What does the river of humanity represent in this illustration?
The river of humanity represents the human race, which has been flowing like old man river ever since Adam. It pictures humanity moving through time, with doors of opportunity along its banks offering 'Whosoever will may come,' while those who enter see they were chosen in Him before the world began.
The illustration explains that the river of humanity is the human race flowing like old man river ever since Adam. Along the banks are doors of opportunity. The front of the door says, 'Whosoever will may come.' When a person goes through that door of opportunity and looks back, he sees on the other side of the top of the door, 'Chosen in Him,' before the world was created. The teaching acknowledges the tension: Scripture says Christ died for every man and God is not willing that any should perish, yet it also says believers were chosen before the foundation of the world. It lets both truths stand by faith and lets God settle the controversy.