BY THE TERM "God's two books" we usually
mean the Bible and the created world of plants and animals.
But our own physical bodies are part of this world of nature
that forms God's other book, and in their structure and
functioning are found many illustrations of spiritual laws.
The wondrous plan of salvation is
revealed in certain workings of our bodies and in certain
powers of plants and animals. It is in this way: The Bible
teaches us that God was not caught unprepared when Adam and
Eve sinned. If He had been, there would have been no need
for a plan of salvation for sinners would have been dead
before it could have been thought out. But Jesus is "the
Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." Potentially He
was ready to die in man's stead before man needed such a
Saviour. That is the reason Adam and Eve did not perish the
instant they sinned. Their Substitute was ready, prepared to
give them another chance.
This foreplanning of God is illustrated
in the power of coagulation of the blood. Before there is
any bleeding, and ready though there never should be any
hemorrhage, is that wonderful power that controls the loss
of blood-God's provision for lifesaving before death
strikes. In plants the power to heal an injury is there in
the plant before the injury is made.
Not long ago I ran across the medical
"big words" at the head of this chapter, and I have found
them true in my own experience and that of several friends
who have recently passed through sudden injuries. They
illustrate a loving aspect of the plan of salvation.
"Amnesia" means "loss of memory." "Retrogressive" means
"working backwards." The doctors use these words to describe
a certain merciful effect of the shock of a severe accident.
The mind is not only rendered unconscious for a longer or
shorter time by the force of the accident itself, but it
forgets the preceding few moments so that it does not recall
how the accident came about. My friend struck down by a
careless driver has no memory of crossing the highway or
seeing the approaching speeder. My other friend who fell
down the basement stairs does not recall what caused the
fall. It is a commonplace to hear the reply, "I don't know,"
to the question: "Just how did you come to hurt yourself?"
The answer is true; a backward-working forgetfulness has
blotted out the agony of sudden fear or the horrible crash
or blow.
This is a merciful provision of the
Creator. The effects of the accident on the nervous system
are lessened, and the recovery of nerve tone is improved.
What is the connection between this
retrogressive amnesia and a Bible truth? It illustrates,
"The former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind."
Isaiah 65:17. "The former troubles are forgotten." Verse 16.
"Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the
things of old." Isaiah 43:18. "In those days, and in that
time, saith the Lord, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought
for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and
they shall not be found." Jeremiah 50:20.
Our wounding by sin is not going to live
in our memories in the new earth. To all eternity we shall
know that we have been through an experience that has cost
our Saviour the prints of the nails in His hands. But a
blessed retrogressive amnesia will replace the inexpressible
agonies of sin by the far more exceeding and eternal weight
of glory.
