The Characters of the Old Testament

by Isaac Williams

Late Fellow of Trinity College, Oxford

Published 1873

ADAM

For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.—I CORINTHIANS 15:22.

The state of our first parents in Paradise must always be a mystery to us; we can form no conception of a condition in which there was no death, and none of the sad company of death, sin and fear and care and pain. But in this our ignorance all has been told us which it is good for us to know; and their trial and fall is so like what we ourselves experience, that we understand it but too well. We find in ourselves the like mystery of evil when we sin against better knowledge, forfeit our great strength, choose death instead of life, and give up our God in exchange for some passing temptation.

First of all, then, we read that God made man in His own image and likeness, capable of knowing and loving Him as the inferior creatures could not; He set him in dominion over them; He endowed him too with every gift which the perfection of his nature required; He imparted to him an intimate knowledge of all the creatures, so that he could give them suitable names such as God approved; He placed him in a garden, which He is described as, in some especial and pre-eminent manner, furnishing very richly for his use; He added also an associate, whom, as a part of himself, he might cherish with a more intimate love; and, more than all, God Himself conversed with him, without his being overcome with shame or fear, and, as it is described, walked with him in the garden. Thus He made him to be like His own image below, crowned above all the creatures with understanding, and adorned with gifts both within and without. But this was not all—for God made with Adam a covenant of everlasting life, dependent on his obedience, annexing to that obedience the gift of immortality; for in addition to all other gifts was the Tree of Life, and hard by it in the midst of the garden, the Tree of Knowledge, to be the trial of obedience. Thus was he called by this covenant of grace from all earthly pleasures and endowments, to the “more excellent way” of charity; that charity which is “proof against” all temptations; charity which “never faileth;” charity which is content to be without the “knowledge that puffeth up;” which obeys because it loves, and loves because it trusts, and is therefore ever wont to look up to and to lean on God; till faith, “rooted and grounded in love,” when perfected by obedience, might be translated to a higher and securer state of bliss with God Himself in Heaven. And the place of this covenant of grace was “In the midst of the garden:” as the sun is the centre of the universe, which without him would be dead; so did obedience to this one command give order and beauty to that Paradise, when all was obedient to man, because man was obedient to God.

Thus were they in a state of perfect innocence and happiness: but their life was not in themselves, it was dependent on God, and they were made to feel this their dependence upon Him, in their liability to fall; it was therefore a life of faith, because it was a condition of trial and obedience. Their happiness was in the love of God, in Whose likeness they were made; and while they had that love, faith in Him would be their strength, and obedience their delight. The free gift is made them that they “may eat of every tree of the garden,” except one only; and when that one exception is made, it is with the promise of life on their obedience. If they eat not of that forbidden tree they shall live; and therefore with that Tree of Knowledge is the tree of Life. And as God giveth not as man giveth, but liberally and abundantly beyond words, we may conclude that therein was implied that such obedience would lead to a more perfect and blissful immortality. For their present life on earth was then precarious, and dependent on means from without, that Tree of Life to which they had access; it was not of that “Well of Life” which is with God, which is from within, ever “springing up into everlasting life.”

Moreover, another peculiar gift is spoken of. It is said that God “breathed into his nostrils the breath of life,” and in consequence “man became a living soul,” i.e. a soul capable of that better life which is in God. For what was this breath of God but that He infused into him of His Divine Spirit, clothed him with that vesture of immortality, whereby after having been created in the similitude of God, he might look up to Heaven, as “waiting for the revelation of the sons of God,” and the crown and fulness of that angelic nature? Thus then was it that God had not only “set him over the works of His hands,” but He “visited him,” and “crowned him with glory and worship.” He had set His love on the man He had formed, and in this the greatness of His love, He sought for the love of man in return, his free love and choice, which could only be shown by this obedience.

And now we come to the mysterious origin of evil, which has been ever since so intimately with us, which wraps us about as our very clothing, enters into us as the food we eat, as the air we breathe, is with us, in us, and about us, and lets not go its hold on us till we die. But “the serpent said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” Here, then, we have disclosed in its fulness the existence and craft of an evil spirit bent on our ruin; and his entering into the serpent, as afterwards, by our Lord’s permission, the devils entering into the swine, sets before us how they may take possession of those whom God hath made, and hence of the body and of the soul of man. Add to which that his making the creature the instrument of evil, seems to account for the animal creation around us being united and sharing, for some mysterious reasons, in the sufferings of mankind.

