ADAM AND THE EARTH
Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
Genesis 2:8 And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9 And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Genesis 2:18 ¶ And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. 19 And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.
We must take good notice of the phrase “of the ground” in these verses. And as we notice this, we can discover both man’s kinship with the earth, and his difference from it. But first we must realize that there are not just one, but two Adam’s. And both are heads of their respective races. The first Adam was the head of the human race. (Acts 17:26) The last Adam – the Lord Jesus Christ – is the Head of all, especially the spiritual race of God’s redeemed people. (Ephesians 1:22, 5:23)
1 Corinthians 15:45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. 46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. 47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. 48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. 49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
The first Adam is said to be “of the earth.” And therefore he was only a “a living soul.” But the last Adam – the Lord Jesus Christ – was not formed of the dust of the ground! His humanity was formed by the Holy Spirit! Luke 1:35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. Therefore those who shall bear the image of the heavenly must be born again, or born from above. So Christ is rightly said to be “a quickening, or life-giving spirit!”
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
1 Corinthians 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
And as light was introduced at the creation of the first Adam, even so is the light of God’s glory made known unto those created in Christ Jesus. 2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Now we notice that after the Lord had said that it was not good for the man to be alone, he brings before Adam all the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, who were also formed out of the ground. But in that great number, although it caused Adam to have a long, scientific study of each of their traits in order to properly assign names to them, it yielded no mate for him.
In fact, it was not intended for Adam to find his mate in them. The Lord God just wanted to show him, and all of us, that even though they were also made out of the ground, they were in no way comparable to human kind. The difference? – God did not breathe into them the breath of life as he did Adam. Therefore we find it as a law of God! Lev. 20:15 And if a man lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death: and ye shall slay the beast.
Eve, Adam’s mate, was to come from within him! For the last Adam’s Bride, the true, spiritually born church, are not earthy, like the first Adam, they are a spiritual seed from the last Adam. (Reread verses 47 through 49 of 1 Corinthians 15 listed in column two of this article.) For marriage is a picture of Christ and the true church.
Ephesians 5:28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
When Adam had Eve presented to him, after the Lord had opened his side, (as he did the last Adam’s side on the cross), and formed the “womb-man” (woman), Adam again rightly named this new creation set before him. Genesis 2:21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; 22 And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. 23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. And in the previous paragraph we also see in Ephesians 5:30, as spiritual believers, we are “members of his (Christ’s) body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
And as Adam had to identify the breasts and fowls to see that they had not the same breath of God, and were therefore not compatible to him for a companion, so the true believer has to come to identify those who are as spiritual beasts, although they may be very religious, with whom they cannot find spiritual fellowship. Matthew 7:6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. 2 Peter 2:21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
Those with the spirit of the dog and sow, and not the spirit of God’s sheep are not within the spiritual church of God here on earth, and therefore shall not be allowed into the eternal glory of the Lord! Revelation 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. 15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
2 Peter 2:10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. 12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; 13 And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time.
Here are some other ways in which we can see pictures of the last Adam’s race. As Adam was said to be made of the dust of the ground, Christ’s parables spoke of the ground which received seed as being humans hearing the gospel. Matthew 13:22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. 23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
In Genesis 1:11,12 we read of the plants bringing forth fruit with the seed after his kind. And in Christ’s preaching as recorded in John fifteen, we also read of the true believer bring forth fruit in like manner. John 15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
Matthew 7:18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
The Lord God also brought forth trees out of the ground. And so the Lord’s people are likened to trees. Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
Isaiah 61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified. Matthew 15:13 But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.
The herb was also brought forth from the ground. And the Lord spoke of the believer’s faith being like mustard seed. Matthew 13:31 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: 32 Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.
And in the Song of Solomon we read of the true church set forth as both the king’s bride and as a garden. And she is not without the sweet smelling spices which imply the graces of the Holy Spirit upon true believers. It is also written that the wind, (indicating the Holy Spirit – see John 3:8), blows upon these spices for the king to smell their sweet aroma. Just as the Holy Spirit intercedes for us, presenting us as a fragrance of obedience to the Lord God.
Song 4:12 A garden inclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed. 13 Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; camphire, with spikenard, 14 Spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices:
Song 4:15 ¶ A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon. 16 Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits.
Song 5:1 ¶ I am come into my garden, my sister, my spouse: I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk: eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved.
As we are living sacrifices, the Holy Spirit makes our obedience a sweet aroma in the nostrils of the Holy God! Genesis 8:20 And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21 And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.
2 Corinthians 2:15 For we are unto God a sweet savour (aroma, or fragrance) of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: 16 To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
And that world had to be immersed in water due to sin! Genesis 6:5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 17 And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die.
And all true believers, without exception, have to be immersed in the physical waters of baptism as a witness to reveal being immersed in the water of the Holy Spirit!
John 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
1 Peter 3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. 21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
Pastor Gene Breed
March 11, 2020
