These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens,
The LORD God made the earth etc.
As this is the first verse in the Bible, in which we meet with the sacred name of LORD GOD, joined together; the Reader would do well to pause over it, with profound reverence, and to seek grace from God, who alone can impart information, concerning Himself, to the mind, that he may have a proper conception of the meaning of the expression; so that, both in this passage of the Divine Word, and in every other, where it occurs, he may be brought under suitable impressions. And in order to help the Reader; in this most interesting subject, I would, once for all, beg of him to observe, that in what part soever of the Bible, he meets with the name of the Lord, in large letters, thus; LORD; it always means JEHOVAH. And wherever the name of the Lord is expressed in small letters, thus; Lord; the original is not JEHOVAH, but Adonai. The translators of our English Bible, by this method, meant to shew that there is a difference in the word itself: but have not pointed out, in what that difference consists. Perhaps they could not exactly do it. Neither, therefore, shall I attempt it. All I shall venture to do upon the occasion, by way of help to the humble Reader, is to give him my observations upon the subject, and which I beg him to accept as observations only, and not as a matter of determination. By the glorious incommunicable name of JEHOVAH, in scripture, which is translated LORD, in great letters, is meant the Necessary, Self-existent, Independent, and Eternal Being; and considered in a covenant-way, as a promising and performing God. And in confirmation of this, it is worthy the Reader's most serious attention, that as we do not meet with this glorious name of JEHOVAH God, until creation-work, the heavens and the earth and all the host of them were finished; so the Lord, himself, in after ages, Song of Solomon 1:1 led upon Moses, to observe that He was not known by this name, among the Patriarchs, until the new creation-work, in redemption, was promised; and God had entered into covenant with Israel, that in his seed (meaning the Lord Jesus Christ after the flesh) should all the families of the earth be blessed. See Exodus 6:2-3. It may be proper, also, for the information of the humble Reader, to add, that this glorious and incommunicable name of JEHOVAH, is equally applied to all the Persons of the Godhead, in various parts of scripture. In proof, I subjoin a few instances. To the Father, see Isaiah 40:28, under the character of Creator. To the Son, Isaiah 43:3; Isaiah 43:3, where the Son is considered under His peculiar title of Redeemer. And to the Spirit, in His divine offices, in redemption-work, Isaiah 61:1-3. For a proof, in one and the same chapter, where, to each, is distinctly and severally ascribed this glorious name; see Isaiah 63:9-10; Isaiah 63:9-10. And, no less, to the Three Sacred Persons, in confirmation of the unity of the Godhead; see Deuteronomy 6:4, explained by the Lord Jesus himself, Mark 12:29. - I only repeat, under this article, that when the word Lord occurs, in smaller letters, in the Bible, and means not JEHOVAH, but Adonai; the original carries with it the idea of a Lord or Ruler; an Almighty Helper or Supporter. And, in this sense, it is peculiarly applied to the Person of the Lord Jesus, when at any time He is spoken of, in his mediatorial character, in the great work of redemption. A striking example we have in Psalms 110:1. The LORD said unto my Lord: that is, JEHOVAH said unto my Adonai. Hence, the Lord Jesus assumed that name, and applied it to Himself. See Matthew 22:44; Mark 12:36; Luke 20:42. For further proofs, see Abraham's address to the Lord, under this character, Adonai JEHOVAH, Genesis 15:2. See, also, other proofs, Isaiah 25:8; Isaiah 25:8; Psalms 16:2; Isaiah 28:16, etc. etc.