The First Adam And The Last Adam

Knowing Jesus Christ is becoming more and more of a passion for me. One of the many ways I see Jesus in the scriptures is through types of Christ, such as Melchizedek, Joseph and David. None of them are perfect, but they help to point out different characteristics of Jesus Christ, so I can know Him better.

The very first type of Christ mentioned in the Bible is also one whose imperfection usually overshadows his likeness to Jesus. But he is the only person directly mentioned in the Bible as a "type" of Christ...

...death reigned from Adam until Moses, even on those who had not sinned in the likeness of Adam's transgression, who is a type of the coming One.

- Romans 5:14

Here are some of the similarities (and differences) I've found in comparing Adam with Christ:

• Adam was made in the likeness of God (Genesis 1:26, 5:1). Jesus is the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15, 2 Corinthians 4:4, Hebrews 1:3)
• It was not good for Adam to be alone, so God made Eve of him and for him, to be a helper. The church is the Last Adam's Eve, and came from Christ and is to live for Christ. Yet there is also somewhat of a reversal - it is not good for Eve (the Church) to be alone, so the Last Adam gave us a Helper (John 14:16).
• Eve was Adam's helper, taken from his side. The Holy Spirit is called Parakletos, meaning one who comes "along side".
• Adam and Eve were given the command to multiply and fill the earth (Genesis 1:28). Jesus' disciples were commanded to make disciples throughout the world (Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 1:8).
  In both cases, the multiplying is considered a gift of God (Genesis 4:1,25, Acts 11:18, 1 Corinthians 3:6).
  In both cases, the "image" is passed on (Genesis 5:3, 1 Corinthians 15:49).
  In both cases, this can only happen through a union: Adam with Eve, and the Church with the Spirit of Christ.
• Adam and Eve were "one flesh" (Genesis 2:24). Christ and His Church are also one flesh (Ephesians 5:30-32).
• Both Adams were the only ones to fully realize what they lost at the fall. I believe the first theophany (Old Testament appearance of Christ) was in Eden: God (Jesus) physically walked with Adam and Eve for they heard the sound of His footsteps (Genesis 3:8). The first Adam and the Last Adam communed together. When Adam sinned, while physical death was postponed, it caused spiritual death that same day. Adam was separated from God, and God was separated from Adam. Both experienced spiritual and physical death as a result of sin, for Jesus also was separated from His heavenly Father before He died on the cross for our sin (Matthew 27:46, 50).
• While Adam was made in the image of God, the elected are to have the likeness of God restored (Romans 8:29, 1 Corinthians 15:49, 2 Corinthians 3:18, Colossians 3:10). We're being remade in the image of the Image of the invisible God.
• Because all of mankind are "in" Adam, all have the sin nature of Adam. All of those who are "in" Christ have His righteousness attributed to them (1 Corinthians 15:22).
• The first Adam suffered death as a result of his own voluntary sin. The Last Adam suffered not as a result of His own sin, but voluntarily, as result of the First Adam's sin, to bring man back into communion with God.
• The first Adam, who had life, traded it for death, and thereby gave us death. The Last Adam, who is the Source of life, gave up His own life to give us life (1 Corinthians 15:22, 45).
• When Jesus and His disciples walked together, it foreshadowed the beginning of the restoral of full communion with God. God was "with" man again (Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23). Very few had "walked" with God before Christ (Adam, Enoch...). Now all can again. Coincidentally, John 18:1-2 says that Jesus often met with His disciples in the garden of Gethsemane (i.e. think of the song "In the Garden".)
• Adam and Eve were given command to govern the earth (Genesis 1:26-27 - note the word "them"). Those in Christ will reign over the earth (2 Timothy 2:12, Revelation 5:10).

All content written by Andrew Bernhardt unless otherwise noted. Site hosted on lunarpages.com.
Topic viewed 460 times since 2009-07-02 02:50:14.
Last updated by System on 2009-06-23 07:08:08.