God's Plan for the Ages 02 God's Plan — Lawrence Chambers

Genesis 1 and the Restoration of Creation

Chosen subject, that of the book of Genesis chapter. We've considered the first verse and we've suggested that the vast and unknown length of time elapsed between the first and the second verse of the first chapter of Genesis.

The condition that is described of the earth in the second verse was the result, we believe definitely, of a cataclysmic convulsion of this earth. And the earth itself now gives us every evidence they tell us of such a cataclysm.

And we find that the word was, and the earth was without form and void, really should read the earth became without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep. All the rest of the chapter is really a restoration, a restorative program that God undertakes to bring man, to bring the earth back to its beauty and full fruition.

Suited for man's habitation. There's an interesting book out, I think it's by a Mr. Morris, called The Workdays of God, that any Christian that's interested in the conditions prior to man's habitation would be very, very interested to read.

How the whole of conditions prior to man's coming into the world were unsuited for man. The fish were not fit to eat. The animals were too tremendously large and also impossible of eating for any human of the sort we are familiar with.

There was not a tree in pre-Adamic conditions that you could make a board from. All were of the order of a palm tree. And so they tell us in this little book, it's a fine Christian book, it's absolutely fundamental and worthy of anyone to read.

And you'll find very much interesting eye-opening facts that science has discovered in connection with the earth. And now we find that the, we'll read through now, and the earth was without form and void and darkness was upon the face of the deep.

And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said let there be light. And there was light. And God saw the light that it was good. And God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light day.

And the darkness he called night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. And God said let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters. And let it divide the waters from the waters. And God made the firmament and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament.

And it was so. And God called the firmament heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day. You notice it does not say it was good. The ninth verse. And God said let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place.

And let the dry land appear. And it was so. And God called the dry land earth. And the gathering together of the waters called he seas. And God saw that it was good. And God said let the earth bring forth grass and herb yielding seed.

And the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind whose seed is in itself upon the earth. And it was so. And the earth brought forth grass and herb yielding seed after his kind. And the tree yielding fruit whose seed is in itself after his kind.

And God saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the third day. Please note in the third day there were two creative acts. I call them one in the morning and one in the afternoon just to make them distinct.

The Fourth Day and the Heavenly Light Holders

Fourteenth verse. And God said let there be light in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years. And let them be for light in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth.

And it was so. And God made two great lights. The greater light to rule the day. And the lesser light to rule the night. And he made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth.

To rule over the day and over the night. And to divide the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the fourth day. And God said let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life.

And fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. And God created great whales and every living creature that moveth. Which the waters brought forth abundantly after their kind. And every winged fowl after his kind.

And God saw that it was good. And God blessed them saying be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters and in the seas. And let the fowl and let fowl multiply in the earth. And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.

And then 24th verse. And God said let the earth bring forth the living creature after his time. Cattle and creeping things and beasts of the earth after his time. And it was so. And God made the beasts of the earth after his time.

And cattle after their kind. And everything that creepeth upon the earth after his time. And God saw that it was good. And God said let us make man in our image after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea.

And over the fowl of the air. And over the cattle and over all the earth. And over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image. In the image of God created he him.

Male and female created he them. And God blessed them. Although she didn't exist yet. In view of her coming. God blessed them and God said unto them be fruitful and multiply. And replenish the earth and subdue it.

And have dominion over the fish of the sea. And over the fowl of the air. And over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. And God said behold I have given you every herb bearing seed which is from the place of all the earth.

And every tree in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed. To you it shall be for meat. And to every beast of the field. You see a man is here given to be a vegetarian. And no meat. No blood. And to every beast of the field of the earth.

And to every fowl of the air. And to everything that creepeth upon the earth wherein there is life. I have given every green herb for meat. And it was so. And God saw everything that he had made. And behold it was very good.

And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. Then we read the first three verses of chapter two please. Thus the heavens and the earth were finished. And all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made.

And he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made. It does not say and the evening and the morning were the seventh day.

Creation, Ruin, and the Six-Day Restoration

And another interesting feature is that God created. He created whales. And he created man. And there's a and in the let's see there's another verse somewhere where it uses the same word create. And he created body soul and spirit.

All the rest things were made. It's rather interesting in the details that we'll go over them again in as we come to them. Now we see therefore that the oh let me get my pointer out just a minute. It's a good idea for somebody.

I made me a an automobile aerial and put a plastic handle on it and I've got a pointer. I can reach to the ceiling. But you see here under creation God made everything perfect. We've seen that. There's my package I should have looked up on the chart shouldn't I.

