It is deeply interesting to note the place which " death," or the "shedding of blood," occupies, in the Word of God. It forms the only foundation of man's approach to, his standing before, or his relationship with, God. It is the only means whereby sin can be put away—the only ground on which divine life and divine righteousness can be imparted. "Without shedding of blood is no remission." (Heb. 9:2222And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. (Hebrews 9:22).) This is a truth which the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments do most clearly and fully unfold and establish.
No sooner had "sin" made its appearance—no sooner had its dark shadow settled down upon this lower world -than this great truth began to break through the twilight; and, as we turn over page after page of the sacred volume, as the dispensations of God unfold themselves to our view, it gathers clearness and fullness, until, at length, it shines out, in unclouded effulgence, in connection with the Lamb slain " by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God," to be the channel of peace and pardon, life and righteousness, to all who should, by the grace of the Holy Ghost, believe in His name.
Thus, in the third chapter of Genesis, when " the Lord God" made His appearance, amid the mighty ruin which "the one disobedience" had wrought in His fair creation, we hear Him making mention of " the seed of the woman' as the one who was to bruise the serpent's head. But how was this to be accomplished? "Thou shalt bruise his heel." This word "bruise" contains it in the germ of THE GLORIOUS DOCTRINE OF THE BLOOD. The serpent who had introduced the mischief was yet to have his head bruised by the seed of the woman; but, ere that could be accomplished, " the seed " should Himself be " bruised."
Now, some may say, " this was a very shadowy representation of the doctrine of the blood." Granted; hut, though shadowy, it was real. It was just such a representation as suited the moment in which it was given. Life must be introduced by death. The mighty Bruiser must Himself be bruised. Such was the truth contained in the earliest accents which fell from the lips of the Lord God, in the midst of a scene of ruin, and in the audience of ruined and guilty sinners. Adam heard all this. He saw there was a controversy between "the Lord God" and " the serpent." He learned that this controversy was to be brought to an issue—a victorious issue by " the seed of the woman." He was taught that he should be a debtor to another for deliverance, for alas! how could he—himself the serpent's slave—ever be the bruiser of the serpent's head? No; this was to be the solitary work of another, and that other was to achieve the victory by having His heel bruised, that is to say, by death.
But, does this fact in the least interfere with the value of the life of "the seed of the woman?" Assuredly not. Who could attempt to reckon up in order all the rich and rare results of that life? God was to be glorified—the mind of Heaven to be refreshed—the human heart perfectly tested—Satan foiled—all by the exhibition of a perfect life here below. Moreover, God's redeemed were to be furnished with an example as to how they ought to walk. These things will come before us, if God permit, in the progress of this paper, I merely refer to them here, in order that the reader may not, by any means, lose the sense of the infinite preciousness of the life of " the man Christ Jesus." " The seed of the woman" should live to die—He should have a heel to be bruised ere the serpent could bruise it -incarnation forms the base of " the great mystery of godliness.'' This is a well known truth, the value of which is beyond all conception.
Yet, notwithstanding the infinite value of incarnation, it could have been of no avail, either for Satan's eternal defeat, or man's eternal salvation, save on the ground of accomplished death. It was "the seed of the woman" who was to bruise the serpent's head; but, how was He to do so? By having His heel bruised. "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that THROUGH DEATH He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death, were all their lifetime subject to bondage." Heb. 2:14, 1514Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. (Hebrews 2:14‑15).
But, ere we retire, in company with our first parents, from the garden of Eden, we must glean some further evidence of the truth that all our blessings, our privileges, and our dignities—all that God could bestow upon us, as fallen and ruined sinners, must depend upon death. "Unto Adam also, and to his wife, did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them." (Gen. 3:2121Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them. (Genesis 3:21).) In the faith of these utterances which had just fallen upon Adam's ear, he called his wife's name, "the mother of all living:'' He believed that he was, in some way or other, to get life through death. But, in " the coats of skins" we have something more than life. If the seed of the woman should be bruised to give life, the blood of the animals should be shed to furnish clothing. In other words, life and righteousness are both founded upon death. The very first words which the Lord God uttered in the sinner's ear, the very first act which He performed in the sinner's view, shadowed forth this foundation truth of the gospel, that life and righteousness are both founded upon death—that " without shedding of blood is no remission."
This truth was set forth in the garden of Eden. It broke through the clouds which gathered thickly over the heads of our first parents. They were taught that their need could only be met by death. They had yielded to the serpent's power, and that power could only be broken by death. They were naked in consequence, and that nakedness could only be divinely clothed through death. They had tried a covering which was not founded on death, but it had proved worthless and vain. A covering not flowing out of blood-shedding must leave the sinner naked. The cattle upon a thousand hills, all the living animals in creation, could not have yielded a coat for a naked sinner. A poured-out life was absolutely essential. Without it, man could neither have life nor righteousness. Through it, he has both the one and the other.
Such, then, my reader, is the striking testimony yielded to the doctrine of the blood, in the garden of Eden. The bruised heel, and the coats of skin, do both alike announce, in the sinner's ear, the glorious truth that his title to full deliverance from the enemy's power, and from all the consequences of guilt, is found in blood, and in blood alone. By it he has all: without it nothing. The bruised heel and the coats of skin enabled Adam and Eve to retreat from the precincts of Eden, with a degree and a character of happiness and security which they had never known in the midst of all its fruits and flowers. An unfallen creation could never have told out in a sinner's ear, the deep mystery of a bruised heel. Nor could it ever have unfolded in his view aught so profoundly interesting—so deeply touching- as the Lord God stooping to provide, by blood-shedding, a covering for a naked sinner. Ah! no; it was in the midst of a ruined creation, and by ruined sinners, that such wondrous things were seen and heard. The serpent had introduced death, and by death he must be destroyed. His own sword must slay him. " His violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate." By death we have a deathless life—a deathless righteousness—a deathless hope—a deathless inheritance.
(To be continued, if the Lord will.)