The Harp of God: Proof Conclusive That Millions Now Living Will Never Die. J. F. Rutherford
interested in knowing how Jehovah created the first man, Adam. "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." (Genesis 2:7) God did not give man a soul separate and distinct from the man. The word soul means being; living, breathing creature. Every man is a soul. No man has a soul. Every living creature is a soul. God called all moving creatures that have life souls. (See Genesis 1:20, margin) He designates various animals as souls.—Numbers 31:28.
[32]Jehovah then made a beautiful home for man, which is designated in the Bible as Eden—a garden, a beautiful park. Everything in Eden was perfect, because all the works of Jehovah are perfect. (Deuteronomy 32:4) "And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it."—Genesis 2: 8,9,15.
[33]God next gave to man a law to govern him. He told him what he might do and what he might not do; and informed him that a violation of this law would bring death upon him. "And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die."—Genesis 2:16, 17.
[34]God then created Eve to be a helpmate or companion to Adam. (Genesis 2:21–25) If Adam and Eve had been obedient to Jehovah at all times, there would have been no sickness, sorrow, nor death amongst the human race.
[35]In the Scriptures Jesus, the Logos, is designated as "the bright and morning star". (Revelation 22:16) He at all times was and is the joy and delight of the heavenly Father, Jehovah. A star is used to symbolize a heavenly creature. The morning star is the most honored one in all the divine realm, Jehovah alone excepted. Other heavenly creatures are designated as stars.
[36]Many times you have heard the question asked, Who made the devil, Satan, the evil one? The correct answer is, He was not always the devil or Satan. He was created a perfect and beautiful creature. He was also designated a star of heaven. His original name was Lucifer. The prophet Ezekiel says of him that he was "the anointed cherub that covereth", which seems to indicate that he had authority over some others. Continuing, the prophet records: "Thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee." (Ezekiel 28:14,15) He is described as a beautiful creature. Thus the Prophet speaks of him: "Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created".—Ezekiel 28:13.
[37]Other angelic hosts in heaven are designated the sons of God. When God created the earth, laying its foundations as a habitation for man, when he created these beautiful earthly creatures upon the earth, these two great stars of heaven sang together a song of gladness, and the angelic sons of God shouted for joy. (Job 38: 4–7) It appears that at that time all the creatures of Jehovah were in harmony with him and obedient to him, and of course they would watch the creation develop; and when the highest earthly creatures were made, perfect man and perfect woman, endowed with the attributes of wisdom, justice, love, and power, made in the image and likeness of Jehovah, there was great joy in heaven. Hence the occasion for the song and shouting by the heavenly hosts.
[38]In the unfolding of the divine plan, therefore, we see that creation is the first part and is properly designated as the first string upon the harp of God. "God is light, and in him is no darkness at all." (1 John 1:5) All the works of Jehovah are perfect. (Deuteronomy 32:4) Hence we must conclude that all the creatures of Jehovah were in the light, were creatures of light, all happy, all joyful. And when the perfect man and perfect woman were placed in the beautiful garden of Eden, everything there was joyful.
To what does the subject of creation herein briefly treated relate? ¶ 28.
Who is designated in the Bible as the beginning of God's creation? ¶ 28.
To what does the Genesis account of creation relate? ¶ 29.
What earthly creatures did God create before making man? ¶ 29.
For what purpose did God create the earth? ¶ 29.
What human beings did God create? ¶ 30.
Who was the father and who the mother of the human race? ¶ 30.
Who was the father and who the mother of Adam? ¶ 30.
What power and authority did God give to man at his creation? ¶ 30.
How did God create man? ¶ 31.
Define the soul. ¶ 31.
Does the word soul apply to any creatures except man? Give Scriptural proof. ¶ 31.
Describe the original man's first home. ¶ 32.
What is the meaning of the word Eden? ¶ 32.
What law did God give to man by which he was to be governed while in Eden? ¶ 33.
Describe the creation of Eve. ¶ 34.
By obeying God's law, how long could Adam and Eve have lived in Eden? ¶ 34.
A star is used in the Scriptures to symbolize what? ¶ 35.
What is the meaning of the Scriptural term "bright and morning star"? ¶ 35.
Who is the most highly honored one in the divine realm? ¶ 35.
Who is the devil or Satan? and who made him? ¶ 36.
What was his original name? ¶ 36.
How does the prophet Ezekiel describe Lucifer? ¶ 36.
What other beings in heaven are called sons of God? ¶ 37.
When God created man, what was the effect upon the host of heaven who observed the creation? ¶ 37.
What is the first string upon the