History of the Work of Redemption in Vol I of the Works - Edwards - II - Period I commenced

Required readingHistory of the Work of Redemption in Vol I of the Works by Jonathan Edwards (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Parts I and II of Period I.

My summary.

Now Edwards starts his overview of the history of the work of redemption. 

The first period is from the fall to the flood. Milestones in the work of redemption include:

(i) As soon as man fell, Christ entered on his mediatorial work;

(ii) The gospel was first revealed on earth, in these words, Gen. iii. 15. "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.";

(iii) The custom of sacrificing was appointed, to be a standing type of the sacrifice of Christ, till he should come, and offer up himself a sacrifice to God;

(iv) God soon after the fall began actually to save the souls of men through Christ's redemption;

(v) The first uncommon pouring out of the Spirit, through Christ, in the days of Enos;

(vi) The eminently holy life of Enoch;

(vii) In Enoch's time, God more expressly revealed the coming of Christ than he had before done;

(viii) The translation of Enoch into heaven;

(ix) The upholding of the church of God in that family from which Christ was to proceed during that great and general defection which preceded the flood.

The second period is from the flood to the calling of Abraham.  Highlights of redemption are:

(i) The flood itself;

(ii) God's wonderfully preserving that family of which the Redeemer was to proceed, when all the rest of the world was drowned;

(iii) The new grant of the earth God made to Noah and his family immediately after the flood, as founded on the covenant of grace;

(iv) God's renewal of the covenant of grace with Noah and his sons;

(v) God's disappointing the design of building the city and tower of Babel;

(vi) The dispersing of the nations, and dividing the earth among its inhabitants, immediately after God had caused the building of Babel to cease;

(vii) God's preserving the true religion in that line from which Christ was to proceed, when the world in general apostatized to idolatry, and the church was in imminent danger of being swallowed in the general corruption.

What grabbed me

I loved the description of Christ's immediate action after Adam and Eve fell: 

'As soon as man fell, Christ entered on his mediatorial work. Then it was that he began to execute the work and office of a mediator. He had undertaken it before the world was made. He stood engaged with the Father to appear as man's mediator, and to take on that office when there should be occasion, from all eternity. But now the time was come. Christ the eternal Son of God clothed himself with the mediatorial character, and therein presented himself before the Father. He immediately stepped in between a holy, infinite, offended Majesty, and offending mankind. He was accepted in his interposition; and so wrath was prevented from going forth in the full execution of that amazing curse that man had brought on himself.

It is manifest that Christ began to exercise the office of mediator between God and man as soon as ever man fell, because mercy began to he exercised towards man immediately .There was mercy in the forbearance of God, that he did not destroy him, as he did the angels when they fell. But there is no mercy exercised toward fallen man but through a mediator. If God had not in mercy restrained Satan, he would immediately have seized on his prey. Christ began to do the part of an intercessor for man as soon as he fell; for there is no mercy exercised towards man but what is obtained through Christ's intercession. From that day Christ took on him the care of the church, in the exercise of all his offices. He undertook to teach mankind in the exercise of his prophetical office; to intercede for fallen man in his priestly office; and to govern the church and the world as a king. He from that time took upon him the care of defending his elect church from all their enemies. When Satan, the grand enemy, had conquered and overthrown man, the business of resisting and conquering him was committed to Christ. He thenceforward undertook to manage that subtle powerful adversary. He was then appointed the Captain of the Lord's hosts, the Captain of their salvation. Henceforward this lower world, with all its concerns, devolved upon the Son of God: for when man had sinned, God the Father would have no more to do immediately with this world of mankind, that had apostatized from and rebelled against him. He would henceforward act only through a mediator, either in teaching men, or in governing, or bestowing any benefits on them...And therefore we may suppose, that immediately on the fall of Adam, it was made known in heaven among the angels, that God had a design of redemption with respect to fallen man; that Christ had now taken upon him the office and work of a mediator between God and man; and that they were to be subservient to him in this office. And as Christ, in this office, has been solemnly installed the King of heaven, and is thenceforward, as God-man, the Light, the Sun of heaven, (agreeable to Rev. xxi. 23.) so this revelation made in heaven among the angels, was as it were the first dawning of this light there. When Christ ascended into heaven after his passion, and was solemnly enthroned, then this Sun rose in heaven, even the Lamb that is the light of the New Jerusalem.'

If our Captain hadn't stepped up immediately to intercede on behalf of humanity, God's wrath would have been unleashed without restraint.

Praise God that he did!

Next week's reading

Read Part III of Period I.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.