Liberty of Glory

In the earthly paradise, man was in dominion over the fish of the sea, the fowl of the air, and every creeping thing. Man gave to every living creature its name. Toward the end of the Book the Lord Jesus, the last Adam, will bring this groaning creation into the liberty of the glory of the children of God, and have His rightful place as Lord of all, having subdued all things unto Himself. (Gen. 1:28; 2:19; Psa. 8; Phil. 2:10, 11; 3:21.)
In the beginning we have Satan tempting, then sin and the curse, and in the end we see Satan in the lake of fire, sin taken away and righteousness dwelling and no more curse. In the beginning there is sorrow and death; in the end we find, "no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." (Gen. 3; Rev. 20:10; 2 Peter 3:13; Rev. 21:1-4.)
Surely, then, we find a remarkable unity of thought in the beginning and ending of the Bible, though the contrasts are most striking. The Son of God had come meanwhile to:
•Accomplish redemption.
•Destroy the works of the devil.
•Take away sins.
•Make good the promises.
•Vindicate God in all His ways.
•Honor Him in perfect obedience as Man.
•Glorify God in clearing us from all iniquity, and bringing us to God to share the inheritance with Him who is Heir of all things.
Another mark of unity is found in the truth it sets forth throughout. If early in the Old Testament it is said of man, "every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually," it is said in the New Testament that "the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." (Gen. 6:5; Rom. 8:7.)
A prophet of long ago said, "All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field....The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand forever." An apostle, seven hundred years after, writes the same only adding, "the word of the Lord endureth forever.
And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you." (Isa. 40:6-8; 1 Peter 1:24, 25.)
If the Psalmist exclaimed, "Forever, O Lord, Thy word is settled in heaven," our Lord said, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away." (Psa. 119:89; Matt. 24:35.) If the testimony of a prophet was, "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts," an apostle informs us that "the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God." (Zech. 4:6; 1 Cor. 2:11.)
Moses was inspired to write, "It is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul." We read in Hebrews, that "without shedding of blood is no remission." (Lev. 17:11; Heb. 9:22.) An Old Testament writer warned the people not to "add unto the word" which he commanded them, "neither shall ye diminish aught from it." The ancient writings are not closed without enforcing the exhortation by saying, "Add thou not unto His words, lest He reprove thee, and thou be found a liar." Nor can the canon of Scripture be concluded without the last of Revelation giving us the most solemn warning concerning it. (Deut. 4:2; Prov. 30:6; Rev. 22:18, 19.)
Take another subject. All through the entire Volume, from Genesis to Revelation, we find that since man became a sinner, he has been accounted righteous before God on the principle of faith and never on the principle of works, a fundamental truth of vital importance.