day 859: The Law of First Mention

"And God saw that it was good..."

There is a "law of first mention" in Biblical research. I will come back to that but let me first state that there is also such a law in business, but with a different definition. In business, the person who first mentions or first defines a problem or a solution can wield great power over the subject or definition at hand. It is with the first word, realization, or point of view that much can get done because others will follow the one who leads or speaks first. There is a fine balance between being the person who speaks first and becoming the person who never listens or jumps to conclusions. That set of actions and reputation can take a very smart person and turn them into a fool. But those who successfully finds that balance and can still step forward courageously and confidently will be the ones who will rise to the top. If we are not one of these people who speaks forward confidently, then we should look to others to learn and see what skills we can acquire and develop in this area.

Back to the law of first mention. A definition I read for this was, "The 'law of first-mention' is the principle in the interpretation of Scripture which states that the first mention or occurrence of a subject in Scripture establishes an unchangeable pattern, with that subject remaining unchanged in the mind of God throughout Scripture." This alone is a great reason for us to study the Old Testament alongside our New Testament learning. A great example of the law of first mention comes with God recording His thoughts at the end of each day of creation with, "It is good." We can apply this first mention as a pattern for us because God found good in His creation and His handiwork. We are made in God's likeness and image and we have been given our own ability to create and work. So, it is with us that what we create and what we can do with our work can be "good". As we finish out this day, this month, and this quarter, let us not forget that if we are working in accordance with His will and a purpose of bringing Glory to God in all that we do, then the law of first mention only reinforces to us that what we do is and can be is "good" and powerful.

Reference: Genesis, Chapter 1