Adam vs. Jesus

     Adam’s Rib and the piercing of Jesus’ side.  What do they have in common?  I’d say more than meets the eye.  Adam had his side opened up and a rib was removed so God could create woman, a help mate or in other words a bride for Adam. 

     Jesus gave his life to be a savior to mankind and in doing so facilitated us, the Church, becoming the Bride of Christ.  Adam modeled in the flesh, what Jesus accomplished in the spirit.

 

Genesis 2:21 So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs^[g] and then closed up the place with flesh. ²² Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib^[h] he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.

²³ The man said,

“This is now bone of my bones
    and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called ‘woman,’
    for she was taken out of man.”

²⁴ That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.

John 19:34   Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water.

Why Blood and water? 

Luke 3:16 John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

     Jesus’ blood had to be spilled so the Holy Spirit could come and minister to, in, and through us.  

     So what’s the big deal?  Some time ago, God gave me an image of Jesus on the cross and the spear lunging forward and actually piercing Jesus’ side.  While this in and of itself is disturbing I was compelled to ask God, “What is the significance here?  Why are you showing me this?”  Then He gave me another vision of God removing the rib from Adams side.  Again I asked, “Father, what reason do you have for showing me this?”    Here is a paraphrased version of what He told me.

     It important to understand that Christians are truly considered to be the Bride of Christ.  Just as Eve was created by material from Adam’s core, Christians are justified and saved by the water baptism and blood of Christ.  Jesus is referred to as the Lamb of God.  Blood must be spilled for sin to be forgiven.  We are Baptized by the water and cleansed by His blood.

     Again, Adam modeled in the flesh, what Jesus accomplished in the spirit.  This is important to understand because it reveals God understanding of the need for a savior as soon as man had life breathed into him.  We were in need for a savior prior to what is known as “the fall”. 

God, our Father, honors one law above all: The law of Free Will.  All other laws are secondary to this. 

     By honoring our free will, we chose to set aside our desires and wants and give Him the opportunity to exercise His desires and wants.  In doing so we hold on to the faith in  that what the Lord wants for us will be better, in the long run, than what we want for ourselves.   Not only will it be better for us but it will also be better for those around us and it will glorify and bring honor to Him.   

     The fact that God understood the need for a savior from the beginning diffuses a litany of questions regarding original sin and understanding Gods sovereignty.  Reality is, as soon as God breathed into Adams nostrils the law of free will was already in effect and as a result a savior was required.  

     So, The next time you read Genesis chapter two, read it with the knowledge that Christ accomplished in the spirit what Adam could only accomplish in the flesh.  Read it understanding that free will and the need for a savior go hand in hand.  Read it with the faith in your Heavenly Father that what he has in store for you is so much better than what you could ever imagine for yourself.