Welcome back to the Marriage course, we hope that you found encouragement from yesterday’s lesson. Today we are going to continue studying the story of Adam and Eve to see the work of Christ in creation. Come and see that the story of the creation of Adam and Eve is a picture of Jesus and the church. Today we will see how this story demonstrates the powerful marital union between a ‘man and his wife’ and the more powerful spiritual union that ‘Christ has with the Church.’ Let’s read it together:
“So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. 22 And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man.” Genesis 2:21-22
Adam in his perfect state and prior to falling into sin was put into a deep sleep by God and was stretched out for the first surgical procedure. God cut (or pierced) Adam’s side, took a rib from him and closed his wound so a new creation could be made and life could be given to another, Eve Adam's bride. When Adam rose from his deep sleep, God brought his wife created from his own flesh and blood then presented her to her groom and they became husband and wife.
This first marriage is an illustration of the gospel which is of first importance (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Before we see the gospel in the creation story let’s first take a look at the passage below to see what the gospel is and how it is of ‘first importance’ and ‘power’ for your marriage.
“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures” 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 ESV
The gospel is of first importance because there we find the forgiveness of our sins and receive grace to forgive others. We see that Jesus died on the cross for our sins and for the sins of our spouse. When we look at the cross Jesus died on, we see the nails in His hands and feet, the blood pouring out of His side that was pierced, and by faith we believe His wounds are for us, to heal and restore our relationships between God and man and between husband and wife. This gospel is the 'power of God' to save us from the wrath of God and the power of God to continue to transform us into the image of Jesus (Romans 1:16, 1 Corinthians 1:18).
Now that we’ve taken a closer look at the gospel let’s see it illustrated more clearly in the creation story. We will see why Adam is a type of Jesus, the One who was to come to save the world from the curse of sin and death. That is, Jesus would come to restore what was lost through Adam and Eve's sin. Jesus would come as the ‘second Adam’ by his death on the cross and His resurrection from the dead, would restore and make right the sin that the first Adam brought into the world.
Romans 5:17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!
Notice this passage below regarding Adam and Jesus and how one trespass resulted in condemnation and death for all, but how one righteous act (Jesus' death on the cross and resurrection from the dead) brought life and made all who believe righteous:
"Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous." Romans 5:18-19
Adam was therefore a picture of Jesus Christ, the perfect Lamb of God who was put into a deeper sleep than Adam, (the sleep of death). Adam was stretched out for the first surgical procedure in deep sleep, but Jesus was stretched out on a cross for the final surgical procedure wounded in His side and nailed in His hands and feet. God did not simply take a rib from Jesus, but an entire body was prepared for him to shed his blood on the cross. To be wounded, nailed, pierced and hung on the cross so a new creation could be made so that spiritual life could be given to all. When Jesus rose from his deep sleep of death on the third day, his bride (the church) was created from his own flesh and blood. Because Jesus lives and can never die again, we have His life living in and through us.