The Pulpit Commentary — Genesis — Section 97

HmnLETICS. Yer. 7.-T/u at,;nosp/1,eric Ji,r1(UL1nent. I. Tm,: cnEATURE OF Gon. I. From God it re.ceh·ed its being (ver. 7) .. Not h~re alone, but. in othe~ parts, Scripture declares ihe firmament to be the Dn-me handiwork (Ps. Xl.l[. 1; c1v. 2). Whence we may note-(1) That not it, tlie creature, should receive our worship, but lte, its Maker who is God o,er all, blessed for ever. (2) That since the firmament was mad~ hy God, it must bdr,ng to him. If at the present moment it is the special abode of the prince of the power of the air (Ephes. ii. 2), it must be a usurped dominion. The air with all its beams and showers, quite as much as the earth with all its trees and flowers, is God's property (Gen. xiv. 22; Ps. xxiv. 1, &c.). (3) That in all its mo,·ements it only carries out tlie will of its Creator. The air does nothing of ii.self. Under the reign of law as all created things are, the law that reigns is itself benealh the rule of God. The Hebrew mind never mistook things for persons or creatures for the Creator (Ps. cxlviii. 8) ; it is only modern science that degrade~ ihe Creator from his throne, and puts the creature in his seat. 2. From God it received its function (ver. 6),-to divide between the upper and the lower waters,- "·hich ,vas-(1) Simple, i. e. in the sense of not being complex. Though its uses are manifold, they are all contained in this, that it floats up and sustains the vapours rising from the earth at a sufficient distance from the terrestrial waters. (2) Neces- sary. ,vithout a clear body of atmospheric air between the waters, human life could not have existed. And equally without the watery clouds swimming in the atmosphere, both vegetable and animal life would perish. "Were the air absolutely dry, it would cause the water in plants to evaporate from their leaves more rapidly than it could be supplied to them by the soil and the roots. Thus they would Rpeedily become flaccid, and the whole plant would droop, wither, and die." Similarly, "were the air which man draws into his lungs entirely free from watery fluid, he would soon breathe out the fluiils which fill up his tissues, and would dry up into a ·withered and ghastly mummy" (' Chemistry of Common Life,' vol. i. p. 13). (3) Beneficent,. Collecting the vapours of the earth in the form of clouds, it is th·IS enabled to throw them down again in the shape of rain, snow, or dew, according liS it is required. 3. From God it received its name. (1) Suitable. "Heights," significant of the reality. (2) Su.ggestive. "The love, the power, the majesty of God, his thoughts, his ways, his purposes when compared with man's, are set forth to us by the height of the heaven above the earth." II. THE SERVANT OF ~IA..'<'. 1. Indispensable. Without the air man could not live. His physical being would perish without its oxygen. Without its pressuro his bodily structure would fall to pieces. 2. Valuable. The uses of the atmosphere to man as a resident on earth are manifold. It supports animal and vegetable life around him. It conveys, refracts, and decomposes light. It transmits sound. It draws up noxious vapours from tl1e soil, and dispersea them by its winds. It assists him in a variety of his mechanical, chemical, commercial, and scientific enterprises. 3. Willing. Great as are its powers of service and its capacities of rebellion when excited with tempest, for the most part it is meek and docile, ever ready to acknow• ledge me.n as its master, and to execute his slightest wish. 4. Unwearied. Eve, since it received its appointment from God to minister to the happiness of man U has unrestingly performed that tas~, and betr~ys n? more ~igns of _weariness to-day n,nn it did at the first. 5. GratuWJus. It gives 1ls i;erv1ccs, as its great Creator gi ,•es his blessings, without money and without price. Let us learn-1. To be thankful for the air we breathe. 2. To admire God's wisdom in tl1e wonderful adjustmenti, of the air. 3. To make the beet use we can of that life which tLe air supports and aubserves. OB. I. 9-13.) 'l'HE BOOK OF GENESIS. 17