He's mystified no. Well now then it became a ruin. And then it required six distinct steps or days with a morning and a night to each of the days. And they were 24 hour days because we're told that in six days the Lord created the heavens and the earth in the book of Exodus.

And so that I believe that that's what that indicates 24 hour days. But that's nothing to argue about because it's 24 years it's all right as far as that's concerned. But I don't see there's any necessity for a great stretch of time.

God's faith and it was done. He commanded and it stood fair. He didn't have to wait for some long lengthened out development of his word. And so here we find the first thing. Now please notice the the arrangement here.

We start at the top where everything is chaos. That's what that word is. I suppose you can't see it. But we're going to have a, well no not this one. Anyway it starts in a chaotic condition. And God starts here and goes around.

That's where the arrows indicate his progress and he doesn't stop. There's no pause. He goes on round through and finishes and completes his work to such an extent that he can rest in it. And only a truly appreciative heart on man's part will know that God can't rest in confusion.

He can't rest in a condition half finished. It must have been a beautiful reconstruction scene at the end when God could rest on the seventh day. Now notice this arrangement. He dealt with light on the first day, water on the second day, earth on the third day, light on the fourth day, water on the fifth day and earth on the sixth day.

Light waters earth, light waters earth. That's how simple this whole thing is. It's only just a matter of putting it on a chart and the thing stands right out and hits you in a sense. It makes you realize that the scriptures are not so hard to understand after all.

When it's pointed out to us that's all. Then another interesting thing especially noticeable when you put it in a circle like this. Because God works in cycles. That's the reason for this whole chart.

That's how it originated in the mind of my brother, my friend, personal friend of years ago, Ed Monroe of Buffalo. If you've ever been to Greenwood Hills lot years ago you met him at the bookstore. And so we thought together we had Bible classes in the city of Buffalo and we worked together in the same office years ago.

Way back in 1913, 14, 15. And we were talking one day that God works in cycles. Why in the book of Revelation there's a parade. We'll call it that. And the devil's in front and the woman is next and the poor old man is dragging in behind with heavy feet.

He's sinned along with his wife and all of them are naked. At the end of the Bible we find another parade. Three people are in it. But it's led by the Lord Jesus on a charger, a white horse with his garments dipped in blood, 19th chapter of Revelation.

And the bride in garments of pure white linen, glistening and white. And the devil with a chain around him. So they're all, they're all clothed. Got clothes on now. And the devil dropped in the bottomless pit and the Lord Jesus and his bride reigning forever.

So there's the cycle of the entire book from Genesis to Revelation. And so we began thinking that this would be a very good arrangement to make it so that we see God start here in the chaotic conditions and not cease his labors.

The Lord Jesus says my Father worketh hitherto. And here's some of his work. And he doesn't finish, he doesn't pause, he doesn't stop until he's finished and he can rest in what he's done. If you'll only think of that in the light of the scriptures that the question of salvation for you and me of really restoration which we see here for man was made perfect.

Genesis 1, 20, 57 we just read. But he became a ruined creation because he chose to depart from God, cut himself from God and became a ruined creature. And therefore as a result his condition was without form and void and darkness was upon the face of the deep morally.

And then God has started in the chaotic, moral chaotic conditions and he's not going to cease his labors until he brings us complete into his home and where we will rest with him in all the blessed glories of resurrection, power and life and redemption.

What a wonderful picture in a few words you see the whole scheme of things clearly laid out before you on a simple chart like this. And so we are so happy that through the years it was we've taken up Bible classes in various places.

When I was living at home all the time we had Bible classes regularly and these were the first subject we took up and it helped people to understand the divisions of the word of God. We're told study to show thyself approved under God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Dispensational Interpretation and the Age of Grace

And words that applied to one of these ages would not necessarily apply to some other age. And what would apply to this age, the age of grace that we're in now, why it wouldn't apply to the age of conscience or to the next age, the age of tribulation.

And so scriptures have got to be read in their place. So many people today who do not believe in eternal security bring up the question the scripture which says he that endures to the end shall be saved.

Well they take that word saved to mean only the question of the soul's salvation. Actually it's nothing to do with the soul being saved at all. But he that endures to the end during this terrible period of tribulation and persecution and murder, wholesale murder on every hand, he that endures to the end shall be delivered out of it.

Delivered out of the terrible turmoil and confusion of that terrible day that follows after the rapture of the church. We won't even be here. But you see it's a misapplication of scripture through ignorance.

The Pentecostal people do not believe or will not even study the dispensational divisions of the word of God. Whatever they read, anywhere in the Bible will fit them. If it does fit them, they'll accept it.