“And the woman said unto the serpent, Of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.” Now though Eve was as yet sinless, we may see in this reply the first faint tendency to her falling away from God. The command which God had given to Adam was, “Thou shalt not eat of it,” but Eve adds here the words, “Neither shall ye touch it.” She overstates, as it were, the prohibition; like the Pharisees afterwards whom our Lord condemned, she thus added to the word of God. Nor is this all; for at the same time she diminishes from it, for God had said to Adam, “Thou shalt surely die,” or “Dying thou shalt die,” which is a very strong expression; but she softens it down, and says merely, “Lest ye die.” She adds to God’s word like the Pharisee—she takes away from it like the Sadducee. She adds to the command—takes away from the warning. Thus all is gradual, the serpent insinuates a poisonous question, then Eve doubts God’s word, and then the serpent denies it. “Lest ye die,” says Eve. “Ye shall not die,” adds the tempter.

While this is at work in the heart, what follows? “I have made a covenant with mine eyes,” says Job, taught by the sad experience of mankind; but not so was it now. “The woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise.” All her life and bliss was in God, and in union with God; but now she desired something out of God. For these three things contain all the temptations to which mankind are subject, as St. John states them “the lust of the flesh,” for it was good for food; “the lust of the eyes,” for it was pleasant to behold; and “the pride of life,” for it was to be desired to make one wise, yea, as gods. “All these,” says St. John, “are not of the Father, but are of the world;” and “if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” [1]

Thus are these temptations put in motion by Satan; he stealthily approaches like a serpent wherever he finds access, advancing by little and little with great subtlety, first through the creature, then by the weaker vessel; tempting the woman by the fruits of the garden, in which as a serpent he lay hid, and thus winding his way to the man as it were on the weaker side, by his love for the woman, through that new and great gift, the love of his espousals. And what is the first result of this act of disobedience? Instead of the likeness of God, Eve puts on the likeness of Satan; she at once takes part with the serpent; she also now acts as a tempter, and, in so doing, brings death on one whom she loved; “She gave to her husband, and he did eat.” So is it with sin at all times; no one falls alone; those nearest and dearest are often injured by every sin of ours—and, oh! terrible thought, may lose on our account life eternal. Here in the germ is the fulness of all sin; some secret presumption that goes before a fall; then the devil tempting; then doubt of God; and then evil curiosity; and then the influence of example which spreads the sin, that fearful net of the wicked one, entangling all around in the society of evil.

Their innocence was gone—their covenant with God was broken—of their better nature shame alone remained; in this shame alone is their hope, [2] inasmuch as it is an acknowledgment of sin, and might therefore lead to repentance. Disobeying God, their own nature was no longer obedient to themselves, and they were ashamed of it, for it had other desires than the will of God, “another law in their members bringing them into captivity to the law of sin.” [3] And whereas before they knew nothing but good, they now know both good and evil, the knowledge which it would have been infinitely better never to have had, the knowledge of evil spirits, of the good they have lost, of the evil they have chosen. “They saw that they were naked,” for not till then were they divested of God’s righteousness; the clothing of His sanctifying Spirit, when without shame or fear they conversed with God: but now they seek for covering from that shame; such has ever been the effort of mankind, with the fading leaves of worldly objects to cover themselves; secretly conscious of their nakedness and deep internal poverty without God. “They cover with a covering,” says the Prophet, “but not of my Spirit, that they may add sin to sin.” [4]

And they “hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, “Where art thou?” Into what abyss of misery art thou fallen? from what grace and hope art thou lost? [5]

And now if Eve had before acted as Satan the tempter, so Adam is now as Satan the accuser, for he says, “The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.” Here is no humiliation—no confession. Yes, I did eat; the woman gave me, and Thou gayest me the woman; it is all from Thee! Oh, sad change! what a return to God for all His gifts! They hide among the trees, they cover their shame with leaves; and now with pretext and excuse.

“And the woman said, the serpent beguiled me and I did eat.” She too, as Adam, cast the guilt upon another; yet here indeed there is in some sort confession of sin; and therefore gives ground for pardon (St. Ambrose). But oh, how much has mankind to suffer before they come to that true contrition of heart which says with the Psalmist, “I said, Lord, have mercy on me; heal my soul, for I have sinned against thee.” [6] The afflictions of Job; the trials of Joseph; the endurance of Moses; the contrition of David; the confessions of Daniel; the sorrows of the Prophets; the tears of St. Peter; the travails of St. Paul; the sufferings of Saints and the blood of Martyrs; have yet to prove this humiliation of man, in order that he might be accepted in the Second Adam; and these answers of our first parents may be undone or amended. And this healing is in the merciful sentence, “in sorrow shalt thou bring forth:” and “in sorrow shalt thou eat,” “till thou return unto the ground.” Yea, the very voice of the accepted One shall be heard as it were from the ground, and speaking from the dust of death, “I am a worm and no man.” Thus not in sorrow only but in death itself shall be found the means and hope of restoration; when “love shall be stronger than death;” and dying in Christ; yea, exercised in dying shall bring forth more abundant life; for in conformity to Christ’s death is life.

