First Adam, Second Adam

Adam: well-known Hebrew name meaning "man, of the earth."

There are many famous Adam's, and I am not one of them! From Adam West, the original batman (nah, nah, nah, nah...batman!) to Adam Sandler, but none are more famous than the first recorded person mentioned in the Bible: the OG Adam.

"Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being." (Gen. 2:7)

The word for man in this verse is literally, ​adam.  Another word that is closely related to this is adamah, which is used for the name Adam in verse 20, and means ground. Thus, Man, of the Earth. And not just another creature. The only creation that God formed with His hands, not just with His Words. One that has the very breath of His Maker in him. One who was made in the image and likeness of his Creator. In the same way, every person who came from Adam and Eve can be said to have the very breath of God in them as well. In a world gone mad, this is where we must find our identity. From the very beginning, knowing who we are because we know whose we are. 

Not only were Adam and Eve the first parents to ever live, they were also the first sinners. If you read their account and then continue through to Genesis 11, you will find out how quickly their offspring fully embraced their sinful nature. Once again, important to note that we are not only sinners because of what we do, or don't do, but because of our very nature!

Skip ahead about 4000 years and we see Jesus coming onto the scene. This is predicted so clearly in Genesis 3. This seed from Adam and Eve will crush the serpent! Side note: For those who do not like planning, please know that God loves planning. He began a plan 4000 years before it came fully into view! Let the Holy Spirit be a part of the planning from the beginning. This is called being a steward of everything God gave you. Don't wait to ask Him to bless what you have been doing on your own!

Jesus, before He is a second Moses or Elijah, has to be the second Adam. Romans 5:12 states, "Sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin." He continues to say, "death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the One to come." 

Who is this ONE to come? It is Jesus. Adam is a type of Christ, whose character you might say, finds fulfillment in Christ. I like to say, in the same way Adam and Eve took the fruit off of the tree, Jesus, in a sense, put the fruit back on the tree! 

Humanity received its sinful nature from Adam, and believers and followers of Christ can receive a righteous nature through Jesus! This is why Luke traces his genealogy all the way back to Adam. Jesus is not redeeming a few people during a short window. He came to die for all humanity, past, present and future. 

"But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God." (John 1:12)

In my last post, Christ in Creation, I mentioned that we are now new creations in Jesus. The old nature is put off and the new is put on. This can not find its roots in Moses or even Abraham, but must have its roots in Adam. New creation is a telling statement that must go back and connect to the original creation. 

Think about this. After day 6, God rested and stopped creation. Did creation keep going? Absolutely! From the moment God said, "let there be light," God created and this process is still in effect. We are image bearers and therefore creators as well. New life is also created in us, as well as ideas, inventions, business and everything in between.

But for the first time since day 6, God created once again. At the moment of salvation, God made a new creation out of you and me! And if it is anything like the first creation, God is willing to get his hands dirty. He is willing to bend low and listen to our hearts and our cries. He is willing to work on our behalf. He willing to walk with us through the fire and deep waters we so often find ourselves in!

Once again, I am overwhelmed and thankful for the love of Christ. He did not leave us in our sins in Genesis 3, but was willing to come and redeem everyone that was lost! 

Our God is so good and so faithful! So much more so than we deserve! Can we hear some praise and thankfulness today for the Second Adam, who is Jesus!