If it doesn't fit them, they'll reject it. So what are you going to do with a situation like that? I'm not speaking unkindly, I'm just pointing it out for your benefit. So that nobody will be misled when they say well all that doesn't mean a thing to me, I don't care.

We are interested in just what we know and what we believe. And so we find that it's interesting to see how the light was introduced by God and that light is the basis of every element in the world. All atoms, all the atoms and everything that is made up of atoms.

All these things are made or the atom rather is made up of light. So that when they split the atom we get a light like that terrible thing over Hiroshima that was I don't know 250 times was it brighter than the sun.

I don't know exactly whether I'm right or wrong on that exact number but it was a terrific light and blinded people. My own son was over in Japan after that and saw people in Tokyo Park with their eyes outside on their cheeks running and in a terrible shape because of that light that so dazzled them that they their eyes just disintegrated.

Light, Separation, and the Third Day of Stability

And so the light came along and people it ended with with it was the light of conscience as we see. But at any rate we'll go on here just for a minute on the side of on the side of the creation. Then it says the waters he separated the waters the waters beneath from the waters above.

So there's division of light from darkness. There's division of the waters above from the waters beneath. And here there's division also of the dry land appearing and the sea given a certain place to stop and not go any further and the earth came into existence.

Now here in the third day please note these details for what we're going to get some other time. In the earth coming in the first part or the morning of the third day there was the first evidence of stability.

The first material in which there could be any life to grow growth. So that grass herbs and fruit trees and other things of for food it could grow because the earth was made to appear. And separation between the the restless waters and the stable earth.

Notice that distinction because it has its repercussions later. Then in the afternoon upon that earth into that earth was God placed the vegetation. That was the two creative acts that causing the earth to come into into being or rather into vision and clear of the water.

Otherwise the water was rolling over the top of the earth in an indescribable desolation and no possibility of anything to grow. So we find that that earth was made to come into being in the morning of the third day.

And then in the afternoon of the third day the vegetation began to show and produce fruit. And everything was after its time too notice that. Now the fourth day was the light became the heavens became populated with light holders.

The sun and the moon and the stars. And then there's nothing done on the earth. Please note that. Nothing done on the earth during the fourth day. A person that was giving a record or tabulation of what occurred on the earth could say well it became light and darkness disappeared and the waters separated and then the earth came into being and the fruit trees began growing and the vegetation.

But on this day just nothing but light holders sun moon and stars. They'd already been created back here. Evidently he created the heavens and the earth. And so evidently then in this particular fourth day he set the sun and the moon in its place in its orbit around the earth and the earth around them.

So this great system and solar system in which we live began to function in the fourth day of restoration. Restoration. And thus next the fourth the waters were populated with animals and and fish and so on.

And then the fifth day the sixth day rather there was first of all the fruit trees on the earth in the morning and man in the afternoon. You understand what I mean by those two designations. We don't know for sure whether it's morning or afternoon but at any rate each day had a morning and each day had a night.

And so on right all the way around in six days the Lord was able to restore the chaotic earth to a picture of beauty and abundance. Well now with that in our mind I think we'd be prepared to look at it as I want to tonight and then we'll take up another aspect of it later on maybe tomorrow we'll begin with this.

See how I get along with our picture for us tonight. And so as a result of sin we can see the application of all this in the history of God dealing with you and me. Because this is the pattern. What happened in that set on that side was true in connection with individual persons.

Sin as Moral Chaos, Emptiness, and Darkness

I'm not talking about this side now please don't misunderstand me we'll take that up later. But with individual persons for instance as a result of sin the earth became chaotic. As a result of sin man became without form and void and darkness was upon the face of the deep.

Spiritually speaking a man was a man just the same a woman a woman but nevertheless they were in moral darkness. For instance the word without form means to lie waste. A desolation on the surface. A worthless thing.

That's the meaning of the original word there. And void means to be empty. An indistinguishable ruin. Now if we just get that clearly in our minds that that is the state and condition of things that we are born in.

That we are morally without form and void and darkness upon the face of the deep. Spiritually speaking that we are separate from God. That man has constituted his own terrible ruin by disobedience. By one man says Romans why one man sin entered and death by sin.

By one man's disobedience sin entered and death by sin. And by another one man by his obedience across the Calvary there's life and salvation. And so we thank God for this. Man therefore has been made void and became vain in their imagination.

Romans 121. Romans 121 men became vain in their imagination and their foolish heart was darkened professing themselves to be wise they became fools. And then Ephesians 4 18 it says having the understanding darkened being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their heart.