Thus, in taking the shame, and the sorrow, and the death, Christ restores again to the Paradise of God. For this Paradise is the Church of God, “the garden inclosed,” on which, as “the winds blow, the spices flow out;” wherein is the “well of living waters.” [7] And there too is the Tree of Life which hath “leaves,” it is said, “for the healing of the nations;” there is also in it a river not from the ground as in that Eden of old, but “proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.” Wherein He Himself says, “I will give to him that overcometh to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” For, in Him they shall, He says, “have right to the tree of life.” [8] In the centre of that garden; yea, “in the midst of the Paradise of God,” restoring all again to love, and harmony, and peace, is He Himself; in whom is there a better knowledge and a better life which He will impart to them that love Him; for in Him are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge; and “our life is lid with Christ in God.” In that Paradise He Himself walks again with man, for it is said, “I will walk among you, and be your God, and ye shall be My people.” [9] Yea, He hath clothed their shame again with the covering of His righteousness, and hath said, “They shall walk with Me in white.” [10] And “they shall see His face.” He hath again renewed them in His image. Nay more, by another transcendental endowment of which that in Paradise was the sign, on His rising from the dead, He hath “breathed into their nostrils the breath of life,” [11] by the gift of His Spirit: that in the likeness of His resurrection, “putting on the new man,” they may be again “created after God in righteousness and true holiness;” [12]—that like Adam of old, they may keep His commandments, and by keeping them in this Paradise of trial which is His Church, they may at length be fitter for a better Paradise, and the Presence of God in Heaven.

From the creation of man unto this day his history has been, in those words of the Psalmist, “In my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved: Thou, Lord, of Thy goodness hast made my hill so strong. Thou turnedst away Thy face, and I was troubled.” [13] And then, troubled and exercised with many sorrows under the displeasure of God he hath come to learn indeed to know both good and evil;—the evil of departing from God; our only good to be in Him; His goodness and His love in Christ; good and evil, the depth and fulness of which we shall know even yet far better when we depart from the body, when it is known what heaven and hell are; when Satan’s words shall become true in a way he little thought, to the elect of God, when knowing both good and evil they shall be as gods, shall be “made partakers,” as St. Peter says, “of the divine nature,” shall be made one with the Son of God, “shall be like Him,” and “awaking up after His likeness shall be satisfied with it.”

One word more in conclusion. As man fell by pride, his return must be by humility: his pride was the poison of Satan, “that ye may be as gods;” but in order that we might be restored, He who was indeed Very God emptied Himself of all His glories that He might become man for our sakes. Instead of the forbidden Tree of Knowledge “He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.” He has given us an example by which we might overcome in Him; and has set forth in Himself as it were, an epitome of our life-long conflict, in a trial corresponding to that in which Adam fell, when in the wilderness He encountered and overcame that old serpent; not in a garden but in a desert; not in abundance but in hunger; not in manifestation of His Divine power, but meekly shielding Himself against all temptations by the written Word of God; showing us by what means we are to overcome,—that we have each of us in like manner with our first parents, an enemy to contend with, a trial to undergo, a Paradise to lose, a kingdom of Heaven set before us to obtain. And in order that we may be in Him equal to this conflict, He, “the last Adam,” has for us “been made a quickening Spirit,” and has given us to eat of His Body and Blood, as the antidote of death, and indwelling of immortality, that “as in Adam all die,” all in Him may “be made alive.” And this with a pledge that in greater fulness He will “give to him that overcometh” to partake of that life which is in Him, admitting even by death itself into a greater nearness with Himself and saying to the dying thief, “To day shalt thou be with Me in Paradise.”

These things are not then afar off, my brethren; He Himself in death shall lead us unharmed by the “flaming sword” of the “Cherubims;” yea, even this day, or tomorrow, or next week, you or I, if found worthy, may, by God’s mercy, be admitted into that His mysterious Presence, of which He spake under the name of that garden of old.