20 ASTRONOMYANDTHEBIBLEpliesthatamind hasexpressed itself, notmerelyin
words,butin"theWord";thatistosay,asymmetri-
calwhole. Butthemindthathasthusexpresseditself
isthedivinemind;anditsexpressionisamanifesta-
tionofrealities.
Itis "theWord,"foritspeaks. Itproducesreali-
ties; forthatWordiscreative, pouringforth divine
energy. Itspokeatcreation;andwhatitcommanded,
obeyedbyexisting. ThatWordsaid,"Letlightbe;"
andlightwas. TheBiblemaygiveusinwords"the
Word"ofGod;butthatWordisalso manifestedin
theworld itcreatedand still sustains. If innature
thereisanythingnotproducedandsustainedby"the
Word,"itisbutsometemporarything,theresultof
some other mind,a mind antagonistic to thedivine
mind. And this transient element, discerned by its
vanity and falsity, will eventually pass away. But
"theWord"ofGod,andHewhoisinthatWord,and
makesitvital,efficient,andsubstantial,willabidefor-
ever.
Aswordsexpressthethoughts,ormind,ofaman,
so"theWord"expresses, reveals,disclosesthedivine
mind. TheBibleistheechoofthedivinemind,and
soitiscalled"theWordofGod." Whenitisminis-
teredtousbytheSpirit,itbecomesatoncetheliving,
acting Word of God; and such it is truly called.
Christistherevelation,the"outgoing,"ofGod'smind,
orcharacter;andthereforeHeiscalled"theLogos,"
or"Word." John i:1-3. And nature, too, though
cloudedbysin,is apanorama ofGod's thoughtsto
Hiscreatures,and henceiscalled "theotherword."