect woman were placed in the beautiful garden of Eden, everything there was joyful.

To what does the subject of creation herein briefly treated relate?

-- 28.

Who is designated in the Bible as the beginning of G.o.d's creation? -- 28.

To what does the Genesis account of creation relate? -- 29.

What earthly creatures did G.o.d create before making man? -- 29.

For what purpose did G.o.d create the earth? -- 29.

What human beings did G.o.d create? -- 30.

Who was the father and who the mother of the human race? -- 30.

Who was the father and who the mother of Adam? -- 30.

What power and authority did G.o.d give to man at his creation? -- 30.

How did G.o.d create man? -- 31.

Define the soul. -- 31.

Does the word soul apply to any creatures except man? Give Scriptural proof. -- 31.

Describe the original man's first home. -- 32.

What is the meaning of the word Eden? -- 32.

What law did G.o.d give to man by which he was to be governed while in Eden? -- 33.

Describe the creation of Eve. -- 34.

By obeying G.o.d's law, how long could Adam and Eve have lived in Eden?

-- 34.

A star is used in the Scriptures to symbolize what? -- 35.

What is the meaning of the Scriptural term "bright and morning star"?

-- 35.

Who is the most highly honored one in the divine realm? -- 35.

Who is the devil or Satan? and who made him? -- 36.

What was his original name? -- 36.

How does the prophet Ezekiel describe Lucifer? -- 36.

What other beings in heaven are called sons of G.o.d? -- 37.

When G.o.d created man, what was the effect upon the host of heaven who observed the creation? -- 37.

What is the first string upon the divine harp? -- 38.

Does the revelation of this string cause rejoicing? and if so, by whom?

-- 38.

Who is light and without darkness? -- 38.

Has G.o.d ever created an imperfect creature? -- 38.

What is the disposition of G.o.d's creatures while in harmony with him?

-- 38.

What was the condition in Eden when man was created? -- 38.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

CHAPTER III

String 2: _Justice Manifested_

One of the divine attributes is justice. "Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne." (Psalm 89:14) Divine wisdom devised the great divine program or plan. Divine justice must perform its part in harmony with the other divine attributes. G.o.d's law must be unchangeable. Being unchangeable, his creatures can have absolute confidence and faith in him, that he always does exactly as he says. A violation of Jehovah's law must be followed by punishment in the exercise of justice. The prerogative of justice is to see that the law is enforced. The manifestation of justice magnifies the name and the dignity of Jehovah.

Without the manifestation of justice it would have been impossible for Jehovah so fully to manifest his love toward man in providing for his redemption and subsequent blessing. When one understands the office of justice and why it was manifested, he rejoices. A failure to understand and appreciate the divine attributes makes it impossible for one properly to appreciate Jehovah's goodness and loving kindness to mankind. Jehovah is too good to be unjust. He is too wise to make a mistake; he is too loving to be unkind; and his power is always exercised in such a way that ultimate good may result.

[40]The manifestation of justice is one of the strings upon the harp of G.o.d; but we must see and appreciate it in order to understand the beauty and harmony it brings when used in connection with the other springs.

[41]Good and evil are antagonistic principles or rules of action. Good is the law or rule of action by which G.o.d is always governed. Evil becomes active only when some creature of Jehovah violates his law. G.o.d made man a free moral agent. He did not compel him to do or not to do certain things. He told man that if he did certain things he would be blessed; and that if he did other things contrary to divine law he would suffer punishment; and the punishment prescribed was death. Mother Eve was deceived by Satan, the devil, and thereby induced to violate the law of G.o.d. Father Adam, seeing that his companion and helpmate had violated the law and judging that she must die, preferred to join her in the transgression and die with her. (1 Timothy 2:14) It will be of interest here to examine the circ.u.mstances leading up to the violation of the law of G.o.d and to see why his justice toward man was manifested in sentencing him to death.