That shows what sin has done. Now a person in that condition cannot please God. He can't find God. He can't know God. He can't understand God. And anything connected with God is foolishness to a man in that state.

And then John 3 19 says this is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil and they love their deeds. They love their evil and consequently what there was of the light of the gospel was rejected and is rejected to this day by many.

We pray to God that some dear heart perhaps attending the meetings will open their eyes and see that God says that they're in darkness. They're blind. They're distant from God by sin and as a result of it their intelligence is darkened.

Their willpower is deadened and their emotions are degraded. It's an awful condition that sin has wrought in our souls and man has lost the sphere for which he was created. The sphere of communion with God.

Man was able to enjoy the presence and the company and companionship of God and man though limited in his own person in the garden of Eden before the fall yet he had God's unlimited resources at his beck and call at his command and while he remained in obedience to God all his functions all his intelligence his emotions his taste that is and his will are all subject to God's command and are consequently in perfect peace perfect alignment perfectly happy.

Redemption and Restoration Into Harmony With God

We go to a place like our brother Jim's place to have our car aligned our wheels and the car balanced. Why? Because if they're out of line they're going to do damage. They're going to do this and do the other thing that's wrong and it's going to cost us extra money and so we have things adjusted.

Now that adjustment is in redemption. That's what brings us back to God. It puts us in alignment with the mind of God and so are those boards in the tabernacle wall. They're in line one with the other and that they are they are one so to speak.

The Lord Jesus prays he says I pray not for the world but for those that thou has given me out of the world. Those thine they were and thou gavest them me and they have fulfilled thy word and I pray for them I pray not for the world that thou would keep them from the evil that they all might be one as thou art in me and I in thee so that they may be one in us.

Now that unity that alignment is the result of God's operation in our souls and only God can do it. Church membership turning over a new leaf being good and all these silly things that people talk about today are absolutely hindrances rather than help in this great work of restoration of the soul to God and that's why we speak so definitely and dogmatically against any such thing as religious affiliation because it hinders the soul rather than help.

It gives them a sense of peace which is a false sense of peace like a poor soul on a operating table with an anesthetic filling the body. It's at peace all right but it doesn't know what its poor body's going through and what the destiny to which it's hurrying if one slip of is happens in that terrible operation and that Satan gets people anesthetized by the religious atmosphere.

He knows that that will please many of us it will satisfy many of us but we find from the word of God even in the very first page of scripture the doorstep of the whole scriptures we find the key to the whole book that the case in each study no matter what you take up in the book of scripture whatever topic you take up you'll find the key to the subject at the very first beginning of that subject.

It's a striking and a very interesting feature and we'll we'll all be wise if we're going to study anything seriously and I know you are you will and do why to look for the key in the tabernacle you get it in the 25th chapter the very beginning the list of content is a key to the whole subject and here the great content that the whole word of God is man's being brought back that to God and all that was lost in the garden of Eden by man's defection to be restored and man brought back into harmony with God and oh brother isn't that inviting.

Isn't that something to relish and to look forward to and to be anxious to see accomplished. Or is sin so attractive that we won't go on with our sin to its consequent doom for all eternity and lose our chance of being in the presence of God and joy and peace forever.

The Threefold Disorder of the Human Condition

Well anyway man's condition then finds itself in three conditions three states of disorder. The threefold condition the state by nature is here forcibly suggested confusion. First of all the earth was without form.

There was no order. In fact it was disorder everywhere in creation. That's true in man everything in the heart of man is in disorder as God understands order. Everything is out of harmony. Everything is discordant.

Every note every word that ascends from that mind and that heart my heart your heart in unsafe state is a is a a false note in God's ear. And we see it when people talk about worship they don't know what worship is.

Worship is to them just the reading of a portion of scripture bowing in prayer and singing some hymns. And then the time goes and comes and they go out and they worship. And they say now on the billboard come worship with us my friend.

They don't know what worship is in any one sense of the word because their minds are in a state of disorder. Generally speaking i don't say there are not exceptions. I believe they are there are. But i'm talking about the general common situation.

And so we find that confusion is completely dominating the heart of man and therefore is nothing in harmony with God's purpose. Everything is opposite to what God wants. And as a result of that there's got to be some complete reversal a revolution.

This must take place in the life and heart of the individual. Then there's emptiness void absolutely utterly unable of itself to produce any good life and fruitfulness. And they are the they're the fruits of God and they can't be produced by man in his sin.

Paul said in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing. That's romans 7 18. And man is utterly depraved godless joseph said who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean. And so you see what we are seeking to present to you is that as a result of the of the uh complete collapse of the creation of man of of the earth we see a picture of what man's heart's like what man is in the sight of God absolutely dead in trespasses and sins.

That doesn't mean he doesn't breathe. Death isn't ceasing to breathe. You never lose your consciousness. Even when you're dead your consciousness goes on and on and on into eternity because it's merely the casket of you that's in the box.

That box contains the frail body. That body is only the tent in which your you live. You are the person that's inside that body and that but that you is the thing that's going to go on consciously for all eternity conscious of its destiny whether it's in the presence of God in salvation and or in the lake of fire in the terrible place and companionship of evil spirits forever.

What a vile and awful place to be on without escape without hope of without any court of appeals. No no change for all eternity my friend. It's something to shun something to avoid something to look at with a with horror revulsion.

And that's what we want to produce by presenting these facts we want you to realize if you're here unsaved that you need this Jesus Christ and his death on Calvary's cross that you need nothing else you need.

You don't need your next meal so much as you need this. And so how important to look at the fact then to another thing is the darkness. The darkness was upon the face of the deep. There can be nothing but darkness till the light is sent forth until the light of the gospel is allowed to enter into your heart.

And you can keep that light out. You can say i am not going to be interested. I want my fun i want my fling. And when it comes time well when i get an old person and can't do much more than just hold up and die then perhaps i can consider this thing.

But then who's promising you any such hope. Who's promising you any such hope. Oh my friend it's too risky. You're jeopardizing your whole welfare. And then beside that's an awful mean contemptible attitude.

I want to have all my way first. And then i'll let God have his way with me when there's nothing left for him to use. I'm glad to look into the faces of some bright young people who are interested in study of the scripture that their lives may show the result and shine out around in blessing to others we come in contact with.

The Gospel Light Shining Through Believers

And so this terrible state of darkness he says for God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness have shined in our heart to give the light of the glory of the of the of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

I like Mr. Dobb is rendering here at this point i'll give it to you. Because it is God who spoke that out of darkness light should shine. Who has shown in our heart for the shining forth of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ now that gives you the movement of the light.

It's not an idle thing. It's not something to be bottled up but that light has come into our heart by God's grace. We've allowed it entrance. It's driven out the darkness of of death and the darkness of unbelief.

And the purpose of it shining in our hearts. Now to give the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ that it might shine through us to others. That's when the light is populated in the uh fourth.

In the fourth day later in our own soul's experience we'll come to that in a moment now God's remedy for man's terrible condition. What does the scripture say in connection with the beginning of the remedy.

It says in verse 2 at the describing the awful condition the world was in it says. And the spirit of God moved. The word moved is a far. There's a far better word than that. It's the word brooded. You know what a chicken a hen does when it's on sitting on eggs.

It broods over these eggs and turns them keeps them warm and keeps them turned under her there. She stays there quietly day and night looking after those eggs. She's brooding over them. What. For to bring them to life.

So that out from those eggs in proper time will come living creatures bright happy chirping little bitties. And so we find that what is thought of here the spirit of God brooded over the dark chaotic waters and by operation in the soul.

And then the next word God said let there be light the Holy Spirit and the word of God combined together to bring forth light. And God said like these. And likewise there was the result of the cooperation of the two persons of the deity the Holy Spirit brooding over the waters and God's word of command summoning the light to disperse the darkness.

Isn't that a beautiful picture then of just exactly what happened when the gospel of the grace of God is spoken or we read about it whether in the presence of others or alone. And our souls are troubled about our relationship with God and our sinful condition.

And then well lo and behold something happened. Some verse of scripture did in my case anyway is generally the scripture. It would be a very good thing if it is the scripture i think it's a very important thing.

For we are born not of corruptible things but of incorruptible by the word of God which is which liveth and abideth forever. And therefore it's by the scripture. And i advise any christian young christian uh to to get a verse of scripture if they don't have one at hand to find a verse of scripture that fits their own case of conversion.

Perhaps the verse of scripture you've let slip. Maybe you've forgotten which one it was now. But pick one that gives a clear-cut definition of what it is to be born again. Why we can say we're saved.

And then make that your text. Because i'll tell you why. If you're just depending upon an experience satan can upset that that's not a solid basis for for for peace and joy of mind and heart. But the word of God he can't upset.

And when satan wants to he certainly does try to upset. A christian tries to make them doubt that they're saved. Because sometimes we just forget that we're saved you know. And we let our tongues slip and an unguarded moment and we think well now just a minute and i said i was saved.

That's what satan's saying to you. Now you say you're saved. Listen to what you just did. Let's look at what you just did my gracious you can't say you're saved. He wants to rob you of your peace and your joy.